The next stop on the way was Derby home of some ancestors and also the home of a friend I made in China.  She picked me up from my hotel soon after my arrival and gave me the grand walking tour of Derby.  It didn’t seem like 4+ years since we’d seen each other and we were soon having lots of laughs which was just as well so I didn’t notice the distance the tour actually took.  The photos here were taken then or on a subsequent visit to the city centre.  One of our first sights was the 1912 building below with its sculptures of famous people.  One included Florence Nightingale and when I researched her  to determine her association with Derby I discovered her father had not been born a “Nightingale” but had changed his name to receive an inheritance via his wifes side of the family.

 

Building with sculptures

Building with sculptures

Guildhall containing a hall where market stalls still exist

Guildhall containing a hall where market stalls still exist

Old rows of shops and Derby Cathedral complete with resident peregrine falcons

Old rows of shops and Derby Cathedral complete with resident peregrine falcons

 

St Werburgh's Church now decommissioned as a church. One set of ancestors were married there a very long time ago.

St Werburgh’s Church
now decommissioned as a church. One set of ancestors were married there a very long time ago.

See http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.ie/p/our-webcams.html for more on the birds.

 

St Peters Church

St Peters Church

 

 

This building isn't that old but I liked the owls

This building isn’t that old but I liked the owls. I was also fascinated with its bicoloured arches, also found on several other buildings in the area and similar to those in the church, previously a mosque, in Cordova in Spain.  St Pancreas Station in London also has such arches.

The Old Bell Hotel 1717 in a narrow street hence the photographic angle

The Old Bell Hotel 1717 in a narrow street hence the photographic angle

Another old pub, Jorrocks, which Bonnie Prince Charlie visited in 1745

Another old pub, Jorrocks, which Bonnie Prince Charlie visited in 1745

The copper roof looks like a kids beanie with pom pom

The copper roof looks like a kids beanie with pom pom

Babington Building One of the early Babingtons met a very nasty end for treason.

Babington Building One of the early Babingtons met a very nasty end for treason.

Said to be a coat of arms and baboons on a keg. Guess the Derby stonemasons didn't get to see real baboons before being required to carve them

Said to be the Babington coat of arms and baboons on a keg. Guess the Derby stonemasons didn’t get to see real baboons before being required to carve them

Pub near railway

Pub near railway

Almshouses

Almshouses

 

 

The Old Silk Mill, the oldest factory in the world built in the early 1700s to twist silk int thread using water power, machinery and human misery.

The Old Silk Mill, the oldest factory in the world built in the early 1700s to twist silk int thread using water power, machinery and human misery.

Hot air balloon seen above Silk Mill

Hot air balloon seen above Silk Mill

 

Rowers on the Derwent River beside Silk Mill

Rowers on the Derwent River beside Silk Mill

Walk in a large urban park

Walk in a large urban park

The Dolphin Inn, the oldest pub in Derby although it did receive some work in the 1800s. We had a drink and chat until it was time to repair to a restaurant for tea.

The Dolphin Inn, the oldest pub in Derby although it did receive some work in the 1800s. We had a drink and chat until it was time to repair to a restaurant for tea.