The photographs below are from the album of Mrs. Robert Wildgoose. The album now belongs to the Ash family and was in the possession of Ray Ash's step-grandmother Ash (Dora May Wheeldon before her marriage) who was Mrs. Wildgoose's companion and housekeeper in later years.

Maria Elizabeth (Marian) Wildgoose was born in Clifton, Bristol. She was the daughter of James and Emma Painter and was baptized on 9 Mar 1856 at St. Michael's Church, Bristol^[1]. She became the second wife of Robert Wildgoose; they married in Kensington, London towards the end of 1891. She was to be found living in London in 1881^[2], next door to her brother Frederick George, later Sir F G Painter, who was a Chartered Accountant. At the time of her marriage, and for many years afterwards, she lived at The Gables on Chesterfield Road^[2] but at some time between 1916 and 1925 she moved to Stoneycroft, the house she had built on Cavendish Road. She died on 19 May 1937 at the Queen Mary Nursing Home, Derby^[3].

Her husband, Robert Wildgoose (1822 - 1900), was described in the 1881 census as the Trustee Manager For Hosiery Manufacturer Employing Nine Hundred Work People^[2]. He was managing Lea Mills at that time and living in at The Poplars, Holloway, with his first wife, Ann, and their servants. He was still living at Holloway in 1887, by which time he had become a Justice of the Peace^[4]. But by 1891 he had retired from the Mill and was living at The Gables with two of his female cousins, Elizabeth and Hannah. He was by then a widower^[2].

He was baptised at Matlock Church on 3 Nov 1822 and was the son of John and Fanny Wildgoose of Greenhill^[5]. He married first Ann, the daughter of Aaron Stoppard of Lea, on 20 Dec 1847 at Ashover Parish Church^[6].

Robert became involved with the management of Smedley's Hydro. "In 1875, the institution was acquired by a limited company, of which Mr. R. Wildgoose was the chairman, a post he continued to fill until his death in 1900"^[7]. Whilst he was chairman the company invested £30,000 on modernization and also enlarged and improved the building on three occasions in 1881, 1884 and 1886.

He was also one of the directors of the Tram company and made a gift of the Tram Shelter and its clock to the town. "The structure was formally opened for use and the clock started by the donor and his wife on the 12th December, 1889, the Chairman of the Urban Council, Mr. E. Slack, and many inhabitants being present to express their hearty acknowledgements. A suitably inscribed brass plaque perpetuates the name of the generous donor, the cost to whom was £25"^[7] . He was also listed as one of the Board of Governors of Matlock's Causeway Lane Almshouses^[7].

Mrs. Wildgoose was a good friend of Canon Kewley, the Rector of St. Giles' Church, and his sisters. She is pictured above with Canon Kewley; the other lady in the photograph may have been Miss Kewley (Eleanor).

A little booklet about the church gives some details of the Bells, which were rehung in 1936 but had been recast in 1904. The recasting of Tenor Bell was the gift of Marian Wildgoose and the Treble Bell was in memory of her husband^[8]. Both Marian and Robert were buried at St. Giles.

The photograph above shows Mrs. Wildgoose sitting on the running board of her motor car, which was a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. She didn't drive the car herself but employed a chauffeur to drive her around. When she died she left the open-topped Rolls Royce to the Reverend W H Nixon who was Vicar of All Saints. It is said that Nixon subsequently used the car.
About All Saints' Church

Mrs. Wildgoose spent quite a bit of time in Devon and took many pictures of Tavistock and Dartmoor. It is probable that she owned another house there. She was clearly a keen photographer and her subjects included her servants, the Rector and his sisters.

Whilst the main subject of the above photograph was of her cat, Peter, the stone house in the background with the beautiful bay windows is The Gables and is why this picture has been included. The Gables became part of Dalefield / Lilybank Hydro, the buildings joined through a conservatory that was built on the left hand side of the house. So Mrs. Wildgoose's home became part of the hydro. Her other home, Stoneycroft, was occupied by Henry Hetherington after she died. It was later bought by Derbyshire County Council as living accommodation for male students of Matlock's Teacher Training College, along with neighbouring properties on Cavendish Road. It has now reverted to private ownership.