Minerat - When I first started caving in the Bonsall area way back in the early 1950's, one was met with shotguns at the "Park" by the Fountain pub, that is if one was able to ascend the Clatterway safely! As for daring to call in th' "King's Head" for a pint, well all conversation stopped until we drank up and departed. On hearing the kids and me were moving to Bonsall in late 1978 me best mate from Winster nearly died from shock, and that is when I learned the history and meaning of the saying "Bonsall, God Bless Ye", she claimed only idiots lived there because of the interbreeding and that is why the inhabitants needed blessing! Another friend told me that because of it's isolation in times past it had also been a penal settlement. The headmaster of the Anthony Gell school at Wirksworth called it a "no go area" and thought I needed my head examining. Need I go on? Sadly it's vastly changed now.
Anyway I thought the saying about a Derbyshire person was "Strong in th'arm and wick in th'head" and prided myself that it meant we were all brainy and clever, until I consulted my dictionary and found that "wick" meant "weak", the kids laughed at me for weeks after.
Could be related somewhere along the way to you! - my 6 x gt. grandparents were married in Bonsall church in 1701, prior to that my ancestors lived in Cromford, helped drive Longhead sough, and were involved in the disputes at Dove Gang!
See you mention Upper Wood, Matlock Bath and the mining there. Happy to say I've sent one of the spar miners who worked in that area in the 1950's (remember the washing plant on Lowe Mine?) a copy of Aditnow's 2009 calendar. He's over the moon with it.