Description: The Whitworth Institute was built and opened in 1890. It contained Britain's first heated indoor swimming pool, an assembly hall, library, various reading and committee rooms, a museum of natural history, and a landscaped park complete with recreational areas and a conservatory.
It remained in use until the 1930s when it was taken over by the armed forces. It was reopened in the 1950s but the lake had been drained and the building neglected.
In 1997 the charitable trust running the institute received an £8 million lottery grant to restore the centre and it's grounds. (extracted from www.derbyshireuk.net)
This image shows the ornamental lake constructed as part of the landscaped park which was opened with the Whitworth Institue in September 1890.
Postmarked 9 June 1919.