Park Mill Farm, which is in Park Mill Lane, but before I go any further, I must tell you, that it is not really in West houses as that is in Blackwell Parish, and the farm is in Shirland parish, abut none the less it is always looked on as being in West houses.
It has been inhabited by the Booth Family, for many years, buts its present owner is Mr H. Holmes.
Mr E. Moore’s, grandfather was a very active and enterprising man, in his heyday he built the first cottages in the village, eight in all, in the year 1886.
These was an old font found in the basement of the house, which was very old indeed, but I cannot tell you the age of it, But Mr and Mrs Swain gave it to the Parish Church, and it is now in the Church yard, amongst other relics, which have been found from time to time.
There used to be a bridge across the railway line from the Institute, to the other bank, which the main traffic used to go to Blackwell, the other road from the Station being very narrow, but when the Railway Company made the new sidings and they took the old bridge down and then made a new and wider road, from the Station to Blackwell.
Before the Church and Chapel were built the Religious Services were held in the Station Booking Hall, where, is you look inside the, you will see what looks like a back rest, by the booking hall window.
When the railway Institute was built, they transferred the Services there, so you see the people were not deterred from their worship.
There is just one final word I should like to say there are not many people who can remember where the first Sermons were held in West houses.
As I told you previously the School was built by the Midland Railway in 1897, but has been taken over the County Council.
After Mr Dicks retired, a Schoolmistress took over control, her name being Mrs Bansall and she has two other teacher under her.
Only this year there have been three scholarships gained by three girls, and all three will proceed to Swanwick Grammar School, after the summer recess.
Now that is I think a credit to both Scholars and Teachers, and I sincerely hope they will follow it up and maintain the prestige of the village.
He also attained the Rank of Captain in the R.A. After the hostilities finished and the War was over he came back England, then after a brief holiday be went to Birmingham University, as a lecturer in Geography.
The mainline railway through Westhouses is the Erewash Valley line from Nottingham to Chesterfield.
The shed was intended to be a maintenance centre for the LMS but water supply problems prevented its expansion.
A chapel of ease (the tin tabernacle) was built near the School and Recreation ground, and stood until its removal to the Midland Railway - Butterley near Ripley.
The organ was played by a lady who reputedly only knew two hymns, one of which was "The day thou gavest" and the other was "To be a pilgrim."
In steam days Garratts could be seen pounding up the gradient in front of a long line of coal wagons.
Operations were moved to Tibshelf sidings until the complete closure of Westhouses as a traincrew depot in January 1987.
The last locally employed railway positions were the travelling shunters based in the flat-topped cabin at the start of Tibshelf Sidings, these positions were however made redundant when Silverhill colliery closed.