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derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Derbyshire Record Office
@derbyshiredro.bsky.social
6.2K followers 2.5K following 680 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
Derbyshire Record Office @derbyshiredro.bsky.social · Nov 15
Hello Bluesky 😀
We're the record office for Derbyshire, meaning we hold all the historic archives for the county of #Derbyshire and the city of #Derby. We're delighted to join everyone here! Follow us if you're interested in #history, #archives, old #recipes, historic #fashion and lots more...
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Lineage, inheritance, or simply knowing who was who—pedigrees were once essential. Our #ArchiveOfTheWeek, this 1830 volume tracing the Gell family of Hopton Hall (and their connections) is packed with beautifully illustrated coats of arms. A striking window into family history.
#EYAConnections
Page of a volume showing a handwritten family tree. At the top of the page written in red capital letters is the family name of Gell. The rest of the page is covered in writing with lines linking family members. Next to some names are the relevant family coat of arms in the shape of shields with various colourful decorations, including stripes, rosettes and swords and crowns.
February 10, 2026 at 11:25 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
How's this for information you wouldn't expect to find in a magazine called 'The Derbyshire Countryside': lessons in how to be a conductor!

#SearchroomSurprise #conducting #music #1930s
Page 46 of 'The Derbyshire Countryside', with title 'On conducting'. Within the text are several drawings showing how the baton should be moved. Front cover of the magazine 'The Derbyshire Countryside', which features a green silhouette illustration of a farmer sewing seeds. It is dated 'July 1931, Vol.1 No.3, Price 3d.'
February 9, 2026 at 10:25 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
On #NationalWearRedDay here is Elsie Smith, attendant to the Carnival Queen at Long Eaton carnival in 1936. This beautiful hand coloured studio portrait shows her dress off to perfection.
#PhotoFriday #1930s
A hand-coloured portrait of a blonde-haired young woman. She stands facing the camera wearing a floor length cream coloured dress with lace cuffs. There are red flower details at the collar and waist, with a red bolero style jacket and a long sash with red bands at the end. She carries a red bag and wears red shoes.
February 6, 2026 at 11:05 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
A very different type of #SearchroomSurprise: a happy face peaking out of this file of church minutes 😄
Just a shame it was a sticky post-it note, which are not archival friendly and can cause a lot of problems during cataloguing!
Cream coloured archive folder tied with archival tape showing a small cartoon sheep face poking out.
February 5, 2026 at 2:10 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
These two women have found the time to sit and talk even amongst the hustle and bustle of the Cockpit Hill Market in Derby in 1954. Very apt for #TimeToTalkDay when we are encouraged to have open conversations with friends and family about mental health.
#LocalStudies #1950s
Two elderly women sit facing each other chatting. One woman leans on her walking stick. She wears a long gingham apron and a knitted shawl around her shoulders. Her hair is in a bun. They sit by a market stall while crowds of shoppers mingle around them.
February 5, 2026 at 10:20 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Our latest #NewAccession is an 8 April 1779 release for a house on St John’s Street, Ashbourne — once home to John Howard.
The deed records a transfer from Dorothy Bower (widow), her sons Edward and Joseph, to John Goodwin, Gentleman of Ashbourne.
Handwritten text in black ink on parchment.
February 4, 2026 at 10:45 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Our #ArchiveOfTheWeek is a Granada Television programme created to mark 300 years since the plague struck Eyam.
These clips offer a fascinating glimpse into village life — from atmospheric footage of Eyam itself to pageant rehearsals and interviews with villagers of all ages.
#LocalHistory
February 3, 2026 at 11:41 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
This is an entry for licences for premises with explosive material, covering the Alfreton & District area between 1893 and 1897. An unusual entry features a hairdresser on Alfreton High Street. Not sure what they were using and why, but thank goodness it's not used now. At least we hope it isn't!
A handwritten table entry giving details of registered premises with explosive material onsite. Information included is: business owner's name, profession/business, address and parish. This cropped image shows 7 entries from the first page of the log book. One entry reads: John Morton, hairdresser, 10 High Street, Alfreton, shop
February 2, 2026 at 10:45 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
On #PhotoFriday we join this Derby pub landlord looking rather forlornly at his empty glasses in the Sherwood Forester’s Public House in 1980. Don’t worry, #DryJanuary will soon be over and you can fill them with beer once again 🍻

#1980s
A man stands behind a bar with bottles of spirits on the wall behind him and beer pumps in front of him. He leans with his chin resting in his hand, looking quite forlorn as he stares down at a group of empty pint glasses on the bar.
January 30, 2026 at 11:25 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Calling all lacemakers! Can you read this pattern for "The Sailor's Compass or the 32 points in Blue & White"? It comes from a book belonging to Nathaniel Woodhouse in the 1720s-1740s. There are lots more patterns if you'd like to try your hand at some 18th century lace!

#lace #crafts #18thCentury
A long, narrow page of a book on which is drawn grid lines and markings in black ink to create a lace pattern. Underneath it reads: "Ye Salers Cumpos or ye 32 pints in Blew & wite" (The Sailor's Compass, or the 32 points in blue and white).
January 29, 2026 at 1:50 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
New in our #LocalStudies library, ‘Ethel’ explores the life of Ethel Haythornwaite, a countryside pioneer from Sheffield. Her tireless campaigning contributed towards the founding of the Peak District National Park and the creation of the first green belt in the UK.
Front cover of the book 'Ethel' by Helen Mort. On a pale green background is a black and white photo of a woman with short curly hair, wearing a woolly hat.
January 29, 2026 at 10:40 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
If you need a nice backdrop for your #LibraryShelfieDay post then feel free to drop in and use one of ours. We have lots of bookshelves to choose from!
#LocalStudies #LocalHistory
A corner of a room with bookshelves, full of brightly coloured books filling the shelves.
January 28, 2026 at 2:15 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Were you in Hanley, Staveley parish, on December 7th 1783? Two fat hogs were stolen from John Hancock! One guinea reward for info.

#History #Archives #Derbyshire #18thCentury #TrueCrime #LocalHistory
Printed poster, with the headline 'Stolen, from Hanley in the Parish of Staveley, on Sunday night, December 7, 1783, Two Fat Hogs…'
January 28, 2026 at 11:10 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Our #ArchiveOfTheWeek is D6995: Jack Bronson, artist and illustrator, who was born in Loscoe. Here are some of his landscape drawings, but the collection has a varied mix of nature, cartoons and DH Lawrence related images.

#art
Three sketchbooks, open and showing black and white pen and ink landscape drawings of a winter tree in front of a barn, a house seen from across a wall, and a gate into a yard with buildings behind.
January 27, 2026 at 11:35 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Exactly 100 years ago today John Logie Baird gave the first public television demonstration. By the early 1950s a television set had clearly become the retirement gift of choice for Ferrodo employees.

#Baird #television #1950s
Black and white photo of a group of men in suits, as well as two smartly dressed women, standing behind a large 1950s television and a table with a couple of other retirement gifts. In the middle of the group two men are shaking hands. Black and white photo of a group of men in suits standing behind a 1950s television set. The two men at the front of the group are shaking hands.
January 26, 2026 at 1:10 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
This lovely plan from 1826 shows the south front elevation of Snelston Hall, which was built in 1828. It really shows the building in all it's Gothic Revival splendour. The hall was demolished in 1951.
A plan entitled 'elevation of the south front of Snelston Hall'. It shows a Gothic style manor house with crenelations, turrets and elaborately designed chimneys. There are also a lot of windows used to let in light.
January 26, 2026 at 10:10 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
As #NationalHandwritingDay falls on #PhotoFriday, here is some writing on a grand scale. This is a signwriter showing off his penmanship, writing the new sign for the Moulders Arms pub in Somercotes c.1900. Don’t make a mistake now!

#1900s
A man stands on a plank of wood, laid across the top of two tall ladders. He is in front of the large white wall that forms the side of a building. He stands with his back to us but looking over his shoulder and holds a small paint brush. He is painting in large letters the words Moulders Arms, Stones Ales, Cannon Brewery Sheffield on the wall.
January 23, 2026 at 11:05 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Another #SearchroomSurprise - a small sketch of land in Sheffield owned by late George Lee Esq. M.D., John Fenton Esq. and JS and E Rotherham, including several coats of arms. The three individual coats of arms feature on the hatchment underneath the plan.

#archives
Hand drawn plan of lands around Sharrow Lane and Mount Pleasant in Sheffield, with the heading "Plan of an estate belonging to the late George Lee Esq., M.D., John Fenton Esq., and J. S. and E. Rotherham, deceased", featuring three colourful heraldic coats of arms and hatchment combining all three and two others.
January 22, 2026 at 2:10 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Test your knowledge of the villages, dales, people and customs of Derbyshire and the Peak District in 'Derbyshire and the Peak District Quiz Book', which has 583 questions and answers and is packed with facts, figures and trivia to entertain and delight. Now in our #LocalStudies library.
A hardback book in light blue with bold black title lettering in capitals reading' Derbyshire and the Peak District Quiz Book'. Below the title is a hand drawn black and white image of the Peak National Park symbol, a mill stone balanced on a stone plinth.
January 22, 2026 at 10:15 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
We've just published our latest guide, this time about the records and resources we hold in relation to the Civil War and #Commonwealth period. You can read it on our blog - and do follow the blog to get those posts sent straight to your inbox!
#17thCentury
recordoffice.wordpress.com/2026/01/20/a...
A guide to records of the Civil War and Commonwealth period
The seventeenth century was a turbulent time in the United Kingdom. This guide gives an overview of the civil war, commonwealth and restoration, and the research resources we hold about this period…
recordoffice.wordpress.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:08 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
DO NOT celebrate #NationalCheeseLoversDay by stealing cheese. Our court records tell of cheese thefts in 1666, 1767 and 1818. In 1666 the guilty party was Anne Blazdell, wife of an Ilkeston carpenter, who stole a cheese and sold it in exchange for drink.
#ArchiveOfTheWeek #17thCentury
Handwritten court deposition dated 10 May 1666 by Anne Blazdell of Ilkeston (carpenter’s wife) before Anchitell Grey (justice of the peace) admitting she stole cheese from William Hunte (mercer) and sold it to Mary Curtis (tailor’s wife) and Catherine Watts (husbandman’s wife) in exchange for drink. She told both purchasers where she had stolen it. Typed transcript of the document, which begins 'The informat[i]on of Anne the wife of Francis Blazdell of Ilkeston in the said Countie carpinter taken upon oath before Anchitell Gray Esq one of his Maiesties Justices of the peace May the tenth day 1666.'
January 20, 2026 at 11:15 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
There is new funding available for smaller Derbyshire Heritage Organisations as part of the Derbyshire Makes History project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund: www.derbyshiremakes.co.uk/history

Please fill in this survey to register interest: forms.office.com/pages/respon...
Screenshot of the Derbyshire Makes website.
January 19, 2026 at 2:54 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
The minutes from the Derbyshire Home Produce Council from 1943 show just how many Home Produce Clubs there were in Derbyshire. The Council's aim was to stimulate the production of home grown food in allotments and private gardens. Growing your own veg - very #Veganuary

#1940s
Typed page from a set of minutes. It begins 'The number of Home Produce Clubs now established in Derbyshire is 75.' It then gives an alphabetical lists of places and the number of members in each place. Typed page from a set of minutes, continuing the list of places. It concludes with 'Total active membership, 8,181'.
January 19, 2026 at 1:45 PM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
This touching card was created in memory of Alfred Louis Green from Chesterfield, in honour of his mother's love. Alfred died in action during the #FirstWorldWar, on the 5th of October 1917.
A double paged card, with one side featuring a black and white photograph of Alfred in his army uniform of the Sherwood Foresters. On the same side is "In loving memory of Alfred Louis Green, Military Medal, 9th Sherwood Foresters, 9th Platoon, 'C' company. Aged 30 years. The beloved oldest son of Mrs Martha Green of 4 Parker's Yard, Holywell Cross, Chesterfield. Died of wounds received in action in France, October 5th 1917. Interred Mendingham Cemetery." On the overleaf is a poem.
January 19, 2026 at 11:35 AM
derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Will there be any snow for you on #WorldSnowDay? Here are 2 boys from Buxton Junior School with their Snow Fort, Spencer Grove, Buxton, during the extreme winter of 1963 ❄️

A black and white photograph of 2 boys standing side by side wearing wooly bobble hats and winter clothing. They are standing inside a tall wall of snow, part of a structure which appears to have been hand built from compacted snow blocks
January 18, 2026 at 10:55 AM