👻 Haunted place
The Derbyshire Blues
Blue coats, a Duke's headquarters and a Prince demanding billets: the true story of Derby in 1745, centred on the old George Inn on Iron Gate.
Photo: Wikipedia
The story of the Derbyshire Blues is one of real people in a real crisis, and it centres on a coaching inn on Iron Gate in the heart of Derby. In the autumn of 1745 the George Inn was first a meeting place for the town's gentlemen and then the headquarters of a Duke. Finally it was a stop for the very Prince they had gathered to oppose.
The Blues were a militia regiment raised in Derby by the Duke of Devonshire in response to the invasion by Charles Edward Stuart, 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'. They took their name from their blue uniforms, which set them apart from the red-coated regular soldiers. Their brief history is bound up with the old George Inn, which is now a public house called Jorrocks.
The account we have records no ghosts here. What it does offer is a vivid moment in history, when the Jacobite army entered Derby. The Prince's arrival is still re-enacted every year.
Hauntings are told as reported — by owners, guests, guides and investigators — never as fact. The history underneath is often real, and sometimes tragic; we treat it with respect. Background from Wikipedia and the sources listed below.
The history behind the hauntings
The Militia Act 1745 made provision for calling out the militia in England during the Jacobite rising. On 13 September 1745 the Government wrote to the lord-lieutenants of counties in England and Wales, directing them to do so. As Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, the Duke of Devonshire was responsible for raising a militia in defence of the realm. As a member of the Whig aristocracy, he was opposed to any attempt to usurp King George II. The militia system had decayed during the years of peace. As a result, most counties found it easier to raise men by voluntary enlistment than to levy them from the parishes and hundreds as the Militia Acts required.
On 28 September a meeting was held at the George Inn, a coaching inn in Iron Gate, Derby. Its purpose was 'to consider of such measures as are fit to be taken for the support of the Royal Person and government of H. M. King George, and our happy constitution in Church and State, at a time when rebellion is carrying on in favour of a Popish Pretender.'
Towards the end of November 1745, after the Jacobites had entered Preston on the 26th, the Duke arrived from Chatsworth with his son, the Marquess of Hartington. He made the George Inn his headquarters. The Duke reviewed 600 men in two regiments of 300 each, raised by subscription from the gentlemen of Derby and Derbyshire. He also reviewed 120 men he had raised and paid for himself. Sir Nathaniel Curzon and the Marquess of Hartington led the regiments.
On 3 December news came that Charles Edward Stuart had entered Ashbourne, approximately 13 miles away, with 9000 men, and the troops withdrew towards Nottingham. When the Prince arrived in Derby on 4 December, he called at the very inn the Duke had used as headquarters and demanded billets for his troops.
The ghosts of The Derbyshire Blues
1 reported apparition, as the stories are told.
👻 No Recorded Ghost
The former George Inn (now Jorrocks), Iron Gate, Derby
The historical record behind this guide contains no ghost stories, reported sightings or unexplained happenings connected with the Derbyshire Blues or the George Inn. The past returns here only through the annual re-enactment of the Prince's arrival, which is an act of remembrance rather than a haunting.
The Derbyshire Blues in photos
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Visiting The Derbyshire Blues
The former George Inn is on Iron Gate in Derby and is now a public house called Jorrocks. It has had several names since the 1980s. It changed from 'The George' to 'Mr. Jorrocks', became 'Lafferty's' during a fad for Irish theme pubs, and was 'Mr Jorrocks' again for a while in the 2000s before taking its current name.
The Prince's arrival on 4 December is re-enacted every year on its anniversary, which makes early December a fitting time to visit. Please check locally for event details and the pub's opening times before you travel.
Where to stay near The Derbyshire Blues
Nearest first — every distance measured from The Derbyshire Blues itself. Make a weekend of it.
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The Derbyshire Blues: your questions answered
Why were they called the Derbyshire Blues? ＋
The name comes from the colour of their blue uniform, which was intended to distinguish the militia from regular soldiers in red uniform.
Did the Derbyshire Blues fight Bonnie Prince Charlie in Derby? ＋
No. On 3 December 1745 the troops withdrew towards Nottingham after news arrived that Charles Edward Stuart had entered Ashbourne, approximately 13 miles away, with 9000 men. The Prince reached Derby on 4 December.
Is the George Inn still there? ＋
The inn is now a public house called Jorrocks, on Iron Gate. Since the 1980s it has gone from 'The George' to 'Mr. Jorrocks', then 'Lafferty's', then 'Mr Jorrocks' again, before taking its current name.
Are there ghost stories about the George Inn? ＋
The historical record behind this guide contains no ghost stories or reported sightings, so we have not included any. The inn's fame rests on its real role in the events of 1745.
Your experiences at The Derbyshire Blues
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Sources and further reading
- The Derbyshire Blues — Wikipedia — Wikipedia
Researched by the BritStays Haunted Britain team; last updated 2 November 2026. Spotted something we've got wrong, or have your own story from The Derbyshire Blues? We'd love to hear it.