PHOTOS FROM THE PAST

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Today begins a new series of past photographs of the hometowns of some of the overseas Byter faithful.

First batter up is David C B, who hails from Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, England.

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About Derbyshire:

Derbyshire is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south and west, and Cheshire to the west. Derby is the largest settlement, and Matlock is the county town.

The county has an area of 2,625 km2 (1,014 sq mi) and a population of 1,053,316. The east of the county is more densely populated than the west, and contains the county's largest settlements: Derby (261,400), Chesterfield (88,483), and Swadlincote (45,000).

Burial mounds of Neolithic settlers are situated throughout the county. These chambered tombs were designed for collective burial and are mostly located in the central Derbyshire region.

The Neolithic henge monument of Arbor Low in the Derbyshire Peak District. It has been dated to 2500 BCE

During the Roman conquest of Britain, the invaders were attracted to Derbyshire for its lead ore in the limestone hills of the area. They settled throughout the county, with forts built near Brough in the Hope Valley and near Glossop. Later they settled round Buxton, famed for its warm springs, and set up a fort near modern-day Derby in an area now known as Little Chester.

Several kings of Mercia are buried in the Repton area.

Following the Norman Conquest, much of the county was subject to the forest laws.Forests were designed as hunting areas reserved for the monarch or (by invitation) the aristocracy. The concept was introduced by the Normans to England in the 11th century, and at the height of this practice in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, fully one-third of the land area of Southern England was designated as royal forest.

Derbyshire is rich in natural mineral resources such as lead, iron, coal, and limestone, which have been exploited over a long period. Lead, for example, has been mined since Roman times. The limestone outcrops in the central area led to the establishment of large quarries to supply the industries of surrounding towns with lime for building and steelmaking, and latterly in the 20th-century cement manufacture.

The Industrial Revolution also increased demand for building stone, and in the late 19th and early 20th-century, the arrival of the railways led to a large number of stone quarries being established.

Ruins of the Magpie Mine, a well-preserved disused lead mine near the village of Sheldon in Derbyshire, England.

Derbyshire's relative remoteness in the late 18th century and an abundance of fast-flowing streams led to a proliferation of the use of hydropower at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, following the mills pioneered by Richard Arkwright. Derbyshire has been said to be the home of the Industrial Revolution, and part of the Derwent Valley has been given World Heritage status in acknowledgement of this historic importance.

Derbyshire is one of only three counties permitted to make cheese that is labelled as Stilton cheese. The others are Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

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Gallery:

Allen's draper's shop in Bakewell, 1899

Deep snow drift, Farley, 1947

This shows the harsh winter of 1947. Snow fell virtually every day in February and March and there were equally severe freezing conditions. Here the photographer has stopped to show his car dwarfed by the snow cliffs.

Switchback Ride, Matlock Bath, 1910

This rollercoaster opened in 1889, making it one of the earliest in England. Although only 140 yards long, it added an extra novelty for visitors to Matlock Bath before being dismantled in 1934.

Snow falls on dairy cart, Buxton 1965

The horse was called 'Tom' and the man steering him is called Mr R Mosley. Both were working for Morten's Diary which was still using the same form of transport as in 1907.

Camping at Castle Top Farm, Cromford, 1936

A family photograph from an album made by Alfie Johnson extolling the virtues of the camping life at Castle Top Farm. He said: "As long as I live, the hills must call me."

This is how part of Church Street, in Ripley, used to look

Church Street, Ripley

The view now

Then

Now

The tram lines are visible on the old Nottingham Road

Now

The tram makes its way up Nottingham Road

A tram-less Nottingham Road now.

The old Westminster Bank on Nottingham Road

Now

Nottingham Road heading into the town centre

Now

Ruins of Wingfield Manor House, with South Wingfield in the background, Amber Valley, Derbyshire, England.

Researchers previously thought this cave was an 18th-century folly, or decorative structure constructed to enhance the natural landscape. It is now thought the early medieval cave structure in Derbyshire, England, may be the former home of a ninth-century king, and the United Kingdom’s oldest intact domestic interior. New research conducted by experts from the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) and Wessex Archaeology suggests the 1,200-year-old dwelling once housed Eardwulf, an exiled ruler of the medieval English kingdom Northumbria. The team published its analysis in the Proceedings of the University of Bristol Speleological Society.

Eardwulf ascended to the throne following the murders of his two immediate predecessors. He ruled Northumbria from 796 to 806, when he was deposed. Eardwulf spent his final years in exile in Mercia (another kingdom in the Midlands), ultimately dying in 830.

During the seventh, eighth and ninth centuries, England had at least seven major kingdoms and 200 kings, as the Independent points out. Most of these monarchs did not leave the throne of their own volition: Up to 16 percent were murdered. Another 16 percent were killed in battle. Thirty-three percent were peacefully removed from power; only a third ended their reigns through natural death.

A view of the east window of Dale (Stanley Park) Abbey, from the interior. It is more often viewed from outside. A small part of the return of the north chancel wall is visible on the left.

Dale Abbey was a religious house, close to Ilkeston in Derbyshire. Its ruins are located at the village of Dale Abbey, which is named after it. Its foundation legend portrays it as developing from a hermitage, probably in the early 12th century. It was constituted as an abbey in 1204. Although there were accusations of grave immorality, the abbey was allowed to pay a fine to continue its existence until 1538 when it was dissolved by Henry VIII as part of his dissolution of monsteries.

Castle Street, Melbourne, Derbyshire

Melbourne is named after the mill stream (Old English “myln burna”) that flows south to north down the centre of the parish. Known today as Carr Brook, it runs into the River Trent which forms Melbourne’s northern boundary.

A hall near Kings Newton, a village in South Derbyshire.

Unlike many villages in Derbyshire, Kings Newton is not mentioned in the Domesday book and is a "new town". Originally the hamlet was called Newton but the prefix of Kings was added to differentiate it from other Newtons in the surrounding counties.

The Holy Well in Kings Newton.

The Holy well was constructed around 1660, but has been refurbished at the end of the twentieth century

Whaley Bridge town centre

Whaley Bridge is a town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England. It is situated on the River Goyt, 16 miles (26 km) south-east of Manchester.

Old photos of Whaley Bridge: