Buffalo Bill and His Wild West Show in Derbyshire

If you mention the name of William Cody, aka Buffalo Bill, then it might conjure up images of America’s Old Wild West, rather than the rolling hills of Derbyshire. Whilst touring around Europe the famous Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show made many visits to Derbyshire, including Derby, Chesterfield, Glossop, and Ilkeston. With cowboys, stagecoaches, horses, …

The Escape of General Exelmans and Colonel de la Grange

I wrote previously on the Napoleonic officers held as prisoners of war in Chesterfield. Whilst there were many interesting stories that came from that topic, I thought it best to tell of the story that first inspired my research into the prisoners at Chesterfield. That story is the escape of General Joseph Exelmans and Colonel …

Napoleonic Prisoners of War in Chesterfield

The number of prisoners of war captured during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars with France was unlike those seen previously in British campaigns. By 1809, after over fifteen years of war, the numbers had risen to a staggering 40,000, which was just over three times the population of Derby at the time. In the early …

My Work Experience Week

Today's post comes from Sam, a pupil at Highfields School, Matlock, who recently spent a week on work experience at Derbyshire Record Office. Here's their story ... I have really enjoyed my time here at Derbyshire Record Office for my work experience. I knew it would be something I would be interested in because I really like …

A Kick-about down Memory Lane

When looking for a suitable subject for an Archive of the Week over tweet, I came across a collection of typescript volumes entitled "Looking Back: Football in North Derbyshire in time gone by" by S. B. Fox (Reference D5693/1/1-38). In amongst the impressive record of match results and league tables you'll find an array of …

‘Bryan Donkin – the man and his machines’ online exhibition

Here’s a question – have you at any point today handled a piece of paper, written with a pen or opened a tin can?  If so then your activities have been influenced by one of the most important, if little known, British engineers of the 19th century. Those of you who read our blog will …

Discover Chesterfield’s Black History

Chesterfield Museum and Chesterfield African Caribbean Community Association (ACCA) have joined forces to create a new exhibition that explores the history and experiences of the borough’s Black community. It aims to tell the story of Chesterfield’s Windrush Generation, highlighting the challenges they faced when establishing new lives in Chesterfield and how they overcame these. It …

New catalogues now available for Chesterfield collections

During 2020, we did add a small number of these to the online catalogue (for example, D9 Dakeyne of Darley), and work continues to process the remaining drafts and recent transfers, so there are lots more to come this year. Last week, catalogues for several collections that were transferred to us from the Local Studies …

The Gratitude of First World War Prisoners to Margery Swanwick of Chesterfield

A post from catalogue volunteer, Roger. The Record Office recently purchased several letters and postcards at an auction which illustrate aspects of humanitarian work during the First World War. Margery Eleanor Swanwick (1880-1959) a resident of Whittington, Chesterfield was active both in providing parcels of food and other comforts to Allied soldiers imprisoned in Germany, …

Family History – Next Steps

A guide to help you dig deeper into your family history and add flesh to the bones. Where your ancestor lived: See the guides to building history for the types of sources available for finding out where your ancestors lived. Where your ancestor went to school: Admission registers for a large number (though not all …