Michael Smith looks at the pioneering people, places and inventions that make Derbyshire a ‘first’ among English counties.
DERBYSHIRE folk might be said to be ‘strong in the arm and quick in the head’ – but many of the county’s residents have been innovators or inventors and some have achieved worldwide fame for their accomplishments. As well as its famous people, Derbyshire also has links to a number of diverse and important ‘firsts’ including the first factory, the first electric street lighting, the first cast-iron aqueduct, the first fire-proof mill and the first antiseptic dressings…