Peak Lapidary and Mineral Society "Conserving our Mineral Heritage"

Welcome to the home pages of the above club. We are a very small mineral club based in the heart of England's Peak District National Park. Although we are small in numbers, we are known internationally as the organisers of the UK's best loved mineral show. This web site aims to tell you something of our club and what we do.

The Peak Lapidary and Mineral Society has been in existence since the early 1960's based in and around the Bakewell area in Derbyshire. As the name implies, it caters principally for mineral collectors and for lapidary enthusiasts. With a well equipped workshop in the village of Tideswell it is always happy to welcome anyone who would like to investigate these hobbies further. Members are always willing to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with newcomers. Current members have a variety of lapidary skills ranging from simple cutting and polishing of beautiful mineral specimens such as agate to cutting and mounting cabochons, facetted stones and silversmithing.

The society meets on average twice a month (2nd and 4th Mondays), either at the workshop in Tideswell or at the Medway Centre in Bakewell. During the summer months collecting trips are organised to sites within the Peak District National Park and further afield.

A selection of club activities is illustrated here.

The society is small, with a membership of around 30, which reflects the fact that it is in a sparsely (for the U.K.) populated area. Despite this it has a claim to fame in that it organises the Bakewell Rock Exchange - the UK's favourite mineral and fossil show. Table holders come from all over Great Britain, from the EEC, from Eastern Europe and from North America. The usual venue for this event is Lady Manners School, Bakewell, and it is held over the second weekend in October.

Our 2010 show will be on the 9^th and 10^th October

(Click for Details)

A selection of exhibitors at the 2004 Show

Scenes from the 2001 Show

The club is also starting to assemble a photographic record of Derbyshire minerals which we hope to publish on CD-ROM - a selection of lower quality images is available by clicking here.

Contact Details:

Secretary: Bill Derbyshire

Telephone: 01623 748006

Mobile: 07717 590162

Click here to send an e-mail to Bill.

For queries about the web-site please click here.

Links to related Sites

(Tip - hold the Shift key down and then click the link below
in order to open the web site in a new window.)

Tideswell Dale Rockshop	The virtual home of founder member, Don Edwards.
UK Journal of Mines and Minerals	The UK's premier journal for all mineralogists, collectors and mining historians.
	Home of the British Micromount Society - for anyone interested in Minerals through the binocular microscope – the real gems of the mineral world!
	If it is not here, well, do you really want to know?
Bob's Rockshop	The virtual meeting place for all mineral collectors on the Internet.
	Everything you always wanted to know about almost every mineral you ever heard of.
	The UK's Mineral, Crystal, Gemstone, Fossil, Bead & Related Jewellery Making Publication. “The pocket size news & reference of all things stone!”