In the first decade of the twentieth century James Wilby worked from this shop on Dale Road. It says "J. Wilby, Ladies & Gents Cash Tailor" on the glass of the door. The shop was then described as being in Dale Crescent^[1] but the address is now 59 Dale Road. Although the shop front has changed in the intervening years the first floor window with the Victorian decorative coloured glass can still be seen today, as can the down pipe from the gutters (launders) between the two premises.

On the back of the postcard is a scribbled note dated 6th May 1908 about someone being unwell, but printed down the left side is "From JAMES WILBY, Ladies and Gents Tailor, DALE ROAD, MATLOCK BRIDGE. / Ladies Costumes from 45/- / Suits to Measure from 37/6 / Frock Coat and Vest from 45/-".

James Wilby was born in 1862, a son of John and Ann Wilby of Barnsley. His father was a tailor by trade and John' three sons carried on the family business. For a while James worked with his brother Joshua but in 1888 the partnership between them was dissolved^[2] and James moved to Rotherham where he continued to work as a Tailor and Hatter.. He had married Letitia Wilkes Green (d. 29 Mar 1939) in the Rotherham District in 1890. By 1901 the couple were living in Tansley with their children and at some stage before 1911 the family moved to Henry Avenue. Whilst living in the town was a member of the Arkwright (Matlock) Lodge of Freemasons, many of whom attended the funeral of Dr. Albert L'Estrange Orme in 1909^[3].

James was not at home at the time of the 1911 census as he was visiting another clothier and outfitter in Penistone, and was then unemployed^[4]. It is not known when the Wilbys moved away from Matlock, but James did not advertise in Kelly's 1912 Directory. They were living in Accrington in 1921 and later moved to Penistone. When Letitia died in the market town her husband was described as a retired tailor and a former councillor^[5]. She was buried at Moorgate Cemetery Rotherham and James on 1 Apr 1939 and James, who passed away on 26 Jul 1947, was interred there on 30 Jul 1947.

The Gillespie's, Archibald and Mary Elizabeth, took over the Dale Road shop^[6] vacated by Mr. Wilby in 1910. Archibald Gillespie had been a cutter in a leading North of England firm before setting up his business in Dale Road. He established workshops, where tailoring work was carried out, and sold well known brands such as Aquascutum^[7]. About 1935 he ventured into poultry farming at Haxby, though he seems to have been less successful at that occupation^[8]. He and his wife were in Matlock and living on Snitterton Road when war broke out in 1939 and are buried at St. Giles'.

A more recent photograph of the attractive Victorian coloured glass in the top of the first floor window.

References (coloured links are to transcripts and information elsewhere on this web site):

^[1] See Kelly's 1908 Directory

^[2] "Huddersfield Chronicle," 4 Feb 1888. Partnerships dissolved: Joshua Wilby and James Wilby,16, Sheffield-road Barnsley, tailors.

^[3] "Belper News", 23 July 1909.

^[4] Rotherham 1891 census, Tansley 1901 census and the 1911 census are available on "Find-my-Past".

^[5] Probate records.

^[6] Kelly's 1912 Directory | Kelly's 1916 Directory and information from the 1911 census

^[7] "Derbyshire Times", 29 September 1928. The Matlock's shopping festival.

^[8] "Derby Daily Telegraph", 14 November 1936.