Decorated boats have been an integral part of the Venetian Fête, later the Venetian Nights, since the beginning but they were part of the village's entertainment before then. For example, Matlock Bath hillsides were illuminated in August 1869 when there was a large firework display in front of 10,000 people. Mr. Woodfield, a spar and marble turner who also kept boats, lit his boats with Chinese lanterns "which had a grand effect on the river"^[1].

Between 1875 and 1896 a series of regattas were held in early September on the River Derwent in Matlock Bath. Whilst they were billed as annual events, there were some years when nothing seems to have taken place or the planned event was cancelled because of poor weather. The regattas were more than just afternoons of rowing races as the entertainments extended into the evening, with firework displays and the illumination of the rocks. At the second regatta, in 1876, the hillside extending from the Station to weir and the Heights of Abraham were lit up with different coloured fires, with the lights changing colour^[2]. By 1882, as well as the evening display of fireworks, there were also several boats on the river that were reported as being brilliantly lit by chinese lanterns of diverse colours^[3]. Part of the celebrations for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee included "a procession of illuminated boats on the river and simultaneous illumination of the walks by coloured fires^[4]". These events, using the river as part of the entertainment, were the forerunners of what became the parade of boats of the Venetian Fête, later the Venetian Nights, of today.
There is more information about the Venetian Fête, later the Venetian Nights, on the previous page.

Just a few months after Queen Victoria's Jubilee, on 14 September 1897, the "Annual Regatta and Fête" included an "exquisite representation of Venetian illuminated boats on the River Derwent". The display, including fireworks, was reported as being the finest seen in Matlock Bath for many years^[5]. This was the first Venetian Fête and prizes were awarded for the illuminated boats (see list of winners lower down the page). On Fête night in 1899, when the festivities continued until eleven o'clock in the evening, the river was described as becoming alive at dusk with the decorated and illuminated boats. The organising committee again offered cash prizes for the best boat design, and there was strong competition^[6]. The Arkwright Cup was donated by Frederic Arkwright in 1903 and has been awarded for the best decorated boat since then, although cash prizes continued to be presented too. The list of winners lower down the page shows that all the entrants before the Second World War were local men, from Matlock Bath, Scarthin and Cromford.

There have always been individual entrants along with family groups, friends and even the Matlock Bath Scouts and Rovers in the inter War years. Some entrants have competed year after year, with the Smith family involved for more years than any other family or individual. David Gregory must hold the record, though, for the number of boats entered by any one person since the Venetian Nights moved to the Derwent Gardens^[7]. Today the competition is open to all comers, with the judging taking place on the first Saturday in September. The judging has always been done by a small group of people who were independent of the committee.

The 1933 Fête was reported as being one of the most brilliant on record with attendances the highest ever. Crowds of spectators were packed tightly on the Lovers' Walks watching the parade of boats. The winner of the first prize was the Gondola of Arthur Smith, shown right, who lived on South Parade at the time. Unfortunately, disaster struck as the Gondola passed beneath the Jubilee Bridge. A rain of silver light, part of the firework display, was cascading from the bridge. Some of the silver fire landed on the gondola's cabin and the structure caught fire. Despite the efforts of Arthur, who was rowing, and two mandolin players who were in the boat, the fire got worse. All three men went into the river and the boat turned on its side and became waterlogged[8].

Gondola, First Prize 1933

Decorating a boat, with the superstructures taking weeks to build, has always been shrouded in secrecy although it must have been difficult to maintain over the years. The designers often tackled quite difficult subjects, including the switchback railway and the Eddystone Lighthouse.

Until 1952 the boats had only been required for one night but in that year were extended and there was a parade of boats on the river every Saturday from the beginning of September to the beginning of October. It was then that the Venetian Fête became the Venetian Nights. Ultimately, this meant that the structures had to be stronger to withstand variants in the weather.

As the black and white photographs here show, they were traditionally illuminated by small glass "bucket" lamps with candles in them, all of which had to be individually lit before the boats set out upstream from the landing stage behind the Pavilion^[9]. This method of lighting was wonderfully effective when the weather was good, but could be problematic when it rained or was windy. The boats of today are lit by bulbs powered by batteries.

In post war Britain, emerging from austerity, the boats were a truly magical sight for any child (or adult). There was huge creativity and also some humour; sometimes there were minor glitches. The late Mrs. Inez Boden told the web mistress that her brother Remo Tinti erected a miniature Eiffel Tower on his boat one year. Everything had to be carefully measured to ensure it would pass under Jubilee Bridge. Unfortunately for Remo, the river levels rose so his Eiffel Tower seems to have turned into more of a Leaning Tower as it struck the Bridge.

Arthur Smith, whose family had entered the competition from the outset, first won the Arkwright Cup as a 16 year old in 1933 (see list of winners). He was a regular entrant, competing for many years. As his children grew up they all helped decorate the boats.

Dudley Smith, Arthur's son, also won the cup as a teenager. He is seen here being presented with the cup by Miss Derbyshire.

Boats moored at the landing stage behind the Pavilion. Undated, but possibly 1960s.
Wizards, witches on broomsticks, reindeer, swans, frigates.

Decorated Boats, 1897 - 1938. Past Prizewinners and/or Subjects

Some individuals (up to 1907) have been identified in the 1901 census

The above information has been extracted from "The Derby Mercury",the "Derbyshire Courier", the "Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald" , the "Derby Daily Telegraph", the "Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal", the "Sheffield Independent", the "Sheffield Daily Telegraph"and the "Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser".

More recent designs

The boats are brightly coloured for maximum impact.
They are designed to be shown at night and lit up, of course, with their image mirrored in the dark water.
These photos provide a sense of that, but they are daytime pictures so are missing the additional magic created by the lights.

Car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Decorated boats moored at the Pavilion landing stage.
Whilst the postcard has no date, from the colour quality the image could date from the 1960s.

2018.
From the left: Thomas the Tank Engine | Walt Disney's Herbie | a WW1 tank (a man waving a Union Jack popped up from the centre at night) |
Dam Busters tribute - flying over the dam wall in 1943 | Unsure of this design


2018.
From left to right: The Red Arrows (looked spectacular at night) | Derbyshire Fire Brigade engine | Coffin (with Frakenstein's monster emerging from the box) |
LNER's Class A4 4468 Mallard - a classic Gresley steam engine built in 1938

Related pages:

  Matlock Bath Venetian Nights

  Matlock Bath: The Royal Museum (Smith's), South Parade

  Matlock Bath: Royal Museum Petrifying Well

Travelling to the Venetian Fête or Venetian Nights - view some railway posters.
See 1960's letter from the renamed committee elsewhere on this website (linked at the bottom of that page).
Matlock Bath: Charlotte Farnsworth, Poetess - Charlotte wrote a poem about the Venetian Fête.
Celebrating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, 1897