Our latest #NewAccession is a book of plans from the 1930s about the county's bridges. This plan features the bridge in Cromford, which literally means 'a ford on a river bend', which was a vital crossing point, linking routes to Starkholmes and Matlock, plus the road to Lea Bridge. #LocalHistory

Our #ArchiveOfTheWeek is the Kilburn Methodist Church, which includes this brief history of Methodism in Kilburn, celebrating the centenary of the Church. It tells the story from the first Chapel opening in 1836 through to what was then the present day, and features photos of Preachers and Members.

A throwback to February 1933 to help everyone cool off: snow drifts at Fox House and at the “Surprise” Rocks between Fox House and Hathersage reached a massive 15 feet deep! An incredible Peak District winter scene. #EYASurprise #snow #1930s

For #PhotoFriday, these are the Derby Assembly Rooms on the Market Place in the 1930s. A well-known sight until it was damaged by fire in 1963. The façade was preserved and now stands at Crich National Tramway Museum. #EYAArchitecture #Derby

On #InternationalFriendshipDay we join these teenage friends, who are celebrating the Silver Jubilee of George V on 6 May 1935. They look very smart in their cloche hats and pretty dresses - hopefully there was a delicious picnic waiting for them somewhere… #1930s

In his book ‘The Rogue Goths’ Edmund Harris presents an overview of the works of 3 distinctly different 19th century architects who caused a stir with their flamboyant designs for municipal and religious buildings. Includes St Tomas’s, Pear Tree, in Derby. Now in our #LocalStudies. #EYAArchitecture

Looking for inspiration this summer? Why not visit the Landscapes Unlocked exhibition at Bakewell Visitor Centre. Discover stunning images from the Peak District National Park archive held at the Derbyshire Record Office. You might just find a new perspective on a familiar place!

#DidYouKnow that parish rate books are wonderful sources for family, house and local history? Our latest #NewAccession is a great example. Covering Winster, it records the names and addresses of those who lived in the parish between 1839-1840. #LocalHistory

Our #ArchiveOfTheWeek is a 1953 plan of Ernest Bailey Grammar School—which is now Derbyshire Record Office! Former students still visit us to use our collections and share their memories of learning here. And the sycamore tree in the yard? Still going strong! 🌳 #EYAArchitecture

A glimpse of Derbyshire in the European Architectural Heritage Year of 1975. This programme of events shows how the county’s historic buildings and landscapes were celebrated that year. Did you go to any? #EYAArchitecture #1970s

A birds-eye view of an example of modern architecture. This is Chesterfield Courthouse with its interesting double fan shape. Built 1963-65 in reinforced concrete, with decorative stone cladding, its timber roof is clad with copper sheeting. #PhotoFriday #EYAArchitecture #1960s

Whether it’s cottages, rectories, schools or churches; chimneys, gargoyles, roofs or gates – the 1898 book 'Architectural examples in brick, stone, wood and iron' by William Fullerton in our #LocalStudies library will show you beautiful drawings of them. #EYAArchitecture.

As current school leavers decide on their futures, here's a throwback to a booklet from the English Sewing Cotton Company from the 1950s. Designed to encourage girls to work at the mills in Belper and Milford and promising "good food to workers of all ages". #1950s #WomensHistory

#OnThisDay in 1871 the Railway Benevolent Institution organised a day out for all railway employees who worked on lines within 100 miles of Alton Towers, with the admission charge paid for by the Earl of Shrewsbury. We hope they had a fabulous day despite (or thanks to) the lack of rollercoasters...

Our latest #NewAccession is a digital one: we’ve received a digital copy of the February 2025 quarterly newsletter from one of our regular depositors, Ticknall Parish Council.

Our #ArchiveOfTheWeek is St Christopher’s Railway Home, Derby. Founded in 1875 as the Railway Servants’ Orphanage, it supported children of railway workers who died or were incapacitated. The home cared for generations until its closure in 1993. OldRailwayAccidents

On #InternationalChessDay we join the pupils at Bamford School in the 1950s for their annual chess competition. It was clearly taken very seriously - or is that because headmaster Mr Bloxham is standing at the back? #chess #1950s

The story of Odysseus begins in the Iliad and this is the poet Eleanor Porden's copy of that epic poem by Homer, in ancient Greek. If you'd like to find out more about a fascinating real woman left behind while her husband went exploring, read on on our blog: recordoffice.wordpre... #Odyssey

Already missing the #football after the World Cup final yesterday? A reminder of a local talent: William, aka Willie, Foulke began his football career at Blackwell Miners' Welfare Football Club before moving to Sheffield United. See more about his career in this blog post:

Willie Foulke: Blackwell Miners’ Welfare Football Club’s Famous Goalkeeper

Colliery companies offered many activities to their workers in an attempt to promote the health and welfare of their workers. Sports were a popular way of doing this, ranging from the more usual fo…

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On #WorldListeningDay our catalogue contains a good list of oral histories held in the archive and local studies collections: calmview.derbyshire.... Thanks to the East Midlands Oral History Archive, who digitised many items as part of a British Library project!

The dome of the Royal Devonshire Hospital in Buxton was built in 1880 by architect Robert Rippon Duke. Measuring over 150 feet in diameter, it was then the largest unsupported dome of its type in the world and remains the largest in Europe. #PhotoFriday #EYAArchitecture

Drown your football sorrows with this throwback to when it did come home: Shirebrook born Ray Wilson, the 1966 England fullback, relives his World Cup experiences in his autobiography, ‘My Life in Soccer’. Find a copy in our #LocalStudies library. #WorldCup #football

Our latest #NewAccession will be added to the Hursthouse and Smith family of Matlock archive. These cards were sent to Arthur and Ethel on their marriage in 1927. The unknown sender wrote on the backs 'Wouldn't it have been safer to join the 'Gugnunes'?' and 'Ain't she sweet?' #1920s

On the #DayOfTheHorse, let's admire this incredibly patient horse - not to mention the brave dog - who posed for this photograph… #LoveHorses #dogs #horse

This lovely plan was designed by ventilation engineers Ashwell & Nesbit of Leicestershire. It shows proposed alterations to Methodist Chapel at Birchover in the early twentieth century. #EYAArchitecture #Derbyshire #Methodist

#OTD in 1941 the MV Georgic was bombed and partially sunk off Port Tewfik, Egypt. Built for the White Star Line she was a troop ship in #WWII. Our #ArchiveOfTheWeek is an eye-witness account by Nelly Hodgkins, stewardess on board. #1940s

Derbyshire has such a rich geological history and many famous rock formations and sites we felt stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to choose just one photograph for #InternationalRockDay... #Dovedale #Derbyshire #PeakDistrict

As the football world celebrates the FIFA World Cup, these two photographs from the East Midlands Electricity Board Journal show A. Allcock finding the net twice in 1953. A reminder that the beautiful game thrives at every level, from local teams to the world stage. #WorldCup2026 #FootballHistory

Could this be the largest teddy bear at any picnic on #TeddyBearPicnicDay? This was The Great Literary Picnic, which started off the Derbyshire Millennium Literature Festival in 2000. We hope there’s enough sandwiches for him! #PhotoFriday

Happy wedding anniversary, Dr Johnson! On 9 July 1735, a 25-year-old Samuel Johnson of Lichfield—future dictionary compiler—married 45-year-old Elizabeth Porter of Birmingham at St Werburgh’s Church in Derby. #OnThisDay #History #SamuelJohnson