15 Facts About Arthur Heywood

Arthur Heywood was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Percival Heywood and grew up in the family home of Dove Leys at Denstone in Staffordshire.

Arthur Heywood graduated in 1872 with a master's degree in Applied Science.

Arthur Heywood became aware of experiments by the Royal Engineers in building railways in warfare.

Arthur Heywood settled on as the optimum, his previous line having proved to be too small to carry people in a stable manner.

Sir Arthur Heywood had a keen interest in campanology and in 1891 he founded the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.

Arthur Heywood often joined the ringers at Duffield St Alkmunds church where he was a churchwarden and sidesman.

Arthur Heywood was a board member of the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary and the president of the Infirmary in 1895.

Arthur Heywood was the chair of the Derbyshire police Standing Joint Committee for a number of years, High Sheriff of Derbyshire for 1899, a Justice of the Peace for Derbyshire and later for Staffordshire by virtue of his seat at Dove Leys.

Sir Arthur Heywood's father died in 1897 and he inherited Dove Leys, where he began to build another railway between the road, where there was a coal store, and the house.

Arthur Heywood's intention was to extend to Norbury railway goods yard, but Colonel Clowes who owned the land in between refused to give him wayleave.

Sir Arthur Heywood then extended the line southwards to nearby Dove Cliff farm, which was part of his estate, and thence to Rocester station.

Sir Arthur Heywood carried on, particularly with work on the Eaton Hall Railway.

Arthur Heywood was unwell in the early part of 1916 and took a turn for the worse on 19 April during a visit to Duffield Bank where he died that afternoon, aged 66.

Sir Arthur Heywood was buried at Denstone on 22 April 1916.

The Arthur Heywood radiating axle locomotives could pass very tight curves by a special axle arrangement.