Description: The broad-based Wellington Cross was erected in 1866 to honour the Duke of Wellington. It was constructed from dark gritstone blocks at the expense of former army surgeon Dr. Wrench of Baslow, and inscribed 'Wellington, Born 1779 Died 1852. Erected by E.M. Wrench, late 34th Reg'mt'. The Duke of Wellington was otherwise known as Arthur Wellesley. He was the son of the Earl of Mornington, and was born in Dublin in 1769. After serving in India, Wellesley was granted the title, the Duke of Wellington in In 1814 . He was then put in command of the forces which defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in June, 1815. In 1818 the Duke of Wellington returned to politics when he accepted the invitation of Lord Liverpool to join his Tory administration as master-General of the Ordnance. In 1829 Wellington assisted Robert Peel in his efforts to reorganize the Metropolitan Police. In 1828 Wellington replaced Lord Goderich as prime minister. Wellington retired from public life in 1846 but in 1848 he organised a military force to protect London against possible Chartist violence at the large meeting at Kennington Common. Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington died in 1852 and is buried in St Paul's Cathedral.
A quarter plate photograph by John Hartley Brackenbury from Sheffield.
This comes from a set of 14 photographs of Derbyshire, copied by Austin Brackenbury in 2008/9, direct from an album prepared by his parents in 1921. They are a collection following a visit from America of his mother's brother, Albert Berwick and his American wife; Albert was in the American Army. For reasons unknown, the album was never sent to Mr and Mrs Berwick and remained in the possession of Austin's parents.
The photographer used a quarter plate camera on tripod, using the traditional black cloth to focus the image on the ground glass screen, getting someone else to press the release if he wanted to appear in the photograph himself.