This is a bit of an off-topic post to start the new year of 2025. But with AI being heralded as either the saviour or the destroyer of humankind, I thought some readers might find it interesting.

I’ve finally starting work on a project I’ve been planning for years; to publish a small book on the Grimshawes of Errwood Hall and the drowned hamlet of Goyt’s Bridge using some of the many old photos and maps I’ve managed to accumulate over the 10 years I’ve been working on this website.

Like many people, I’ve recently started using the AI app, ChatGPT, and been seriously impressed with what it can do. It’s proved really useful in working out the book production side of things. So I thought I’d also use it to research and fact-check the history and people associated with the Goyt Valley. And it’s made me realise that AI is not to be trusted. Which I have to admit was a bit of a revelation.

The Braddocks

It all started when I tried to find out more about the Braddock family for my book. They had really important ties to both the Grimshawes and the landscape. Thomas was Head Gamekeeper on the Errwood Estate.

His two sons, James and William, were born and brought up in Goyt’s Bridge and followed in their father’s footsteps to became gamekeepers. His two daughters are also recorded in the census – Mary as a servant at the Hall and Margaret as schoolgirl. The 1881 census shows the family living in Castedge Cottage. By the following 1891 census, they had moved to Goytsclough Farm.

The most important sign they were close to the Grimshawes is that both Thomas and his daughter, Margaret (who died at just 19 – nine years before her father), are buried next to the Grimshawe’s own memorial on the hill-top cemetery.

Above: The graves of Thomas Braddock and his daughter, Elizabeth, are second only to the Grimshawes’ in prominence.

Like all the other children on the Errwood Estate, Thomas’s sons and daughters went to Goyt’s Bridge School, and William’s was one of four names inscribed on a plaque commemorating former pupils killed in the First World War. (More on the Braddocks.)

I was interested to see if I could discover anything else about the family so asked Chat GPT: “Tell me something about the Braddock brothers of the Goyt Valley”. Here’s what it came up with…

The Braddock brothers were a group of notorious highwaymen operating in the Goyt Valley in Derbyshire, England, during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. They became infamous for their daring and often violent robberies, preying on travellers along the old coach roads that passed through the remote and rugged landscape of the Peak District.

Which was news to me, but sounded like it could make a great story. Chat GPT went on to say:

Here are some key details about the Braddock brothers:

Family of Outlaws: The Braddock brothers were reportedly a tight-knit band of siblings who turned to crime due to poverty and limited opportunities in the harsh rural environment of the Goyt Valley.

The Goyt Valley: The valley’s dense woods, steep hills, and hidden paths provided the perfect cover for the brothers’ activities. They knew the terrain intimately, which allowed them to ambush travelers and evade capture.

Robberies and Infamy: Their exploits often involved robbing stagecoaches, wealthy merchants, and unwary travellers. The brothers were known for their ruthlessness, though local folklore sometimes portrays them as folk heroes, redistributing some of their loot to the poor.

The End of Their Reign: The Braddock brothers’ criminal career reportedly ended when they were captured and executed. One version of the story claims they were betrayed by a member of their own group or a local informer. Their executions were meant to serve as a warning to others.

Legacy: The legend of the Braddock brothers lives on in local tales and folklore, adding to the mystique of the Goyt Valley. Their story has been romanticised over the years, blurring the line between historical fact and myth.

The Braddock brothers are a fascinating part of Derbyshire’s rich history, embodying the struggle, adventure, and danger of a bygone era. Their legacy highlights the Goyt Valley as not just a place of natural beauty but also a region steeped in intriguing stories.

One problem I noticed was that the dates of “late 17th and early 18th centuries” were way before the time of the Grimshawes. But perhaps these highwaymen may have been ancestors of the same Braddock family, so it could still be interesting. One way of checking was to ask what sources AI had used. Which was when it admitted the truth…

I apologise for any confusion in my earlier response. Upon further research, it appears that the Braddock brothers were not highwaymen but rather gamekeepers on the Errwood Estate in the Goyt Valley during the early 1900s. They were responsible for managing wildlife and protecting the estate from poachers.

I followed this up by asking where it had found the information for the first answer…

You’re absolutely right to question the discrepancy between my first response and the clarification. The first response about the Braddock brothers as highwaymen in the Goyt Valley was based on an attempt to blend common folklore motifs of highwaymen and the history-rich Peak District. It turns out, however, that this is not accurate for the Braddock brothers of the Goyt Valley.

I don’t have evidence or credible sources supporting the first account; instead, it unintentionally mixed generic themes of highwaymen and historical fiction with the specific topic. Thank you for catching this error. I strive for accuracy, so I appreciate your patience and will be more cautious in providing verified information moving forward.

So the machine with a brain the size of a planet is capable of just making stuff up and passing it off as fact rather than fiction. Gulp…

Advance notice

If you’d like an email when the book is about to be published (hopefully by early spring) please get in touch using the contact page, or leave a comment below.