Local author and historian Ztan Zmith agreed, in 2014, to research into the lives of the men from Brinsley who died in, or as a result of the two World Wars, and to compile this research into a book in their memory.
Unfortunately he passed away shortly before completing the work and it was left to his wife Christine to add the final touches. The completed work was passed to Brinsley Parish Council to be published, and the paperback version recently came out and is available through Brinsley Post Office, at St James Community Cafe( every Wednesday from 10-00 am to 12 noon) , priced at £5-00, all profits will be donated to his chosen charity St James Church, Brinsley. Copies of this book along with all his other books are also available through the web site www.ztanzmith.co.uk
During his lifetime he wrote 14 other books about the past of Brinsley and, in memory of the work that he did for the village, a limited number of hard back copies have also been produced, the first of these was presented to Mrs Smith during a morning service at St James Church.
The second copy was then presented to the Rev David Stevenson, vicar in charge of St James, Brinsley to be held in the church for all to read.
The remaining hardback copies have been handed over to Brinsley Primary School, as a reference book for pupils to use in any future work undertaken in respect of the two wars, and added to Eastwood Libraries reference section.
Ztan Zmith was the pen name of Stan Smith of Brinsley, Chairman of Basford and District Local History Society and Vice President of the Nottingham Writers Club.
Ztan wrote many articles, short stories and poems, which have featured on Radio in the e-magazine The Nottinghamshire Times and in a wide variety of other publications.
He wrote about fascinating local characters from the past who lived in extraordinary times and this has led to the publication of six books for the Merrill Foundation’s Nottinghamshire Heritage Series, a further twelve books based on his home village of Brinsley, six books about nearby Underwood and Bagthorpe, several books on Basford, Cinderhill and Hyson Green and a Wedding Book that has proved to be extraordinary popular.
Ztan was also editor of The Basford Bystander a bi-monthly Community Newspaper devoted to nostalgia and local history in and around Basford and District in Nottingham. This publication is read in quite a few countries around the world.