Description: Dimple Farm was owned by Joseph Allen at the time of the photograph. The Farm was bought by Joseph Allen in 1903 from Sarah, Edward and John Walker Drabble of the Lodge, Darley Dale. He had rented the property from the aforementioned from around 1900 - hence he, his wife and 5 sons plus a domestic servant, are shown living there in the 1901 census. He raised the money to buy the property by persuading Thomas Evans of Matlock Green to loan him £2000. The money borrowed was repaid in twenty years - the final £1400 was paid back in 1923.
Joseph Allen had built his business on carting coke from Matlock Gas Works to the Great Conservatory (the Stove) at Chatsworth. The five sons he had (from two marriages) worked in the family business. The woman standing is Edith Slater Brunt. She was the daughter of a close friend of Joseph's second wife. Sarah Allen and had gone to help Sarah as she was very lame at this time. Edith Brunt married the last son to be at home, William Allen, in November 1914. Although William and Edith Allen moved into a house just across the road in Hurds Hollow. The likelihood is the photo was taken two or three years before their wedding.
Joseph Allen took over the Crown Garages from William Furniss after the First World War and formed a partnership (Joseph Allen and sons) with three of his sons in 1920. He lived at Dimple Farm until his death on 7th June 1933.