This card is of the Heights of Abraham, the Temple Hotel, part of South Parade near the Fish Pond Hotel and the Fish Pond Stables (foreground, centre and right). The Heights were probably the main interest when the photograph was taken, but it is the Stables that make the card of historical interest as it shows just how extensive the stables were. They were demolished to make way for the Grand Pavilion; the Pavilion, initially called the Kursaal, was built in 1910 - just three years after this card was posted^[1]. The white painted advertisement on the side of the shop, on the left, is next to the Fishpond Hotel and advertises the Fish Pond Hotel, the Stables and cycles. There are some beautiful carriages in the stables' yard next to Boden's Refreshment and Dining Rooms.

"The Briddons owned and ran the livery stables which stood on the site of the Pavilion. ... The livery stables would be quite busy bearing in mind that the Royal Hotel had no stabling at all and Matlock Bath was the starting off place for 4-in-hand and 6-in-hand horse drawn coaches which set off to Dovedale, Baslow and a host of other places. When the livery stables finished Briddon sold off his business and started as an hotelier near Dovedale. ... Some of the stabling moved to Portland Mews on Clifton Road. Furniss of Matlock took over much of the coach business. They [Furniss's] had a booking hall tucked into the corner where the bus stop is at the bottom of the hill by the Fishpond Hotel^[2]". The Briddons were Herbert Briddon and his sons Frederic and Cecil^[3]. Furniss of Matlock was William Furniss, cab & coach proprietor & hay & straw dealer^[4].

Below is a 1903 advertisement for Briddon's "Fish-Pond Posting Establishment". What is especially interesting is the Fish Pond itself, which must have been relatively new. The pond looks empty and could only have recently been converted into a pond when the picture was taken. A few years earlier the pond area had been where the horses and carriages were washed. The pond is not shown on the top image but the building where they washed the horses and carriages is by the roadside. It suggests, therefore, that the photograph of the postcard was taken before 1903.

References (the coloured links are to onsite transcripts):

^[1] The Royal Assent was given and the Matlock Bath Improvement Act became law on 4 August, 1905. It paved the way for the Kursaal to be built and granted permission for the Urban District Council to buy or compulsorily purchase land and buildings for its plans.

^[2] Reminiscences of the late Mr. Frank Clay, from his private papers and notes owned by the web mistress.

^[3] The Briddon family was living in Matlock Bath in the 1891 census and 1901 census. Herbert Briddon advertised in Kelly's 1895 Directory and Kelly's 1899 Directory

^[4] William Furniss advertised in both Kelly's 1908 Directory and Kelly's 1916 Directory