The images above and below show South Parade as it was around the turn of the 20th century. The buildings on the left have changed little to the present day. Buildings on the right have been replaced by a carpark and a group of modern souvenir shops.
The coloured image has been taken from a postcard. In the foreground on the right a petrifying well can be seen, alongside a shop selling 'spar and marble ornaments'. Spar refers to fluorspar, a locally mined crystal. Marble may have referred to various limestones and alabaster, as well as to marble itself.
The black and white image shows some changes: notably the ornament shop is the Royal Museum.
Discussion Points
Look at the people in the photographs:
- What do their clothes tell us about them?
- What might they be doing or where might they be going?
Look at the buildings:
- What kind of things are the buildings used for?
- Can you read any of the signs?
Compare the images of South Parade in Victorian times with the Street Map image below of South Parade taken recently.
- What has changed? Can you identify which buildings have changed use? What can you tell from this picture about the different types of business and services in Matlock today?