The sender of this postcard was on holiday in Matlock and staying at Willersley, formerly the home of the Arkwright family but sold by them when Frederic Arkwright, who had played a major part in the local war effort, died suddenly in 1923. His estate was encumbered by crippling death duties and the family were forced to sell^[1]. The Castle and its grounds were sold in 1927, although it was sold on almost immediately. The second purchasers were the Wesleyan Methodists, who set about converting the Castle into a guest house for the Wesley Guild^[2]. In February 1928 Miss Dorothy Taylor of Long Eaton was appointed as manageress^[3] and the guest house opened in May the same year^[4].

The picture shows guests enjoying tea on the Terrace. Whilst the guests were not locals, some of the staff serving them would have undoubtedly lived nearby.

References:

^[1] Beresford, Charles (2007) "The Bath at War, A Derbyshire Community and the Great War", Country Books/Ashridge Press. ISBN 978 1 901214 91 8.
^[2] "Derby Daily Telegraph", 3 June 1927 and 16 August 1927.
^[3] "Derby Daily Telegraph", 9 February 1928.
^[4] "Derby Daily Telegraph", 26 May 1928.