Matlock
Bank and Bridge - from near the Quarry, 1907 |
Matlock : Twentieth Century Photographs, Postcards,
Engravings & Etchings |
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An unusual view of Matlock Bank and Bridge, photographed from just
past the Harvey Dale Mountain Limestone Quarry which belonged
to Job Greatorex and Son. Look carefully at the top of hill above
the rock face (against the edge of the picture); there is a long
line of fencing. The buildings below, next to the road and including
the former Boat House Hotel, are dwarfed by the immense rocks.
The Dale Road buildings on the far side of the railway bridge
seem awash with turrets and chimneys. Holt Lane is just about visible,
beginning under the bridge - a few feet past the vehicle on the road.
There was only one property on Old Derwent Avenue at this time. Behind
that building is Steep Turnpike, at the top of which is Chesterfield
Road. Lilybank and Dalefield (The Gables at that time) can be seen,
with fields and open countryside behind them. Above the Dale
Road shops is Lime Grove Walk. Bank Road and Smedley's Hydro are
easy to see and Rockside also stands out.
On the far right of the picture is a large field bordering Steep
Turnpike which ran almost the full length of the road (enlarged
below). This was numbered 897 on the 1848 tithe map and its owner
and occupier was shown to be George Nuttall (Dale Hill and Hovel,
pasture). There was another piece of land surrounded by the field,
No.898 on the tithe map and today known as Harley House, which
also belonged to George Nuttall. The occupier was John Else (House,
courts and garden).[1] Mr.
Nuttall also owned The Firs - now the library - which he had inherited
from his mother and a considerable amount of other property in
the town and elsewhere. Following his death in 1856 these two parcels
of land were listed in his Will, alongside several other fields.
He had left them to his housekeeper Catherine Marsden, who was
his cousin, and after her death to John Nuttall of London[2].
They crop up again in a detailed purchase document of 1876 when
Lindsey Hodgkinson of Matlock was buying some of the Copyhold land
from the estate of John Nuttall[3].
At some stage after these pictures were taken there was more building
development on Steep Turnpike. The two images on the previous
page were taken from a similar position and also shows the field.

Enlargement, showing the field next to Steep Turnpike.
The Firs is the white building near the bottom of the hill
and Harley House is opposite, but
screened by trees. Note that in Derwent Avenue only one pair
of semi-detached houses
had been built. |
Stone Quarrying
in the Matlocks
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"Matlock Bridge and Bank" postcard is one of Boots Cash
Chemist "Pelham" Series. Posted at Matlock Bath on 26 July
1909 to Miss Laurenson of Rainhill, the unnamed sender wrote:
"The weather here is very rough and stormy, plenty of rain.
I was just going to pick some Bilberries on the hillside and it is
raining again! .." Another version of this card was posted in
1907.
Postcard in the collection of, provided by and © Ann Andrews.
Written, researched by and © Ann Andrews.
Intended for personal use only.
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References (coloured
links are to transcripts or more information elsewhere on this
web site):
[1] See the 1848 Tithe Map, Derbyshire
Record Office. With thanks to Susan Tomlinson for checking.
[2] Information from the PCC Will of George
Nuttall, with two Codicils. The Codicils were disputed by the Nuttall
family. See The Great Matlock
Will Case : The Court Report | The
Great Matlock Will Case - 100th anniversary article | Nuttall
Pedigree.
[3] From Douglas family archives, with
thanks to Jean Douglas.
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