Christmas: The first festive lights in Derby

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THE twinkle of Derby’s Christmas lights seem to have been cheering up festive shoppers forever. Yet, in fact, it is only in the last half century that lights first appeared in the city streets making their debut in Sadler Gate.

In 1955, businessmen with premises in the busy thoroughfare decided it was time to brighten up their shops at Christmas and encourage shoppers out into the winter gloom to spend their money.

The four leaders of the bright lights campaign were well-known in the town.

They were butcher Harry Skinner, radio and TV dealer George Dixon, children’s shop owner Arthur Battie and dress shop owner John Robshaw. They all persuaded their neighbours to contribute £10 each year towards the lights fund.

Other who helped were greengrocer Ted Corden and Arnold Hulme, whose electrical business opposite the Old Bell Hotel was responsible for the lights.

Electrian Ted Rhodes, who celebrated his 99th birthday just a few weeks ago, worked for Hulme and it was he who designed and erected the lights for more than 25 years.

“Derby had never had any lights before,” said Ted. “There were 700 bulbs to be put up every year. They went up in the middle of November and came down in January.”

Coloured lamps were expensive in the 1950s so Ted used to buy 100 plain lamps at a time and spray them with coloured paint.

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