At a recent meeting of the Edwinstowe Historical Society, Chris Weir presented members with a
glimpse of Victorian Nottingham. Whilst due to necessity the area known as Broadmarsh was
subjected to slum clearance, architects Watson Fothergill and Thomas Chambers Hine were
designing new buildings in the city. The lace industry was thriving and factories such as the Raleigh Cycle Co., and John Player (cigarettes) were making their mark, so too was Jesse Boot (chemist).
More changes took place with the construction of the Victoria railway station resulting in the
demolition of 1,300 houses, 24 public houses and a church. Chris explained that entertainment could be enjoyed at the Nottingham Empire, Theatre Royal and the Mechanics Institute, not forgetting a visit to the Arboretum and the Goose Fair. Riots did take place, notably one following defeat of the Reform Bill, when rioters burned Nottingham Castle.
Ryan Laviolette, the Events Manager working for the Pierrepont family on the Thoresby estate, is planning a Visitor Information Centre and requested permission to use information from the EHS website. In appreciation of the help he received from the Society some members were invited to Thoresby and given the opportunity to view the archive.