In the late 1920s Albert Graves and his wife were still running the Albion^[1], which is the first restaurant on the left of the picture. Mrs. Eliza Hardstaff, the wife of Joseph (a builder) ran the Parade View Restaurant next door in the inter war years^[2]. When he was a young boy the late Frank Clay used to write Mrs. Hardstaff's menus on a blackboard, and was rewarded with a piece of salmon at the end of the season^[3]. He added that Ernest Henry Bailey used to take boys there for coffee after they had been swimming at the Fountain Baths and the boys from Riber school also went there^[3].

On the right is a photo of the Hardstaff family taken in garden of Parade View whilst the family were in mourning for the death of the youngest member of the family, Ina Winifred Hardstaff, in 1908. In the back row, from the left, are: Lucy (later Mrs. W. H. Moore), their mother Elizabeth, née Ball, and Dick who was a casualty in WW1. In the front row, from the left are: Charles Randolph, Bernice Lydia (later Mrs. G. W. Stoddart) and Eric James.

Outside the next block is a pillar box and the first business in this block was Matlock Post Bath office. It was originally more important than Matlock, but lack of space and parking meant it was unable to expand: the sorting was transferred to Matlock and the Matlock Bath office moved further along the Parade^[3]. The postman William James Knight ran a boarding house above the Post Office^[4]. Before the First War he had lived on Temple Walk with his large family. He served in the Army during the War and his son died of wounds in that war^[5]. He was later awarded the Imperial Service Medal for his postal work^[6]. When the Post Office moved out the premises became a fish shop.

Next door was Miss Bagshawe's antique shop^[7] with the chemist's of her brother in law, Mr. Frank Slawson, next door. The sun awnings for both shops can be seen shading the windows on the left of the photo below. They had arrived in Matlock Bath some time between 1908 and 1911^[8].

The man from the AA (Automobile Association), 1920s. He is on a motor bike, with a side car attached. This was his tool box. He would have also carried some spare parts and probably small quantities of oil, water and fuel. Motorcycle combinations like this, as quick ways of getting to a problem, lasted for many years.

The motor cyclist, above, was photographed outside the former post office. Behind him on the left are railings along the bottom of the steps of the Wesleyan Chapel. Look carefully at the top postcard and you can see the AA bike; it is facing in the opposite direction but is parked just behind the lamp post.

The promenade, photographed from the balcony of the Parade View restaurant, 1920s. The vehicle on the left is reminiscent of a bullnose 1920s lorry with what looks like an AA badge mounted between the headlights (that are affixed on a metal bar) in the centre of the radiator grill. The three men may have been cyclists; there is a bike propped against the hedge next to them. One of the prom's rustic kiosks can be seen near the lorry (also see River Derwent and Promenade).

The trees on the Promenade that borders the road had been recently pollarded in the top picture, something that was done regularly until they were removed when the road through Matlock Bath was widened. We can also see one of the entrances onto the promenade; it is just above the cyclist's side-car.

References (coloured links go to on site transcripts):

^[1] See Matlock Bath: Albion Hotel Restaurant, North Parade for more information

^[2] Joseph and Elizabeth Hardstaff's MI is on this web site. They are also in the 1901 census. Although Elizabeth died at Whitworth Hospital on 9 Apr 1948, probate records show that her address was still Parade View. Information about their son, Dick Hardstaff, who was killed in WW1 can be found on Names on Matlock Bath's War Memorial.

^[3] Recollections of the late Mr. Frank Clay, from notes taken by Mrs. Doreen Buxton.

^[4] He advertised in Kelly's Directories of 1922, 1925, 1928 and 1932.

^[5] His son is commemorated on the War Memorial. See Names on Matlock Bath's War Memorial and MIs for some of the family.

^[6] "London Gazette", 30 June 1933. Award announced at Whitehall on June 16, 1933.

^[7] Miss Ann Bagshawe was listed as an antique dealer in Kelly's 1932 Directory.

^[8] Mr. and Mrs. Slawson were listed in the 1911 census as living on North Parade, with several of their Bagshawe relations. The MI for the Slawsons includes one for Miss Bagshawe. See Holy Trinity MIs.