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A Miscellany of Beeston Related Items
This section is used to present a variety of items, each imtroduced by a short paragraph, many of which we have collected from others who have a
connection with Beeston.
We hope that this approach will bring more to the site, more quickly and will be used to complement existing and additional self-researched articles
written in the style that we originally adopted. Note that the selection of Beeston-related newspaper extracts, previously accessed from this page, has been transferred to the
References menu.
- Alex Owen - Pioneer Television Retailer - the rise and rise of the Alex Owen television retailing organisation was a phenomenon of
the 1950s. Operating from headquarters in Beeston, the company grew to have a network of 47 shops throughout the Midlands with 500 employees. This success story, which had been
in danger of being forgotten, has now been recorded by David Hallam with the enthusiastic co-operation of Alex Owen's family.
- My Memories of Beeston - Bert Toon records his memories of living in Beeston. Born in 1931, he now records his early life before he
emigrated to Canada in 1956 - including school days, Boys Brigade, his dad playing in local dance bands, the Toreadors Band, working at Ericssons and more.
- Memoirs of Constance Annie Mayfield - born in 1912, Anne - as she was known - was the daughter of William and Mildred
Mayfield originally of Beeston but who went to live in Park Road, Chilwell after their marriage. The family emigrated to Australia in 1921. This memoir of her life
was found amongst Anne’s papers following her death in 1993 - another contribution by her niece, Trish Symonds of New South Wales, Australia. It is reproduced here with
only minor punctuation changes.
- The Derby Street Mill - many older Beeston folk will remember the Shaftesbury Laundry which occupied the mill on Derby Street through
three generations of the Treece family. But, it also has an eartlier history which has left very little record. Here, David Hallam attempts to unravel its history from its
earliest beginnings up to today.
- Comfy Buses - Molly Wade has let us have this interesting account of "Comfy Buses" a Beeston bus and taxi firm, which was
being operated by Arthur Howe and Louis Powney by the early 1930s.
- Grange Avenue, Beeston - David Hallam descibes something of the development of this Beeston street and some interesting detail about
this who were involved.
- Union Street, High Road & Beyond - by Jack Martin. In his last years, before his death in 2006, Jack Martin was encouraged by his wider
family - not least by Geoffrey Drinkwater - to write down his memories of his surroundings in Beeston in the 1920s and early 1930s. The result, seen here, was a vivid account of
life in Beeston which is hardly recognisable today.
- The Butchers' Shop at 39 Chilwell Road - David Hallam explores the history of this shop on the corner of Hall Croft - which was a butcher's
from its earliest occupant, Owen Sutton - whose family history is explored - through to Alfred Richard Elliott's time there. Then, inspired by the memories of Russell Old, recorded
by Geoffrey Drinkwater, David has used directories to chart the many butchers that traded in Beeston between 1905 and 1952.
- An Accident at Beeston Station, 1908 - Grenville Chamberlain tells the story behind a small gold medallian
which was presented to Fred Smith in recognition of first aid administered by him following an accident at Beeston Station just over 100 years ago, on 7th Sept 1908, in which Fred
Drinkwater was seriously injured.
- Memories of Chilwell Road Methodist Church: 1932-1939 - Geoffrey Drinkwater describes something of his boyhood at Chilwell Road Methodist
Church
- In a substantial paper on The Origins of the Placenames & Fieldnames of Beeston. Ivan Morrell tells us much about the early place names in
Beeston, many of which have been perpetuated in the street names we find in modern Beeston
- My Memories of Beeston - Alan Mann describes something of his early life in Beeston.
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