This is possibly the only photograph of
the former Bath Terrace, established as an hotel in 1798[1].
Reverend Richard Ward, writing in 1827, described the hotel: "Immediately
beyond the garden [of the New Bath] is a very neat and comfortable
lodging-house belonging to Mr. Richard Walker, and calculated
for the reception of up to twenty persons"[2].
These days the building is part of the New Bath Hotel, but
for a long time it was a separate establishment and was
run by the Walker family for many years in the nineteenth
century[3].
The building was enlarged in the 1860s - the portion on
the left of the front is clearly an addition[4].
A sale notice in 1869 described the hotel as: "All
that first class family hotel, which has for many years had
an excellent connection ... known as Walker's Bath Terrace
Hotel, standing upon a gentle eminence adjoining the main
road from Derby to Buxton, commanding a view of the best
scenery in the locality. The Hotel contains an excellent
coffee-room, five sitting rooms, and numerous bedrooms ;
also kitchens and the requisite offices, including coach
house and stabling. The premises are in good repair, a considerable
portion being nearly new, and there is an abundant supply
of pure water and gas"[5].
By 1890 it was owned by Mr Charles Hill,
J.P. of Woodborough Hall, Notts[5],
who owned other property in Matlock Bath, including Woodland
House. At that time the hotel was fully licensed and let on a
lease to Mr Eaton.
Other nineteenth century licensees[7] included
Richard Walker, Mr. R. Grant, W. Harrison, a Mrs. Taylor,
formerly of St Helens, Alfred Storrs, Thomas William Hesketh,
Robert Watson[8],
Mr. Harrison, recently of Nottingham, and Miss
J Aldred. Those running the hotel in the earlier part of
the twentieth century[9] included
Miss Hoy, Mrs. Watson, Mr. Barker, Mrs. Edith Kent and Arthur
Morgan who was killed in the First World War[10].
After the War the Bath Terrace and New Bath Hotels were linked
under the same management and by 1932 they had become Trust
House properties[11].
During the Second World War the building was used as a medical
centre and the ground floor became the quarter master's store.
Post war it was used as staff quarters and swimming pool
changing rooms. The Bath Terrace was knocked down some years
ago and a house was built for the manager of the New Bath on
the site[12]. |
References (coloured links are to transcripts or more information
elsewhere on this web site):
[1] Date found on both 1863 Advertisement
of Walker's
Bath Terrace Hotel in Hall's "Days
in Derbyshire" and in White's Directory of 1862
[2] Ward, Reverend Richard (Seventh Edn., 1827) "The
Matlock, Buxton and Castleton Guide, containing concise accounts
of these and other remarkable places ... in the ... County
of Derby", Derby
[3] The Walker family appears in the
1841 census (no address given, but see Adam's
"Gem of the Peak") | 1851
census | 1861
census | 1871
census | 1881
census | Also look at various on
site 19th century trade directories
[4] See
the "Engraving
of Matlock Bath, from the Wild Cat Tor"
which shows the building before it was enlarged
[5] "The Derby Mercury",
Wednesday, February 10, 1869
[6] "The Derby Mercury",
Wednesday, June 17, 1896
[7] Various license applications
published in "The Derby Mercury". It is
not known if W. Harrison and Mr. Harrison, recently of
Nottingham, are the same person
[8] Robert Watson was in the
1891 census
[9] 1901
census (Hoy) and various trade directories including Kelly's
1908 Directory and Kelly's
1916 Directory
[10] Read about Arthur Morgan on Names
on Matlock Bath's War Memorial
[11] From various trade directories
[12] Conversation with Ken Smith
|
