The photographic card above shows part of Dale Road, Matlock, taken some time after the First World War; another version of it, below, shows the war memorial. So this picture is of a later date than was first thought and was probably take in the early 1920s. We can see the Boat House Hotel and the railway line that used to connect Matlock with London and Manchester. Greatorex's tar boiling works^[2] is on the left of the picture in Harvey Dale Quarry; in comparison with earlier photos his quarry now extended behind several buildings. The quarry behind the Boat House, called Holt Quarry, was also bigger.

The hotel had acquired the porch that is still there today, which does not feature on the previous image. Its stable block is still there, but the stable/workshop next door, seen on the late 1870s images, had been taken down. There were hoardings next to the pavement instead.

In November 1922 Herbert Egerton Bowler, who has served as a driver in the Army during the First World War and then worked as a chauffeur before working as the manager of a Matlock garage, decided to open a garage at the Boat House. He had capital of £50 and rented the ground floor. There were only two garages between Matlock and Derby at that time, but by 1935 there were about 17 garages. When he started out he had made a living, but with the added competition trade had fallen off. He observed that "motor cars are not kept till they are old crocks theses days" so fewer repairs were needed and he went out of business^[bo]. The garage, with cars on the forecourt, can be seen on both the first and second images.

The footbridge over the River Derwent replaced the ferry boat, which was the only means of crossing the river at this point until 1872. However, the box girder bridge in the photographs above and below wasn't the first to be built.
See: Dale Road, Boat House Hotel & Bridge, about 1880

A similar view, but of Matlock Bank only, can be found on Matlock Bank from High Tor, 1920s

In early 1881 heavy rain, followed by the rapid thaw of quite a heavy snowfall caused the Derwent to "rise to a great height"... "The bridge connecting Matlock Dale with the town was swept away by the unusual rush and volume of water"^[4].

A short while afterwards the Local Board voted for the bridge's immediate replacement; in July they asked for tenders to be submitted for the construction of Abutments, Walls, and other works in connection with the footbridge^[5]. The new bridge was to be a wrought iron lattice footbridge with a span of 60 feet and width of 5 feet. "A new iron suspension bridge supported by a stone pier on either bank, was erected in February, 1882. The floor of the bridge was raised above the known flood level as to render it safe from future inundations"^[6]. The stone piers were provided free of charge by the Askews and the ironwork cost £240^[6]. The Board had decided to approach Messrs. Goddard and Massey of Nottingham to sign an agreement for the ironwork in late 1881; it had to be finished by the end of January^[7].

The iron bridge, about 1950.
It has now lasted over 140 years and has provided a footpath link to Matlock Town, St. Giles' church
and to the various schools, including the former Charles Whites' Secondary School.
Former pupils of that school recall walking up the footpath and then down at the end of the day to catch the bus home.

There is a list of all the hotel's known licensees, listed alphabetically, 1775 - 1950s.
See Matlock: Dale Road, Boat House Hotel & River, about 1908. With Licensees.

References (coloured links go to on site transcripts):

^[2] Job Greatorex advertised extensively in the trade directories of the time, sometimes under Limestone Quarries. For example, he can be found in Kelly's Directory 1891 | Bulmer's Directory 1895, Matlock & Riber | Bulmer's Directory 1895, Trades and Professions | Bulmer's Directory 1895, Matlock Bath | Kelly's Directory 1895 | Kelly's Directory 1899 | Kelly's Directory 1908 | Kelly's Directory 1912 | Kelly's Directory 1916.

^[bo] "The Belper News", 19 April 1935.

^[3] "The Derby Mercury", Wednesday, August 7, 1872.

^[4] "ibid", Wednesday, February 16, 1881.

^[5] "Derbyshire Times", 23 Jul 1881. Matlock Local Board meeting. Discussion about the replacement bridge.

^[6] Bryan, Benjamin (1903) "History of Matlock - Matlock, Manor and Parish" London by Bemrose & Sons, Limited.

^[7] "The Derby Mercury", 9 November 1881. Matlock Bridge. Local Board.