A curious collection of vintage Derbyshire carrier bags dating back to the 1950s have been uncovered in Matlock.
They offer a journey back in time to a very different high street where multiple independent businesses thrived and Amazon wasn’t a thing.
The bags relate to shops, big and small, in Derby, Matlock, Chesterfield, Buxton and Leek. They were kept by the seller and her family through the decades because ‘everything has a value’.
The 73-year-old owner said: “I was brought up in very different times. I was taught to value everything. We recycled and treated things with respect. Anything that might be useful was kept. The large shopping bags went in an ottoman by the bed.
“A bag from Fletcher’s, a butcher in Matlock, takes me back to my childhood. I remember going there with my mum when I was five or six and watching meat being put into the bag. It must be nearly 70 years old.”
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “I was both fascinated and flabbergasted by this find in equal measure. I have come across vintage carrier bags before but never in such large numbers, and they’ve been so well cared for. It’s incredible, really. They’re set for auction with a guide price of £40-£60.
“They’re rich in social history value. They will delight older generations in the county thanks to the memories they’re sure to invoke. They offer a glimpse of what shopping in Derbyshire was like around 70 years ago. The logos and lettering are fascinating to look at. This collection could spark a tidal wave of shopping nostalgia.
“Some of the businesses which feature on the bags are no longer with us but I’m pleased to say that others are still going strong which, considering the pandemic and tough economic times, is a wonderful thing.”
The collection includes bags from a broad range of shops including Derby’s Bible and Book Shop in Iron Gate and Ranby’s, a former department store founded in Victoria Street in 1873.
Matlock’s Geoff Stevens Menswear and Hall & Co Ironmongers also appear in the vintage bag mix alongside clothing outlet Potters of Buxton and department store Swallows of Chesterfield.
Charles said: “In a world calling for more recycling and green initiatives, we should never forget that the people who grew up during and just after the Second World War were born into frugality.
“They developed an admirable waste-not, want-not mentality, one which later generations may struggle to comprehend. Plus, in a world grappling with plastic waste, the vast majority of the vintage bags in this collection are made out of paper.”
Hansons invites entries of all types of antiques and collectables for forthcoming sales. Free valuation and consignment days are held monthly at Cavendish Hall, Edensor, Edensor, DE45 1PJ. Upcoming dates include May 25 and June 22, 10am-1pm, no appointment necessary. Valuations are also available by appointment at Etwall Auction Centre, near Derby. To book, email [email protected] or call 01283 733988.
