Derbyshire Record Office
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derbyshiredro.bsky.social
Derbyshire Record Office
@derbyshiredro.bsky.social
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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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...
St. Peter's Church Bell Ringers, Belper, Derbyshire c. 1955, ringing in the New Year! Ringing Bells at midnight on New Year's Eve was said to drive off evil spirits & bring good luck for the coming year.
January 2, 2026 at 7:20 PM
For our #PhotoFriday on #WorldIntrovertDay we give you an introvert’s nightmare. This is the reception line at Chatsworth, for Lord Hartington becoming 10th Duke of Devonshire in 1939. How many people to meet and greet? His poor hand must have ached after all that hand shaking.
#1930s
January 2, 2026 at 11:05 AM
‘The Master of these Marvels’ is a new biography of George Stephenson, which presents a year by year account of the railway pioneer’s activities. It also shows how he garnered a circle of influential people to help progress mechanical engineering. Now in our #LocalStudies library.
January 1, 2026 at 2:35 PM
🎉 Happy New Year from all of us at Derbyshire Record Office! 🎉
We hope this calendar from 1903 will still give you luck and joy in 2026...

#HappyNewYear
January 1, 2026 at 10:35 AM
Our latest #NewAccession is thanks to Bakewell Town Council: we now have a complete set of minutes for Bakewell Urban District Council 1863-1974, as well as town council minutes 1974-2018. A full list of deposits from BTC can be found on our online catalogue.
December 31, 2025 at 11:35 AM
As the temperature drops this #NewYearsEve who wishes they'd been gifted a nice new pair of gloves the Christmas? This advertisement for Ladies and Gentlemen's gloves is from the Long Eaton Advertiser December 1923 - we like the sound of lined wool with a fur wrist!

#archives
December 31, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The poems of Thomas Crofts of Belper (1815-1904) are our #ArchiveOfTheWeek. Included are poems for Christmas and the New Year, beautifully printed on card, some in gold lettering. We like to think he gave them to friends and family with good wishes for the year ahead.
December 30, 2025 at 10:55 AM
When documents play hide and seek 😄
We thought this was quite sweet when we were looking for something else in the same box.

#SearchroomSurprise
December 29, 2025 at 11:25 AM
How many of you include going to a pantomime as one of your Christmas traditions? If you fancy some festive #EYASparkle see what’s being performed locally, like this production of Aladdin at The Playhouse Theatre, Pavilion Gardens, Buxton in 1968.

#PhotoFriday #1960s
December 26, 2025 at 11:45 AM
To finish our #Railway200 extravaganza: a Midland Railway Company ticket issue book from 1870–1871, straight out of Dronfield Station. Imagine the journeys recorded in these pages—Victorian passengers, steam locomotives, and the golden age of rail…
December 25, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Did you know the “Christmas Pudding King”, Matthew Walker, came from Derbyshire? The business he started in 1899 in Heanor is reputedly the oldest Christmas pudding maker in the world. Find a copy of Derbyshire Life from December 2018 in our #LocalStudies library to find out more.
December 25, 2025 at 1:40 PM
To everyone who has visited, contacted us, followed, liked, and commented on our posts this year — Derbyshire Record Office wishes you a #MerryChristmas and a Happy New Year!

#ArchiveAdventCalendar
December 25, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Our #NewAccession is a diary of William Green, servant to Hugh Seymour Blane of The Pastures, Mickleover, Derby. This entry is from 24th Dec 1868 when Sir Seymour and Lady Blane saw the Christmas decorations at the County Asylum. The housekeeper's gift was sherry, the servants had rum.

#Victorian
December 24, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Watch out! #Santa's on his way, cycling through the snow on his penny-farthing. Luckily Rudolph and the other reindeer are behind him to make sure he gets round the world on time…
#ArchiveAdventCalendar
December 24, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Who is dreaming of a White Christmas? This serene scene captured by a Peak Park photographer of snow-laden pines in Cressbrook certainly evokes a #WinterWonderland. You can almost hear the sleigh bells ringing! #ArchiveAdventCalendar #snow
December 23, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Someone who could be a little bit naughty, but was certainly nice and funny, was the comedian Victoria Wood. Here is a note she sent Buxton Fringe Festival to mark the 21st Fringe Festival, remembering a little mishap in a changing room!
#NaughtyOrNice #ArchiveAdventCalendar
December 22, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Deposited Plans are a great source of information. With the numbers on the plan, search the book of reference, which will state who owners, lessees, occupiers were and describe property and land. This is for New Mills 1829.
#Railway200
December 22, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Sound asleep and dreaming of Christmas magic… Judging by the size of that stocking, someone had a very long wish list! 🎄

#FestiveTraditions #ArchiveAdventCalendar
December 21, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Well doesn’t this look cosy? This is the students' common room at the Teacher Training College, Rockside, Matlock in the #1950s. Best put that fire out before Father Christmas visits though.
#ArchiveAdventCalendar #WarmFire
December 20, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Are you going to a #ChristmasParty this festive season? This is the Devonshire Arms Fishing Club in South Normanton in 1949. He’s hard to spot but Father Christmas is lurking in the middle of the group. We’re sure he was jollier than he looks.

#PhotoFriday #ArchiveAdventCalendar
December 19, 2025 at 11:10 AM
This advert for a Locked Coil Rope featured in the March 1951 edition of Mine & Quarry Engineering. It also includes a fascinating insight into the draining levels of Wirksworth lead mines, in ‘The Soughs of Dove Gang’ by Nellie Kirkham. Find a copy in our #LocalStudies library.
December 18, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Ever wondered how goods were tracked in the 19th century? Here’s a glimpse: an 1871 Midland Railway Company incoming goods invoice record book from Dronfield Station.
#Railway200
December 18, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Send help! Our archive shelves have been invaded by #ArchiveElves! Are they using our boxes for presents, or writing wish lists on catalogue cards? Either way, we might need to start issuing reader tickets to the North Pole...🎄✨
#archiveadventcalendar
December 18, 2025 at 9:35 AM
A lovely hand drawn poster full of #ChristmasColours by Loscoe-born artist and illustrator Jack Bronson (d. 2006) for a Christmas Social of a Fellowship Group, possibly at Newthorpe, 1958.

#ArchiveAdventCalendar #1950s
December 17, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Our latest #NewAccession is an addition to the papers of the Swanwick family of Whittington near Chesterfield. Eric Drayton Swanwick was an officer in the Sherwood Foresters (Nottingham & Derbyshire Regiment) during the #FirstWorldWar. He was also active in the Scouting movement.
December 17, 2025 at 10:15 AM