Derbyshire Record Office
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derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Derbyshire Record Office
@derbyshiredro.bsky.social
5.8K followers 2.5K following 530 posts
Free access to 900 years of history - Derbyshire, Britain and beyond: books, archives, maps, prints and photographs. Explore online or visit us in Matlock.

Website: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/recordoffice
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derbyshiredro.bsky.social
In 1847 railways arrived in Erewash affecting every aspect of local peoples’ lives. Read their story in ‘Railway Tales’. Learn why by 1969, the 7 railway stations a mile or so of Ilkeston’s borough border, had gone. A super mix of history, humour & memories in our #LocalStudies library. #Railway200
A colour photograph makes up the whole front cover showing a steam engine with carriages at a platform in a station. Steam is coming out of the engine. Titled Railway 'Tales Ilkeston and District in the Age of Steam' by Grant Shaw and Paul Miller, with forward by Pete Waterman. Ilkeston and District Local History Society.
November 10, 2025 at 12:10 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Have you got a bear to show some love to on #HugABearDay? Luckily for these servants at Thornbridge Hall in the #1900s this fine example was stuffed - though we do feel sorry for the poor bear itself.
#PhotoFriday
A group of four people, three men and one woman in the early 1900s standing in a courtyard. They are grouped around a stuffed bear, which towers over them, jaws open wide showing its sharp teeth with paw raised.
November 7, 2025 at 11:10 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
This plan for the Burton and Ashby Light Railway shows just how industrial the area around Swadlincote Station was in 1902.
#Railway200
Scale hand drawn plan of railway line through Swadlincote.
November 6, 2025 at 1:35 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
On the 20th of October 2023 a small commute from work on a wet day turned into a surreal event. Read Chesterfield resident Joe Curtis’s personal account of Storm Babet and its impact on Chesterfield; find a copy in our #LocalStudies library.

#LocalHistory
Front cover of the book 'Through Water & Ruin. Surviving the Commute & Aftermath of Storm Babet' by Joe Curtis. It features a photo collage of a flooded street with people paddling in a canoe, a car driving through floodwater and people waiting at a bus stop.
November 6, 2025 at 10:20 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Are you going to marvel at a fireworks display this Bonfire Night? If you'd been in Markeaton in 1986, then this is the spectacle you'd have seen 🎆🤩

#BonfireNight #Fireworks #1980s #LocalHistory
Black and white photo of bright fireworks streaming over a lake, with big trees in the background.
November 5, 2025 at 1:40 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
The Cattle Plague outbreak of 1865-1867 killed around 10% of the country's population of cattle. During this time, there was also a large outbreak of cholera. A national day of prayer, or 'humiliation' was called on 7 March 1866 to pray for release from the situation.

#EYAReligion/Spirituality
A black and white poster written in various different size font. Poster begins as follows: THE CATTLE PLAGUE. My Dear Friends, I send to you an extract from a circular I have received from the Bishop: "The Cattle Plague still prevails among us with unabated severity; and we know not how far its ravages may extend, or what may be its consequences. I beg, therefore, to appoint WEDNESDAY, the 7th of MARCH, as a Day of Humiliation for the whole Diocese.
November 5, 2025 at 10:30 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
It 's not quite winter yet, but the cold weather is heading our way. Our #ArchiveOfTheWeek is a recording of Brian Gill remembering being inspired to travel from Sheffield into the Hope Valley to walk during the famous heavy snow of 1947.

#1940s #weather
November 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
On 1 Feb 1870, the Sheffield–Chesterfield line opened. That same year, Edward Lucas & Son shipped goods from Dronfield Station to Dronfield Foundry. This consignment note offers a glimpse into the town’s industrial past: what was made and where it went.
#Railway200
Printed form with heading 'Dronfield Foundry, March 29th 1870. Per Midland Railway Co from Edward Lucas & Son'. It has been filled in by hand using black ink.
November 3, 2025 at 4:24 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
We have lots of interesting books for sale in our #LocalStudies bookshop, covering a wide range of Derbyshire subjects and local authors. Do come in for a browse and find that perfect gift you've been looking for…

#LocalHistory
Large colourful sign depicting the spines of a row of books over which are laid the words Book Shop in bold black lettering.
November 1, 2025 at 2:10 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
If you fancy a special Derbyshire treat this #Halloween, the book 'Traditional Derbyshire Fare' has recipes for Thor cakes, which are traditionally eaten around this time of year, as well as lots of anecdotes about all the recipes. Find a copy in our #LocalStudies library.
The front cover of the book 'Traditional Derbyshire Fare. 300 recipes plus the stories and anecdotes behind them' by Jill Armitage. It features a photograph of a display at Bakewell Old House Museum: a mannequin dressed like a Victorian cook, baking in the kitchen. Excerpt from one of the pages in the book with title: Thor Cakes.
October 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
If you were in Bolehill at #Halloween 2003, then you may have opened your door to this scary bunch of trick or treaters. The stuff of nightmares!
#PhotoFriday #EYAMonsters
A dimly lit room with a crowd of children, dressed as monsters with scary masks, all peering at the camera.
October 31, 2025 at 10:05 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Looking for spooky thrills this Halloween? Our #LocalStudies library has you covered. Snuggle up and read a Derbyshire ghost story or get out and about this autumn for a spine-tingling ghost tour visiting historic places, planned using our Derbyshire haunted places books 👻
Image shows a selection of books on the theme of haunted Derbyshire with colourful front cover illustrations of graveyards, skulls and haunted buildings. Haunted Derbyshire by Wayne Anthony; Haunted Pubs, Inns and Hotels of Derbyshire by Jill Armitage; The Ghost Tour of Great Britain Derbyshire by Richard Felix; A Ghost Hunters Game Book by James Wentworth Day.
October 30, 2025 at 1:25 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
These groups of excited onlookers are catching a glimpse of the world famous 'Flying Scotsman' as it passed by Shirebrook North Station Signal Box on the 18th April 1964.

#Railway200 #train #1960s
A black and white photograph in the centre of the photograph with groups of people standing either side of the railway line watching. To the left can be seen a signal box, and behind that the platform train canopy. Going over the railway line is a footbridge.
October 30, 2025 at 10:50 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Our latest #NewAccession are photos of the Enthoven and Sons factory, Darley Dale, in the #1980s. Acquired from a London-based firm in 1941 parent company Billiton UK Ltd redeveloped the site to provide melting, smelting and refining facilities for recycling lead.
Four black and white photographs, two showing the exterior of the plant, another showing the factory floor, the last an office space showing a control bank containing three monitors.
October 29, 2025 at 11:40 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Take a peek into the #1700s with our #ArchiveOfTheWeek, Derby Borough Quarter Sessions. It dealt with all sorts: road repair, illegitimate children and all kinds of petty crime, like the theft of a quilted petticoat, apron and fine woollen gown from a garden in Nov 1758.
An open archive folder containing loose documents written in 18th century handwriting. A statement by Dorothy Ford dated 21 November 1758 stating that: she had taken or stolen out of the Garden on Backside belonging to Anthony Clough in the Parish of Saint Werburgh in the said Borough one Quilted Petticoat, one white apron, one white Scotch Cloth Handkerchief, and one Black Shalloon Gown which she had hung in the said Garden on Backside to dry, and that she suspects the same to be stoln [sic] by some person or persons within the said Borough.
October 28, 2025 at 11:24 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Representations of #BlackHistory are often filtered through white colonial lenses, such as these late 19th century adverts from Scales & Salter's, with illustrations from the Battle of Kirbean during the Mahdist War of the 1890s and King Cetshwayo of the Zulu Kingdom.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Four images of small cards for Scales & Salter's featuring 1) portrait of "The Late Major General William Earle" superimposed next to a sword battle between British soldiers and Mahdist's in Sudan; 2) portrait of "Cetewayo - King of the Zulus..." under the heading "Scales & Salter's Boots are the best"; 3) Text describing Scales & Salter's services; 4) illustration of a ladies boot next to the text "To the ladies: Scales & Salter's Boots & Shows give the best satisfaction."
October 27, 2025 at 2:05 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
On #WorldOperaDay, we just love this 1914 photograph of #Buxton Opera House, designed and built in 1903 by Frank Matcham, one of Britain's finest theatre architects. Still a beautiful and busy venue today, the doors first opened to the public on 1st June 1903.

#1900s
Black and white photograph of Buxton Opera House.
October 25, 2025 at 1:05 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Vegetarians please look away now! On #WorldTripeDay we remember the Sam Adams Tripe Shop on Albert Street, Derby in 1982. Apparently, they also sold cow heels! Tastes certainly do change.

#PhotoFriday #1980s
A smiling man with a white overall and striped apron stands in front of a counter and picks out a large handful of tripe from a tray. The tripe is white with folds and a rough texture.
October 24, 2025 at 10:10 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
This huge block of coal was hewn from Pollington Colliery, near New Brinsley, at the time the largest single piece of coal taken from a mine, 4 Tons 12 hundredweights (4,600Kg), loaded onto an Oakes railway truck to be taken to the London Colliery Exhibition 1903.

#EYAMonsters #coalmining
Black and white photograph of a railway truck with a massive rectangle of coal on it. Several miners are sitting on and standing next to the truck. A wooden board is propped against the truck; it says "From Messrs Oakes & Cos Pollington Colliery to the Colliery Exhibition, London".
October 23, 2025 at 12:40 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
For this week's #Railway200 post, this is a copy of the proposal for the electric (light) railway from Derby to Ashbourne from 1897. It is not signed, but the author spent time in the USA: "Electric roads in America are rapidly taking the place of the old fashioned horse cars and cable cars".
Handwritten document in black ink with title: Proposed Electric (Light) Railway from Derby to Ashbourne.
October 23, 2025 at 9:40 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Our latest #NewAccession is a little book of rules for Ilkeston Co-operative Society from 1958. The Coop in Ilkeston started as a little shop in Bath St in the late 19th century later moving to a larger shop on the Market Place.

#1950s
Cover of a booklet in pale green/grey paper. Printed within a decorative border in brown coloured type is the title “Rules of the Ilkeston Co-operative Society Limited”. The printer’s name is given at the bottom of the cover “Derby Printers Limited Willow Row” with the date of 1958.
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
How's this for a creepy monster? This puzzle appeared on a late 19th century advert for the Derby Repairing Co. "The Great Repairing Kings".

#EYAMonsters #Victorian #puzzle
Two images showing the front and back of a small card on which a puzzle being an illustration of multiple faces appears with the text "The other side is not a puzzle, but a fact, and you will save time and money by dealing with us. THE PUZZLE OF PUZZLES. PUZZLE. COUNT FIFTEEN FACES IN THE ABOVE". The back of the card contains details of the services provided by the Derby Repairing Co. as well as their locations in the borough.
October 22, 2025 at 9:45 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Need inspiration in #NationalBakingWeek? How about a Bakewell Pudding? It doesn’t need to be as big as this one made in 1987 at The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop, which weighed a massive six hundredweight. That’s 672 pounds, or 304.81kg!!

#PhotoFriday #EYAMonsters
A baker wearing a white overall and cap stands in a bakery window with a huge flat tin of Bakewell Pudding. The tin is almost as big as him. Smiling people look through the window from outside.
October 17, 2025 at 10:05 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
In our #LocalStudies collection we found this 1974 leaflet for Caudwell Flour Mills which gives an introduction to bread flours and an old recipe for breadmaking. How useful on #WorldBreadDay and #NationalBakingWeek.

#1970s
A pale green sheet of paper advertising E. Caudwell (Rowsley) Limited, Flour Mills.
October 16, 2025 at 1:10 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
A steam train of the Midland Railway line passing through Ashwood Dale near Buxton in December 1913. The train line runs parallel with the road below, which is now the A6. We wouldn't recommend strolling along that road now!
#Railway200
Black and white photograph of a steam travel traveling along the railway line. To the left and above the railway line is a rock face with vegetation growing on it. To the right, in parallel with the railway is the River Wye and a road with people walking along it. On the far right of the photo there are trees.
October 16, 2025 at 9:45 AM