THIS ENTIRE PAGE comes from Chris Aston who, along with the others in the photographs below, entered Central School in the autumn of 1954.  After their move to Henry Cavendish  these students came back to celebrate the mansion and its surroundings before it was demolished. How magnificent! - (the celebration, not the demolition.)

From left to right: Back row: Robert Lawrence, Roger Jackson, Denis Tunnicliffe, Richard Stevens, Chris Aston. Front row: Brian Petts, Garth Munton, Fred Wild, David Clark, John Smith   Chris Aston writes: I think the year is about 1960, and the school had been moved to Breadsall Hill Top about a year or so previously to become The Henry Cavendish School.

 Now mixed (!) and although HC school had state of the art modern premises they didn't attract the same emotional attachment as the old house set in Darley Park. Maybe that came later with others?

All these subsequent pictures were taken by Denis Tunnicliffe who also developed and printed them with his father in their home photographic studio. We were all in the 5th form at the time, and to recapture some of the romance of Darley Park, a few of us met (where were the others? ) to have our pictures taken in various locations one Saturday morning. It was not long after this that the building was demolished. Can you imagine that today when local authorities are now the guardians of listed historic buildings to stop the proletariat doing the same?!

This picture (below) was taken at the front of the house where the colonnades met the conservatory/orange house, which led to the old billiard room and the school art room.
Detail from above.

	A fine view of the back elevation of the house with our group in high spirits. From the left; Roger Jackson, John Smith, Robert Lawrence, David Clarke, Denis Tunnicliffe, Fred Wild, Brian Petts, Richard Stevens, Garth Munton, Chris Aston

Taken at the rear of the house, ( not many pictures of this view around ). The window to the right was Boss Swain's study. From top left: Roger Jackson, Garth Munton, John Smith, Brian Petts, Fred Wild, Robert Lawrence, Denis Tunnicliffe, Richard Stevens, David Clark, Chris Aston

Below, surrounding the young tree we planted when the school left Darley Park.
When the school departed, each form collected money to pay for and plant a flowering tree at the bottom of the park, near a fence. Daffodils were also planted in between. To the left of the group and in the background is the tea room hut, generally open in Spring and Summer. Also used to casually persecute "Fags" by some, since it was out of sight of authority!
Behind the camera is the Spring and stream that flowed along the bottom of the park to the Derwent. During the days prior to November 5th many kids used to bring bangers to light and let off by the spring, usually by wrapping mud around the base of the banger, lighting it, and when fizzing, throwing it into the water where it would explode beneath the surface, to much merriment. Another alternative was to throw bangers up an iron pipe which protruded into the spring. The consequent amplified explosion was like a cannon, and again, merriment and peals of hysterical laughter combined with furtive guilty glances in case "authority" came - but none ever did. (Where were they? )
 

Sitting on the Balustrades at the bottom of the park overlooking the river Derwent. To the left was a landing stage and rowing boats that could be hired ( it really was that idyllic! ), and below the balustrades a stream joining the Derwent which was purported to flow from the overflow of the lake at Markeaton Park about a mile and a half away. it also smelled quite a lot sometimes so maybe it wasn't just a stream.

From the left: Garth Munton, Roger Clark, Denis Tunnicliffe, John Smith, Richard Stevens, Robert Lawrence, David Clarke, Chris Aston, Brian Petts, Fred Wild.