DATE: 14th & 15th October 2023 (dates for 2024 12th & 13th October)
VENUE: Lady Manners School, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1JA.
The Bakewell Rock Exchange is recognized internationally as one of the UK’s best-loved mineral show, with dealers from around the UK and Europe congregating in the heart of England’s Peak District National Park. The Peak Lapidary and Mineral Society organizes the show which has been going for 39 years.
The Bakewell Rock Exchange is the UK's largest two-day event of its kind and has always been a popular show to attend for collectors. Because of its location in the beautiful National Park of the Derbyshire Peak District and surrounded by lovely scenery and many historical towns and country houses, like nearby Chatsworth and Haddon Hall, it also makes an ideal holiday getaway, with some showgoers choosing to extend their stay and make the most of the holiday atmosphere.
As usual I had been prepping for weeks prior to the show, intending once again to reduce the amount of stuff to take. I seem to be upgrading my lighting and display shelves almost continuously these days and have far too much of it, and have to stop myself buying more ' just in case'. I cite ADHD (undiagnosed, but I'm pretty sure I have it!).
Congratulating myself on not overloading the poor car too much, I drove up the M1 motorway North towards Derbyshire late Friday morning, trying to get ahead of the forecast heavy rain.
An hour into the journey the rain caught up with me and continued for the next 1.5 hours into the Peak District and Bakewell. Even in the pouring rain, Bakewell is pretty with its stone-hewn buildings and traditional charm. Despite the rain and deepening puddles, I dashed into the Bakewell Pudding Shop to stock up on the traditional tarts and puddings (yes, with friends' orders!). https://www.bakewellpuddingshop.co.uk/
After checking into the accommodation in the town (not recommending the particular hostelry), I continued up to the school late afternoon to meet other friends and the show organisers to help them set up the halls as I usually did. For some reason, I always seem to end up shifting tables around and lugging stacks of chairs about. Anyway, several hours later, the halls were pretty much sorted and those of us who were able to then started to unload our vehicles and get our own tables arranged ready for the start of the show the following morning.
After a lovely evening sharing a curry with friends in town, the Saturday morning dawned bright and early as we entered the Lady Manners School where the show is held, and continued to set up our displays over the next couple of hours ready for the public. This usually starts with the eager 'early birds' who purchase a higher-priced entrance ticket to get in and beat the hordes to the perceived bargains and 'best bits'.
It actually WAS a hectic day with plenty of footfall through the two main halls.
My boxes of 'Pocket Money Minerals' for the kids (and others!) had an unending throng of little eager hands happily rummaging for treasure. The one place where I actively encourage the kids to get stuck in and handle the stones. Showing them how to handle the rocks and to know where they are from, as well as demonstrating how to use a loupe to magnify the smaller crystals.
They LOVE IT. I keep thinking: these are the generation who one day might be the custodians of MY collection - let's nurture them and encourage them.
As usual when you 'fly solo' at these events, it means as an exhibiter / dealer, you don't really get much of a chance to have a look around the rest of the show and see what other exciting things are about. Luckily there are plenty of friends willing to look after things and 'hold the fort' whilst you go for a quick spin around the other stands. This is obviously a dangerous thing to do as a collector because you inevitably end up buying stuff!
I guess that's not a bad thing really as it means I then have fresh material to share with everyone else and it prompts me to add more to the website (or my Etsy page) WIN WIN.
The Thomson Minerals stand at the Bakewell show
The display cabinet had some yummy Greenlaws fluorite on the top shelf, to give a 'flavour' of the diverse colours of the crystals from different pockets and areas within the mine in Weardale. Also other British fluorites and attractive quartzes from Columbia amongst others.
I had also brought along some surplus Newsletters (courtesy of the editor) of the British Micromount Society, with some excellent articles written by members of their finds; collections;
photography; collecting adventures etc. A very good read.
The cover on the left features one of my specimens of Leadhillite from Meadowfoot Smelter, Wanlockhead, Scotland and the photo is one of many taken by and featured in the large book written by Steve Rust on the Meadowfoot Smelter. The books are printed to order.
The Saturday ended with a fine dinner with friends and an early night.
Sunday morning dawned frosty and bright and much scraping of the ice off the car before heading up the hill out of town to the show and another busy day. Thankfully the show started a little later at 10am and I had time for a breakfast roll and a cuppa before a quick hello to some folks in the main hall and some shopping. Then the doors opened and the wave of eager people washed into the halls.
I was thankful it wasn't as hectic as the day before as it meant I had time to greet friends and have a brief catch-up.
Background : Mike Merry and Tracy of Cornwall & Devon Minerals
and foreground: longstanding friends Lizzie and David Hacker
On the left ; Woodrow Thompson stopped by from the USA.
On the right is the lovely David Lloyd ( me in front of course!)
It was also great to see that Christopher Smith-Duque had a stand displaying his incredible photo realistic paintings and prints of minerals ( and mountains ) ahead of his exhibition with other world renowned mineral artists at the Munich Show at the end of October.
I simply had to have one of his limited prints of the superb Azurite crystal group, to add to my Campylite print I got from him last year.
The Campylite is featured on the Bakewell show flyer for next year
SO there's a few of the lovely specimens I took to the show in the following photos. Anything you would like more info about then just DM or email me.
Finally, as the show was drawing to a close and we were all rushing to break down our stands, the sun was fading and the geese were flying home to roost, as was I. Looking forward to next year - meanwhile I will hopefully see you at the Sussex Show in Haywards Heath College on Saturday 18th November and then the following Sunday 26th November at the Oxford Mineral & Fossil Show in Kidlington.
