This postcard shows a celebration in progress in the large field belonging to Martha and John Else^[1], although it is unclear what is being celebrated. Whilst the field is filled with people and it has been suggested that the event may have been to celebrate the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary on 22 June 1911^[2], there is no bunting out and there are only three flags in front of the row of houses in the valley. Coronation events in Matlock Green were not mentioned in the local press, either, so it seems unlikely.

Behind the main group is a vendor with his back to us; he is about a third of the way across from the left and is wearing a white coat. He is serving something from the back of his cart, possibly ice cream^[3]. Although it is difficult to see on this magnification of the image, there is a finish post marker over the left shoulder of the man on the right of the four people in the centre above the bottom of the image. In addition, in the middle of the crowd on the right is a long, empty space — possibly for children's races. This could have gone further to the right, despite the marker, as people seem to be standing on either side of what was possibly a running track.

The photo was taken from approximately where Matlock's Drill Hall was later built^[3] and shows Mornington House to the left behind the barn, with Malthouse Row at the bottom of Riber hillside. In 1923 Mornington House was advertised for sale, together with its Outbuildings (Stables, Loose Boxes, Coach House, etc.) and two fields of land comprising an area of 4 acres, 2 roods and 23 perches^[4]. The house wasn't demolished but its land was subsequently developed for housing and Mornington Rise was built in 1928^[5].

Malthouse Row is a terrace of stone cottages that are slightly set back from the road.
Next to them, on the right and partly hidden by a tree, is Matlock Green's corn mill, then run by E. H. Bailey.
At times it has been called the Town Mill^[6], the lower mill and Huntbridge Mill to distinguish it from the Lumsdale Mill.

On the 1848/9 Tithe Award map the area below Riber where Malthouse Row is today was shown as "a Paint-Mill, Yard, Road, Brook, Dam and Dam-bank"^[7] that was occupied by Thomas Stevens^[8]; it belonged to the Trustees of the late Thomas Bown and was numbered 1067 on the map. Joseph Blackwell was "occupying" the Mill next door (no. 1066); "the House, Outbuildings, Corn Mill, Garden, Yards, Brook, Dam, Dam Bank and Goit" was then owned by Joseph Paxton, Thomas Bown's son in law. Part of that land was an Orchard^[7]. However, Mr. Blackwell did not live there. Nor was a malthouse was identified here at that time.

The mill had been in the hands of the Bown family for some time as John Bown, who died in 1832 and was the brother of Thomas mentioned in the Tithe Award, had been the Miller here^[9]. In 1903 the Matlock Green Mill (the lower mill) was being "used to produce flour, meal and the usual by-products, for public consumption"; both this Mill and the (upper) Lumsdale Mill were owned by Mr. Garton and E.H. Bailey was then his tenant. Bryan states that "there is a record of a mill being here in 38 Henry II (1254)^[10].

In 1861 there was a census entry in "Matlock Village" for William Townsend, who was a malster^[11]. It is not known if he had a malt kiln on his premises or whether he worked elsewhere but, from the surrounding properties, his home in "Matlock Village" was probably part of Matlock Green. There was, however, a malt house associated with John Garton's Lumsdale corn mill (the upper mill) which was occupied by Henry Ludlam from about 1831 until his death in 1850^[12]. His widow continued to live there for some years afterwards.

Malthouse Row is said to be mid 19th century, but from census and map evidence the houses was built some time in the 1870s. The cottages appear on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey Map of 1880^[13]. The footprint of the seven cottages differs slightly from that of the paint mill that preceded them. They are accessed by a small stone bridge over the Bentley Brook.

Although Malthouse Row is not given as an address in the 1881 census, most of the householders are shown in later census returns. Amongst the families living in these properties in 1911 were: Caroline George who was "retired on private means"; James Bunting, his wife, son and elderly mother; Thomas Wooding, a coal carter, with his wife and son; and Walter Hawley, his wife and daughter^[14].

On the left, next to Malthouse Row, is the long boundary wall of Huntbridge House. This property was Grade II listed in 1972^[13].

The fields were drawn on both the 1848 tithe map and on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey Map of 1880, although the numbering is slightly different^[14].

Following the death of King Edward VII, there was a commemoration service for him held in every parish church on May 20th 1910. The slow march to the church included troops of scouts and boys brigades^[15].

There was quite a heavy snowstorm in early 1915 when the 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment were under canvas on this field. The circular bell tents were in commom use by the Army and can be seen on contemporary photogrpahs, this time used by the 2/6th Sherwood Foresters at their camps at Dunstable — see examples on VLA 4880 and VLA 4890.

Years later the 15th Matlock (Starkholmes) scouts bought a plot of land at the bottom of Butts drive, which they cleared. There is a small building on the land in this picture, with a flagpole just behind it. The troop then bought a small wooden hut from Swanwick in 1955, but it had to be stored in the grounds of Huntbridge House until the Council eventually gave permission for it to be erected. Fortunately, Councillor Remo Tinto intervened and he opened the hut in June 1957^[16]. The building was replaced in 1994. It was built over the old building, so activities and events could continue. An amazing feat^[7]!

If you have evidence of a malthouse or a malt kiln in Matlock Green mentioned in a will or a deed, please get in touch.

From the Vernon Lamb Archive

Horse Shoe Hotel VLA 5230

Coronation celebrations Stoney Way VLA 5217

VLA 5261, Hall Leys

Knowleston Place Gardens VLA 5133

References:

^[1] John Else farmed the land belonging to Lime Tree House. He lived with his sister, Martha, for many years. When Martha died in 1932 her obituary said she had lived at Lime Tree House for 63 years (this from her funeral notice, "Derbyshire Times", 11 June 1932).

^[2] Keith Taylor, in his book about Matlock, shows another picture of a large group in this field, saying it is a celebration of the 1911 coronation. Taylor, Keith (2010) "Matlock and the Great War 1914 - 1919", Country Books/Ashridge Press. ISBN 978 1 906789 38 1.

^[3] This has been suggested by Grenville Smith, whose now owns this card. The Drill Hall building has now been replaced by houses.

^[4] "Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal", 20 April 1923. Notice announcing the forthcoming sale of Mornington House.

^[5] Date from Grenville Smith.

^[6] See: White's Directory, 1862 - Corn Millers.

^[7] Matlock Tithe Award, 1848/9. Thomas Bown lived at Huntbridge House, now known as Huntbridge Hall.

^[8] Thomas Stevens advertised in Bagshaw's 1846 Directory | Kelly's 1848 Directory (as a manufacturer of barytes).

^[9] See Pedigree of Bown and Pre-1858 Wills, Surnames B. One of John Bown's cows was drowned during flooding after a storm in 1830 ("Saint James's Chronicle", 06 July 1830) - see Flooding in the Matlocks.

^[10] Bryan, Benjamin (1903) "History of Matlock - Matlock, Manor and Parish" London by Bemrose & Sons, Limited.

^[11] 1861 census, Enumeration District 14.

^[12] See the on site 1841 census transcripts. Henry Ludlam advertised in Pigot's Directory, 1831 and Pigot's Directory 1842 (see Miscellaneous) | Bagshaw's 1846 Directory | Kelly's 1848 Directory. He was buried in 1850.
Mary Ludlam, his widow, was listed as a brewer in the 1851 census | White's 1852 Directory | Kelly's 1855 Directory.

^[13] Ordnance Survey County Series Maps: 1880 1:2,500.

^[14] The 1911 census, published by FindMyPast.

^[15] Information about the Scouts provided by Grenville Smith.

^[16] "Belper News", 21 June 1957.

^[17] "Matlock Mercury", 9 September 1994.