Quorndon to Quorn

By I Johns

Have you ever stopped to think why we use the shortened name in our postal address, rather than Quorndon? We have to go back well over 100 years to find the answer.

Local residents at that time were inconvenienced and annoyed that their mail was being sent to Quarndon in Derbyshire before being eventually delivered correctly. So in August 1889, a petition was sent to the Right Honorable Cecil Raikes, Postmaster General, stating as follows:

"We the undersigned being Rate payers of the parish of Quorndon in the County of Leicester beg respectfully to call attention to the serious inconvenience and annoyance caused by letters and telegrams intended for Quorndon being sent to Quarndon (Derbyshire). Complaints have from time to time been made to the Postal Authorities and it has been suggested that the confusion and delay hitherto as attending the delivery of letters and telegrams through the similarity of the two names above mentioned might be avoided if the name "Quorn" were substituted for Quorndon in the Postal Directory. The village is, and has been for a very long time, invariably styled "Quorn " by the Public and there is no doubt that it is much better known by that name in the neighbouring towns and villages than by the name Quorndon. In support of this, it is only necessary to mention the "Quorn Hunt" (which is so known far and wide - all over England), "Quorn House", "Quorn Hall", "Quorn Court", "Quorn Mills", "Quorn Lodge", "The Quorn House Cricket Club" and many other distinctive names of local places and institutions

In everyday life the full name "Quorndon" is rarely. or ever used except by communication by letter and then if the Post Town of Loughborough is omitted from the envelope or if there is any illegibility in the writing of the word "Quorndon ", the mistakes occur. By making the alteration it is believed a great boon would be conferred upon both the Villages of Quorndon (Leicestershire) and Quarndon (Derbyshire). We enclose a copy of the Resolution passed at the Local Board Meeting on the sixth day of August last authorising the Clerk to take the necessary steps to effect the alteration. In conclusion one instance amongst many may be mentioned of the mistakes which have been and are constantly arising - Two loads of machinery intended for Quorn Mills (directed Quorndon) were sent to Quarndon (Derbyshire) so occasioning not only irritation and delay but considerable expense.

We have the honour to remain 

Your most obedient Servants

W.E.B. Farnham J.P., D.L., C.O. Leicester Chairman to the Local Board of Health
John' D Cradock, Solicitor
Wm Richardson, Farmer & Butcher
Thos North, Postmaster
Jos Facey, Gentleman
James Bolesworth, Farmer
John Parker, Farmer
James Wright, Elastic Web Manufacturer
Jabez Hollis, Grocer
All Members of the Quorndon Local Board of Health
Geo White, Clerk to the said Local Board "
 
 
Permission was subsequently granted in that year by the Postmaster General.

I am very pleased to have in my possession a photocopy of the original document which is now held in the National Postal Museum Archives Department. Thomas North, mentioned in the document, was Postmaster from 1876 for over forty years. I believe the post office was then on the comer of High Street and Station Road before moving to its present position in the 1970's.