British Library
Either BL web site
or British Library Integrated Catalogue

- Papers relating mainly to the Derbyshire estates of Sir Richard Arkwright (Ref Add MSS 6668-97).
- Adam Wolley bequeathed his manuscripts relating to Derbyshire to the British Museum and they are now at the British Library (Add M 6666 -6718). You can search their on-line catalogue

On The Andrews Pages web site are: Wolley Manuscripts, Matlock | Wolley Manuscripts, Derbyshire

Derbyshire Ancestral Research Group [DARG]
An informal group who meet at :
Birchwood Methodist Chapel, Birchwood Lane, Somercotes, Near Alfreton,
Derbyshire
Web site

Enquiries must be accompanied by a stamped self addressed envelope, or in the case of overseas enquiries by two IRCs (International Reply Coupons). Although they do not make a charge for their services, a donation towards their funds is always very much appreciated. Please make any cheques payable to "Derbyshire Ancestral Research Group" (DARG is not acceptable at their Bank).

Their transcripts of Matlock & Matlock Bath burials can be found on FindMyPast

Their archives include:
- St. Giles Church Monument Inscriptions*
- United Methodist Church, Imperial Road Baptisms (1841-1900) records
- Matlock Congregational, later the United Reform Church. Baptisms (1866-1922), Marriages (1866) and Deaths (1881-1926)
- Glenorchy (Congregational) Chapel, Matlock Bath. Baptisms (1785-1836)

*If you are seeking an MI published by the Derbyshire Ancestral Research Group (for example, an MI in St. Giles' Churchyard) please contact the web mistress before you write to them as I should be able to provide the reference.

Derbyshire Record Office
County Hall, MATLOCK, Derbyshire, DE4 3AG
Web site
For those travelling by road, the Record Office is situated in the Ernest Bailey Building on New Street and has limited parking.

They house original records. The archives cover the County of Derbyshire, City and Diocese of Derby.
A request form for their fee paid search service is available.

There are too many to list here but their archives include the following relating to Matlock:
- Chesterfield-Matlock Turnpike
- Church records: Parish register for Holy Trinity Church, Matlock Bath and St Giles, Matlock (Matlock Parish Church). The St. Giles' Baptisms, Marriages & Burials are now onsite; details of the Glenorchy Chapel, Matlock Bath etc.
- Deeds and Family papers for the Evans family of Matlock Bath (1628 - 1912)
- Property Sales - descriptions and names of owners in the 1800's etc. Look in the subject index drawers

Publications - view their full list.

The DRO now has a fully searchable database of Poor Law removal orders in Quarter Sessions

Derby Local Studies Library
25B Irongate, DERBY, DE1 3GL
Web site
When contacting them, please try to include any shelf reference or accession number if you have it.

Their archives include:
- Ince Pedigrees (Ref: 8022)
- microfilm of newspapers such as The Derby Mercury
- Picture the Past
A project digitising the photos of Derby City Libraries and Derby Museums, and Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Libraries. The biggest photo resource on Derby and Derbyshire, and one of the biggest such resources in the country.

County Hall Local Studies Library
(formerly Matlock LSL)
County Hall Collection, County Offices, MATLOCK, Derbyshire, DE4 3AG
Web site

If you would like photocopies of documents listed on this web site, please look at the library's web pages for up to date information regarding cost. When contacting the library please quote the volume and folio number(s) provided here, and a brief description if you can. For example, "The surname XXX from the Wolley Manuscripts".

Card catalogue and indexes can be consulted without an appointment, but anyone wishing to consult microfilms should make an appointment to book a reader to avoid disappointment.

Their archives include:
- Catalogue to the Wolley Manuscripts.
Matlock and Matlock Bath Names in the Wolley Manuscripts ares on this site but please contact the library for copies of documents
- St. Giles Church Monument Inscriptions, transcribed by the DARG
- microfilm of newspapers such as The High Peak News
(see Newspapers, National and Local below)

Publications include:
- Gordon, Ruth (2nd ed. 1996) Local Newspapers in Derbyshire Libraries 1996 © Derbyshire County Council ISBN 0903463 45 8. Historical newspaper files held at Matlock in 1996.
- Wood, Miriam. (1977) Index to the Catalogue of British Museum Additional Manuscripts Numbers 6676 to 6686 being the Manuscripts relating to the Derbyshire Lead mining Industry which are part of the British Museum Additional Manuscripts numbers 6668-6718, otherwise known as the Wolley Manuscripts, prepared from a microfilm copy for Derbyshire County Library. ISBN 0 903463 04 0 pub. Derbyshire County Council. Three books - a catalogue of the deeds, a subject index and a place and person index.

Presentation Archive & Heritage Centre
Their web site is being developed, but see the "News" section.
Contact
Presentation Sisters,
Chesterfield Road,
Matlock,
Derbyshire,
DE4 3FT

The Presentation Sisters are currently establishing an Archive & Heritage Centre in one of the buildings on their Chesterfield Road site. It will hold all their historical records from both home and abroad since 1836 and will be open for all.

Within Derbyshire they have worked in both Glossop and Matlock. For a long period they ran the Presentation Convent School on the Chesterfield Road site as well as the Nagle Preparatory School. They are applying for Lottery Funding for this project, as they hope their centre will be used for research, for study and reading as well as for more general community use, so as a venue for meetings.
More information will be added at a later date.

GENUKI site for Derbyshire
Web site

The web site has details of the other Local Studies Libraries in Derbyshire and is an invaluable resource for Derbyshire researchers.

Lichfield Record Office
Web site

The RO has an online catalogue - Gateway to the Past. Follow the links on their site.

Has Bishops' Transcripts (BTs), marriage licences, wills.
Please note that to obtain a copy of a marriage licence you will need to provide the date of marriage and the search for the licence will mean you have to pay a fee. You'll also have to pay search fees for wills unless you can provide full probate details. Stating the year only is not enough information.

Also see "About Wills" on this web site

Newspaper Library
Colindale, London
Web page

Colindale is well worth visiting whilst it remains open, and ordering in advance is recommended. Searching for what you may want beforehand, though, seems to have become more complicated now the information has been incorporated into the British Library's catalogue.

Try to search through:
Newspaper Library Catalogue - searching

The National Archives - TNA
(was the Public Record Office)
Kew, London
Web site

Their holdings are vast but of special importance to Matlock historians are '"The Duchy of Lancaster Manorial Rolls" These go back to the 13th century.

There is a sample on this site. See:
Documents Relating to Matlock, 14th Century - Leases 1376-1377

Society of Genealogists
14 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London, EC1M 7BA
Web site

Large range of material, including copy of DARG transcripts of MI's from St. Giles Church.

William Salt Library
Stafford, Staffordshire, England
Web site

Has papers relating to the Vernon family (1797-1812)

A. Matlock through the ages

• GENUKI - Matlock and Matlock Bath
  
  
• 1828/9 description of Matlock and Matlock Bath, from Pigot's Directory typed by Heather Faulkes, both on the DBY GENUKI site
  
  
• Civil Registration Districts
• The Office of National Statistics
  Certificates of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales may be purchased from ONS. You will need to check the full reference from the indexes before making an application.
  
  
• National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland, 1868
  This gazetteer entry for Matlock is one of many for the whole UK, a result of Colin Hinson's OCR of the National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland, 1868.
  
  
• National Portrait Gallery - search the collection
  Although not all the portraits are on display you will find amongst the names those of Richard Arkwright and Florence Nightingale. A portrait of Arkwright by Joseph Wright is on display and also three of Florence Nightingale.
  
  
• Old Maps: http://www.old-maps.co.uk/
  A wonderful site. Have a look at Matlock, Matlock Bank etc. ca. 1883
  
  
• Peakland Heritage - This excellent resource is a joint venture between Derbyshire County Council, Peak Park and the British Library is aimed largely at school children. Over 700 topics are included.
  

B. Modern Matlock and District

• Attractions around Matlock
  Part of the Cressbrook pages, with details of the tourist attractions in and around Matlock and Matlock Bath.
  
  
• Hundreds of photographs of Derby and Derbyshire are on Andy Savage's site. This is well worth a visit
  
  
• http://www.peakdistrict-nationalpark.com
  Peak District tourist guide featuring hotels, cottages, pubs, b&bs, campsites, caravan parks as well as places to eat and drink, visitor attractions, places to see, walks and more.
  
  
• High Leas Farm has an interesting history
  Apart from the stunning view from the hillside above the farm which is a real treat to see, the web site discusses the farm's history. It mentions the Nightingales, the Taylors of Castle Top Farm and some characters in Alison Uttley's books.
  
  
• Which building's future is worrying Matlock Bath residents in 2010?
  
  
  • Save Matlock Bath Pavilion
    
    

    The Save the Pavilion Group has been set up to safeguard the future of the Pavilion for the community of Matlock Bath and surrounding areas What do you think? Let the campaigners know. Visit their web site Click the link above

    
    
    
    
• What made Matlock people unhappy in 2008?
  
  
  • Matlock Footbridge Campaign
    
    

    What do you think? Let the campaigners know. Visit their web site Click the link above

    Campaigners objected to both the scale and design of the new footbridge linking Matlock Railway Station and the new Sainsbury's store. Also see our own pictures, kindly provided by a resident. Approach 1 Approach 2 Approach - View of the Bridge Back of the Bus Station Bridge and Railway Station 1 Bridge and Railway Station 2 Front of the Bus Station Sainsburys Station House Station Bridge 1 Station Bridge 2 Station Bridge 3

For a full list of Derbyshire newspapers see:
Gordon, Ruth (2nd ed. 1996) "Local Newspapers in Derbyshire Libraries" 1996 © Derbyshire County Council ISBN 0903463 45 8. Historical newspaper files held at Matlock.
or visit Newsplan East Midlands web site (see below)

There are three local newspapers which cover current events in Matlock and District. They are:

• The Derbyshire Times
  Derbyshire Times Newspapers, 37 Station Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 7XD
  
  
• The Matlock Mercury
  (formerly known as the Coming Events) : 4 Firs Parade, Matlock, Derbyshire
  
  
• The Peak Advertiser
  1 Diamond Court, Water Street, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1EW
  

For historical information in National British Newspapers try either:

• The British Library Online Newspaper Archive
  If you type in Matlock into the Search field, there are some interesting results.
  
  
• For newspapers which have been published and which are held by the British Newspaper Library at Colindale, London see the link to library and catalogue searching under libraries above.
  

Within Derbyshire and the East Midlands try:

• Derbyshire County Council Leisure & Culture (Libraries)*
  
  
• Derby Local Studies Library*
  
  *Both of the above libraries hold microfilms of some old newspapers (though not necessarily the same at both libraries).

• Newsplan - Newspapers in the East Midland and East of England
  This web site lists which newspapers have been preserved and where to find them, including those held by the above two libraries

• Join the Derbyshire Family History Society
  There's a list of members' web-pages.
  
  
• And/Or Subscribe to DERBYSGEN - the Derbyshire Genealogy Discussion Group.
  A thriving (and free) e-mail group. Created as a forum for genealogical and historical exchanges of information relating to the county of Derbyshire and of surname interests of subscribers who have ancestors within the county. Although active participation is encouraged, it is not mandatory if you don't feel comfortable posting messages to the list. To join in, so that you can receive e-mails, just send an e-mail with the word "subscribe", without the quotes, as the only text in the body of a message. It is helpful if you turn off any signature files you may use.
  DERBYSGEN-request@rootsweb.com
  
  If you subscribe you'll receive a lot of emails; they will cover all kinds of topics. You won't be interested in in all of them, of course, but you can often guess from the Subject whether or not you want to read them.
  
  
• There are quite a few one name studies relating to Matlock surnames. See, for example:
  Mountaney | Mounteney | Mountney
  

• Derbyshire Dales District Council ›Then click Tourist Information Centres in the left hand menu
  Derbyshire Dales District Council Tourism, Town Hall, Matlock, DE4 3NN
  
  Tourist Information Centres : Crown Square, Matlock, Derbyshire, England.
  Telephone +44 [0]1629 583 388
  E-mail: matlockinfo@derbyshiredales.gov.uk
  
  
• Heights of Abraham
  For those wishing to visit, either on foot or by the cable car.
  
  
• Discover Derbyshire and the Peak District
  A wonderful resource for those keen on walking. It is non-commercial and based on Discover Derbyshire Supplements published by the Derby Evening Telegraph, written by the site's compiler, Denis Eardley
  There is a section on the Matlocks
  
  
• Derbyshire - the Peak District
  The Official Tourist Board of the Peak District & Derbyshire
  
  
• 'Life in a Lens'
  A museum in Matlock Bath dedicated to presenting the history of photography in an accessible manner. The museum is in one of Matlock Bath's Victorian buildings and the owners have spent three years renovating it, restoring a lovely Victorian atmosphere.
  
  
• Some local hotels have web sites. The list below is of those which may be of historic interest and is not a complete list of all hotels.
  
  
  • Bradley House Hotel, Dale Road, Matlock
  • Hodgkinson's Hotel, Matlock Bath
  • New Bath Hotel, Matlock Bath
  • Riber Hall
  • Temple Hotel, Matlock Bath
    
    
    

You will now find this information under

• Matlock & Matlock Bath Census references have been moved to the census index elsewhere on the site
  
  
• References - Books and Other Publications are on a new page
  Or go directly to each section:
  • Old Books about the Matlocks
  • More recent publications that are well worth reading or purchasing
  • Books: availability and reviews
  • Some other publications
    
    
• About Wills and Places to Find Wills / Probate Records is now on a new page in the Wills section
  Much of the information provided applies to all Wills, though is especially relevant to Matlock Wills