Review of Brian Edwards's book Calver, Curbar and Froggatt in Old Photographs, by Julie Bunting
This review is by Julie Bunting, and was published originally in
The Peak Advertiser, the Peak District's local free newspaper,
on 31st January 2005, and is reproduced with Julie's kind permission.
CALVER, CURBAR AND FROGGATT IN OLD PHOTOGRAPHS
by Brian Edwards
Many readers will know of Brian Edwards through his highly sought-after
sketches of scenes in and around the Peak, also through his growing number
of books. A resident of Great Longstone, Brian has now turned his attention
to compiling this photographic record of days gone by in the ‘sister
villages’ of Calver, Curbar and Froggatt. Borrowing from the villagers
themselves, he has reproduced more than half of the 300 photographs made
available to him.
Dating from the late 1800s, many of them have not been published before. A
large number are important for recalling bygone life in these typically
Peakland villages. Houses, pubs and shops have been dramatically altered
over the years, while others - such as mine buildings, lime kilns and the
old toll house at Calver Sough - have disappeared altogether. Particularly
charming scenes show old inns and shops, higgledy-piggledy thatched cottages
and characters whose names live on in local memory. One wonderful picture,
admittedly carefully posed, is reproduced in part on the book cover, though
the majority of illustrations show people at their everyday activities:
keeping shop, getting the hay in, feeding the hens or just stopping for a
chat. Residents and visitors get around the dusty roads on horses, bizarre
bicycles, horse-drawn coaches and assorted early motorised vehicles.
Brian Edwards adds a wealth of historical research to his captions. He
writes of abandoned industries from boot making to lead mining and corn
milling, and jogs memories of the days when Calver had a ‘bird zoo’ or when
a stretch of the Derwent was known as Froggatt Lido and provided safe
swimming all summer long.
Brian would be pleased to look at further photographs as he has a second
volume in his sights. Published by Northend of Sheffield, Calver, Curbar and
Froggatt in Old Photographs is available locally, price £9.99
(ISBN 0-9525064-9-1)
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[Created 16 Jan 2005. Last updated 14 Sep 2008 - 13:27 by Rosemary Lockie]