This early twentieth century postcard of Dale Road shows the Old English Hotel^[1] on the corner of Old English Road / Derwent Avenue, with Hunter's Grocery Store closer to the cameraman on the opposite corner. The photograph was probably taken between 1902 and 1920.

W. Evans and Sons, the jewellers, has been on Dale Road for more than a century. The founder,William Evans, had been a watchmaker in Wirksworth for several decades before moving to Matlock, with premises in the Market Place^[2]. By 1891 he was living at Greenwich House in St. John's Street, Wirksworth. He was born in Nottingham and he first appeared in Matlock records about 1895^[3]. In 1899 he advertised as "William Evans & Son, watchmakers and jewellers, The Projecting clock, Dale road, & branch, Crown buildings"^[4]. His son Charles Walter Evans D.B.O.A., F.S.M.C. was a certified optician^[4]. As far as the webmistress can tell this was the only occasion the Evans' address was given as "The Projecting Clock".

The spectacles above the W. Evans sign feature on several old postcards. Interestingly, there were only a few opticians in Derbyshire at the end of the nineteenth century although Walter wasn't the only optician working in Matlock^[5].

To the right of Evans was the Chemist & Druggist Robert Harker and the Stationery and Fancy Goods shop closest to the camera was probably run by Eliza Harris^[6].