At the meeting of the Edwinstowe Historical Society on 19^th September members heard Dr David Nunn talk about his involvement with the project to gather information relating to  Nottinghamshire’s men and women in the armed services, including civilians, who died during the First World War and whose names had been overlooked.  This was usually because some communities did not keep written records of the 1914-18 losses.   The new monument to be sited at the Victoria Embankment in Nottingham will be a fitting tribute to bring all the county’s fallen into one place.

He showed photos of memorials in town centres, chapels, churches, churchyards, parish halls, factories and other work places, schools and sports clubs.  Some of which were in France as well as England. Members also had the opportunity to view a collection of photos and documents which the Society have relating to WW1.

Edwinstowe War Memorial

View the new proposed War Memorial  here: http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/culture-leisure/heritage/remembering-ww1/the-great-war-memorial

The next meeting will be held on Wed. 17^th October, in the Church rooms, Mansfield Road, Edwinstowe, NG21 9NJ., commencing at 2.00 p.m. and lasting for approximately 2 hours.  Tea/coffee and biscuits are available.    Annual membership is £12 and visitors are welcome at a charge of £3. Further information is available on our website www.edwinstowehistory.org.uk.

During the Robin Hood Festival week, Monday 27^th August to Sunday 2^nd September, St. Mary’s Church welcomed visitors to their beautiful historic building. According to legend, Robin Hood & Maid Marian were married at St. Mary’s. The church is not just a sacred space, but a building that is alive, loved and used regularly by people who are committed to following the way of Christ. Around the church were many of the old 2D cut-out figures from the old Visitor Centre.

During the week 100s of visitors looked around the church, meeting parishioners and enjoying free refreshments. Many children took part in the ‘Children’s Trail’ as well as making Robin Hood Hats and Maid Marion Headdresses. The Stewards who helped, and many visitors who shared it, had a busy, enjoyable and special week. Their help had been much appreciated.

On Wed. 20^th June members enjoyed an illustrated talk about village history, with particular reference to the Pubs, Inns and the Dukeries Hotel, also about the Fire Brigade and the part played by the firemen when carrying out their duties in the village.

The information was diligently assembled by committee members from our extensive collection of photos, documents and personal anecdotes.

The next meeting will take place on Wed. 19^th September when Dr David Nunn’s illustrated talk “Nottinghamshire Roll of Honour” will be about the new WW1 memorial to be sited in the Memorial Gardens on Nottingham Victoria Embankment.

Our meetings are held on the 3^rd Wednesday of the month and take place in the Church Rooms, Mansfield Road, Edwinstowe, NG21 9NJ, commencing at 2.00 p.m. Tea/coffee and biscuits are available.  The annual subscription is £12, and visitors are welcome for a fee of £3.

Further information is available on our website at www.edwinstowehistory.org.uk.

Following a request to the Historical Society from Nadia Archer from the RSPB Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, several potential volunteers met in the former St. John’s Ambulance Brigade hut, Forest Corner, on Saturday, 10th March, to learn about the history of the village with a view to sharing the information with future visitors who come to Edwinstowe. A Power-Point presentation, given by Olwen and Margaret, highlighted important buildings in the village and associated history. Everyone was provided with a booklet, based on the presentation, to enable them to familiarise themselves with the village. Nadia thanked Olwen and Margaret for all the hard work they had put into the Presentation and organisation of the event.

The walk around the village commenced with a visit to the church where Greg Abbott provided a potted history of St. Mary’s. Other visits were made to the Craft Shops (Simpley Natural – where we were introduced to Minty Foot Soak), Calvie’s Gallery, Library, Forest Lodge, and finally Launay’s Restaurant, where we enjoyed welcome refreshments.

Edwinstowe Historical Society were invited by Gareth Broome (Representative of Nottinghamshire County Council) to assemble a display of photographs for the ‘Sparkling Sherwood Event’ (Friday 11th-Sunday 13th of November 2017.

2,000 tickets were sold and the event was very successful. Visitors thoroughly enjoyed the display which traced the forest history through time

Edwinstowe Remembers

Sunday 12th Nov 2017, was a bright but chilly Autumn morning, as over 170 people from groups or residents, gathered in Edwinstowe village for a march to St. Mary’s Church for a fitting and poignant service delivered by Lay Minister Greg Abbott.

At around 10:45, the march re-formed and moved on in column led by the Thoresby Colliery band and made up of Royal British Legion members, the Dukeries Academy Combine Cadet force, Guides, Scouts, Cubs, Brownies, Rainbows and other groups from the village. At the War Memorial garden, Greg Abbott read the Roll of Honour and Phil Jones delivered the Homage before a two-minute silence at 11am. This was followed by the laying of many wreaths before the march got underway again under the direction of the Parade Marshall Cadet Sgt. Major Ewen Lees, with the Royal British Legion (RBL) Standard borne by Cadet Sgt. Zak Higgins. The parade moved along the High Street where the salute was taken by the RBL  Edwinstowe President Sir David Naish, the Deputy Lieutenant, before arriving back at the start point on Mansfield Road a little after 11:30. This event produced an outstanding presence, from over 300 in the congregation at St. Mary’s where, once again, it was ‘standing room only’ and over 500 gathered at the Memorial Garden, with others viewing along the route of the march. The RBL is grateful to all of those who attended, and especially to the volunteers who positioned along the route to provide road traffic marshalling.

P. Jones

On the 6th September, 2017, the Tour of Britain Stage 4 cycle race, with 120 world class cyclists on their 175km route, The turnout from the community, including many children from the local schools was tremendous.

One media report stated that, “the turn out from the Edwinstowe was one of the largest they had seen so far”.

Well done Edwinstowe.

Edwinstowe Historical Society received a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2015. The grant has been used to create an archive of the many photographs and documents which the society holds, digitise them and create a website which is accessible to anyone interested in the history of Edwinstowe and the surrounding area.

The event was held on Saturday 8^th July at Edwinstowe House. There was a comprehensive display of photographs and maps, films of the Lantern Parade and the Pageant were shown and the website homepage was projected onto a screen.

Chairperson, Shirley Moore preparing for the event

A short speech was given by, Shirley, the Chairperson of the society. She thanked the people that had worked and helped to achieve the aims of the project and outlined how the grant had been spent.  She was presented with a gift to show appreciation and to thank her for all her efforts in obtaining the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and co-ordinating the project.

Shirley speaking at the event

The archive is at Edwinstowe House, in a room kindly provided by Woodhead Enterprises.

Members of the Woodhead family with Chairperson and Committee Members

Mrs. Margaret Woodhead (on the left) is a founding member of Edwinstowe Historical Society. Standing at the back are Tom and David Woodhead.

The website is in the development stage, but there are already many interesting pictures and articles on it.

The web address is:  www.edwinstowehistory.org.uk

The next meeting will be on 20th September, 2017. The subject of ‘Wartime Nottinghamshire’ will be presented by Howard Heeley. Meetings are from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Refreshments will be available.

For more information contact: Chairperson Shirley Moore tel. no. 01623 822264.

Following a well attended Annual General Meeting held on the 17th May, in the Church Rooms,  Edwinstowe, the members were shown a video entitled ‘A Portrait of a Thoresby Miner’

On 21st September 2015 at Edwinstowe Library many former miners were reunited sharing memories with workmates (including 5 former managers).

The opening of  Edwinstowe Historical Society’s exhibition celebrating 100 years of Thoresby Colliery was accompanied by former members of Thoresby Colliery Brass Band led by Stan Lippeatt.

Photographic displays from sinking of the Colliery and building the colliery village cover many aspects, from work at the coal face and on the surface including the Medical Centre, to St Johns Ambulance, the Pit Trip, the Band, Cricket, Football and Bowls, and the retired miner’s annual tea at the Welfare Hall.

Former members of the Thoresby Colliery Band provided background music at the event.

Supported by The Heritage Lottery Fund the exhibition ran until 31st October when it was transferred to Ollerton Library for a further four weeks.