Coordinates: 52°58′03″N 1°18′26″W / 52.9676°N 1.3072°W / 52.9676; -1.3072

Ilkeston is a town within the Borough of Erewash, in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the River Erewash, from which the local borough takes its name. Its population at the 2001 census was 37,550. Its major industries were traditionally coal mining, iron working and lace making / textiles, but these have all but disappeared in the last few decades.

The town is close to both Derby and Nottingham and is near to the M1 motorway. Although Ilkeston lies within Derbyshire, it is closer to Nottingham than it is to Derby. The eastern boundary of Ilkeston is only two miles from Nottingham's western edge. Ilkeston is considered by the Office for National Statistics to be part of the Nottingham Urban Area.

Ilkeston was probably founded in the 6th century AD, and gets its name from its supposed founder, Elch or Elcha, who was an Anglian chieftain ("Elka's Tun" = Elka's Town). The town appears as Tilchestune in the Domesday Book when it was owned principally by Gilbert de Ghent. Gilbert also controlled nearby Shipley, West Hallam and Stanton by Dale. Ilkeston was created a borough by Queen Victoria in 1887.

Thomas 'Tom' Deacon (1868 - 21 July 1921) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea and international rugby for Wales

Swansea born Deacon began his career with Morriston before switching to Swansea in 1890. The next season he was selected to represent the Wales national team against Ireland in the 1891 Home Nations Championship. Deacon was one of four new Welsh players brought into the pack for the match, including Swansea team-mates David and John Samuel, following losses in the first two matches of the tournament against England and Scotland. Played at Stradey Park and led by Llanelli's Willie Thomas, Wales beat the Irish 6-4, but this match was Deacon's only international win of his career.

Deacon was reslected to play in all three matches of the 1892 Championship, now under the captaincy of Newport legend Arthur 'Monkey' Gould. Although the pack now contained the likes of Wallace Watts and Arthur Boucher the team failed to win a single match of the competition, though the selectors kept faith with the majority of the pack throughout. The next season the 1892 pack was reselected almost en masse, Deacon being the only obvious omission, his Wales career was over.