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Matlock & Matlock Bath : Water Cures |
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Water cures made Matlock and Matlock Bath famous.
Matlock Bath was a famous Spa.
Matlock developed as a centre for Hydropathy. |
A spa is a place where there is a mineral spring. Matlock Bath's
curative drinking water came from medicinal springs.
Hydropathy, or hydrotherapy, is a kind of medical treatment,
with water being prescribed both internally and externally.
Though the drinking of water was recommended for those undergoing
hydropathic treatment, the water that was consumed by the patients
did not necessarily contain medicinal properties. A Hydro was
a building (hotel) where these treatments were carried out. |
| Matlock's water cures are discussed below under
the following sub headings:
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 The Spa of Matlock
Bath |
'The waters were first applied for medicinal purposes about the latter
end of the seventeenth century. The old bath, which was of wood, lined
with lead, was made in 16981'.
The quotation refers to the discovery of a warm (thermal) spring at
Matlock Bath.
This first spring, with a water temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit,
supplied what became the Old Bath Hotel and later the Royal Hotel.
Four people were involved with building this first bath: they were
Rev. Joseph Ferne, the Rector of Matlock Church, Mr. Benjamin Hayward
of Senior Field, Cromford, Mr. Adam Wolley of Allen Hill, Matlock
and Mr. George Wragg, also of Matlock. It was called 'Wolley's Well'.
The lease was later bought by Messrs. Smith and Pennel of Nottingham,
who erected two buildings and opened a coach road to Matlock Bridge.
The village developed as a watering place after the coach road was
made in 1702.
A second spring was discovered and the New
Bath Hotel (Saxton's Hotel) was erected. A third, slightly colder,
spring was then found and the Fountain Baths were built and opened
to the public, with hot baths also available. The discovery of these
springs was the beginning of Matlock Bath's prosperity as a spa.
To give an example of size, the more modern Fountain Bath, built after
an earlier bath was demolished in 1881, was 50 feet long and 20 feet
wide; the water's depth went from 4 feet to 6 feet and the bath held
33,687 gallons of water.
 There is more information
contained in The Wolley Manuscripts, Matlock
There's
a leaflet for the Fountain Baths onsite
Matlock Bath became a famous and fashionable spa resort, with several
large hotels where people went to take the water cure. Prices of a
bath and a lists of the hotels can be found under Matlock Bath in
1840.
See Gem
of the Peak, Matlock Bath in 1840
The table below gives an analysis of the water that people found beneficial
to their health. |
Analysis of the water taken by Dr. A. Dupré, Lecturer on Chemistry
at Westminster Hospital, London. Sample taken from the Fountain
Bath Spring.2
Temperature of water 68 degrees. |
| Specific gravity 1003. |
Grains per
Gallon |
Chloride of Sodium . .
Sulphate of Magnesium
(Containing Magnesium)
Sulphate of Calcium . . .
Carbonate of Calcium ..
Silica . . . . . . . . . . .
Organic Matter - Traces of Alumina,Potassium, etc. . . . .
Totally dry residue . . . |
..
..
..
..
..
..
..}
..} |
4.57
9.73
(1.946)
2.04
14.68
0.71
31.73
1.03
32.76 |
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Some of the most famous of the visitors to
Matlock Bath in earlier times are listed on the main Matlock
Bath page.
Matlock
Bath
And on the right are some observations and recommendations by
nineteenth century writers about water consumption.
Matlock Bath declined in popularity for the health cures of
its medicinal springs as Matlock, and the hydropathic treatments
it became famous for, expanded. There were only two hydros in
Matlock Bath, and these were developed much later than those
in Matlock, as the inhabitants of the village failed to grasp
the economic importance of hydrotherapy.
There's more onsite information:
Matlock,
Matlock Bath and Matlock Dale in 1802 describes how things
were 200 years ago, the complaints and diseases and contemporary
debates about the water's properties
Cumming's
Old Bath Hotel
Gem
of the Peak (1840)
The
Royal Hotel |
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What Nineteenth Century writers said:
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'Matlock [Bath] water, drunk freely as a common beverage
throughout the day, to be likely to prove highly beneficial
in dyspeptic and nephritic affections'.
Dr. Granville: "The Spas of England".
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'Don't bathe [in winter], but drink the warm running water
with milk or cream, and sometimes add the chalybeate, which
issues at the north end of the valley, and we think they
will do you good'.
Dr. Adam: Article in an unnamed local
newspaper (mid nineteenth century).
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The waters 'are said to be particularly valuable as curatives
in rheumatism, consumption, gout, and pulmonary and nervous
disorders'.
Jewitt: "Nooks & Corners
of Derbyshire".
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'The usual method of drinking the water is a glass or two
before breakfast, and about five in the afternoon. The next
day three glasses before breakfast, and as many in the afternoon...'
Dr. John Elliott: "An Account
of the Medicinal Virtues of the Principal Mineral Waters
of Great Britain & Ireland".
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| The Hydros and
Hydropathy, Matlock's Expansion |
The real expansion of the industry in Matlock
followed the building of the railway line and was as a result
of John Smedley, a believer in water and fresh air, buying,
in 1851 or thereabouts, a house on Matlock Bank from John Davis
of Darley Dale. Davis prescribed hydropathic treatment. Prior
to this date, Smedley had advised Davis about the treatment
of his patients, but it was Smedley who became the driving force
in the industry's development in Matlock.
Even a few years later, in 1857, White's Directory3
shows there were still only three establishments. These were
Mr. John Smedley's, described as 'near Matlock Bridge Station',
Mr. Ralph Davis's on Matlock Bank and Mr. John Rogers', Matlock
Green. See the full quotation on the right.
Also
see Matlock's Residents and Businesses in White's 1857 Directory
It is worth looking at the population figures, extracted from
the census returns, to see the extent of the growth.
See
nineteenth century expansion, population and councils
The ten yearly census may not have been taken at peak holiday
periods but there were plenty of visitors and Smedley's visitors
eventually began to be recorded in a separate book.
1901
Census, Smedley's Hydropathic Establishment |
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"BATHS - The Baths which have been established at Matlock
Town, within the last few years [1850s], have not as yet
attained that wide spread celebrity, which has been obtained
by its more fortunate neighbour Matlock Bath; nevertheless,
the support which they have hitherto received affords strong
evidence that the HYDROPATHY system is not without its friends
and supporters; and from their close proximity to the beautiful
and picturesque scenery of the Dale, it is more than probable,
that in a few years they will prove a formidable yet friendly
rival, for a share of the public patronage which is enjoyed
in such an eminent degree by its elder sister.
There are at this time three HYDROPATHIC establishments
here, viz, Mr John SMEDLEY's, near Matlock Bridge Station;
Mr Ralph DAVIS's, Matlock Bank; and Mr John RODGERS', Matlock
Green; the largest of which is under the management of Mr
SMEDLEY. The situation of this house is highly advantageous
to health, being sheltered from the north and east winds,
by a lofty range of hills; the interior is comfortably furnished,
and has all the necessary apparatus for carrying out the
treatment, with water of the softest and purest nature."
"History, Gazetteer and Directory
of the County of Derby", by Francis White and Co,
1857, p.431, under the main heading of Matlock Parish
(Contributed by Sonia Addis-Smith)
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| John Smedley's
New Venture - An Alcohol Free Zone! |
Mr. Smedley, who was born at Wirksworth
and died at Riber (12 Jun 1803 - 27 Jul 1874) ran a successful
business at Lea Mills manufacturing woollen underclothes. He'd
personally experienced a water cure, which is why he resolved
to provide the facilities help others to be cured of their ailments.
Smedley's new venture in Matlock proved an immediate success
and the original building rapidly became inadequate. Work began
on the present building on the Bank, still known locally as
Smedley's Hydro, in the late 1850's and the premises continued
to be enlarged until 1890.
The water supply came from the gritstone moorland above the
hydro and was stored in large tanks; it did not contain the
medicinal properties of Matlock Bath's water.
It was also after his own treatment that Smedley became 'an
energetic Primitive Methodist4';
he preached both religion and temperance when touring round
the countryside with his tent. Whilst he was an eccentric and
would not listen to the opinions of others if they didn't agree
with him, he and his wife were also very kind, caring people
and he was a considerate employer.
Read inquest
of former employee
His workers, whom John Smedley already paid to attend a
half hour service every Sunday, were his guinea pigs. Once he
had decided to do so Smedley devoted himself to healing the
sick poor. Although he was very single minded, he would, nevertheless,
change his mind and experimented with different ideas and treatments.
At first he charged just three shillings a day and his establishment
was non-profit making but, as the demand increased and more
accommodation was needed, the daily rate was increased to six
shillings.
The patients were not allowed to "compare notes" and
talk to fellow patients about what ailed them - in fact, Smedley
roundly told off people who did so, whatever their social standing.
No alcohol was allowed on John Smedley's premises; the probable
result of this was that off-licences which sold wines and spirits
flourished in the town, particularly around Smedley's Hydro!
The sale of alcohol in surrounding shops wasn't the only trade
to prosper and there were also tailor's and hatters, hairdressers,
tobacconists, booksellers and bootmakers. So did shops such
as 'Tinker' Wright's, the local ironmonger who supplied the
hydro rather than the guests.
Smedley's book, "Practical Hydropathy", ran
into a good many editions.
After Smedley's death the concern was purchased by a limited
company, who spent about £70,000 on
"structural alterations and adornments".
John Smedley certainly left his mark on Matlock with his building
projects; just as Riber Castle dominates the Matlock skyline,
so Smedley's Hydro dominates the panoramic view of Matlock Bank.
Someone writing when it was first built described the building
as having the characteristics of a workhouse, a factory and
a barracks! But, clearly, Smedley was hedging his bets as if
the hydropathy venture had failed he could have turned the building
into another mill.
Read about Riber
Castle |
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'Matlock Bank is noted for its hydropathic establishments,
the introduction of which is due to the late J. Smedley
of Lea Mills and Riber Castle who, having himself derived
great benefit by the treatment, founded an institution here
for the practice of hydropathy in 1851; this establishment,
the property, since 1875, of Smedley's Hydropathic Company
Limited, is most complete and extensive, and is available
for over 200 visitors; alterations and improvements have
been made at a cost of £25,000. Rockside House and Matlock
House are hydropathic establishments of the first class;
there are several smaller ones, all of which are delightfully
situated.'
Kelly's Directory, 1891
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Mr. Smedley's tent where his employees worshipped
From his book "Practical Hydropathy" |
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'The success achieved by Mr SMEDLEY stimulated others to
enter the field in competition:-
- Rock Side Hydropathic Establishment was erected by Mr
Charles ROWLAND, in 1862, and subsequently considerably
enlarged. It is situated further up the hill at a height
of 800 feet above the sea level, and can be reached conveniently
and comfortably by the new cable tram.
- Prospect and Popular Cottage Hydros were established by
the Messrs DAVIS.
- Shortly afterwards Mr BARTON opened Jackson House for
the same purpose.
- Subsequently, he erected commodious and handsome premises
called Dalefield Hydropathic Establishment, in which he
introduced many improvements suggested by his experience,
and furnished it in first-class style. The house stands
within its own grounds, and commands delightful prospects
along the valley of the Derwent. The dining-hall, drawing-rooms,
&c, are all spacious, well ventilated, and handsomely
furnished, and various indoor and outdoor amusements are
provided. The heating arrangements are a special feature
to ensure an equable temperature in winter and stormy weather.
The establishment is not exclusively a sanatorium; it affords
accommodation to families and others who desire to spend
a holiday amidst the beautiful scenery of the English Switzerland
and it is also a delightful winter resort for those delicate
individuals who dread the severities of our English climate.'
"History, Topography and Directory
of Derbyshire" (1895) by T. Bulmer and CO, p.417,
Matlock
(Contributed by Sonia Addis-Smith)
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According to Benjamin Bryan, writing in 1903, Smedley's Hydro was
the focus for Matlock's leisure activities5.
Between 1860 and 1939 everything from firework displays and the circus
to concerts and sports took place there. |
Photograph of Smedley's Hydro, with Rockside on the top left of the
picture
© Andy Andrews |
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| Some of the
Treatments Available |
Qualified doctors and nursing staff practised hydropathy. Some of
these treatments are still perfectly acceptable in a modern world,
but others will be now considered barbaric. It is little wonder St.
Giles Churchyard is so full of non Matlock residents. Some examples
of the types of treatment available were:
- Head Bath - lying with the back of the head immersed in cool
or cold water for a period of time.
- Sitz Bath - sitting in cold water for a period of time, sometimes
with running water which would have been even colder.
- Steam Box - sitting in a wooden box full of steam with only
the head poking out from the top.
- There were douches of various strengths available, baths for
legs and chests, mustard packs and even a concoction using chilli
paste.
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| Hydropathy Establishments,
1891, when Matlock was in its heyday |
from Kelly's Directory, p.4421891
| Location |
Name of Establishment |
Owner/Proprietor |
| Matlock Bank |
Bank House, Smedley Street |
Henry Ward |
| " |
Belle Vue |
Mr & Mrs Allsopp |
| " |
Chesterfield House |
R Davis & Co. |
| " |
Church view, Smedley Street |
Henry Ward |
| " |
Dalefield
(later Lilybank) |
Geo. B. Barton |
| " |
Jackson House |
J. L. Dean |
| " |
Malvern House, Smedley Street |
Job Smith |
| " |
Matlock
House Hydropathic Establishment |
(Robt. Hall, sec) |
| " |
Prospect
House & Poplar Cottage |
Thomas Davis & Sons |
| " |
Rock side |
Wm. Atkins, proprietor
(also the proprietor of Darley Dale Hydropathic Establishment);
William Moxon L.R.C.P., physician
[also see Darley
listing] |
| " |
Rose Cottage, Dimple |
Aaron Rigard |
| " |
Smedley Hydropathic Co. Lim. |
Alfred Douglas, sec;
William B. Hunter M.D.
& Charles Jos. Whitby B.A., MD, physicians |
| " |
Smedley Memorial Hydropathic Hospital |
Miss Ann Jackson, matron |
| " |
Smedley Street |
Miss E Knowles |
| " |
Sycamore House, Smedley Street |
John Dawes |
| " |
Tor House, Jackson Road |
George Davis & Sons |
| Matlock Bath |
Clarence House |
Rev Richard Nicholson
(see also Matlock Bridge) |
| " |
Tansley House |
Wm. Mycock |
| Matlock Bridge |
Bridge Hall |
Rev Richard Nicholson
(see also Matlock Bath) |
Note: Also listed under Matlock Bank was the Derby & Derbyshire
Convalescent Home (Miss F. Peet, matron)
Needless to say, the Hydros and hotels of Matlock
and Matlock Bath needed a large number of employees to make
them function properly and workers were drawn to the area from
all over the country. Some came for the season and some stayed
permanently. Many came from the cotton areas of Lancashire.
I have already mentioned above how Smedley's Hydro was a centre
for leisure activities. It had its own orchestra and musicians,
as did the Royal Hotel in Matlock Bath. Rockside held musical
evenings and musicians were also employed at the Palais Royal
in Matlock Bath. Some musicians came from overseas and settled
in the town with their families.
Rockside
Staff Ball, 1939
The Hydros had developed into high class hotels, with Smedley's
and several other establishments having both a national and
an international reputation. Many visitors were very wealthy. |
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The excerpt below illustrates how they tried to extend the
season to encourage winter visitors as well as summer ones.
'It is the general impression that the WATER CURE is applicable
only in the summer time. This is, however, incorrect, for
almost all diseases are quite as readily cured in the winter
as in the summer; and here at all seasons both visitors
and invalids will find a most comfortable home.'
"History, Topography and Directory
of Derbyshire" (1895) by T. Bulmer and CO, p.417,
Matlock
(Contributed by Sonia Addis-Smith)
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In 1916, Rockside was a rated as first class hotel and was described
as '800 feet above sea level1916'.
The larger Smedley's Hydro was below this, at 500 feet above sea level.
There were 13 hydros still listed in Kelly's Directory at that time,
plus the Hospital and the Convalescent Home. In the directory dated
1932 it stated that Smedley's Hydro had room for 350 visitors, and
Chatsworth (formerly Jeff's Poplar Hydro), Rockside and other, slightly
smaller, establishments were also listed1932.
However, by the 1941 directory there were only three establishments
advertising and the water treatments were almost at an end1941.
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| So who came? |
"Noel Coward and novelist John Wyndham came. Dame Clara,
mother of Ivor Novello, lived there. At afternoon tea in the
Winter Garden, Violet Carson played the piano6."
This writer's father bought Dame Novello's piano from the sale
when Smedley's closed, though it is no longer owned by the family.
The curator at the Colour Museum in Bradford says that 'William
Henry Perkin, discoverer of the first synthetic dye, Mauveine*,
was at Smedley's Hydropathic Establishment in December 1881.
H. Caro, a renowned European dyestuff chemist, wrote to Perkin
whilst he was at Smedley's. The letter is dated 10th December
1881' and Caro's letter is at Manchester Museum of Science and
Industry.
*"Perkin's discovery of Mauveine, also led to the birth
of the pharmecutical and perfume industries." |
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See
Smedley's Hydropathic Establishment Enumeration Book in the
1891 census
Look
at 1901 Census, Smedley's Hydropathic Establishment
In
1901 Grimsby Town football team were staying at Jeff's Poplar
Hydro |
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| What happened
to the Hydros |
The First World War (1914-18) was a turning point in the fortunes
of the many of the hydros, though treatments continued at Smedleys.
Social changes followed the war and then the Depression in the 1930's
dramatically affected the industry.
Smedley's entrance - now Derbyshire's County Hall
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However, it was the Second World War (1939
- 1945) that really ended everything.
During the Second World War Rockside, or 'Hatters Castle', became
a psychiatric hospital for sick airmen. Pilots or their crew,
suffering from nervous breakdowns after managing to return to
England with their aircraft and their fellow crew members either
severely wounded or dead on board, came to Rockside for treatment.
Suicide amongst these patients was not uncommon and ECT therapy
was used to treat the men.
Smedley's Hydro was used as an intelligence centre by the army.
The late actor and author Dirk Bogarde was one of the trainees
there.
Chatsworth was taken over by a textile firm from Manchester
(C & A Modes), and was used for offices. Chatsworth did
reopen after the war and continued as a hydro for a short time. |
So did Smedleys, but eventually Smedley's Hydro closed for business
and the building was taken over by Derbyshire County Council. In the
1950's the Council Offices relocated to Matlock from Derby, and Matlock
became the county's administrative centre. The hydro building is now
County Hall and is affectionately nicknamed 'The Kremlin' by the locals.
See
Smedley's - Great Britain's Greatest Hydro, 1950, an advertisement
published in "The Derbyshire Countryside"
Rockside, Chatsworth and a number of large houses became part of the
Matlock Teacher Training College, which was a highly respected institution.
Unfortunately for the town, the students eventually moved to the larger
Derby when the Derby and Matlock Colleges amalgamated.
Rockside
Hall of Residence, 1956 |
| Former student Janet Mitchell, who was studying
in Matlock at that time, writes that "we protested against
the move and the college allowed us to remain for three years
but we finally had to move to Derby for our fourth year. We
would have liked to remain there to complete our course. My
college friends and I remember Rockside and the town of Matlock
with much affection and we were sorry to leave." She also
corrects a misunderstanding: "the decision to move students
to Derby was one taken by the college authorities." |
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"I understand that the County Council are suffering
from claustrophobia in Derby, and are coming to Matlock
for a dose of hydrophobia."
Alan Wilcox, Round Table Area Chairman
at the Charter Anniversary Dinner. Quote of the week, on
Derbyshire CC / Smedley's Hydro project, The Derbyshire
Times, 13 Apr 1956
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The once very beautiful and prestigious Rockside Hall, shown below,
was in a dreadful state of repair for some considerable time, despite
the Grade II listing it has to protect it.
Other former hydros fared better than Rockside and some suffered similar
mishaps, even if only for a short time.
Clarence Hydro in Matlock Bath closed about 1938 when the people running
it simply walked away, leaving even the pots on the table. It became
very derelict. After the war it was sold and was then converted into
flats.
Bridge Hall, at the bottom of Bank Road, became
the Town Hall in 1899. Wyvern House in Matlock, which was for
a time called Bank House Hydro and afterwards became Ernest
Bailey's Grammar School, is now the Derbyshire Record Office
(pictured right). Some buildings, like Laburnum Hydro which
ceased to be a hydro about 1933-4, became an old people's home
and has recently also been converted to flats. The large hydro
in the nearby parish of Darley became a girl's school.
About Ernest Bailey's
School
How to contact
Derbyshire Record Office
See Kelly's
1891 Directory of Darley |
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Oldham House and Prospect Place Hydro on Wellington Street was also
requisitioned by the RAF one weekend at the outbreak of the war. It
had been run for many years by the Davis family, but was bought after
the war by two sisters and turned into a private school, which closed
in 1965.
Woodlands
School (Miss White's) & Oldham House Hydro
The Presentation Convent took over two other old hydro buildings.
Chesterfield House, pictured below, became their Convent and School.
Lilybank (formerly Dalefield), the last hydro to close, was purchased
by the Convent in 1962. Lilybank first became the Nagle Preparatory
School and then later changed its use, becoming a residential home
for the elderly. Though Chesterfield House has been extended and altered,
Ralph Davis's original building is still obvious in the right hand
section of this photograph.
About the
Presentation Convent |
The Presentation Convent, formerly Chesterfield House Hydro
Caroline Cantor is a former pupil and
this photograph was taken at a reunion |
You may like to read
Claremont,
Matlock, and Mr. Rowland - Charles Rowland built Rockside
Lilybank
Hydro (Dalefield), Matlock, and the Barton family who built it
Matlock,
Lilybank Hydro - Menus, 1958 - 60. Three images, very kindly provided
by Colin Goodwyn
"Taken
Back In Time - Lilybank", by Sally Mosley, is an article
about her schooldays as a pupil in the 1960s. It describes what the
inside of the Hydro was like shortly after it was sold to the Convent
Matlock
Lido, "Liquidating a Former Tourist Asset"
Some excellent medical web sites are
Archaic
Medical Terminology by Paul Smith
Medical
Heritage of Great Britain by Bath & Wessex Medical History
Group
And also about water
The
Victorian Turkish Bath Databank. A not-for-profit educational
project in the UK |
Photographs kindly provided by and ©
Andy Andrews, Caroline Cantor, Paul Kettle and the webmistress.
Information researched by and © Ann Andrews. Intended for personal
use only
|
References:
1 Lysons, Rev Daniel and Samuel Lysons Esq.
(1817) "Topographical and Historical Account of Derbyshire"
London: Printed for T. Cadell, Strand; and G. and A. Greenland, Poultry,
p.20
2 "Black's Tourist Guide to Derbyshire"
(1888) pub. Adam and Charles Black Edinburgh, p.220
3 White, Francis (1857) "History,
Gazetteer and Directory of the County of Derby", Francis
White & Co.
4 Firth, J.B. (1908) "Highways and
Byways in Derbyshire" MacMillan & Co., London, p.399
5 Bryan, Benjamin (1903) "History
of Matlock - Matlock, Manor and Parish" London by Bemrose
& Sons, Limited
6 'The Derbyshire Village Book' published
by the Derbyshire Federation of Women's Institutes & Countryside
Books, 1991. ISBN 1 85306 133 6. The book itself is now out of print,
but the quotation is published here with the kind permission of the
Derbyshire Federation of Women's Institutes.
1891 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1891 } There are online transcripts: 19th
century directories
1916 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1916 } There are online transcripts: 20th
century directories
1932 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1932 } -
1941 "Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire",
1941 } -
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