It’s very sad that so many images are being lost which show the Goyt Valley before it vanished beneath the cold waters of the reservoirs.

I spoke to an elderly lady the other day who told me that her father took a whole series of colour transparencies of the valley only days before it was flooded. He hoped it would provide a visual record of this magical area for future generations.

Now those irreplaceable images are lost in one box of family photographs amongst many others in her attic. And it’s unlikely that they’ll ever see the light of day again.

I’ve also spoken to people who say they know someone who has photographs. But they’re nervous about sharing them with others on an internet site like this. They worry that someone might use them without asking permission, or even sell copies.

No use without permission

I’d like to reassure anyone who may have these images that I wouldn’t use them – let alone pass them on to someone else – without their permission. All the images are ‘low-resolution’ and water-marked, which means they look fine on an screen, but the quality is not high enough to print from.

There is film footage of the valley in the 1930s, but it’s owned by a library that charges people to use it. I have spoken to them and explained that this is a non-profit project. They say they may be able to help and I’m hoping to hear back soon.

In the meantime, if anyone has any old photographs – or knows of anyone else who may have some – please get in touch. I can explain exactly how I would copy and return them simply and quickly, without damaging them in any way.