The three storey building closest to the camera, situated on a narrow strip of land between Bath Terrace and what used to be called the Matlock and Buxton Turnpike Road (Derby Road), was where Robert Hartle lived in the nineteenth century^[1]. Hartle, a comb manufacturer who was born in Bonsall, also ran a spar and marble museum on the premises.

In June 1810 Mr. Brown of Derby and his son opened a shop here. John Vallance, later of the Centre Museum, arrived in Matlock Bath to run it for them; he had been an apprentice of the Browns and operated from here until 1816 when Brown/Mawe opened up the first Museum on Museum Parade^[2].

An auctioneer's sale advertisement from 1847 described the property as having a "show-room, out buildings, small garden and the appurtenances thereto belonging"^[4]; at the time it was in the tenure or occupation of Mr. Hartle who held a lease for 21 years, "eleven years whereof are unexpired at the annual yearly rent of £15"^[4]. By 1855, when the property was next advertised, there were only two years of the lease remaining but Mr. Hartle continued to live there well after the expiry date^[5] and the building was still referred to as "Hartle's" as late as 1886^[6].

Mary Brocklehurst, the sister of John Smedley, was the next to live here with her daughter Edith^[7]. Mary was a daughter of the cavern proprietor William Smedley and Edith - the widow of Joshua Greatorex and later Mrs. Nash - owned the Cumberland Cavern^[8]. Like the Hartles before them they lived here for many years but their home was advertised for sale in 1921^[9] and the property was bought by Daniel Bryan. Following Daniel's death just three years later it was on the market once more^[10].

When the web mistress was small there was very little left of the museum building apart from a few crumbling walls just above soil level. It was demolished in the 1930s^[11].

The photograph also shows the remains of another building which was known as Win Tor^[12]. My late father described it: "The building [I was born in] has been demolished in pursuit of road widening. It was situated on the A6 road between the present approach to the New Bath Hotel and Clifton Road. There were two cottages and on the ground floor was a blacksmith's"^[13].

Behind Hartle's is Portland House, originally called Wint House. The road junction on the left just beyond Hartle's leads to Clifton Road and opposite the junction is a small shop that was run by the Ballards in 1900^[14]. Matlock Bath's Holy Trinity Church can also be seen.

The view was taken from high on the Lovers' Walks and is an enlargement of the top image on Matlock Bath: Derwent Gardens - from Lovers Walks, before 1905. Hartle's is on the right and has an advertisement for the New Bath on the side of the building. Win Tor is on the left.

Also see:
Mr. Hartle's shop is mentioned by Henricus in 1843 ( see bottom of transcript).
Advertisement for Hartle's Museum, Matlock Bath from Hall's "Days in Derbyshire", 1863.
William Smedley wrote a poem called Matlock Bath, Derbyshire (scroll down the page).

A recommended read:
Derbyshire Archaeological Society: Miscellany Volume 16: Part 6 (Autumn 2003)
Steer, Jane "Part 3: The Site of the Hospital of St. Helen's in the 19th Century. 1 The Spar Manufactory". Jane's long article discusses the Brown family and Mr. Mawe.

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

^[1] Robert Hartle was living there in the 1841 census | 1851 census | 1861 census | 1871 census.
He also advertised in many trade directories: Pigot's 1831 | Pigot's 1842 | Bagshaw 1846 | Kelly's 1848 | White's 1852 | Kelly's 1855 | White's 1857 | White's 1862 | Kelly's 1864 | Kelly's 1876.
Also see his MI.

^[2] Adam, W. (1838) "The Gem of the Peak; or Matlock Bath and Its Vicinity. ..." London; Longman & Co., Paternoster Row ; ... Mawe, Royal Museum, Matlock ; .... This was the first edition of his guide. There is a short biography of Mr. Mawe.

^[3] Adam, W. (1845) "The Gem of the Peak; or Matlock Bath and Its Vicinity. ..." ... This was the fourth edition of his guide.

^[4] "The Derby Mercury", Wednesday, October 13, 1847. It was being sold by Mr. R. E. Saxton, a Matlock Bath jeweller, and Messrs. Hubbersty and Hodgkinson. These were executors of the Will of John Saxton of Crich (d. 1942) who owned the New Bath Hotel.

^[5] "The Derby Mercury", Wednesday, August 15, 1855.

^[6] "The Derby Mercury", Wednesday, 28 April, 1886 (and other papers). The dwelling house and shop, in the occupation of Mr. Smedley, was advertised by George Marsden the Wirksworth auctioneer. There were three other lots advertised, all building plots.

^[7] They can be found here in the 1881 census | the 1891 census (William and John Smedley were with the Brocklehursts) | the 1901 census | the 1911 census (available on FindMyPast). Also see their MI at Holy Trinity.

^[8] "Buxton Advertiser", 22 October 1910. The Brocklehurst home was described as "facing the Bath Terrace Hotel".

^[9] "Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal", 17 September 1921. Advertisement for the sale of the dwelling house and business premises, occupation of Mrs. Brocklehurst, adjoining Derby Road. Clifton Cottage in Upperwood Road was also advertised.

^[10] "Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald", 12 April 1924. Sale notice, by the estate of Daniel Bryan (his ownership of the property and of Clifton Cottage in Upper Wood is confirmed in his Will).

^[11] The building was demolished before 1940. This from a conversation with Ken Smith.

^[12] I have no large image of Win Tor at present, but the property can be seen on other pictures on this site. See Similar/related views in the top right menu bar. Win Tor was demolished before 1932 and Matlock Bath Filling Station replaced it, until that too was demolished.

^[13] Reminiscences of the late Mr. Frank Clay, from his private papers and notes owned by the web mistress. This extract written about 1998. The Clay family moved shortly afterwards.

^[14] See Matlock Bath: Mrs. Jemima Ballard and Holy Trinity Church, Matlock Bath, 1940s, which shows the Cabin.