THE Sunday Times Rich List today reveals that Derbyshire's wealthiest individual remains the Duke of Devonshire, with a fortune of £800 million.
The county's most successful business brains may well have amassed fortunes of several hundred million pounds but old money still holds sway.
The Duke's Chatsworth estate employs hundreds of people and attracts thousands of tourists from around the world.
Software entrepreneur Mel Morris is the latest local to join the upper echelons of the annual list, published this weekend.
Other Derbyshire-based businessmen mentioned among the top 20 wealthiest individuals in the East Midlands include John Kirkland, chairman of Heage-based construction firm Bowmer and Kirkland, and John Bloor, of Swadlincote-based Bloor Homes.
Mr Bloor, who also owns Triumph Motorcycles, is cited as the person who has made the biggest gains in the region during the past year.
The housebuilder has seen his wealth rise 43% from £525m to £750m.
Bloor Holdings, the parent company behind Bloor Homes and also the Triumph motorcycle business, rescued in 1984 after it had gone into receivership, is worth £725m.
In the last financial year, the Sunday Times reports that it made a profit of £35.5m.
The Sunday Times Rich List is described as the definitive guide to wealth in Britain and Ireland.
It has been published today as part of The Sunday Times Magazine.
Profiling the 1,000 richest individuals and families in the UK and the wealthiest 250 in Ireland, the list is based on identifiable wealth, including land, property, other assets such as art and racehorses, or significant shares in publicly quoted companies.
