CROMFORD is a township, railway station, town and chapelry, in the parish and Hundred of Wirksworth, Bakewell Union, North Derbyshire, pleasantly situated on the Ambergate railway and the river Derwent, half a mile south from Matlock Bath, 2 north from Wirksworth, 66 from Rugby, 32 from Nottingham, 5 north-east from Ambergate, 15½ north from Derby, and 147½ from London. The area is about 1,100 acres, and it contained, in 1851, 1,190 inhabitants. In 1766 Sir Richard Arkwright established a cotton manufactory and in 1789 purchased the manor and erected spacious mills, which afford employment to a large number of persons. After that period it has greatly increased, but has lately declined in consequence of a considerable portion of the supply of water being diverted to another locality. The Cromford and High Peak railway, the Cromford canal (communicating with the Erewash canal near Langley bridge), and the Midland railway, afford every facility for the conveyance of coal, minerals and limestone to various parts of the kingdom. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry of Derby and diocese of Lichfield, of the annual value of £189, and in the patronage of Peter Arkwright, Esq., of Willersley Castle, who is also lord of the manor; the Rev. Robert Morgan Jones, M.A., is the incumbent. The chapel of St. Mary is a small, neat structure, erected and endowed by the late Sir Richard Arkwright. There are schools for the instruction of the children employed in the factory, which are supported by Peter Arkwright, Esq. In 1604 Mrs.Mary Talbot founded almshouses for six poor widows.
GRANGE MILL, or Ivon Brook Grange, is a township with 44 inhabitants; Oakhill is the seat of Miss Arkwright; Scarthin Nick is a village.

GENTRY.
Arkwright Miss, Oak hill
Hurt the Misses, Rock house
Jones Rev. Robt. Morgan, M.A. Oak hill

TRADERS.
Adams Obadiah, saddler & harness mkr
Arkwright & Co. cotton spinners, & at Matlock Bath
Baddeley Elizabeth (Mrs.), grocer
Barker John, beer retailer
Barton Francis, agent to the & High Peak railway company
Barton Thomas, draper
Boden Edward, butcher, Scarthin Nick
Boden Elizabeth (Mrs.), baker
Boden John, mine agent
Boden Ruth (Mrs.), beer retailer, Scarthin Nick
Boden Samuel, butcher, Scarthin Nick
Brocklehurst Richd. boot & shoe maker
Brown Francis, 'Junction', & farmer
Brown Samuel, farmer
Bunting Thomas, wheelwright
Bunting William, blacksmith
Burton Mary Ann (Miss), baker & shopkeeper
Cheetham Joseph, tailor
Clay Richard, chemist & druggist
Close Joseph, engineer
Colledge George, tailor
Conway Joseph, farmer
Cross Sidney, 'Greyhound,' & maltster
Eaton Charles, boot & shoe maker
Eaton George, 'Red Lion'
Eaton William, boot & shoe maker
Evans Thomas, clock & watch maker
Fearn Sarah (Mrs.), hairdresser
Francis William, carpenter
Fryer Elizabeth (Miss) milliner & dressmaker
Fryer John, draper
Gell Daniel, 'Bell'
Gray Hugh, tailor
Green Mary (Mrs.), grocer
Heaton Charles, boot & shoe maker
Higgott George, miller
Higgott Joseph, miller
Hodgkinson Elizabeth (Mrs.), draper
Hodgkinson John, bar master
Holmes Anthony, shopkeeper
Holmes Peter, tailor
Howsley Ann (Mrs.), 'Railway'
Hudson Thomas, tailor
Jepson Timothy, shoemaker
Kidd John, tinman & brazier
Kidd Samuel, coal merchant
Lynn Charles & Son, boot & shoe makrs
Marsden Mary (Mrs.), ale & porter mrcht
Mart John, 'Cock'
Mason Sarah (Mrs.), shopkeeper
Moore Caleb, coal merchant
Outram Thomas, currier
Parker John, plumber & glazier, & postmaster
Sheldon Joseph, beer retailer
Sheldon Solomon, cooper
Sherlock Samuel, boot & shoe maker
Shipsides Thomas Hardy, hat manfctr
Smedley Job, grocer & baker
Smith James, boot & shoe maker
Smith John, grocr. & baker, Scarthin Nick
Staley George, grocer & ironmonger
Stone John, grocer & confectioner
Stone William, carpenter, Scarthin Nick
Storer Edward, boot & shoe maker
Swift Anthony, leech merchant
Toplis John, grocer
Wain Thomas, tailor, Scarthin Nick
Walker John, 'Bull's Head,' & carpenter, Scarthin Nick
Walker John, butcher & farmer
Wheatcroft Abraham, maltster
Wheatcroft Nathaniel, jun. canal carrier
White Robert, tailor
White Samuel, draper
Wild George, boot & shoe maker
Wildgoose George, china & staffordshire ware dealer, & carrier
Winson George, boot & shoe maker, Scarthin Nick

POST OFFICE. - John Parker, postmaster. Letters are received through Matlock Bath at 20 min. to 8 a.m. & are dispatched at ½ past 5 p.m. The nearest money order office is at Matlock Bath
INSURANCE AGENT - Atlas, T. Stofford
PUBLIC SCHOOLS :-
Free, William Shaw, master; Miss Alice Griffiths, mistress
Infant, Miss Emily Griffiths, mistress

POSTING HOUSE - Greyhound inn, Sidney Cross
COACHES TO:-
BAKEWELL, BUXTON, STOCKPORT & MANCHESTER - The Royal Mail (from Derby), calls at the 'Greyhound,' every morning at 10
DERBY-The Royal Mail (from Manchester), calls at the 'Greyhound,' every afternoon at ½ past 4
CARRIER TO DERBY - George Wildgoose, every friday