A blue plaque in honour of Belper’s cotton mill owner and philanthropist George Herbert Strutt has been unveiled at Makeney Hall Hotel, Mr Strutt’s former home.
The plaque was unveiled by Mr Strutt’s granddaughter Lin Ryan along with Cllr Andrew Lewer, Leader of Derbyshire County Council.
The plaque was nominated by Adrian Farmer, Heritage coordinator at Derbyshire County Council, a choice applauded by Cllr Lewer:
‘George Herbert Strutt was a great and generous man who continued his family’s tradition of enhancing Belper and the surrounding area,’ he said. ‘His legacy can be seen to this day in the many buildings and amenities he donated or built for the benefit of the community.’
In a moving speech to a large gathering of guests, Lin Ryan spoke of her ‘kind and generous’ grandfather and mentioned how her mother Bridget – Strutt’s daughter who died last year – brought that same spirit of caring to the family.
