The Ward Lock Guide for 1903 comments that "prior to 1887 the north bank of the river, in the Matlock Bath region, was a market garden, but from this humble use it was rescued by the patriotic stimulus afforded to the Jubilee of Queen Victoria. As a memorial of this national event the cottage-like fence was removed and an ornamental iron railing substituted. To give an enduring appearance to the whole, the Jubilee Bridge, an ornamental girder of iron, was thrown across the river. Green turf and flower beds, with a pretty fountain, complete what are now known as the Jubilee Gardens, and these have distinctly added to the attractions of Matlock Bath". In fact, the Promenade had begun to be developed in 1874, but was extended in 1887^[1].

This photograph, published in that year's guide, probably pre-dates the book by some years as the gardens are not very mature. It was possibly taken about 1900, either at the same times as previous image or perhaps a year or two before. The sweep of the early to mid Victorian terraces was a magnificent backdrop to the Prom's gardens before so much was hidden from view behind the higher and higher railings that were installed next to the road in the first half of the twentieth century.

The shrubs on the left are a little taller, but otherwise little had changed of the overall scene.
You will need a magnifying glass to see it, but about half way up on the left Henry Gordon's sign was still on the edge of the roof of the Prince of Wales inn.

In 1893 there had been numerous complaints that the Promenade had been insufficiently lit and had been for some time. When the Military Band had performed here visitors were unable to read the programme! So the Local Board decided to erect three more lamps to make Matlock Bath more attractive for its visitors^[2]. Possibly as a result a number of postcards were published featuring the above lamp over the next few years.

See what the area looked like before the prom was developed - Matlock Bath: North Parade, late 1870's (1).

	About 1900	About 1904-05	Before 1905	Before 1904
About 1902	About 1905		About 1915		1920s
	Tufa fountain	War memorial		Band stand	Road widening

References:

^[1] Bryan, Benjamin (1903) "History of Matlock - Matlock, Manor and Parish" London by Bemrose & Sons, Limited.

^[2] "Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal", 27 April 1894.