Description: Hand written are the words 'Henry Watson, of Bakewell; "the first who formed into ornaments the fluors and other fossils of the county of Derbyshire" - died 24th October: 1786, aged 72'
These words are taken from a tablet in his memory in the chapel at Ashford.
Henry Watson founded what were known as the Ashford black marble works in 1748, at a site now acquired by the Water Board, the business having finally closed in 1905. The marble was very popular in Victorian times and was exported all over the world.
This image is one of a collection by the famous local antiquarian, Thomas Bateman, of Middleton by Youlgreave. (1821-1861). Bateman organized his collection by inserting them into a 4 volume copy of Lysons Magna Britannia, Derbyshire, creating a fascinating and unique illustrated record of the county. The purchase of the collection for Derbyshire Libraries was made possible by the generous bequest of Miss Frances Webb of Whaley Bridge, well known local historian, who died in December 2006.