Two more views of the Promenade and North Parade, both showing lamp posts that may have only just been installed when the pictures were taken. The card's postal date is some years after the original image was taken. The images on the previous page shows the nearer lamp post surrounded by both a canvas awning and a stage that must have been movable.

The lamps were lit by gas and the Local Board, later the Council, would have had to employ people to both light and extinguish them. In 1891 Isaac Rowland was living in Matlock Dale and employed as a lamp lighter, whilst Edward Woodward of Cromford had the same occupation. Ten years later Edward Woodward was living in Matlock Bath and still working as a lamp lighter, presumably for Matlock Bath^[1], and at the same time John Ward of Cromford was doing the same job. In 1903 we find that another man, Joseph Pidcock of Matlock Bath, was also employed as a lamp lighter^[2].

The job wasn't without risk and in 1902 Matlock Bath District Council were asked to pay a doctor's bill for a lamp lighter who had fallen from a ladder^[4]. Nor was it well paid. For example, although it involved a neighbouring Council rather than Matlock Bath itself, Matlock UDC advertised for a Foreman lamplighter in 1903 offering wages of 24 shillings per week. They also advertised for two lamplighters who were only to light and extinguish lamps who were to be paid 11 shillings per week.

In the late autumn of 1897 Matlock Bath's Local Board's Finance Committee met to discuss, amongst other matters, how to save money. It was recommended that lamp lighting on the promenade should be discontinued until the beginning of March the following year. The report presented was adopted unanimously^[3]. There was, however, no mention of whether the full wage of the lamplighters should continue to be paid.

Although the postcard on the left has a divided back, the sender ignored it, using the whole of the back for the name and address of the receiver and writing her message on the front margin. As well as greeting her cousin, she was also asking for pictures of Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc).

It is impossible to read any of the shop signs. There is writing on the sun awning of the shop on the right of the lamp post but the only word that can be deciphered is Matlock.

Below is another card of the Promenade and the Parade, probably photographed from the same position, that was used for a Christmas Greeting in 1902. At this time postcards still had undivided backs, solely for the address of the recipient. However, this card had a small enough picture for a message to be written underneath.