The next exhibition from Manuscripts & Special Collections, Rags to Witches: The grim tale of children’s stories, is due to open on 4^th May at the Weston Gallery, Nottingham Lakeside Arts until 26 August. Using original archives and rare books, it explores a range of children’s stories and traditional tales, from the beloved to the forgotten tales that never got a happily ever after.

Local material on display includes the first English-language publication of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories from 1846. It was translated by Nottingham’s Mary Howitt, who was so captivated by his stories that she learnt Danish specifically to translate them. A successful children’s author of the time, her best-known poem, The Spider and the Fly, will also be on display. There are also some pencil sketches by Victorian children’s illustrator Kate Greenaway, presented to the University of Nottingham in remembrance of her childhood years living in Rolleston.

There will also be a programme of related talks taking place at 1 – 2 pm in the Djanogly Theatre, Nottingham Lakeside Arts, University Park. They are free but need to be booked in advance from http://tickets.lakesidearts.org.uk/ or calling the Box Office on 0115 846 7777

• Thursday 10 May: Uses of Fairy Tales: Enchanting Ideologies and Radical Transformations

Rachel Palfreyman, Associate Professor in German Studies at the University of Nottingham, discusses how fairy tales have been interpreted, ranging from their exploitation for political purposes to Bettelheim’s orthodox and much-criticised Freudian approach – and how readers brush ideology aside to return to the stories again and again.

• Thursday 5 July: Storytellers: Cinderella, Pinochio and the remarkable role of translators in the history of British children’s literature

When we see a child enjoy the stories of Cinderella and Pinochio, or engrossed in an Asterix album, it is easy to forget the role of a translator in producing English versions of these tales. Gillian Lathey, Senior Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Roehampton London, will introduce some of these invisible storytellers and pay homage to their neglected craft.

• Thursday 26 July:  Readers and Their Books in Nineteenth-Century Britain

Colin Heywood, Emeritus Professor of Modern French History at the University of Nottingham, focuses on the society and culture in which children were raised in the 19th century. This talk will cover the massive increase in the quantity and quality of literature written specifically for children in 19th century Britain, which included a shift in content, from heavily didactic works to those concerned above all with giving pleasure to their readers. It will also analyse the underlying forces at work, notably the growing interest in childhood and education, and the achievement of near-universal literacy.

Articles are invited for the autumn issue of The Nottinghamshire Historian, which will focus on the First World War (and its impact, legacy, commemoration and later representation). We welcome articles of 2-4 sides (up to approximately 2000 words), in addition to shorter summaries of projects, archives and collections, calls for information, ‘stories from the archive’, or examinations of the modern-day experience of recovering and (re)telling the stories of this time. The deadline for submission is 1 August. For more information please contact Alison at editor@nlha.org.uk

Bingham Musical Theatre Company’s  next performance is ‘The Suicide Club’ a moving one Act play about a real-life local soldier to commemorate 100 years since the end of WW1. The play is based on the diaries of David Polley and was written by Darren Rawnsley (a lincolnshire playwright and poet) and Alan.C.Mott (a historian and Grandson of David Polley)

Performances will take place on 11th, 12th and 13th May 2018 at Radcliffe British Legion, 17 Main Road, Radcliffe on Trent, Nottingham, NG12 2BB and later in the year at Bingham Methodist Church (Nov 8-9th)

Come along to commemorate the soldiers who fought for our country 100 years ago. Re-enactors will be there across the performance dates so you can see what life would have been like for a WW1 soldier. You will then see this moving tale brought to life through the cast of Bingham Theatre Company and listen to a short history talk by Alan.C.Mottto understand the real life of David Polley. AND….all of this is included in the same ticket price!

• WW1 re-enactors will set the scene for life as a soldier
• One Act Play ‘The Suicide Club’ performance, based on the real-life story of local soldier David Polley
• After the show listen to a short history talk, bringing to life the actual diaries for David Polley and his life by historian Alan.C.Mott!

Tickets include access to re-enactors, show and history talk and can be bought on the door or in advance at https://www.binghammusicaltheatrecompany.co.uk/latest_production/suicide-club-ww1-play/

£10 – adults (16+)

£5 concession (under 16 and OAP)

The new Embankment Nottinghamshire WW1 memorial will incorporate the names of those local people who died in World War I. if you are aware of any names which are not currently included in the Roll of honour please have a look at:
www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/rollofhonour
or  let David Nunn have any names through this simple email address:
missingnames@outlook.com

The Nottinghamshire Great War Roll of Honour is a permanent tribute to local men and women who died during the First World War. Until now, no list of Nottinghamshire’s Great War dead has ever been compiled and many communities did not keep written records of 1914-18 losses. This project aims to correct historic injustices by finally paying homage to the fallen and creating a unique, centralised archive for researchers, historians and the general public.

Increasing coverage to support the protection of Nottingham’s heritage.

This article has been reproduced from Historic England Research What’s New which is available at https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/research/ and at https://content.historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/historic-england-research-8/he-research-8.pdf/ as a downloadable PDF.

Claire Price is a PhD student with the University of York and Historic England. Her research focuses on statutory and non-statutory heritage lists in England. Prior to her PhD,Claire was the Listed Buildings Caseworker for the Council for British Archaeology.

Research into Old Basford, an easily- overlooked suburb of Nottingham, has highlighted the impact of industries associated with lace manufacture, as well as the area’s development from village to suburb. In particular, the workplaces and homes of prominent industrial-era lace bleachers were identified, as well as the gentry residences of the pre- enclosure village.

The research was undertaken during a work placement at Nottingham City Council, which was part of a collaborative PhD co- funded by Historic England. It produced a historic area assessment and identified new assets to be added to the local list, thus contributing to one of Nottingham’s Heritage Action Zone projects. More widely, the research considered how best to support the protection of locally listed assets through Article 4 directions; trialled the local list selection criteria; and set a methodology which could be followed by local volunteers seeking to continue the local list enhancement project in other parts of Nottingham.

Old Basford

Old Basford is today a suburb of Nottingham. It is a centre for light industry, has good transport links into the city centre, and is also increasingly significant as a residential area. Its character is mixed, and defined by the close proximity of industrial buildings to residential and housing infill, creating streets in which buildings of diverse eras sit side by side. The medieval village of Old Basford is difficult to discern to the untrained eye, but a glimpse survives of it in the form of the Grade II* listed church of St Leodegarius, and two Grade II-listed 18th- century houses. Entries on the National Heritage List for England recognise some of Old Basford’s most important assets – the brewery, maltings, cemetery chapel, and a pub – but little had been formally identified at a more local level The research uncovered some buildings of architectural value that have previously been overlooked, such as an 18th-century house whose poor condition in the early 1990s probably accounts for its omission from the first local list. It has now been renovated and stands as a fine example of Georgian domestic architecture, revealing the lifestyle of Basford’s gentry at this period. Its gate piers, still inscribed with the owner’s surname and now incorporated into the entrance of the local brewery, show the extent of the grounds of the house.

Historical accounts of Old Basford have captured the attention of local people, including their representatives in the local authority. Where these match with surviving historic fabric, new assets have been added to the local list. The Fox and Crown, for example is a Victorian building on the site of a much earlier pub called The Bowling Green, which attracted day trippers from Nottingham in the 18th century, highlighting the rural nature of Basford at that time. As there was no police station, the landlord of The Bowling Green was in 1707 also a gaoler. The cellars were used as the local lock-up and may still be there today. These associations are important links to the history of Basford as a village.

Other additions to the local list reveal a different aspect of its history: the Victorian industrialisation and growth of the village thanks to its role in bleaching works, which were an important element in Nottingham’s famous lace industry. The River Leen and the Day Brook provided the ample water essential to this process. A factory and a house have been added to the local list as they illustrate the home and workplace of a bleachworks owner in the late 19th century. The factory building, retaining a plaque reading ‘George Pearson and Co/Bleachers Dyers and/Lace Finishers’ is a rare survival of an industry which transformed Basford from small village to industrialised suburb within a century These are just a few examples of the heritage assets highlighted by the project. Designation of a conservation area was considered but it was decided that the scattering of individual assets in the area lacked a unifying character, with little positive contribution from the spaces and buildings in between: as a result, these structures better merited management through local listing. The suggestions for the local list were then used to pilot the criteria to be used across Nottingham, which utilise Historic England’s guidance for local lists.

Using Article 4 directions

It was also important to consider how best to give local designation weight in the planning system. Nottingham has a policy within its local plan, and this could be supported by the production of a supplementary planning document, along with training for council staff in how to deal with non-designated heritage assets. The research examined a further option in support of local listing: use of Article 4 directions. Article 4 directions can come with a wide range of permitted development rights: these include alteration, painting of exteriors, and the positioning of satellite dishes. Article 4 directions also offer protection to locally listed assets beyond recognition through the National Planning Policy Framework, and can be tailored to the characteristics of a place. The research suggests that it would be beneficial to implement a single Article 4 direction preventing demolition for all locally listed buildings outside of a conservation area. This strategy conserves resources while bringing locally listed buildings outside a conservation area into equivalence with those inside one, and thus offers clarity across the system. The consultation process for adoption to the local list can be combined with the consultation for Article 4 directions, thus avoiding duplication. Again keeping resources in mind, the compensation payments associated with Article 4 directions can usually be avoided if 12 months’ notice is given before the direction comes into force.

Making local lists work

The local list selection process must work alongside the planning process if it is to be effective. A rigorous approach to selection is beneficial as it enables the local list to be a trustworthy flag to planners of heritage value, and thus less easily challenged by planning applicants. For this reason, it is vital to review the content of those local lists that have evolved gradually over time. It is also important to note that the creation of a local list should not exclude assets which are not on it from having value. Such structures may still be considered as ‘non-designated heritage assets’, as stated in the National Planning Policy Framework. It may be wise to state this in supporting documentation.

The goal for Nottingham is to adopt a local list which is known and used by local people as well as being a robust planning document. Once adopted, anyone can nominate a building for inclusion in Nottingham’s list. The research project included several activities aimed at the general public: a walking tour of Old Basford, an article in the local press, and a training event for voluntary researchers. These promoted the heritage of the area, encouraging pride in the local landscape, the value of which is easily overlooked. Furthermore, the training day passed on a methodology that depended on locally available resources: it can thus enable volunteers to expand knowledge of Nottingham’s heritage and identify further candidates for the local list.

Overall, the research contributed to wider thinking on the local list adoption process which was taking place as part of the Heritage Action Zone project, and its results will enable the local list to work well for local communities and planners alike

National Portrait Gallery exhibition launches at National Trust’s The Workhouse, Southwell

From 29 April to 22 July 2018, visitors can view the exhibition between 12:00 and 16:00 in The Workhouse. The exhibition will then move on to two other National Trust properties – Killerton, Devon, (4 August – 31 October 2018) and then to Mount Stewart, Northern Ireland, (November 2018 – February 2019.)

 In 2018, the National Trust is celebrating 100 years since some women were granted the right to vote and is holding events and exhibitions at its places to explore the lives of those who fought for suffrage, as well as others who influenced change throughout history.

The Workhouse will be commemorating this milestone with a special programme of events. ‘Struggle for Suffrage: Workhouse Women and the Vote’ highlights historical local women connected to The Workhouse, both the suffragists and the militant suffragettes who fought to have their voices heard.

As part of the centenary commemorations, The Workhouse will be the first of three Trust places to stage a touring exhibition in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery. Launching at The Workhouse on 29 April, ‘Faces of Change – Votes for Women’ will be drawn from the National Portrait Gallery Collection and will include well-known but also rarely seen paintings, drawings, photographs and archival documents.

 At The Workhouse, over 35 photographs, prints, drawings and paintings from the Gallery’s Collection will be displayed, celebrating key figures in the national campaign for women’s suffrage. This includes not only the working women who joined the campaign, whose lives were deeply affected by the lack of political representation, but also titled women who played a key role in forcing through change.

For The Workhouse, one of the most exciting original photographs from the National Portrait Gallery is of Lady Laura Elizabeth Ridding, the first female guardian of The Workhouse Southwell, a significant Suffragist and supporter of working women’s rights all her life.

Jan Overfield-Shaw, Creative and Community Officer at The Workhouse says:

“The exhibition has been designed to celebrate key figures in the national campaign for women’s suffrage. From formal paintings to militant propaganda, the portraits on display will complement the unique stories of disenfranchised and working women associated with The Workhouse.”

Rosie Broadley, 19^th and 20th-Century Collections Curator, National Portrait Gallery says:  

“The National Portrait Gallery is delighted to have the opportunity to share its collection of portraits of key figures in the campaign for women’s suffrage with three wonderful National Trust properties.  Some of the works in the exhibition have special resonance with these properties and it is very exciting to see these stories brought to life through this collaboration.”

Ever since I was young I’ve always asked the question why! I never did to just like to accept things. As a historian this has always had me wanting to know more. Why did this or that event happen and why did it happen just there or why on that day and why was the out come what it was. Why is Arnold, Mapperley, Lambley, Burton Joyce and all the other places in the borough  just where they are why are they not somewhere else and why did some village like Arnold grow and other not.

The answers to these and similar question are often more fascinating and revealing than the basic facts about battles and events. It gives us a greater understanding of how our ancestor lived and so to understand more about the society we live in today. When we grow up in an area or have lived there for a long time we tend not to notice how things change over time and before long the past is lost. I write these articles some 2 months before publication so events sometimes happen between the writing and publication these therefore are in themselves like many publications historic documents which come from the past. Gedling has a lot of history much of it not well-known with only a select few who either remember times gone by or have researched it for one reason or another. The response I have received to these articles and my books have shown a hunger for knowledge of our past.

My history talks in the pub, (the next one is Craftsmen, Colts and Conflict on Arnold and the Luddites is on 21st May in the Robin hood and Little John Arnold at 7pm with other talks and walks around the borough). The Halloween and other walks and the meetings of the local history and other groups have shown by the large numbers attending that there is a great interest and fascination in the history of the area. The more we record and make this available in all shapes and forms the more the interest grows.. Gedling Borough Council has recently been awarded a heritage lottery grant to do just this. “Gedling Borough’s Heritage Brought alive” is the name of the new project and over the next 18 months will see a heritage centre next to the cafe in Gedling park, a book on the borough’s history, and recordings of oral history from those who remember times gone by. The installation of touch information screens and leaflets,  history trails, videos and films, history walks, talks, exhibitions and events of all sorts are being planned. Look out for future announcements. The council now have the resources to carry out this much-needed work but what is needed now is people . None of this can be accomplished without your help, the people with the local knowledge.. We the historians of the borough, members of history groups and the like can only do so much, volunteers are needed in all sorts of ways. Dennis Hill, a Heritage  Consultant, has been appointed by the council as project officer and would love to hear from anyone who is interested in the history, of all parts of the borough, to tell their story and help with the various projects. He and the project team would love to talk to you and any groups in which you are involved. This is a chance to expand access to our history for not just those in the borough but beyond.. He can be contacted at Denishill1066@gmail.com or via the Gedling Council Offices.

Without volunteers this project will not happen and the chance may not occur again. If this were to happen so much would be lost.

16 July – 17 August Booking opens 1 March

Digging the Castle since 2015
We Dig the Castle, first held in 2015, is a partnership between Historic England, Trent & Peak Archaeology (based in Beeston) and Nottingham City Council.

We Dig the Castle 2018 runs from 16 July to 17 August and enables people from all backgrounds (ages 14+) to get involved in archaeological investigations uncovering more of the history and archaeology of Nottingham Castle and its surroundings.

We Dig the Castle is doing more
2018 brings a brand new programme. It takes We Dig the Castle trainees not only into the medieval Outer Bailey but also to the castle’s defensive walls and the area below its towering cliff face.

In Brewhouse Yard, We Dig the Castle will carry out the first major archaeological investigation since the 1970s, seeking evidence of buildings depicted in the earliest maps and developing a new understanding of how this area might have looked in the medieval period.

At the gatehouse, investigations will aim to locate the medieval ditch that ran around Nottingham Castle’s walls, while recording the surviving fortifications.

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A big “thank you” to those who visited the CA Census event “Farms, Barns and Rural Buildings” on Saturday 17^th February 2018: about 25 people came in to see the exhibition, brought us documents to record and photographs to scan: some promised to contact us again in order to record their mementoes, photographs and reminiscences of village life.

Keyworth and District Local History Society members provided a bookstall of KDLHS publications and cards, a display of finds, and material featured in “The Romans in Keyworth” a very successful exhibition the previous weekend, in Keyworth Library.  The display materials have been kindly donated to the Village Archive by ‘The Field Detectives’.

The Census displays featured historic records about, and plans and photographs of, our two most prominent (listed) buildings which refer to our agricultural heritage: George Martyn’s Barn and Tinsley’s Barn.

Additional images and information featured the mediaeval farming practices in the area, Inclosure (1799) the importance of the preservation of ridge & furrow, and additional material from English Heritage’s current debate about the future of traditional rural buildings, and information about the Parish Boundary Project (CBA).

We are able to scan photographs directly to the electronic archive; the rolling picture gallery is regularly being added to by village Archivist Dave Clarke; being scan and record photographs and documents on the day really helps us add precious material to the historical record.

If you missed it, or have anything you would like us to share, please

contact the archivist directly: keywortharchivist@gmail.com

see the KDLHS website: www.keyworthhistory.org.uk and

https://www.facebook.com/KeyworthHistory/

The next CA Census event (Saturday 17th November 2018, the weekend after Remembrance Sunday) will be entitled “Commemorating Conflict”.   Marking the Centenary of the end of WWI and Armistice, 1918, it is hoped to collaborate with the Royal British Legion and feature items which also relate to WWII and later conflicts – please bring your memorabilia, if you can, we hope that you will be able to come.

Sheila Barton CAAG & KDLHS

At an Extraordinary General Meeting in November 2017 it was unanimously decided to wind up the Basford and District Local History Society.

Membership had been diminishing over a number of years and it was found difficult to continue.

The Society was formed in 1984 by Karl Routledge-Wilson, Brenda Summers, Yvette Pollitt and Margaret Gardner. Keith Train agreed to take the position of President, subsequently Reuben Carlisle, Alf Bowley and Bill Russell also filled this post.

Stan Smith was appointed Chairman in 1987 following the resignation of Dennis Cooke and Stan remained Chairman until he passed away in 2016, following which President Bill Russell ran the meetings. Brenda Summers continued in the position of Secretary until her death in 2001 when I took over this post. Yvette Pollitt served as Treasurer for the whole of the Society’s existence.

The Society’s members produced several publications including Basford Probate Inventories 1685-1735; Basford and District from 1821-1851; The Green – a Journey Through Time; The Moores of Old Basford; George Pallant’s Basford and Cinderhill – Bystander Cream and Bystander Bulwell were edited by Stan under his pen-name of Ztan Zmith.

I will continue to publish the Basford Bystander and I hope readers will continue to enjoy it. If anyone has memories they would like to share I would be very pleased to receive them.

With Many thanks to members and friends of the Basford and District Local History Society for their help and encouragement in the past.

Christine Smith.

The Basford Bystander is available from:

• Bryan Exton Motors, Carey Road, Bulwell
• Jennison’s Wool Shop, Highbury Vale
• Bulwell Baptist Church
• Jay’s Hairdressers, Park Lane
• Basford Library
• Southwark Street Newsagents
• Bailey Street Stores
• Don and John Barbers, Nottingham Road
• Londis Stores, Valley Road
• Bagnall Road Newsagents
• Perry Road / Hucknall Road Newsagents
• Horsendale Newsagents, Nuthall
• Plumbs Ironmongers, James Street, Kimberley

New distributors are always welcome.