Tucked next to the station at Matlock Bath is the Station Master's house and this photograph of the building was taken in 1952. The corner of the station building is to the right of the house.

The second photograph (below) is of one of its former occupants, Mr. William Rosling (1899 - 1969). Mr. Rosling was the station master at Matlock Bath from 1947 until it was closed by Beeching. He began his long railway career as a signalman and he was employed in the industry for over 50 years. The picture shows him on the platform with one of his grandchildren and it was taken in the late 1950s. Mr. Rosling was well known in Matlock Bath for his associations with the Illuminations and Venetian Nights Committee, the Attractions Committee and other local organizations. He was also a long standing member of the Temple Lodge (Matlock Bath) of the Buffs.

The early Victorian station building behind William Rosling was probably designed by Sir Joseph Paxton. The lovely herringbone pattern of the bricks in the wall behind him is of architectural note. This type of brickwork, between wooden framing, is known as nogging.

It is difficult to tell whether the window behind William shows the reflection of the the Starkholmes hillside or is simply the view through the window on the other side of the building. However, the pattern in the top frame is of the leaded windows (detail below).

There are two more photos of William Rosling:
Beside the footbridge (will open in a new window)
Beside the sign on the platform ( " )

Matlock Bath, Illuminations & Venetian Fête in the 1950's. The webmistress's family contributed to the annual event.

Also see, elsewhere in the Matlock section of this web site, Bemroses' Guide, which dates from about 1869:
Vignette engraving of High Tor Tunnel, showing the railway station building (image at the bottom of the page)
Tourist Tickets on the Midland Railway
Weekend Fares on the Midland Railway

More information about the railway elsewhere on this website:
Railway Cards of Derbyshire Scenes - more Midland Railway cards, but not the same publisher
The Railways of Derbyshire, 1903 - a map

View even more about the station by clicking on the images below:

19C - stereoview

1862

About 1906

1906-08

1912

Today, image3

References (the coloured links are to onsite transcripts or more information):

^[1] "The Derby Mercury", Wednesday, 16 March, 1853 carried a report that midnight marauders had stolen food from the pantry of Mr Ritchie, the Matlock Bath Station Master. He was station master in 1849. See the 1851 census

^[2] Robert Skirrow - Whites1857 Directory. By the 1861 census he had become a coal merchant.

^[3] William Rich - Whites1862 Directory | Kelly's 1864 Directory

^[4] Charles Ward is named in Kelly's (1876) Directory and 1881 census

^[5] William Richardson appears in the 1891 census and Kelly's 1887 Directory | Kelly's 1891 Directory | Kelly's 1895 Directory

^[6] Albert C. Belham/Bilham was named in Kelly's 1899 Directory (near the bottom of the page) and the 1901 census

^[7] Frank Porter - Kelly's 1908 Directory and an Official

^[8] Henry Lovatt - 1911 census and Kelly's 1912 Directory

^[9] John Allen - Kelly's 1916 Directory (as a Private Resident) and an Official and Kelly's 1922 Directory

^[10] William Edward Parsons - Kelly's (1925) Directory