Brick and Tile Underwood
John de Morgan
A yellow pony & trap
End of an Era
By Peter Bowler
A well known pub in the village on the corner of Main Rd. and Palmerston St. (formally New St.) was demolished recently after a life span of almost 200 years. In the 19th century it was a venue for meetings by Underwood and Selston people opposing the Enclosures Act when an act of parliament was passed to give common land to wealthy land owners. The meetings were often attended by John de Morgan, self styled peoples champion who would arrive at various meetings in a pony and trap, the trap was painted bright yellow, no doubt to attract attention. It was at one of the meetings at the Brick and Tile that a fatality occured, 9 year old Enoch Smithurst was struck by de Morgans trap and died of his injuries.