The homes on Kerrs Walk were built in 2009 on land that was formerly owned by the Chequers Pub.

Before that time, the Chequers car park extended to the wall of the building on the right, making it a very large space for patrons of the pub.

Why so big a car park? Well, not so long ago it was definitely needed.

On Saturday nights 40 years ago, the car park would be packed, and the music from the organ and the voices of people singing along, could be easily heard a 100m away (100 yards in those days), even after the 11pm closing time.

The breathalyzer test for alcohol, and the public's acceptance that drink-driving was unacceptable, helped put a stop to that. So did the availability of alternative forms of entertainment in an evening - such as colour TV and video cassette players.

These days, householders on Kerrs Walk are never going to be disturbed by pub singing like that - unless England should ever win the World Cup, and then they would join in.

So how did Kerrs Walk get its name?

It comes from the name of a lady who was an active member of the Cropwell Bishop Parish Council for many years in the 1970s: Margaret Kerr. See her photo opposite. Her name, Kerr, is pronounced “Car”.

She had recently retired but still had the drive and energy to make full use of her newly found spare time. She put herself forward for election to the Parish Council and was duly elected.

When her councillor duties were not enough to fill her days, she made herself useful at the Day Centre when it was held at the Memorial Hall and, on occasion, could even be found calling out the Bingo numbers!

She lived in her house on Stockwell Lane until 2003 when, at 92 years of age, she went into ‘Care’. She died in 2008, the same year that her house was demolished and replaced by a very similar new one (there will be more about that in the Street Article on Stockwell Lane).

Her daughter, Fiona, grew up in the village and now lives in the north-east of England. She has fond memories of those times and still enjoys visiting this website to find out what is happening here.

One thing that does puzzle me is why Kerrs Walk wasn't called Kerr Walk. I must admit though, that it doesn't roll of the tongue quite so easily: maybe that is the reason.

I still have things to learn about street naming!

Tony Jarrow

Note:
Particular thanks to Anne Terzza, Pam Barlow and Fiona Stephenson for her help with this article.