This pretty postcard of Matlock Bath shows a riverside scene that disappeared almost fifty years ago. Where the buildings furthest away from the cameraman once stood is now the broad sweep of the pavement and railings of the widened road through the village. The buildings themselves had changed over the years. For example, the red brick building in the middle of this scene became smaller as the left hand end became part of the property next door.

The web mistress has been told that children used to fish for minnows from the balconies of the white building overhanging the river. The balconies belonged to the Devonshire Hotel, later the Devonshire Café, and the adjacent shops that fronted onto the main road. Closer to us are a set of steps with iron railings that went down to the river's edge from next door to Williams' garage in the 1920s and early 1930s.
One of the best views of the garage can be seen on Museum Parade & The Pitchings, Matlock Bath, 1910

The oarsman was a local man. The same person is at the helm in another photograph.
Matlock Bath View from River Derwent (it is in the "Just images" section of the site). He is slightly closer to the bank and there are rowing boats tied up of the same design as his.

The sepia version has been slightly cropped.