What's New -

Added in October 2024

• Added more to the story of Thomas Humber and the Humber cycle works that operated in Beeston between 1878 and 1908. This now includes more about Thomas's life after his retirement, the production of motorisd cycles and cars in Beeston, the two fires that destroyed much of the factory, businesses that occupied it after Humber left, and more. It is now essentially complete except for adding footnotes - which will now be worked on.

Added in September 2024

• Added the story of Thomas Humber and the Humber cycle works that operated in Beeston between 1878 and 1908

Added in August 2024

• Added the story of the provision of more workers' housing in the years around 1900. See it here as a further part of our story of housing in Beeston
• Added images of a restored Foster & Pearson glasshouse and a peach house that survive at Luton Hoo.

Added in July 2024/p>

July was a holiday month in which nothing was completed for publication. But there is plenty in the pipeline. Watch this space!

Added in June 2023

Happily, I was able to return to the keyboard later this month and added the following:
• Rewrote the story and details of Beeston's Boer War Memorial which had been incomplete for far too long.
• Rewrote much of the text of the story of the south side of Beeston Square, particularly that relating to a new photograph dated 1932 kindly provided by Tim Stephenson.
• Added the name Dan Sparrow Church School Class 3a 1930 and that of Claude Sparrow to that of Beeston Fields Secondary Modern School,1954/5. These were kindly supplied by Jill Sparrow.

Added in May 2024

Unfortunately, problems with my eyes have again limited my ability to work at my computer during the month. Sadly, as a result, I have not been able to complete any of the research I did mamage to work on, so I was unable to publish any new material this month. My treatment is underway and I expect to be back shortly with more new material. Thank you for your understanding.

Added in April 2024

• Added the story of Abbey Road as a further part of our story of housing in Beeston. Also added more detail and a map to the Fellows Road story that was added last month.

Added in March 2024

• Added the story of the sale of Beeston Fields House by George Fellows in 1910, the story of those involved aad the transition to a golf course, Beeston Fields Drive and the housing south of what is now Bramcote Drive, including Fellows Road and Sidney Road. See it here as a further part of our story of housing in Beeston.

Added in February 2024

• Added the story of the origins and building of the Robinet Estate, as a further part of our story of housing in Beeston.

Added in January 2024

• Added the story of housing in Beeston Rylands, including an account of the remarkable development of the Cliftonside Estate, as a further part of our story of Housing in Beeston.

Added in December 2023

• Completed the story of council housing in Beeston, to include the post-second-world-war period, as a continuation of Housing in Beeston. Also added the story of John Henry Brough to the previously incomplete story of the main building firms that were involved in council house building in Beeston

Added in November 2023

I spent much of this month catching up with some of the many - always very welcome - enquiries I receive from those who have an interest in aspects of Beeston's history. One of these. which I thought would have a wider interest is included here:
• The history of the Derby Street mill, which includes that of the Shaftesbury Laundry. is now to be found on the Miscellany menu but can be accessed here directly.

Added in October 2023

• Continued the story of council housing in Beeston, up to WW2 as a continuation of Housing in Beeston Included the story of the main building firms that were involved.

Added in September 2023

• Began the story of council housing in Beeston as a continuation of Housing in Beeston.
• Fixed the main issue that arose from the forced upgrade of the underlying system that drives the cemetery memorial incription database. There remains a few relatively minor, cosmetic issues that will be fixed shortly. Any residual issues that do exist should not inhibit the use of this important and unique resource for those seeking their Beeston ancestors.
• Corrected the details of 64a High Road to include the occupancy of Harry Allen, the photographer, from about 1960. Also clarified details of 96 High Road to show that the Harry Allen photographic business operated there from 1972 to 1980 was by others, Harry having sold the business, retired and moved away in 1972.

Added in August 2023

August was a month in which we took the opportunity for holidays and, as a result, nothing was completed for publication. We expect to continue the story of housing in Beeston and to publish it in September.

Added in July 2023

• Added the story of The White Lion public house which has reopened in July.
• Added another interesting photograph of an outing from Ockbrook which includes mambers of the Hudston family, this time to Trentham Gardens in 1950. Again, this was kindly provided by A&J McGibbon.

Added in June 2023 (Remember - links to new images and changed information are highlighted in red)

Happily, my eye is almost back to normal so I have been able to publish the following:
• Added the story of Thomas Guthrie Savage to Work Group Photographs. Thomas moved to Beeston in 1910, from Liverpool as a young man, to take a position with the then recently opened British L M Ericsson Manufacturing Co. Ltd factory. When war came in 1914, with the factory involved in essential war work he was exempted from conscription as a skilled machinist. Later he was directed to work at Woolwich Arsenal where his skills were required and, after the war, took a job at the Vickers factory in Crayford in Kent. The story and photographs were kindly provided by his gt-granddaughter, Michelle Carruthers..
• Added an interesting photograph of an outing by members of the Moravian Church in Ockbrook in 1960. This includes mambers of the Hudston family there which is connected strongly to the Beeston families of that name, partiiculary the family of the then late Baxter Hudston. A link to the photo and index of names, kindly provided by A&J McGibbon, is provided there.
• Reviewed, revised and added to the names of those included in the photograph of Church Street Boys School in about 1948 with the help of Brian Smithurst who is in touch with others shown there.

Added in May 2023

Unfortunately, my eye problem continued during May, and it was found that it needed a surgical procedure. Meanwhile, as a result. adding new material to the site continued to be problematic. Happily, however, the surgery was carried out on 30 May. So if, as is hoped, the healing process is without problems, we expect to be back to normal during June. Additional material for the housing feature, cemetery memorials and photographs from the past are already partially prepared. Thank you for your continued understanding.

Added in April 2023

Unfortunately, a problem with one of my eyes has made working at my computer next to impossible. As a result, sadly I have not been able to prepare and publish any new material this month. My treatment is underway and I hope to be back next month with more new material. Thank you for your understanding.

Added in March 2023

• Added the story of the development of Belle Vue Freehold Land Society to the account of the Development of Housing in Beeston.
• Added two additions to the listing of Beeston-related books : From Baku to Beeston by Hilda Stoddard and Neil Cossons which tells the story of their father Arthur's service in the Great War through his fascinating letters to his family - before his return home, retraining as a teacher and the well-known and well respected remainder of his life, much of it as the Head Teacher of Church Street Boys School in Beeston and as an inspiring local historian. And In Search of Mother by Julie Leek, telling the tragic story of her search for her mother who sent her childhood, along with three siblings, in the Orphanage in Beeston. See details of both HERE where we are now highlighting latest additions in a box, until more recent books are added.
• We have also mentioned "Evenings of Wonder", a 'fiction based on fact' book by the Isle of Man author, Sue King, who kindly sent us a copy. It gives an account of imaginary circus performances on the island in the 19th Century and includes an interesting chapter describing performances by Beeston's William Wallett in 1871. Details on his page - HERE

Added in February 2023

• Added the story of the development of Imperial Park and of the Beeston Mutual Permanent Building Society to the account of the Development of Housing in Beeston.
• Added more to the story of the lacemaking pioneer, Thomas Elliott. We are grateful to Thomas Thomson for this additional material.
• Added the name of Dennis Riley to Ericsson Capinet Shop photograph of 1957. This was kindly supplied by Julie Bullock with the permission of his son Robert Riley.

Added in January 2023

• As part of the story of the Development of Housing in Beeston, added a link to a page telling the stories of early houses on Devonshire Avenue and, in particular the stories of those who lived there in the early years. More similar stories may be expected to appear during February and beyond.

Added in December 2022

• Added more to the story of the Development of Housing in Beeston, specifically relating to the development of St Johns Grove in Beeston. More research relating to this has been completed but, in a busy month, it has not yet been fully written up. It is expected to appear during January.

Added in November 2022

• Continued the story of the Development of Housing in Beeston, this time beginning the story of Beeston Land Society and the development of St Johns Grove in Beeston.
• Addedd two class photographs from Beeston Fields Junior School in 1946 and 1947 and one from about 1950 of Beeston Fields Secondary Modern School. These were kindly supplied by Duncan Barnes. We would welcome contact from anyone who recognises their grandparent, parent or even themself - or, indeed, anyone - on any of these photographs.

Added in October 2022

• Began a new topic on the Development of Housing in Beeston. This is a major project and much more will follow in the following months. The topic is normally accessed from the Buildings & Feature option on the Topics menu

Added in September 2022

• About 70 additional images relating to surviving memorial stones in part of the 1930s extension to Beeston Cemetery (Section X1 in our database) were added. A few involved corrections and additional inscriptions that were discovered were added. The photographic record of this section of the cemetery is now complete such that only Section X2 remains to be photographed to complement our earlier transcription of the the then surviving, older sections of the cemetery. We believe the resulting database is an important and unique resource for those seeking their Beeston ancestors. To encourage its wider use, we have re-written the introduction and we value any feedback you have.
• Details of the story of Foster & Pearson after the retirement of Charles Mason in 1935, up to its closure in 1992, have been revisited and rewritten accordingly. These may be found here, in the story of this company (part of the Pearson family "Flowers to Foundry" story.

Added in August 2022

• Following the remarkable discovery of a bundle of original annual financial accounts for Foster & Pearson Ltd, for all but one year, from 1893-1928, the story of this company (part of the Pearson family "Flowers to Foundry" story, has been revisited to add more details of the company's management and a summary and analysis of the financial figures.

Added in July 2022

• Added the story Framework Knitting from its origins in the 16th Century up to its sad decline, in Beeston as elsewhere, during the 19th Century.

Added in June 2022

• Added the story of the Beeston Gravel Pit Friendly Society which operated for over 100 years up to the 1930s.
• Added an image of Matthew Hickling Odell who was awarded a prize by Beeston Men's Sunday Guild in 1901. It was kindly provided by his great-great granddaughter, Sally Masson.
• Images of about 30 additional surviving memorial stones from the 1930s extension to Beeston Cemetery (Section X1 in our database) were added. A few involved corrections and additional inscriptions that were discovered and added.

Added in May 2022

• Added the story of 103 and 104 High Road to complete the section of the High Road, from Willoughby Street to City Road. It has been a long slog but the research has turned up quite a few surprises and some very interesting stories. Footnotes will be added in due course, alongside getting on with some new topics!

Added in April 2022

• Added the story of 100 High Road to the section of the High Road, from Willoughby Street to City Road. Hopefully, the account of this section of the High Road will be completed by the end of May - with footnotes added in due course.

Added in March 2022

• Added the story of 98 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road. Footnotes will be added in due course.

Added in February 2022

• Completed the story of 96 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road. Footnotes will be added in due course.
• Added the story of Matthew Hickling Odell who was awarded a prize by Beeston Men's Sunday Guild in 1901. The book prize was recently found by Melanie Sharpe, amongst the possessions of her late father, Jim Sharpe. Melanie has kindly passed on the details and we have put together Matthew's story and made a guess as to how it had come into Jim's possession.

Added in January 2022

• Added most of the story of 96 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road. This is expected to be completed shortly and the story of this section of the High Road will continue.
• Philip Condran has kindly pointed out his father on the 1933 picture of Class 2B, Beeston Fields Secondary School and has provided an outline of his life. Also supplied was an earlier picture of his father at Nether Street Boys School. Both can be accessed by following the highlighted links on our school photographs page

Added in December 2021 (Remember - links to new images and changed information are highlighted in red)

• Following the forced upgrade of the technology behind the Beeston Cemetery inscriptions and images database, changes were carried out to improve the user interface. This is now much improved and, except for a relatively small issue that requires fixing, it now is completely workable and can be used with complete confidence. The outstanding issue (described on the screen from where it is available) is expected to be fixed completely with the next few days.
• Even more photographs and related text have been added to the story of 2nd Beeston Sea Scouts in the 1950s. (See highlighted links)
• A photograph of the backstage crew for the Station Road Sunday School play, dated around 1958 and another of the Chilwell Road Methodist Anniversary of 1958 have been added to the Faces from the Past page.

Added in November 2021 (When, work on the house and other issues have had their effect)

• It was appropriate to add memorial pages for four men with Beeston connections who gave their lives in the Great War but, for various reasons have not previously been remembered in this way: Alfred Sydney Bostock, Horace Morton, William Wilmott Oldham and John Robert Cox
  We are aware of a number of others. They will be added when research is completed

Added in October 2021

• Added the story of 94 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road. The story of this section of the High Road will continue.

Added in September 2021

• Added the story of 92 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road. Also, a few additions and some photographs were added to the story of 88 & 90 High Road. The story of this section of the High Road will continue.

Added in August 2021

• Added the story of 88 & 90 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road including and insight into nearby property ownership and transfers. The story of this section of the High Road will continue
• Peter Clarke has kindly provided further details for the Remembrance Page for Charles Albert Smith who was died while serving in the Great War

Added in July 2021

• Added the story of 86 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road. Also added the result of further research into the origins of 72-76 High Road and the involvement of Matthew Hawkes in this. Made a start on adding footnotes for this section of the High Road. Its story will continue.
• Added an image of a Beeston Foundry Charabanc Outing from the 1920s.
• Gerald Fisher has kindly provided a photograph and further details for the Remembrance Page for Claude William Fisher who was killed in action in the Great War

Added in June 2021

• Added the story of 82 & 84 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road. The story of this section of the High Road will continue

Added in May 2021

• Added the story of 78 & 80 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road. The story of this section of the High Road will continue
• Mike Bee has kindly provided an account of his time working for Alex Owen which is now incorporated into the overall atory.

Added in April 2021

• Added the story of 76 High Road to the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road. Still 13 more shops and a pub yet to add before this section is complete.
  
  Would have been able to do more but was forced to upgrade the technology behind the Beeston Cemetery inscriptions and images database. Unfortunately, this meant that the related screens were not compatible and I was forced to spend an extended time trying to sort things out. This is now stable and workable but will need more work before it is up to full standard.

Added in March 2021

• Added a new section to describe the story of the section of the High Road from Willoughby Street to City Road and completed the account of numbers 72 and 74 High Road, which takes in two particularly well-known occupants, William Thums and his neighbour the Hands family. With 15 more shop and a pub yet to come, there is much to follow over the next few months.
• Bert Toon has provided a further instalment to his memories of his life in Beeston before he emigrated to Canada in 1956.
• Brian Jackson has kindly provided a series of photographs of activities of the Boys Brigade in about 1950 - including parades, camp and a wedding guard-of-honour.
• Jenni Cowlishaw has kindly added extras to several areas. An image if the Sea Rangers at their river base in the 1950 is now added to the previously existing Sea Ranger page, more information about occupants of 20 High Road has been added and a photo and additional detail has been added to the WW1 memorial page for John Thomas Cowlishaw.

Added in February 2021 (Remember - links to new images and changed information are highlighted in red)

• More photographs and related text have been added to the the story of 2nd Beeston Sea Scouts in the 1950s. (See highlighted links)
• Jennifer Thompson (née Spicer) has kindly added more names to the photograph of Roundhill Junior School from about 1955, on the School Photos page.

Added in January 2021

• Completed the story of the section of the High Road from Wollaton Road to Villa Street which now includes the story of Nevetts, Toyer/Spencers milliners, Sheffields Dairy, Elliotts, The Palace Cinema and the 1960s redevelopment. The footnotes, as ever, will follow as soon as possible.

Added in December 2020

• Added a new section describing the story of the section of the High Road from Wollaton Road to Villa Street which takes in the story of Fred Hallam's shop and what is now NatWest Bank. Much has been completed and the remainder can be expected shortly.

Added in October 2020

• Improved the section relating to Isaac Thornhill and his family, part of the story of the section of the High Road from Villa Street to Stoney Street. Also corrected a minor error that had inhibited the visibility of the story of the J C Steeples Ltd shop, as well as adding footnotes - with more to follow.
• Added much more to the story of the Men's Sunday Guild, after having been made aware of a Guild trophy and newssheet in the Beeston & District Local History Society archive.
• Michael Peel has kindly provided names for Form 1A (1960) and Mr Long's class (Form 4a), part of the set of class photographs when K D Roberts retired from Beeston Fields Secondary School in 1964.

Added in September 2020 (As usual, new page links are highlighted in red on the Faces From the Past pages)

• Added the story of erection of the World War Memorial, originally to the memory of the fallen of the Great War (1914-1918) and later extended in remembrance of those who died in World War2 (1939-1945)
• David Whelbourn has kindly provided a picture of Class 5W at Beeston Fields Secondary School in 1974.
• Bert Toon has provided a further instalment to the Memoirs of his life in Beeston before he emigrated to Canada in 1956.
• Jan Goodman kindly provided more photographs from her family collection, this time of her father, Arthur Wakefield as a member of Old Boys football teams in the 1920s.
• Added many names to the picture of 2nd Beeston Cubs in 1938 as well as obituaries of two of those shown.

Added in August 2020

• The story of the section of the High Road from Villa Street to Stoney Street is now 'complete' except for the footnotes which will follow in due course.
• Jan Goodman kindly provided an interesting image of Nether Street School which had several of the pupils idetified - including Jan's mother, then Doris Alma Brown. In most cases, we have been able to add more history to the lives of each that were named.
• Kevin Grundy has kindly provided two group photographs from Rylands Junior School in the early 1960s. We expect to be able to add some names to the faces shortly and, of course, we invite suggestions from others.

Added in July 2020

• More work completed on the story of the section of the High Road from Villa Street to Stoney Street, this time covering 63 High Road which includes the story of Hemmings the chemist followed by Applebees - which many will fondly remember there. Progress made on footnotes but some way to go!
• Jan Goodman kindly provided a number of photographs from her family collection, including photographs of her father, Arthur Wakefield at Church Street School and in the Old Boys cricket team. As usual, these and any other new page links are highlighted in red on the Faces From the Past pages.

Added in June 2020

• Decided to defer the story of the Hudstons in Ockbrook and to work on the story of the section of the High Road from Villa Street to Stoney Street which takes in numbers 49 to 65. Much has been completed and the remainder can be expected shortly. This is the first of the north side sections. For convenience, 'north' and 'south' are on seperate menus, with links from one to the other.
• Bert Toon has provided another instalment to his Memoirs of his life in Beeston before he emigrated to Canada in 1956. This has been added as a continuation of the first instalment. More instalments of his story and photographs from his collection are expected in the future.

Added in May 2020

A lot of work was done on the remainder of the story of the Hudston family in Ockbrook which, although having only indirect Beeston connections, is a personal focus of the site owner that he is keen to record. However, as it was not sufficiently completed by the end of the month, it has been held over until next month.
• Bert Toon has provided the first instalment of his Memoirs of his life in Beeston before he emigrated to Canada in 1956. More instalments of his story are expected and will follow in the future.
• Added a blog piece on my memories of VE Day in Beeston on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of this momentous day.

Added in April 2020

• Continued the story of the Hudston family in Ockbrook, Derbyshire. This turned up another, this time unexpected, Beeston connection.

Added in March 2020 (In these strange and worrying times, have started to tidy up gaps and will add new areas too - watch this space)

• Began to add the story of the Hudston family in Ockbrook, Derbyshire. All descend from one man, William Hudston, from Beeston who moved there in 1830.

Added in February 2020 (Remember - new images and those with more details, in this month and last, have captions highlighted in red)

• Malcolm and Hilary Hallam kindly provided the photograph of Class 2 of the Beeston Fields Junior School in 1940, on the School Photos page.
• A pub check from The Victoria Inn has been added to the page that describes Grenville Chamberlain's unique collection of Beeston pub checks. And, thanks to Helen Driscoll for offering the check to the collection.
• A few changes have been made to the William Wallett page. More should be expected over the coming weeks as input, from Wallett descendants and enthusiasts around the world, is assimilated.
• David Clay has kindly named many of those in Mr Long's class, from the photos of the whole school taken on the retirement of Mr K D Roberts from Beeston Fields Secondary Modern School in 1964. It may be accessed from the School Photos page.
• John Clay has kindly added more names to photographs of the Church Street School football teams from 1951 and 1954, on the School Photos page.

Added in January 2020 (When, as well as taking a long break away in the sun, we installed a new computer)

• Following contact with Bert Toon, who emigrated to Canada in 1956, the photos previously described as of the Ericsson Cabinet Shop in the 1940s/50s, have now been corrected on the Workplace section on the Faces From the Past page. He tells us that they show the Maintenance Department (carpenters, joiners and painters) and has added his own name and that of several colleagues in the late 1950s.

Added in December 2019

• The story of the section of the High Road from Union Street to Willoughby Street is now complete. It takes in numbers 64 to 70 (numbered 30-36 up to 1908) and includes the stories of C Hall & Sons (ironmongers), Greenlees shoe shop and Albert Steggles (grocer) and many others. And, it even makes an unexpected (and obscure) connection to a famous poet. Well worth a read!

Added in November 2019

• The stories of nos. 66 and 68 High Road have been added to the history of Union Street to Willoughby Street section of the High Road. More will be added shortly.
• Photographs and amended narrative have been added to the Great War memorial page for John Samuel Turton. Thanks are due to Joanna Turton for making these available.
• A photograph of Thomas William Riley, kindly provided by Brian Szowkomud, has been added to his Great War Memorial page.

Added in October 2019

• All footnotes have now been added to the Twiggs family pages and they are now complete.
• A further image from Ted Avery's collection, has been added to the sports team section of the Faces From the Past page. This shows a group of members of Ericsson Tennis Club from the 1930s. As usual, follow the links highlighted in red.
• A photograph of a group of Ericsson employees in the Paint Shop from about 1959 has been added to the Workplace section on the Faces From the Past page. This was kindly provided by Francis Dunkley, whose father Frank appears in the group.

Added in September 2019

• More added to the story of the Twiggs family. It is now substantially complete, needing only footnotes on the final page. These will be added shortly.
• Images of more than 60 additional surviving memorial stones from the 1930s extension to Beeston Cemetery (Section X1 in our database) were added. As always a few corrections and additional inscriptions that were discovered, were added.

Added in July 2019

• We are very pleased to feature a number of images provided by Ted Avery from photograph albums put together by his father, Derrick Arthur Avery. Derrick followed his father, Frederick Arthur Avery, to work at Ericssons and retired from there 48 years later. The photographs reflect that employment and his leisure interests and can be viewed in the respective sections of our Faces From the Past page by following the links highlighted in red. The 'Workplace' section shows Derrick in the Tool Design Office in 1940 (and later in the Drawing Office), his 25-year service award (along with many others) and his attendance at a Strowger Group reunion during his retirement. The 'Societies & Clubs' section shows his involvement, as a musician, with the Ericsson Dramatic Society and Pantomimes. An image of an Ericssons cricket outing has also been added to the 'Sports Teams' section. Frederick has now been identified on the 1921 Ericsson Staff photograph and on the 1921 image of the General Office (part of our Ericssons page but accessible by a link from the Staff image page). Remarkably, Frederick's wife, Kate Abell Avery (née Waters), has been identified in the c1920 churchyard tree planting image in the 'Church & Chapel' section.
  
  Further work on the Union Street to Willoughby Street section of the High Road and on the story of the Twiggs family will continue in the near future.

Added in June 2019

• The story of the Twiggs family has been added to our Family History page. Further work, photographs and notes will be added shortly. We are particularly grateful to Christine Smedley for most of the photographs and other family information.
• Histories of Beeston Fields and Church Street Schools, written by Wallace Mason in 2006-7 were published originally on the BBC h2g2 site. Now that they are no longer available from that source, he has kindly made then available directly on our site. These now replace the links to the previous links to the h2g2 site from our Schools page, page.

Added in May 2019

• An image of Harry Brewster's medals and Death Plaque as been added to his World War 1 memorial page, courtesy of Paul Brewster.
• Photographs taken at Roundhill Junior School in 1950 and 1953, kindly supplied by Dave and Julie Bullock (for Brian Hughes), have been added to the School Photos page. We have included an image, which we had to hand, of the school under construction in 1950.
• Photographs of the Church Street School football teams from 1951 and 1954, kindly supplied by Tony Lowe and Malcom Potter respectively, have been added to the School Photos page.

Added in April 2019

• A Beeston-related Great War loss from April 1919, Herbert Healey Robinson was added to our World War 1 memorial pages.
• A photograph of Barton Transport women workers from the 1940s as been added and more names have been added to the photograph of Barton Transport maintenance staff from the 1950s, in the Workplace section on the Faces From the Past page. As usual, follow the links highlighted in red.
• Cheryl Bilbie (née Lane) has identified herself on the Nursery Christmas Party photograph from about 1954.
• Images of a further 75 surviving memorial stones from the 1930s extension to Beeston Cemetery (Section X1 in our database) were added. A few corrections were made and any additional inscriptions were added.
• Added a blog page describing a visit by an American Wallett family member - and, as a result. a photograph of his memorial stone has been added to the story of William Frederick Wallett.

Added in March 2019

• A Beeston-related Great War loss from March 1919, Herbert Arthur Holloway was added to our World War 1 memorial pages.
• A collection of Ericsson photographs, kindly supplied by Clair Dunnicliffe have been added to the Workplace photographs on the Faces From the Past page. These show Joe Dunnicliffe, her husband's great-uncle, who worked in the cabinet shop for most if not all of his working life, and Edward Kerry, her grandad, who also worked in the cabinet shop. As usual, follow the links highlighted in red.
• The story of a further section of the High Road - Union Street to Willoughby Street - is now partially complete and has been released. More will be added shortly.

Added in February 2019

• The single Beeston-related loss in February 1919, Alfred Percival Page was added to our World War 1 memorial pages. A page in memory of Maurice Charles Mansfield, previously belived to have died in February 1919, has now been added to those who died in February 1916.
• Thanks to a period of remarkably fine weather, a further 60 images of surviving memorial stones from the 1930s extension to Beeston Cemetery (Section X1 in our database) were added.
• Added a blog page about the 120th anniversary of C P Walker & Son, the local estate agents and an announcement of their competition to write your predictions for Beeston in the 2020s. Also included is a reminder that copies of The Story of Beeston by David Hallam, are available free to callers at C P Walker's office in Beeston. This well illustrated history of Beeston between 1896 and 2016, celebrates the 120th anniversary of C P Walker & Son.
• Added a page of images of Dr John Clifford, kindly provided by Rilla Paterson. This can be accessed from a link at the end of the John Clifford page.

Added in January 2019 (When we were away finding sun and avoiding the cold weather !)

• The single Beeston-related loss in January 1919, Guy Luntley Tutin, was added to our World War 1 memorial pages. .

Added in December 2018

• Added a memorial page for the one Beeston-related Great War death from December 1918, 100 years ago: Reginald Ernest Trease DSO MC who died of flu in hospital, while undergoing reconstructive surgery for his injuries
• Added a further 11 images of surviving memorial stones from the 1930s extension to Beeston Cemetery (Section X1 in our database). Unfortunately, further progress was inhibited by poor weather.
• Completed the story of the Ericsson site by adding an account of the Plessey, GPT and Siemens years.

Added in November 2018

• Thankfully, November 1918, brought the end of over four years of a terrible war which had meant so much loss of life, many others maimed and much sorrow to families in Beeston, as in many places in the world. But people continued to die from wounds and, a new terror, the flu pandemic which now hit the world. In all, seven men with Beeston connections died in November 1918. We have added a memorial page for six of these: Harry Barnes, Alfred Ernest Clifford, Fred Barrett Armitage, Joseph Stanley Castledine, Frank Oldham and Joseph R Hogg The seventh, for Edward Marshall Singleton, had been added previously

Added in October 2018

• Although we now know that in October 1918, the end of the horror and killing of the Great War was not far away, the fighting was still very fierce and many lost their lives or were wounded in these final days. In all thirteen men with Beeston connections died in October 1918. We have added a memorial page for twelve of these: Albert Cudworth, John Philip Abell, Thomas Henry Buckley, John Thomas Cowlishaw, Arthur Edwin Ellis, Percy Haddon, George Samuel Gaunt Richardson, Leonard Hoult, William Phillips, Harry Tebbutt, Edgar Clark and Ernest Edward Jarrett The thirteenth, James Kerry, had been added previously
• Added more details about the Beeston Men's Sunday Guild inspired by a Guild book prize find at a British Columbia charity sale.

Added in September 2018

• Added a memorial page for nine Beeston-related Great War deaths from 100 years ago, in September 1918. Many of these died during the opening stages of the Allies' continuing final Hundred Days Offensive. The nine are: Frank Harper, Thomas William Riley, George Ernest Sutton, Percy Bowlzer, Claude William Fisher, Arthur James Newton, James Kerry, Charles Slack MM and Albert Oldham.
• Brian Burke has kindly identified four people on the Early 1970s Plessey Retirement Group.

Added in August 2018

• Added a memorial page for eight Beeston-related Great War deaths from 100 years ago, in August 1918. Many of these died during the opening stages of the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive which, thankfully, was to lead to the end of this terrble war. The eight are: Frank Alan Rothera, George William Searson, John Robert Clifford, William Robotham, John Edgar Spencer, Jonathan Dalby Lawton, Lot Hodgkinson and Horace Edgar Jeffries.
• Added 100 images of surviving memorial stones from the 1930s extension to Beeston Cemetery (Section X1 in our database). Many of the stones in this section, particularly those with a kerb and base, are now in a poor state and some have already been removed. We will continue to add more images as soon as possible.

Added in July 2018

Note : I would appreciate it if anyone who used our change notification facilty will let me know if it is still working and useful, following recent changes by the provider.

• Added a memorial page for two Beeston-related Great War deaths from 100 years ago, in July 1918: George John Rowland and William Henry Jackson. One other, William Edward Barsby, had been added previously
• Added a memorial page for Thomas Lawton who died on 17th July 1916 but had previously been recorded with an incorrect date
• Continued the story of the Ericsson site, which now covers the years up to 1961 when Plessey took over. This new material includes insights into the 1931 visit by Gandhi and the 1956 payroll robbery as well as the growth of the company despite the Second World War and its aftermath. The story of the Plessey and Siemens years will appear shortly.
• Added a new book to the page of locally-connected publications. The Story of Beeston by David Hallam is a well illustrated history of Beeston between 1896 and 2016, which celebrates the 120th anniversary of C P Walker & Son, the local estate agents. It is available free to callers at C P Walker's office in Beeston.

Added in June 2018

Note : unfortunately, the change alert may no longer be working following the transfer of the ChangeDetection utility to Visualping. I would appreciate it if anyone who used the facilty will let me know if it is still working and useful.

• Added a memorial page for the only Beeston-related Great War death from 100 years ago, in June 1918: Thomas Peach.
• Added an account of the development of the Ericsson site, covering its first 20 years and included many excellent photographs, particularly of the interior of the works in 1921. The account will be continued in the near future to cover the later years, including the Plessey and Siemens eras.

Added in May 2018

• There were eight more Beeston-related deaths 100 years ago, in May 1918, when the Spring Offensive by the German Army continued. Five of these are newly added to our site: Ernest Edward Jarrett, Herbert Horne, Thomas William Turton, John William Brackner and Thomas Branson Knowles. The other three, William Brackner, Frederic Williams Piggin, and William Hancox, had been added previously.

Added in April 2018

• 100 years ago, in April 1918, the Spring Offensive by the German Army continued and the heavy casualties included eleven men with Beeston connections. It was also the month when, in an attempt to replace the hugh losses, young men aged only 18½ were sent to the front - some, like those of all ages, only surviving a few days. Memorial pages for eight of the eleven are newly added to our site: Wilfred Leslie Mosley, Percy Hewitt Peadon, Ernest George William Sharp, Clarence Henry Austin, James Hallam, John Robert Bruce, Sidney Pearson Robinson and Harry Brewster. The other three, Claude Edward Hayes, Thomas Calvert and Charles Edward Green, had been added previously. Pages for Arthur Wright, who died in April 1917, and for Harold George Bennett, who died in March 1918, have also been added. These two deaths had previously been dated wrongly in our Roll of Honour.

Added in March 2018

• This month marked the 100th Anniversary of the launch of the Spring Offensive by the German Army, an attempt to achieve a decisive victory, before American troops and resources could tilt the balance towards the Allies. Their aim was to smash through the Allied lines, drive them into the sea and cut off their supply lines by seizing the ports. During these early days of the offensive, the allies were pushed back but were able to hold the new positions - but with heavy casualties. These included a total of thirteen men from local families who were killed during the month. Memorial pages for nine of these are newly added to our site: Frederick Adcock, Howard Charlton Brown, Ewart Reginald Lanes MC, Fred Sewell, Arthur Joyce Blagdurn, John Oldham, Sydney Storer Boot, Evalyn Arthur Jackson and George Oldham. The other four, Percy Bettle, William Robert Jackson, Harry Harper and Jack Lea had been added previously.

Added in February 2018

• Added a substantial amount of text, images and notes to complete the story of the section of the High Road between Acacia Walk and Union Street
• Added a number of photographs which have been kindly supplied by the family of Norman Frank Fearn which cover his time with the Beeston Toreadors Carnival Band, his time with the Boys Brigade and, at Ericssons, part of the 1950 Crowe Cup winning team and as a Football Coach. As always. the titles of new additions are highlighted in red for two months.

Added in January 2018 (Away finding sun and avoiding the cold and damp weather for much of the month !)

• There were two Beeston-related Great War losses in January 1918. An entry had already been added to our World War 1 memorial pages for Charles Tebbutt and we have now added one for Alfred Harold Calvert.
• A photograph of Class 1 at Beeston Fields Junior class from 1949 has been added to the school photographs page. This has been kindly supplied by Pat Dolby and almost all those who appear on it have been named by Pat Dolby, Frank Trout and Robert Seedhouse

Added in December 2017

• After the early successes in the Battle of Cambrai, in the early part of December 100 years ago, the enemy counter-attacked resulting in tragic Allied losses. Several from this episode were amongst a total of nine men from local families who were killed during the month. Memorial pages for five of these are newly added to our site: John Morley Crampton, Fred Bust, Thomas Clark, Percy Cordon and Bertie Mark Limb. The other four, Stephen Hetley Pearson, Harry Ward, Albert Edward Mee and Oliver Tailby had been added previously. A page in memory of Harold Buckingham was added to the April 1917 section, his death having previously been incorrectly recorded here as in November 1917.
• George Tuck and Anthony Morrell have identified some of those on the Local Cricket Team from the 1950s (either an Ericssons team or a local team called Allendale) which was added in November. George also identified Mick Towlson on the 1950s Ericsson cricket team photograph
• Added three more books to the page of locally-connected publications. Remembering Long Eaton, Beeston & Chilwell and The War Diary of a Despatch Rider's Wife are newly published. The interesting booklet, 100 Years of Telecommunications, published by Siemens Communications Limited in 2001, tells the story of the Beeston site throughout its Ericsson, Plessey and Siemens years.

Added in November 2017

• The final phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres - known as 'Passchendaele' - and the beginning of the Battle of Cambrai brought more tragedy to local families during this month, 100 years ago, when ten Beeston-connected men were killed. Memorial pages for eight of these men are newly added to our site: Charles Henry Whadcoat, Charles Claude Sturt, William Sydney Baxter, Albert Edward Osborne, Arthur Ernest Clarke, William Walter Clarke, Enoch Bywater and Thomas William Sparrow were added to our World War 1 memorial pages. The other two, Harold Bailey and William Aram had been added previously.
• Added a picture of a Local Cricket Team from the 1950s to the sports team section of the Faces From the Past page. This is either the Ericssons team or a local team called Allendale. The image was kindly supplied by Julia Powell. As always, new additions are highlighted in red.

Added in October 2017

• This month, 100 years ago, brought more tragedy to Beeston families as the 3rd Battle of Ypres - known as 'Passchendaele' - continued, with seven Beeston-connected men killed. Memorial pages for four of those who were killed are newly added to our site: Harry Lea, Clarence Edward Barnes, Albert Ernest Barker, and John Calcraft were added to our World War 1 memorial pages. The other three, Horace Edward Blackwell, Francis Hazzledine and George Goodall had been added previously.
• More added to the story of a further section of the High Road - Acacia Walk to Union Street relating to the history of 58-62 High Road.
• Bruce Littley has kindly passed on information relating to the bankruptcy of William Dix, Beeston's blacksmith, in 1865. This has been added to the Dix Family page and the related genealogy, along with details relating to the death of Samuel, his youngest child.

Added in September 2017 (Time was limited this month - hope to get back to the High Road story very soon)

• 100 years ago the 3rd Battle of Ypres - known as 'Passchendaele' - hit many families hard. Eleven Beeston-connected men were killed in the month and others would have been wounded. Memorial pages for ten of those who were killed are newly added to our site: Arthur Percy Frettingham, John Samuel Turton, Fred Paling, George Albert Pembleton, Walter George Wilkins, John Arthur Cox, Frank Johnson, Frank Parkes, William Wallis and Arthur Edward Blacknell were added to our World War 1 memorial pages. The other one, Alfred William Preston, had been added previously.
• Added over 55 more images of memorial stones in Beeston Cemetery. 35 of these are in the first part of the 1930s extension to the original cemetery and the remainder are of stones in the "right top" section that had previously not been photographed. Access these and the earlier images from the Memorial Inscription records page.
• Martin Shaw has kindly identified two people on the Ericssons Strowger Group Reunion from the late 1900s. As always, click the link and then the caption highlighted in red.

Added in August 2017

• Yet another terrible month, 100 years ago, for Beeston-connected families with 10 losses in the month, 5 of which are newly added to our site: Andrew Victor Guy, Percy Turner, Arthur Henry Parker, Leonard George Lewis Webb and Samuel Gilbert Booth, were added to our World War 1 memorial pages. The other five, Thomas Walter Church, Harry Ashton, Albert Tebbutt, Percy Douglas Alsop and Samuel Bagshaw, had been added previously.
• Added over 50 more images of memorial stones in Beeston Cemetery. These are in the first part of the 1930s extension to the original cemetery (which has already been photographed). Access these and the earlier images from the Memorial Inscription records page.

Added in July 2017 (Took a break for a couple of weeks - despite the rain !)

• July 1917 saw four more losses for Beeston-connected families which are have now been remembered on our site: Arthur Edward Barnes, Albert Dawn, Joseph William West and Harry Wilson Manley
• Susan Wheat has kindly supplied more names to the Fire Brigade Christmas Party photograph. More names and pictures are promised.

Added in June 2017

• June 1916 was another terrible month for Beeston-connected families with 11 losses in the month, 10 of which are newly added to our site: John William Bettle, Enoch Henry Harper, John Francis Scott, Arthur Matthew Smedley, James Shrewsbury Coxon, William Charles Ryall, Ernest Edward J Calladine, Ernest Hollingsworth, Horace Hartshorn & Reginald Horace Barker were added to our World War 1 memorial pages. The eleventh, Ernest Stanley Tonks, had been added previously.

Added in May 2017

• Two Beeston-related losses in May 1917 added to our World War 1 memorial pages: Walter Lewis and Sydney Robert Armitage.
• More work on the story of a further section of the High Road - Acacia Walk to Union Street relating to the early history of the site of 58-62 High Road. Work is progressing on the later period and other properties in this section and can be expected shortly.

Added in April 2017

• April 1916 was another terrible month as the Arras offensive opened up and there were eight more Beeston-connected losses in the month, each of which is now added to our memorial pages: William Henry Haddon, Robert James Draycott, John Hodgkinson, Frederick William Lowe, Walter Oldham, Arthur William Jackson and Frank Arnold Jebbett were added to our World War 1 memorial pages. The eighth, William Shrewsbury Sharpe, had been added previously.
• Added a page of pictures of restored Foster & Pearson greenhouses at West Dean Gardens in West Sussex. This page is normally accessed from a link on the Flowers to Foundry page, telling the story of Foster & Pearsons and Beeston Boiler Company. These images were kindly supplied by Keith McGraw.
• Graham Shand has kindly given his own name and that of two others on the Class 1A of 1958-9 group at Beeston Fields County Secondary School. As always, click the link and then the caption highlighted in red.

Added in March 2017

• A further Beeston-related casualty, Samuel Goodall, in March 1917, was added to our World War 1 memorial pages
• The story of a further section of the High Road - Acacia Walk to Union Street - is now partially complete (relating to 40-48 High Road) and has now been released. Research continues on the other properties in this section.
• Added a picture of Beeston Boiler Football Team from 1927/28, to the sports team section of the Faces From the Past page. This image was kindly supplied by Robert Seedhouse. As always, new additions are highlighted in red.
• An infants group from about 1910 has been added to the collection of Church St Junior Boys School photographs. This was kindly supplied by Stephen Hallam.

Added in February 2017

• The Beeston-related casualty, Frank Lee, in February 1917, was added to our World War 1 memorial pages
  
  Work on the story of a further section of the High Road - Acacia Walk to Union Street - progressed to an advanced stage but it was decided to withhold it until next month, following the last-minute emergence of new material.

Added in January 2017(Away finding sun and avoiding the cold and rain for much of the month !)

• Two Beeston-related losses in January 1917 added to our World War 1 memorial pages: John Calvert and John Thorley.
• Yvette Haydon (née Young) has kindly pointed out her mother, Sheila Young, in the Ericsson Valve Lab group from 1957

Added in December 2016

• Two Beeston-related losses in December 1916 added to our World War 1 memorial pages: Wilfred Smith and Percival Robinson.
• Added a picture of a group that appears to be Beeston United Football Club from 1921/22, to the sports team section of the Faces From the Past page. This image was kindly supplied by Jean Hall
• Peter Church has kindly provided names for Mr Arden's and Mr Davis's classes in the K D Roberts retirement album for Beeston Fields County Secondary School in 1964
• A rewritten and much enlarged account of the early history of Beeston Boys' Brigade, including many photographs from camps and an inspection in 1898 and 1900 with named individuals. This was made possible by access to a photograph album and scrapbook originally owned by Stephen Strachan Rogers, who was the Captain of the Brigade between 1897 and 1904, now kindly made available by Alison Hollingsworth, his great-niece.
• Adjustments to the menu system to incorporate a new 'Organisations' menu and to rename 'Landmarks' to read, more appropriately, 'Buildings & Features'.

Added in November 2016

• November 1916 was another terrible month on the Somme battlefield, made even worse by the atrocious weather conditions that now had to be faced. There were four more Beeston-connected losses in the month, each of which is now added to our memorial pages: John Cudworth, Frederick Donald Fox, Henry Hudston and George William Letting.

Added in October 2016

• With even more carnage in the Somme battlefield and elsewhere throughout October 1916, a further five Beeston-connected young men were killed. Those whose memorial pages that have now been added are: Horace George Cudworth, Harry Dewey, John Moodie, Leslie Hewitt Hardstaff and John Stevenson.
• Added much more to the story of the Hudston family in Beeston. This includes details of its connection with William Charles Cuff who was one of the founders of Everton Football Club, its Chairman for many years and President of the Football League for nine years.
• , has kindly supplied provided additional names for the Lenton Abbey Cubs photograph from about 1949.
  As usual, click the link and follow the red caption.

Added in September 2016

• With the carnage continuing in the Somme battlefield throughout September 1916, a further ten Beeston-connected young men were killed. Seven memorial pages have now been added to three that were already recorded. Those newly remembered in this way are : Luke Goodband, Frederick Hunt, Walter Russell Adcock, Richard Gosling, Cecil Samuel Jackson, George Henry Newton and Garnet Stenson.
• Added a reference, on the Bibliography page, to the latest Beeston & District Local History Society publication, I Remember When ...

Added in August 2016

• August, 1916 was another terrible month in the Somme battlefield, when a further seven Beeston-connected young men were killed. Six memorial pages have now been added to one that was already recorded. Those newly remembered in this way are : Charles Garner, Benjamin Brewer, Harold Lee, Joseph Thomas Watts, Joseph Greening and Charles Prowett.

Added in July 2016

• On the 18th, the South Broxtowe Blue Plaque project was finally closed by the launch of An Illustrated Guide to the Blue Plaques - now available on-line by following the link.
• July, 1916 was a terrible month, with no less than 15 Beeston-connected young men killed on the Western Front - seven of whom died on the 1st, that fateful day when the Somme offensive began. Accordingly, we have added nine new pages for those men not previously honoured in this way, who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in July 1916 (and one in April 1916 previously listed with an incorrect date). Those newly remembered in this way are : John Bywater, William Henry Bywater, George Hazzledine, Arthur Nicholls, Sidney Levers Price, Walter James Sanders, Albert Lee, Robert Manley, Alfred Franklin and Arnold Holmes.

Added in June 2016

• David Harrison, via his brother Martin, has kindly supplied provided additional names for the Lenton Abbey Cubs photograph from about 1949.
  As usual, click the link and follow the red caption.
• Richard Knox has kindly supplied provided additional names for the Old Cricketers Pub Outing photograph from 1953.
• Added a page in honour of Charles Albert Smith who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in June 1916.

Added in May 2016

• Sheila Porterfield has kindly supplied provided additional names for the Nether Street School photograph of the athletics group from 1950.
• Added a page in honour of Henry Foster who died 100 years ago, during the Battle of Jutland, in May 1916.

Added in April 2016

• Completed the Flowers to Foundry page, covering the last years of Beeston Boiler from 1971 to its closure in 1985. This includes more excellent photographs rescued when the site was cleared and kindly provided by Roy Harper.
• Robert Singleton has kindly supplied a photograph and other material relating to Beeston Silver Prize Band, from the collection of his late father, Wilmot E ("Bill") Singleton. As usual, click the link and follow the red caption.
• Added pages in honour of Thomas Henry Belfield, Charles Thomas Dixon and Ernest Pridmore who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in April 1916.

Added in March 2016 (Sorry, preparatory work under way but new pieces not yet ready for release)

• Added a page in honour of Arthur Charles Russell who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in March 1916. Added a photograph and other additional information to the memorial page of Claude Archibald Porter which was kindly supplied by Steve Briggs, whose wife is a great-niece.

Added in Febuary 2016

• Lynn Richards has kindly supplied several photographs from the late 1940s, from the collection of her late father, John Eric George. They include groups probably in the Ericsson cabinet shop, others at various Ericsson social events and one showing a group of YHA members, probably taking part in the 1949 Carnival. As usual, as new additions, their captions are highlighted in red.
• Added a page in honour of Bernard Greig Stark who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in February 1916.

Added in January 2016

• Added a further part of the autobiography of Rev. Thomas John Oldrini which includes the first 17 years of his time as Vicar of Beeston. This is being kindly transcribed by William Cooper, a descendant of the Rev Oldrini, and we look forward to further installments in the future. This is an important find and, in recognition, it has now also been made accessible from the Transcripts menu, to increase its visibility within the site.
• Julia Powell has kindly supplied three Ericsson/Plessey photographs - one showing the Ericsson Cricket Team probably from the 1950s, another which appears to show a Plessey retirement gathering, probably from the early 1970s and the other recording a reunion of the Ericsson Strowger Group.. As most of the people shown are currently unnamed, suggestions would be welcome. Remember - new group photographs and those with newly provided information have their captions highlighted in red.

Added in December 2015

• Added a page in honour of William Bates who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in December 1915. During the whole of 1915, Beeston had lost 33 men, all of whom are now honoured on this site. We will continue to add those who died during the three terrible years that were to follow, in commemoration of the centenary of their death.

Added in November 2015

• Linked over 100 memorial images to the Beeston Cemetery memorial inscriptions page. This now includes over 600 gravestone images, essentially all the surviving stones in the original sections of the cemetery. The index also includes memorials transcribed in the later 1980s that are now missing, as well as the first section, left and right, of the cemetery extension which have not yet been photographed.
• Added pages in honour of John Cox, Samuel Freeman, Wilfred Rogers, Charles Harold Thorpe and Harry Coulson who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in October 1915.

Added in October 2015

• Completed the story of the lace making industry in Beeston covering the period between the wars and the years after World War 2 which effectively saw the end of lace making in Beeston. The story of Nevilles Factory (later Myfords) and various details that have since come to light, have also been added to the story. Although many more footnotes were also added, more remain to be included and will be added shortly. The seperate, but connected, story of Walter Wilkinson will also follow in due course.
• Added a pages in honour of Joseph Corthorn and William Chalk who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in September 1915.

Added in September 2015

• Added more to our story of the lace making industry in Beeston covering the period from about 1900 up to the First World War. We expect to complete the story, with details of the industy's gradual decline after that War, more details that have come to hand about earlier aspects, as well as the remaining footnotes, during the next few weeks.
• Added a pages in honour of Ernest Orchard and Charles Deschamps Randall who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in August 1915.

Added in August 2015

• Added an index to the memorials in the older sections of Beeston Cemetery with many photographs. It is accessed from the new Memorials menu bar option, which replaces the previous Churchyard option to bring together all Beeston memorial records. The cemetery index is a major new resource which uses database technology which will now be used increasingly within the site to make available Beeston-related data in an efficient, searchable format.
• Added a page in honour of William Hugh Thornhill who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in July 1915. The Roll of Honour is now accessible from the Memorials option on the menu bar, as well as its original position.

Added in July 2015

• Added the remarkable story of Beeston's involvement in the lace making industry set up in Zion City, Illinois in 1901, part of our continuing account of the lace making industry in Beeston.
• Gren Cropper has a photograph and names for the Beeston Fields Junior School 1960/61 Football Team.
• Added a page in honour of William Laurence Pearson who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in June 1915.

Added in June 2015

• Michael Peel has provided a set of photographs of a parade, possible held to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI in 1937. Those of the Toreadors have been added to the existing feature on that popular band. Others are on a page added to the Outings & Social Events section of the Faces From the Past page.
• June Webster (née Lindley) has added names Beeston Fields Junior School photograph of Class 4 from 1946/47.
• Bill Newton has provided names for on the Beeston Fields Secondary Modern School staff photograph from 1952.
• Added pages in honour of Charles Dean, George Dean and Henry Croom who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in May 1915.

Added in May 2015

• Added more to the story of Anglo Scotian Mill and the Wilkinson family in the context of our account of the lace making industry in Beeston. This covers the story of the final days of Frank Wilkinson's lace manufacturing empire, his death in 1897 and his brother George's involvement. We expect to add the associated footnotes shortly. The wider story of the lace making industry in Beeston will continue
• Patricia Bradford (née Campion) has identified herself on the Beeston Fields Junior School photograph of Class 1 from 1947/48.
• Bill Newton has corrected the date and provided additional information about the Nether Street School photograph of the winners group from 1954.

Added in April 2015

• Added more to the story of Alex Owen, the pioneer, Beeston-based television retailer, with more photographs, names, further insights into the working of the service department and an outline of Alex's further successes after leaving Beeston. As well as continuing help from the family we can acknowledge welcome input from Alex Owen ex-employees, particularly from Dave Stimpsom who worked for the company as a TV engineer from 1962.
• Added pages in honour of William Thomas Tebbutt and Richard Robert Pearce who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in February & March 1915 respectively.

Added in March 2015

• Added a further part of the autobiography of Rev. Thomas John Oldrini covering his graduation from Oxford University and his appointment as a Curate at Breaston, Derbyshire. This is being kindly transcribed by William Cooper, a descendant of the Rev Oldrini, and we look forward to further instalments which is expected to include his time as Vicar of Beeston.
• Added the story of Alex Owen, the pioneer television retailer who was a phenomenon of the 1950s, with 47 shops, 30 service vans and 500 employees controlled from a Head Office in Beeston.
• Added more to the story of the lace making industry in Beeston, covering the story of Frank Wilkinson, Anglo-Scotian Mills, including its two fires, and the associated American factory, up to 1892. This, and the wider story, will continue
• Kay Shepherd (née Hemmingsley) her grandfather, John Henry Hemmingsley, on the Beeston Cricket Team photograph from the late 1940s.

Added in February 2015

• Added a page in honour of George Rowland Straw who died 100 years ago, during the Great War, in February 1915.
• Added a pair of group photographs of Miss Horner's School at West End House in the 1920s. Also included is an account of the exraordinary dedication to education by the Horner sisters and their aunts in the Winter family. This is now contained in a new 'Private Schools' section on the School Photographs page
• Ann Nicholls (née Mason) and Jenifer Redpath (née Pollard) have identified more in the Roundhill School class photograph from 1955.
• Added a picture of a group that appears to be Beeston Church Football Club from 1907, to the sports team section of the Faces From the Past page. This was part of the effects of the late Noel Bates who emigrated to America from Beeston in 1909.
• Added a sliding gallery of scenes from old Beeston to the Home page.

Added in January 2015 (Away finding sun and avoiding the cold and snow for much of the month !)

• Added a second photograph and more names to the New Connexion Church Tableau, c1912 page.
• Ann Nicholls (née Mason) identified herself in the Roundhill School class photograph from 1955 and may be able to name others.
• Added the missing footnotes on the Flowers to Foundry page. The story of the last years of the Foundry, after 1970, remains to follow in due course

Added in December 2014

• Added more to the Flowers to Foundry page, covering the story of Beeston Boiler in the 25 years from 1946 to 1970. These incorporate many excellent photographs rescued when the site was cleared and kindly provided by Roy Harper. The story of the last years of the Foundry, after 1970, will follow in due course

Added in November 2014

• In commemoration of the centennial of the start of the Great War, we intend to add any missing pages in memory of those from Beeston who were killed. These will appear progressively on the centennial of their death. This month we have added pages in honour of George Ethelred Jenoure who died on HMS Good Hope during the Battle of Coronel, to Robert Heald Beckett & James Frederick Williams who were killed when HMS Bulwark blew up, and to Archibald Benjamin Smith who died during The First Battle of Ypres.
• Added a photograph of a production by The Young Players from about 1958 and a picture of a Church Sunday School Play from 1958. Both were held at Station Road Schools and are from David Hallam's collection.

Added in October 2014

• Photographs of the staff, all the classes in the school and other details from an album presented to Mr K D Roberts at the time of his retirement as Headmaster of Beeston Fields Secondary Modern School in 1964, as well as photographs of the school's staff in 1949 and 1950. This interesting collection has been kindly provided by Bill Wardle and he was also able to add two names to the school's 1951/52 football team photograph.
• Added more to the story of the lace making industry in Beeston, taking in the rise of factory-based production after 1870, including the story of John Pollard and Francis Wilkinson and his family. We will continue with the story of Anglo Scotian Mills, pre-1914 period iniatives and the post-1918 decline - as well as some interesting offshoot stories.

Added in September 2014

• Extended the range of demographic analysis from the author's comprehensive Beeston database, to look at occupations in 1891, a time when Beeston's population had more than doubled over the proceeding 20 years.
• Added more to the story of the lace making industry in Beeston, covering the years from 1850-1870 and providing an introduction to the momentous years for the trade, between 1870 and 1890. We will continue with the story of Frank Wilkinson, amongst others from this era and beyond.

Added in August 2014

• Bert Toon added the names of two of his uncles, Harold & Samuel Lee, who were amongst the group of Beeston Old Boys who enlisted together, 100 years ago this month and who appear on the picture of 1914 Old Boys Cricket Team, accessed from the Boys Brigade page.
• Also in commemoration of the centennial of the start of the Great War, details of the page in honour of the first man from Beeston who died in that terrible war has been extended. Corporal William Stevens, who sailed for France on 14 August 1914, was killed at the Battle of Marne on 8 September 1914. Additional material relating to his involvement in the Battle of Mons at Frameries on 24 August was kindly provided by Lindsey Ambrose, whose great-grandfather was a comrade in the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment and is remembered on an adjacent memorial.
• Added almost fifty footnotes to the story of the lace making industry in Beeston. More notes and the remaining text to follow soon.

Added in July 2014

• Added more to the story of the lace making industry in Beeston, mainly covering the years from 1830-1850 - including outlines of the lives of some of those making lace in that era. More is to follow and notes remain to be completed.
• Brenda Hope provided a picture and some names for the Plessey Ladies Hockey Club dated about 1973.

Added in June 2014 (Sorry, other distractions have delayed progress on the continuing stories of the lace making industry and Beeston Boiler)

• Anthony Morrell added a name to the image of the Boys' Brigade Band dated 1951.
• Michael Peel added a picture with names the of Beeston Fields County Secondary School football team from the 1951-52 season and a picture of class 1A from 1960-62.

Added in May 2014

• Added more to the story of the lace making industry in Beeston. Much more to come over the next few months.
• David Troop added more names to the image of the Boys' Brigade Band dated 1951.
• Doug Worrall added a picture and names of Beeston Fields County Secondary School from 1946 or 1947.

Added in April 2014

• Added a further part of the autobiography of Rev. Thomas John Oldrini covering his early career and arrival at Oxford University. This is being kindly transcribed by William Cooper, a descendant of the Rev Oldrini, and we look forward to further instalments.
• Updated the Oldrini genealogy with the latest research, including information derived from Rev Oldrini's autobiography.
• Made a start on the story of the lace making industry in Beeston. This will continue over the next few months.
• Added more names to the image of the 'Cricketers' Outing dated 1953. These were supplied by Natalie Burley on behalf of her mum.
• David Cox added his brother Ivan's name to the image of the Church St Junior Boys School dated about 1948.

Added in March 2014

• Added the first part of the autobiography of Rev. Thomas John Oldrini and made corresponding changes to the existing account of his life. This important document is being kindly transcribed by William Cooper, a descendant of a branch of the Oldrini family which left for Australia in 1909. Transcribing this lengthy document is a big task which is still only partially complete but it will be extended here as more is completed. We also expect to update the Oldrini genealogy very shortly.
• David Cox supplied a fully named image of Beeston Wanderers football team from the mid-1960s which is now added to the sports team section of the Faces From the Past page.
• Added more names to the image of 3rd 47th Lenton Abbey Cubs dated about 1949. These were supplied by June Webster.

Added in February 2014 (Remember - new images and those with more details, in this month and last, have captions highlighted in red)

• Added more to Flowers to Foundry page, covering the story of Beeston Boiler during the WW2 and immediate post-war years which includes the death of Sir Louis Pearson and the company's conversion to a Public Company. The story of the Foundry in the years following 1946, remain to follow in due course
• Added two more photographs and names of Beeston Fields Secondary School pupils. Thanks to Keith Atkin for the picture and names of Class 2 Middle, 1953 and to Dennis Wardle for another class photo and names from about 1959.
• Keith Atkin also aupplied a picture and names of Class 9 of Beeston Fields Junior School as well an almost fully named picture of the school's football team from 1950.
• Judith Mumford (née Tebbutt) has pointed out her father, Kenneth Tebbutt, on the class photograph from Church Street School in 1925.
• Trish Hartley (née Hartley) provided a picture of a Christmas event at Nether Street School from 1957 and a picture of members of the Beeston Old Time Dancing Club at a social event in 1966.
• Gill Grattage (née Tew) has identified her mother, Beryl Tew (née Elliott), and another lady on the picture of the Beeston Mothers' Club attending a social event in the 1950s. Gill has also pointed her father, William Tew, on the group photograph of the Beeston Fire Brigade in about 1952/3.

Added in January 2014

• Many more names added to the 1947/48 Beeston Fields Junior School class 1 photograph. These were supplied by June Webster.
• Added seven photographs of Memorials inside the Parish Church. Names covered are Brown, Fox, Peadon. Fellows, Rickards, Bigsby. Strey and Mason. These photographs were supplied by Barbara Selwood.
• Added two interesting images to the Faces From the Past workplace section, showing the Ericsson Fire Team which was formed during World War 2. These were supplied by Dorothy Hawksley.
• Added more names, text and a picture of the 1949 Carnival Queen & Attendants to the Beeston Carnival page.

Added in December 2013 (Remember - new images have captions highlighted in red)

• Added several more Nether Street School class photographs - girls from about 1914 and boys from about 1922 and 1924. These are from a collection of family photographs provided by Pat McQuin, now living in South Australia
• Added to the Societies & Clubs Section of the Faces From the Past page, is a picture of Beeston St Johns Ambulance Brigade from the 1930s.
• Also from the Pat McQuin collection and now added to the Faces From the Past workplace section, is a picture of the Barton Transport Maintenance staff from about 1950.
• Added pictures of the Beeston Carnival Queen & Attendants, dated about 1948-50, to the Outings & Social Events section of the Faces From the Past page.
• Footnotes to the Flowers to Foundry page completed for all the text published so far. The story of the Foundry in the years following 1938, remain to follow in due course

Added in November 2013

• More of the story of Beeston Foundry Co Ltd (later Beeston Boiler) added to the Flowers to Foundry page, covering the period between 1914 and 1938. We expect to add the associate footnotes during December. The history of Beeston Boiler in the years that followed, incorporating memories and a selection from the many photographs that have been made available still remain to follow in due course.

Added in October 2013 (More work on 'Flowers to Foundry' not ready for release). Remember - new images are highlighted in red

• Added an interesting photograph to the Church & Chapel Section of the Faces From the Past page, showing a group, in about 1920, who appear to be attending the dedication of a tree in Beeston Churchyard, possibly in memory of members who died in the Great War.
• Additions to the Sports Teams Section of the Faces From the Past page, show a winning bowls team and a bowls evening at the Beeston Boiler Company sports ground.
• Richard Hawksley provided a picture of Plessey Sports Day, a Plessey Ladies Charity Football Team and photographs of the workforce in Department C5 at Plessey.
• Added a picture of the Ericssons workforce in Department Y17, dated about 1960, to the Workplace section of the Faces From the Past page. This was kindly provided by Dennis Wardle.

Added in September 2013

• More of the story of Foster & Pearson Ltd & the first 20 years of Beeston Foundry Co Ltd (which later became Beeston Boiler) added at Flowers to Foundry page. The final part of the history of Beeston Boiler, incorporating memories and a selection from the many photographs that have been made available will follow shortly.

Added in July 2013

• More of the story (mainly relating to the formation of Foster & Pearson Ltd & Beeston Foundry Co Ltd) and many more footnotes added to the Flowers to Foundry page. Had hoped to do more but now expecting to add still more of the story in August
• Added a reference in the origins of Beeston Boys' Brigade, that it seems that Stephen Hetley Pearson was influenced by his experience as a Officer at Oliver Hind's Dakeyne Street (Nottingham) Lads' Club when he formed Beeston Lads' Club in 1909 on a similar model. This was pointed out by Terence Woolley in his recent book 'Oliver Hind & the 2nd Nottingham Company of the Boys' Brigade' (More Details Here)

Added in June 2013

• Added many footnotes to the Flowers to Foundry page. More of the story should be released in July

Added in May 2013

• More added to the story of the remarkable transition from market gardening to horticutural building to foundry which we have called Flowers to Foundry. This months addition tells the story of Robert Foster, a Beeston joiner who provided horticultural buildings on a national scale
• Added an excellent insight into life around the Beeston Fire Station in the 1950s, kindly provided by Roger Brailsford who, as a child, lived in one of the houses associated with the fire station on Stoney Street, Beeston where his father was a fireman. Best viewed by using the link from the Fire Station page.
• Added photographs of parties at Christmas and the Coronation at the fire station in the 1950s and a Christmas party at Trevor Road nursery. These can be accessed from the Outings & Socials section of the Faces From the Past page. (Images added to the Groups pages are now shown with red captions for two months).These latest photographs were also kindly supplied by Roger Brailsford.

Added in April 2013 (Dealing with newly arisen archival material has delayed progress on 'Flowers to Foundry' but will lead to excellent future stories)

• Added six group pictures relating to Beeston Field Junior School and Beeston Fields Secondary Modern School from the 1950/59 era. These were kindly provided by Derek Cox with some names provided by Stephanie White. New images in the Groups pages are now shown with red captions.
• Geoffrey Pearson provided many names for the two pictures of Ericssons Warehouse workforce dated about 1957 in the Workplace section of the Faces From the Past page. Further names have begun to be suggested and will be added as they are received.
• Added two pictures of Ericssons Staff Employees, dated 1921, to the Workplace sections of the Faces From the Past page. These are part of an album of photographs, provided by Peter Hassell. It includes a wide range of images of the working environmant at the telephone works, all of which will be included in a planned feature on Ericsson's Beeston works.

Added in March 2013

• Started the story of the remarkable transition from market gardening to horticutural building to foundry - in the form of Beeston Boiler Company - which coincides with the story of the Pearson family. We have called it Flowers to Foundry and it will continue in the coming months
• Added two pictures of Ericssons Warehouse workforce dated 1957 to the Workplace sections of the Faces From the Past page. This were kindly provided by Geoffrey Pearson.

Added in February 2013

• Completed the story of the section of the High Road between Station Road and Acacia Walk by adding the detail of 30-38 High Road (which included Ablett, Pounder, Paling, Timpson, Smith Shoes, Woolworths, Glover and Blower)
• Added a picture of Ericssons Hockey Team dated 1953 to the Outings and Sports Teams sections of the Faces From the Past page. This were kindly provided, complete with all the names, by George Tuck.

Added in January 2013 (Away finding sun and avoiding the snow for much of the month !)

• Added images of the Ericsson/Plessey Valve Laboratory and the Warehouse in the Workplace section of Faces from the Past section. These were kindly provided by Geoffrey Pearson.
• Added more detail of the family of Blanche Mary Oldrini, the youngest daughter of Rev Thomas John Oldrini (Vicar of Beeston 1854-1885)

Added in December 2012

• Continued the story of the section of the High Road between Station Road and Acacia Walk to include an account of the history of 18-28 High Road - that is, the block of six shops built in front of the Silk Mill building after it was acquired by developers in 1903. The story of the remaining properties in this section of the High Road (nos 30-38) will continue over the next few months.
• Added further names provided by John Rowbotham and added mapping to improve identification in the Ericsson/Plessey Circuit Engineers Department photographs, shown in the Workplace section of Faces from the Past section.
• Added a photograph of Beeston Boiler Company employees to the Workplace section. This is believed to date from about 1970 and to show employees who had received a long service award. This is from a collection of Beeston Boiler photographs supplied by Roy Harper. These will be used in a planned feature on the history of the Beeston Boiler. We invite anyone with memories or items relating to 'the Foundry', that they can share, to contact us.

Added in November 2012 (sorry - laid low most of the month by a debilitating cough and not able to make much progress. Happily, now much improved!)

• Added a number of names and firmed up dates to the Ericsson/Plessey Engineering Department, shown in the Workplace section of Faces from the Past section. These were kindly provided by John Rowbotham who appears on some of the photographs and also clarified that the department was the that of the Circuit Engineers
• Added a photograph to the Outings & Socials section of Faces From the Past, of employees of Everlastic on a works outing to Skegness in 1936. This was also supplied by John Rowbottom, whose mother Annie is shown in the photograph.

Added in October 2012

• Continued the story of the section of the High Road between Station Road and Acacia Walk to include an account of the post-1903 history of 12-16 High Road - that is, the property of the corner of Station Road and the shops built into the Silk Mill building frontage. The story of the remaining properties in this section of the High Road will continue over the next few months.
• Added the years 1795-1800 to the transcription of Beeston Parish Church Burials Register

Added in September 2012 (sorry - nothing significant was added in August when we took a holiday - in the rain!)

• Added a number of photographs to the Schools Pictures, of Nether Street groups in about 1955 and a Beeston Fields Junior class from 1949 and a Methodist pantomime group to the Church groups and Beeston Town Cricket Team from the late 194os to the Sports groups on the Faces from the Past page. These were kindly supplied by Barbara Wagstaff.
• Added a collection of photographs showing the staff of the Ericsson/Plessey Engineering Department, dating between the 1950s and 1970s. These were kindly supplied by Rebecca Shaw and are accessed from the Workplace section of Faces from the Past,
• Added pictures to Faces from the Past, of members of the Elim Church from the 1940s and the fire brigade from about 1925. These are from the Safhill family archive and were kindly provided by Gil Wilmot
• Added two photographs of classes at Church Street School, recently acquired by the author
• Rewrote and greatly extended the page on Beeston Fire Station. This was motivated particularly by Chris Hutchinson who now owns the old steam fire engine, used by the Beeston brigade between 1908 and the mid 1930s, who kindly supplied some excellent photographs

Added in July 2012

• More progress with the story of the section of the High Road between Station Road to Acacia Walk. Unfortunately, it was discovered that some of the assumptions used to write the piece in June were found to be faulty and it has been substantially rewritten and considerably expanded. The story will continue to be our main focus for the time being.
• Added a copy of a plan prepared in 1908 by E A Bush, the Council's Surveyor which Renumbered the properties on the High Road. This important document provides a snapshot of the shape of the High Road in that year, the names of the occupants and a cross-reference of old and new numbers. The original document was rescued from destruction by Tim Stevenson, who kindly allowed us to copy it for use here.

Added in June 2012

• Made a start on the story of the section of the High Road between Station Road to Acacia Walk - this will continue to be our main focus for the next several months.
• Added all the names for the Oddfellows Group dated 1912, and attempted to identify each of them based on the 1911 Census
• A further photograph of the 2nd Beeston Cub Pack, probably from the early 1940s was added to the Groups Page.
• Two photographs of members of the Baptist Sunday School with their banner, from the 1920s & 1930s were added. These were kindly supplied by Ed Grummitt.

Added in May 2012

• Added many footnotes and the story of the final 20 years of the Silk Mill. This now includes much more than was anticipated after further source material became available during the month. The silk mill site forms the basis of the story of this section of the High Road - Station Road to Acacia Walk - which will now be our main focus in June and beyond.
• Added more detail on the life of Beeston builder, William Fletcher, based, in part, on input from John Allen.

Added in April 2012

• Added a feature on the Silk Mill, normally accessed from the Industry menu. This is now substantially complete although more about its final years and some footnotes will be added during May.
• More school photographs added, including a Church Street school group, dated about 1930, kindly supplied by Lynne Spencer, a Beeston Fields Secondary School camp photograph from 1962 from John Allen and a photograph of Class 4 Middle from that school, dated 1952/3, supplied by David Stimpson. Denis Wardle was also able to add names to the Beeston Fields class of 1964 and to the Roundhill School phototograph of 1956.

Added in March 2012

• Added the years 1801-1805 to the transcription of Beeston Parish Church Burials Register
• A further group of photographs of Robert Martin (Schoolmaster at the National School in Beeston) and his wife have been kindly provided by Cirilo Enrique (Harry) Martin of Argentina. These should be accessed via a link on the Schools page. These images are displayed in an experimental horizontal scrolling window which, unfortunately, does not work currently in all browsers. We have provided a link to an alternative page if needed by your browser.
• A photograph of Beeston Fields Junior School from 1936 was added to the School Photographs Page. This was kindly supplied by Andrew Turner.
• A further 15 memorial images added to the Beeston Churchyard page. This leaves 37 outside memorials (not all of which survive) and 34 memorials inside the church which are not yet photographed. All existing images may now be expanded in a pop-up window.
• Further extended the range of demographic analysis from the author's comprehensive Beeston database, to look at occupations in 1841. Trends between 1841 and 1881 are now identified. Again, this is part of preparation for a feature on the Silk Mill which is progressing and can be expected to appear during April, 2012.

Added in February 2012

• Again, thanks to Trish Symonds who has now provided indexes to Beeston Marriage Licences between 1754 & 1777 and to Beeston Wills Proved at Canterbury, 1384-1858.
• A photograph of the 2nd Beeston Cub Pack from 1938 was added to the Groups Page. This was kindly supplied by Don Hallam.
• Photographs of Beeston Touring Club, shown on outings in Derbyshire in the 1950s are now on the Groups Page. Thanks go to Brian Flint for these.
• Extended the range of demographic analysis from the author's comprehensive Beeston database, to look at occupations in 1871 and in 1881 and identify trends since 1851. This is part of preparation for a feature on the Silk Mill which, in turn, is preparation for a feature on the section of the High Road where the mill was situated. These articles will follow shortly.

Added in January 2012 (During which we took a break in the sun !)

• Many thanks to Trish Symonds of New South Wales, Australia who has now completed extracting details of Beeston-related stories from the Nottinghamshire Guardian. These extracts now cover the whole period that is available on-line (1886-1900 with the exception of a few missing years) and provide a fascinating insight to life in Beeston over that period which has already proved useful to some whose ancestors lived locally during that time.
• A photograph of the Beeston Boys' Brigade Colour Party from about 1959 was added to the Groups Page. This was kindly supplied by Paul Flint.

Added in December 2011

• More fascinating Beeston related articles in the Nottinghamshire Guardian, extracted by Trish Symonds of New South Wales, Australia , have been added. This now included the years up to 1880. In recognition of the importance of newspaper articles to local and family history research, this and similar newspaper extract collections have been moved to an updated References page
• Added Beeston-related extracts from Australian and New Zealand newspapers, all kindly provided by Trish Symonds of New South Wales, Australia.
• Added details of former Beeston people who settled in Australia and subsequently served in the Australian Services. This further important contribution by Trish Symonds of New South Wales, Australia has been added to the They Left for Elsewhere page (which would welcome more stories about Beestonians who left for another life abroad).
• All footnote material associated with the story of 2-10 High Road is now complete.

Added in November 2011

• Added a fascinating index of Beeston related articles in the Nottinghamshire Guardian, kindly extracted by Trish Symonds of New South Wales, Australia. This presently covers the years from 1849 (when this newspaper first appeared), until the end of 1870. It is intended that this will be extended to the end of 1900.
• A further Great War memorial page has been added, in memory of Morris Edward Pass, one of several Beeston boys who fell at Suvla Bay on 9th August 1915. We acknowkledge the help and encouragement of his great-niece, Jill Allsop-Martin.
• Additional footnote material added to the story of 2-10 High Road. This will continue and should be completed during December.

Added in October 2011

• A group photograph of 1st Beeston Guides from 1945, kindly supplied by Jean Read, is now to be found on our Groups Page.
• A photograph of the Boys' Brigade Handbell Team taken in 1950, kindly provided by Ron Farmer, is now added to Groups Page.
• The story of 2-10 High Road is now substantially complete. Material added this month included much more on the Doar family, details of the arrival and extension of the Boots Chemist building, the National Westminster Bank building and shops to the rear and the acquision and redevelopment of the site by the local Council in the 1960s. A link to a page of photographs of the clearance of the site to the rear is now included. An excellent photograph of Bernal Stevenson, kindly supplied by his gt-grandson Tim Stevenson, has been added, Additional footnote material will be added over the next month.

Added in September 2011

• Added more family details to the Roll of Honour page for Harold Henry Walton, including a fine photograph of the Walton brothers in 1914 and another of memorial trees at Chilwell Manor. These were kindly provided by Christian Walton the son of Harold's brother Arthur Atkinson Walton
• Added yet more to the story of 2-10 High Road which has now almost reached the 1907 date from when there were big changes which we expect to be describing during October.
• Added more names, provided by Mick Towlson, to the Beeston Fields Senior School group from about 1964
• Added a history of The Crown Inn, kindly provided by Alan Dance.
• Added a photograph to the story of Grange Avenue, of Priscilla & Rebecca Carter, with their father William Brown Carter, probably dating from just before William's death in 1887. The sisters were long-time residents of 9 Grange Avenue. The photograph, and other detail, was kindly provided by Tony Melville with much appreciated assistance from Peter Hammond.

Added in August 2011

• Added a photograph of Sam Weller Widdowson, the Beeston cinema pioneer and lace manufacturer, and more information about his life - including his considerable talent as a sportsman - and that of his parents, siblings and wider family based on input kindly provided by Ann Widdowson.
• Added more to the story of 2-10 High Road - but not nearly as much as I had hoped !

Added in July 2011

Note - while nothing obvious was added in June 2011, changes were made to a very large number of pages to ensure that they displayed correctly in the relatively new Safari and Chrome browsers.

• Added a new option to the Fame page which details several  Claims to Fame. This describes how Beeston folk can claim a family connection to famous names in history.
• Added three more photographs of Beeston Fields Junior School, one from 1932 provided by Julie Bullock and the other two from 1946 and 1947 sent in my John Cocking. Also added a group from Beeston Fields Senior School from about 1964, provided by Dave Bullock.
• Added extensive notes to the story of 2-10 High Road

Added in May 2011

• Added the first part of the story of 2-10 High Road - the section of The Square that now forms the front of the shopping centre and which was previously occupied by the much-loved Boots building, Doars Grocery Shop, etc. This first part covers the early history of the site including the involvement of William Roberts. It will continue during the next month or so.

Added in April 2011 (a relatively modest release this month - but research underway for the next episode of The Square/High Road story)

• Added a new section for Workplace photographs on our group photographs page - which now includes a photograph of those in the 1944, 1945 and 1946 entry of graduate apprenticeships at Ericssons, with all the names. Also to be found there is an excellent picture of the who worked in the Cabinet Shop at Ericssons in 1957 on the occasion of the retirement of George Henry Peel after 53 years. This also includes a resume of George's life and a collection of other cabinet shop photographs from the Peel archive, now held by David Hallam.
• Added a further five pictures of groups leaving on Bartons Coach Tours from the 1950s. Accessed from the link in the Outings & Socials Section of the Groups Page. These are also from the Peel archive.

Added in March 2011

• Added the story of 7 Church Street and the Humphreys, Tipton, Pears and Bowley families which occupied it, to our continuing story of The Square, part of the long term Beeston High Road story.
• Details of the life and family of Beeston cinema pioneer Henry Peberdy added to the Cinemas pages as well as a link to reminiscences kindly provided by his grandson Cyril Peberdy
• Added two more school photographs, one of Roundhill School and the other of Beeston Fields Senior School, both from the mid-1950s and kindly provided by Martin Wagstaff
• A picture of a Beeston Theatre Group event was provided by Will Heard and can be found on our Groups Page.
• Added extra pages of photographs relating to the families of Robert (Schoolmaster of Beeston), William (of Car Colston) and Albert Martin (of Car Colston and Argentina) as well as recent photographs of the family memorials in Car Colston churchyard. These are accessible from links on the Martin page which, in turn is accessed from the link on our Schools page. Many of these photographs were provided by Cirilo Enrique (Harry) Martin of Argentina, the gt-gt-gt-grandson of Robert Martin.

Added in February 2011

• Added the story of 5 Church Street and the Heard family which occupied it for over 65 years, to our continuing story of The Square, part of the long term Beeston High Road story.
• Our school photograph page continues to grow with pictures of classes at Roundhill School in the 1950s from Will Heard and more pictures of Church Street School - an early (c1914) of a girls class and a group of staff from the late 1940s, both provided by Claire James
• Pictures of a Mothers Club group and scenes from the Beeston (Coronation?) Pageant in 1953 were also provided by Will Heard and can be found on our Groups Page.
• The remarkable story of the descendants of Robert Martin (1796-1870) and his wife Sarah (who came to Beeston as Schoolmaster and Mistress at the National School in about 1835) is now provided from a link on our Schools page. This story, complete with photographs, prepared with invaluable help of Cirilo Enrique (Harry) Martin of Argentina, is one of remarkable achievement and takes us from Beeston to Car Colston, Welshpool and - remarkably - to Argentina and eventually to many countries throughout the world.

Added in January 2011 (Before we left for a winter break, thankfully avoiding the cold and high winds)

• Continued the story of 1-7 Church Street which, as part of The Square, is in turn part of the long term Beeston High Road story. This month, the focus was on 3 Church Street where, over a period of about 75 years, a succession of well-known jewellers traded - briefly, Arthur Theaker, then William Kitch followed by Francis Kingstone and finally George Bateman. We also took a closer look at the early origins of the overall site.

Added in December 2010

• Added the beginnings of a long-term project which will tell the story of the Beeston High Road This month, a start has been made on the history of the south side of Beeston Square (before it was redeveloped as a shopping centre). As usual, this reveals many interesting aspects of the families involved and this is expected to continue as we explore the length of the High Road.

Added in November 2010

• Added much more detail to the story of the interesting individuals who were involved in the development of Beeston's cinemas. This now includes much research on the Widdowson family who operated as lace manufacturers from the Falcon Works on Station Road Beeston - as well as have a variety of interests elsewhere in Nottinghamshire.
• Two more (William Aram and Percy Alsop) commemorative pages, for those who died in the Great War have been added to the Beeston Roll of Honour.
• Added a picture of Beeston Sea Rangers cutting a piece of Royal Wedding cake in 1947 and a picture of 2nd Beeston Sea Scouts on board TS Foudroyant in 1954.

Added in October 2010

• Added a comprehensive account of Beeston's four cinemas (which was very nearly five), as well as the story of the early pioneering attempts to bring cinema to the town and the interesting individuals who were involved. This includes many images of the central Beeston area which are pertinent to the story but also have a broader interest

Added in September 2010 (Not a great deal in the last two months - but a lot in preparation)

• An excellent photograph of a group of New Connexion Sunday School teachers, dating from about 1890, supplied by Clare James, has been added to the Group Photographs Page. A picture believed to be of the Beeston Music Society in about 1910 was added to the Societies section of the Group Photographs page.
• Added the years 1860-1861 to the transcription of Beeston Parish Church Burials Register
• Additional research added to the Schools page, relating to the acquisition of the National School site in 1834

Added in July 2010

• Added a large number of photographs on the Group Photographs Page. Pictures of a Valley Mission Bible Class from about 1903-1905, an Old Boys' Cricket Team from the summer of 1914 (with those who had enlisted marked) and an unidentified football team from about 1900 were donated by David Gunther. A picture apparently of the Baptist Sunday School girls group of about 1872 was supplied by Paul & Helen Whelpton and David Hallam has provided several from his own collection - including Beeston Parish Church Choir and Servers from c1928 & c1933, what appears to be a Conservative Club outing (c1900-1905), a cricketing group of Beeston worthies (c1905), a Methodist New Connection football team (c1905), and Ericssons Crowe Trophy winners 1927. Several people have added names to existing photographs - in particular, all those on the Beeston Silver Prize Band photograph are now named.
• Added a very interesting portfolio of photographs of Church Street School in 1914, kindly supplied by Richard Sutton. These, and associated research we have added about the staff and school can be accessed from the Schools page. The 1914 boys standard 3 group from the folio, a Nether Street group from c1900 and a Beeston Fields Senior School group from 1933 appear on the School Photographs page
• An excellent picture of Suttons' butchers shop on Wollaton Road has also been supplied by Richard Sutton and now appears on the Beeston Butchers page.
• Commemorative pages for John William Aby (provided by Samantha Ward) and Frederic Piggin have been added to the Beeston Roll of Honour.

Added in May 2010

• Added a number of photographs of Beeston Boys' Brigade Band (1951 & 1954) and Officers (1963) and Old Boys Football Team (1953) and a Beeston Field Junior School Prefects Group (1940/1), all sent in by David Hopcroft
• Two more (William Aram and Percy Alsop) commemorative pages, for those who died in the Great War have been added to the Beeston Roll of Honour.
• Added an additional page to the story of the development of Grange Avenue, Beeston, exploring the early history of the site - with much detail and family histories of the families involved

Added in April 2010

• More added to the account of the development of schooling in Beeston - including links to details of Trustees of the Wesleyan School and School Board members. More will continue to be added to this topic.
• A few more commemorative pages, for those who died in the Great War have been added to the Beeston Roll of Honour.
• Added an account of the Beeston Toreadors Carnival Band which was extremely popular in the late 1930s. Complete with excellent photographs with many faces that will be recognised.
• Quite a few photographs added to the very popular Faces from the Past and School Photographs pages. Janet Carr and Jenny Tudbury sent a photograph of the Boys' Brigade Gymnastic Team from about 1923 and we were able to add an early view of the Lads' Club gymnasium contributed by David Gunther, Keith Peel sent in photographs of local football teams - Beeston United, an Alan Hill Testimonial match and a Malt Shovel team - from the 1960s and 1970s. Brian Preston sent us more school groups from Beeston Fields Secondary Modern from 1948-1950 and a Lads' Club football team from 1952/3 and a photograph of a New Connexion Chapel Japanese tableau has been added from my own family archive.
• Photographs of the aftermath of the major fire at Wilkinsons Anglo Scotian Mill in 1886 have emerged from two sources. Ernest Pollard provided two which had been used to promote the quality of an office safe which is said to have protected its contents through the fire and several more have been kindly provided by Val Bird of the Bramcote History Group, from the family album of the Smiths of Bramcote Hall. This incident was already mentioned in the last item in our page of newspaper snippets included in our Miscellany page. We have now provided a link to these interesting photographs.

Added in March 2010

• A comprehensive account of the development of schooling in Beeston is now included. This now includes the photographs of the pupils of the Wesleyan School from the 1870s (previously shown on the school photographs page) and now including a new photograph of the girls' class from that era.
• Three more commemorative pages, for those who died in the Great War have been added to the Beeston Roll of Honour.
• Photographs continue to arrive for our Faces from the Past page. Janet Carr and Jenny Tudbury sent a photograph of the Boys' Brigate band from 1925 and George Tuck sent pictures of 10th Beeston cubs in about 1951, Ericssons Hockey Club from about 1955 and an Ericssons Christmas Party from 1950

Added in February 2010

• Several people are now named on the Old Cricketers outing photograph - see it at Outings and Sports Teams section of the Faces From the Past page. Thanks to Avril Wheeler and Lorraine Gerry. Avril also identified her great-grandfather, Samuel Skipworth on the 1908 picture of Beeston Sunday Men's Guild.
• Janet Carr (née Meakin) kindly sent a photograph of Church St School Boys from about 1918 which includes her father, Arthur Jack Meakin - and has added a outline of his life. And on the same page there is now a picture of Church St School Infants from about 1929, kindly provided by Lorraine Gerry.
• More commemorative pages, for several more of those who died in the Great War have been added to the Beeston Roll of Honour. It will take some time but the intention is to eventually complete a page for each of the 273 from Beeston who died.
• David Gardner has supplied a photograph of the staff of Beeston Fields Secondary School from 1964 - with everyone named.
• Haydn Morris has kindly sent a photograph he found at a Collectors' Fair. It shows Allen Gething Fletcher with an inscription on the back confirming that he was killed on the railway track near Beeston in 1897. This incident was already mentioned in the last item in our page of newspaper snippets included in our Miscellany page. We have now provided a link to the photograph and added an overview of Fletcher's life and that of John Henry Chapman who was killed in the same incident.

Added in January 2010 (We have been away finding some sun and missing the snow but have added what came in)

• Joseph Blackwell has kindly provided a photograph of an outing leaving the Old Cricketers in 1953 as well as more names for the darts team photograph. See them in the Outings and Sports Teams sections of the Faces From the Past page.
• Janet Carr and her sister Jenny Tudbury (both née Meakin) have supplying the photograph of a Church Street School class from about 1922, which includes their mother.
• Susan Kirk (née Winfield) has identified her father George Winfield on the photograph of Nether Street School dated about 1920.

Added in December 2009

• Commemorative pages for several more of those who died in the Great War added to the Beeston Roll of Honour. Many more are in preparation.
• A group of excellent photographs of the Boys Brigade at camp in 1912 and its band in about 1913 were kindly supplied by Ed Grummitt. These have now been featured, along with some Brigade photographs we already had, in the Societies & Clubs section on the Faces From the Past page.
• Joseph Blackwell has kindly supplied a photograph of the Old Cricketers Darts Team, probably from the early 1960s. This can be accessed from the Sports Teams section of the Faces From the Past page. Some are named and more names are expected to follow.
• Using the information now available in the 1911 Census, we have added to the potted biographies of those appearing in the Beeston Rangers Football Club photograph from 1907. This is also accessed from the Sports Teams section.

Added in November 2009

• Commemorative pages for eight more of those who died in the Great War added to the Beeston Roll of Honour.
• The schools photographs collection continues to grow; Peter Church has sent a 1949 picture of Beeston Fields Junior School class photograph from 1949 - to which Sue Goodman added some names and sent a picture of a 1951 school play. Janet Carr has provided a picture of a 1920 class from Church Street School.
• Added a few additions and amendments by Ivan Morrell to his Origins of the Placenames & Fieldnames of Beeston

Added in October 2009

• The memorial pages dedicated to Old Boys of the Beeston Boys Brigade are now substantially complete and have now been renamed as Boys Brigade in WW1. A Roll of Honour for all Beeston men who died in the Great War has now been created, listing 273 names. We expect to provide an individual tribute to each of these over time.
• Maurice Oswin has sent a Beeston Fields Secondary School class photograph from 1952 and Keith Peel has added a further two photographs from that decade at that school - including its 1958 league winning football team from 1958.
• Two photographs of boys' classes at the school in Chapel Street, Beeston, dating from 1874 and 1875, have been added. These are particularly interesting as the names of almost all the boys have been recorded. Using census and other records, we have been able to further identify most of the named individuals. These important images, providing a glimpse of named Beestonians from over 130 years ago, are from the Martin family album and were provided by Geoffrey Drinkwater.
• Entries for the years 1858 and 1859 have now been added to the Beeston Burial Register transcript.

Added in September 2009

• A further 10 more memorial pages have been added to the Roll of Honour for those members of the local Boys' Brigade) who died in the Great War. This leaves seven of the 42 members who lost their lives; these will certainly be completed during October. We heve also adding some feedback from some who have found their relative in the Roll.
• George Moore.has sent us a further school photograph, this time of an athletics team from Nether Street School from about 1950, which includes his wife Alma.

Added in August 2009

• 20 more memorial pages have been added to the Roll of Honour. During September, thanks to the work of Ray Smedley, we expect to complete the memorial to the 42 members of the Beeston Old Boys' (all previously members of the local Boys' Brigade) who made the Supreme Sacrifice. A memorial in Beeston Parish Church records the names of 271 Beeston men who died in the Great War. This tragic loss of young life had a devastating impact in Beeston - a tragedy that was repeated in communities up and down the land. In time, we hope to honour that sacrifice with a memorial page to each local individual.
• Another school group photograph, this time of a class from about 1948 at Beeston Fields Secondary Modern School, kindly provided, with some names, by George Moore.

Added in July 2009

• A Roll of Honour commemorating those from Beeston who were killed or died of wounds during or as a result of the fighting during the Great War, 1914-1918 has been started. This is based on the work of Ray Smedley and starts with those members of the Beeston Old Boys' Association who made the Supreme Sacrifice.
• Added a transcription of Phillimore, Beeston Marriages 1558 to 1812 by Trish Symonds which we have restructured so that it is presented in a convenient tabular format for ease of use.

Added in June 2009

• The growing complexity and interest in the site meant that it was time to add a Site Search which can now be accessed from an option on the right of the top-of-screen navigation bar throughout the site. A site map is also available through this route. An option is now provided on the Whats New page (see above) so that regular visitors can sign up to be notified by e-mail or RSS feed when new items are added. Please note that these facilities include some mild, non-aggressive advertising, as the cost of providing these facilities advertising-free is prohibitive for a site that is now getting fairly large.
• More school photographs of Beeston Fields Secondary School have been added - three from 1948-1950, sent in by Geoffrey Pearson and two from 1959/1961 from Malcolm Potter. Interestingly, these last two group photographs include Paul Smith who, of course, went on to achieve international success as a fashion designer.
  
  These photographs are the first to support the identification of individuals in the group, revealed by placing your mouse over each face. We intend to extend this feature over all photographs, where applicable - and to enable links to related information where appropriate.

Added in May 2009

• Alan Mann looks back on his early life in Beeston and gives us an interesting insight into an era that has now passed
• More details of the Carlisle Family added to the story of the descendants of Elizabeth Nutt with help from Elizabeth Ann Carlisle.
• Added an excellent photograph of the Beeston Sunday Men's Guild from about 1908, sent in by Judith Huntridge.

Added in April 2009

• The maps and tables associated with Ivan Morrell's The Origins of the Placenames & Fieldnames of Beeston have now been added, with the kind permission of their authors, Geoffrey Drinkwater & Stephen Wallwork

Added in March 2009

• We are very pleased to include the text of a Ivan Morrell's work on The Origins of the Placenames & Fieldnames of Beeston. We hope to include associated maps and other supporting information during April

• The collection of school and other group photographs continues to grow. This month, Lucy Thornhill provided a Beeston Fields picture from 1944 and Ed Grummitt sent in a photograph of Church Street Infants from about 1918 as well as two of local athletics clubs from around 1901. Names continue to be added to existing photographs.

• Excellent photographs of Rev. Thomas J Oldrini (Vicar of Beeston 1854-1885) and his wife Maria (née Drage) have been provided by Carolyn Noon. This can be accessed using a link on the Oldrini Family page.

Added in February 2009

• Many more names added to the class photograph from Beeston Fields Junior School from the mid 1940s, thanks to Barbara Swann. Two more groups added to the Faces From the Past page.

• An excellent collection of photographs from the Burnham family album, provided by a descendant, Paul Day. These can be seen by following the links on the Burnham Family and on the page for the Next Generation. They have also been added to the respective individual pages in the Burnham genealogy.

Added in January 2009

• Another school group photograph - this time of the 1950 class at Beeston Fields Secondary Modern School, kindly provided and named by David Stones.

No more this month as it was a time for getting away and finding some sun! But much more in the pipe-line to look forward to.

Added in December 2008

• Another school group photograph - this one of Beeston Fields Secondary Modern School from the mid 1940s provided and named by Ron Farmer. And more names provided for the 1948 photograph by Anthony Morrell. Two more groups added to the Faces From the Past page.

• A transcription of The Diary of Sergeant William Jowett which vividly describes his experience in the Crimean War.

• The story behind the Crimean War Memorial on which William Jowett and three other Beeston men are commemorated - and an account of the life of Robert Oldham who was the only survivor of the Crimean War from Beeston.

Added in November 2008

• David J Gunther tells the story of George Edward Hodgkinson who was born and lived his early life in Beeston and went on to become known as "Mr Coventry" as a result of his work in local politics in Coventry - including a leading role in that City's rebuild after World War 2.

• Added detail about the appearance of William Frederick Wallett (grand nephew of "The Jester") in the Barnum & Bailey tour of Europe in 1900/1901 where he was accompanied by his wife Florence May (née Lillo). Thanks to information provided by Christopher Wentworth-Stanley, who provided details of the baptism of their daughter Florence May Lillo Wallett while they were in Vienna.

• Geoffrey Drinkwater describes his boyhood memories of Chilwell Road Methodist Church between 1932 and 1939.

Added in October 2008

• The history behind the shop at 39 Chilwell Road told by David Hallam - who goes on to look at butchers shops in Beeston in the first half of the 20th Century.

• Grenville Chamberlain tells the story of an accident at Beeston Station in 1908

• More group photographs added to the Faces From the Past page.

Added in September 2008

• More school photographs - this time from Beeston Fields Junior School - many of then named. These are from Malcolm Thurman and from the author's own collection (and memory).

• Further demographic analyses from the author's comprehensive Beeston database.This one looks at Occupations in Beeston in 1861 and identifies trends since 1851.

• An update of the genealogy of William F Wallett. Includes more on the Loughlins, the American circus family that the Walletts married into - with thanks to Claudia Sam Balcziunas of that family for photographs and family detail.

• Added a new section in Topics entitled Faces From the Past - a collection of group photographs of Beeston people as members of church groups, societies, clubs, sports teams and on outings.

• Several additional Beeston sources added to the References page.

• A vivid description of life in Union Street, High Road & Beyond written by Jack Martin.

Added in August 2008 (where did July vanish to !)

• The story of the building of Grange Avenue, Beeston and something about the lives of those who developed it.

• An almost complete naming of the 1951 (or, perhaps 1950) photograph of Beeston Fields Secondary Modern group, kindly provide by Anthony Morrell.

Added in June 2008

• Additional material on the history of the Royal Oak on Villa Street, Beeston.

• More detail about the Elliott family including many excellent photographs from the family albums. The family of Alfred and Elizabeth (née Burnham) Elliott ran the Royal Oak for many years and, from 1913, operated a well-known butchery business in Beeston, mainly on the High Road and later on Chilwell Road.

• Two very early (but annotated) group photographs for Church Street School to the Beeston Schools page. These are from the Geoffrey Drinkwater collection - look out for much more from this source. Also added to that page are two for Nether Street School from the Elliott family album, two for Beeston Fields Secondary Modern (partly annotated) from Jim Daykin and one from Barrie Fines of Beeston Fields Junior (also partly annotated). Both Jim and Barrie now live in Australia.

Added in May 2008

• A history of the Royal Oak on Villa Street, Beeston - which dates from about 1853.

• The story and genealogy of the Burnham family which arrived in Beeston from Clifton about 1829 and operated a family joinery business on Villa Street for upwards of 150 years. The family opened the Royal Oak pub in about 1853 and, through marriage, became connected with Elliotts the butchers, Belfields the bakers and other local families and occupations.

Added in April 2008

• Added an account by Mollie Wade of Comfy Buses that was being operated by Arthur Howe and Louis Powney by the early 1930s.

• Provided an overview of the development of Industry in Beeston and re-organised the topic headings which will lead to detailed accounts of specific local industries. Also included an analysis of Occupations in Beeston in 1851 - which is intended to be the first of many demographic analyses from the author's comprehensive Beeston database.

Added in March 2008 (Sorry for the break - we have been away finding some sun)

• Added another school group photograph for Church Street School and four for Nether Street School to Beeston Schools page. Four of these are from a collection of documents believed to have been owned by Harold Bernard Garratt (see story in the Beeston Blog)

• Added a Miscellany Section which will be used mainly to feature ready-made, Beeston-related contributions from others. This can be accessed from any of the horizontal menu bars throughout the site. To start it off, we have included two excellent contributions from Trish Symonds from Australia.

Added in January 2008

• The promised significant additions to the story of Samuel Theodore Bunning and Beeston Brewery are now incorporated - included links to his autobiographical notes and other material. A large amount of additional genealogical material will be released shortly.

Added in December 2007

• Significant additions to the story of Samuel Theodore Bunning and Beeston Brewery. Added a link to a list of licenced premises owned by Beeston Brewery. The Mason/Bunning genealogy has also been updated. Significant new Bunning material was discovered towards the end of the month and is being incorporated as December ends; it will be published very early in January.

• Notes and images from the early days of Beeston Fire Brigade and its station at the top of Stoney Street have now been added. Further contributions are invited.

• Additional narrative on the origins of the Hudston family - in particular, the family of Thomas Hudston. More about the Hudston family is coming in from members of this family around the world all the time and will be appear when it has been fully researched.

• Names have been added to the Church Street School phototographs for c1910 and c1914

Added in November 2007

• Added the remarkable story of Samuel Theodore Bunning and Beeston Brewery.To support this, improved the navigation in the Pubs and Inns section.

• More added to the Beeston Burial Register transcript. Added 1856 and 1857. Hope to add more shortly.

Added in October 2007

• Added a gallery of Church Street School phototographs to Beeston Schools page

• Made a start transcribing more of the Beeston Burial Register. Added 1855. Had hoped to more and expect to do so during the coming month.

• Encouraged by Wayne Hayes, its present Manager, added the story of the Queens Hotel, Beeston to the Inns and Pubs section. A full genealogy of the Mason & Bunning families, has also been added.

Added in September 2007

• Added a Beeston Blog to enable and encourage discussion on current queries and topics under development. This can be accessed from any of the horizontal menu bars throughout the site. It opens in a new window which can be closed to return to the previous position within the main site.

Added in August 2007

• A transcription of the 1927 History of the Parish Church of Beeston by G. W. Deverill.

• An outline of the career of Sir Neil Cossons and his early life in Beeston, marking his recent retirement from the Chairmanship of English Heritage.

• Added links to excellent histories of two Beeston schools written by Wallace Mason and published on the BBC h2g2 site. This page also includes a class photograph from Church Street School, possibly from the 1930s..

Added in July 2007 (apologies for the time since the last item - but we do have a lot that is almost ready!)

We are very pleased to be able to include all the text and illustrations of "The Pollards of Beeston" which tells the story of four generations of that family, lace makers in Beeston, and their factory, Swiss Mills. In releasing this important story in this way, it is hoped that it will assist members of a wider audience of family and local historians to better understand their own families and their community.

Added in March 2007

• Photographs taken at the re-dedication of Beeston's Boar War Memorial with details of the names of those remembered on it.

Added in December 2006

• Additional narrative on the origins of the Hudston family - in particular, the family of Revd John Hudston. Much more on the various branches of this family to follow.

Added in November 2006

• 'Black & Gold - the story of 2nd Beeston Sea Scouts, 1928 - 1988. Written by David Hallam, originally for the Group's 60th Anniversary in 1988 and now republished here with many photographs added, in tribute to Edward Smedley who died on October 6th 2006. Edward was a founder member of the troop in 1928, went on to serve as a scouter and remained a stalwart supporter of the Group all his life.

Added in October 2006

• The story of the Dobson Family. This is the first in a series of accounts of families who left Beeston for a life elsewhere in the world.

Added in September 2006

• A number of additional Beeston sources on the References page.

Added in July 2006

• First announcement of the publishing of the booklet "Pollards of Beeston"
• Over 50 more photographs of the memorials on the Churchyard pages.

Added in June 2006

• A genealogy of family of John Clifford, Baptist Minister & Social Reformer

Added in May 2006

• A narrative of the life of Dr John Clifford, 1836-1923, Baptist Minister and social reformer, particularly education provision. Although born in Sawley, Derbyshire, he came to Beeston as a small child and was greatly influenced by his experiences in Beeston lace factories and the Baptist community there.

Added in April 2006

• 10 more years (1845-1854) added to Burial Register transcription. The transcription now includes 20 years (1835-1854) and now has improved navigation and has been split into pages of 5 years each to enhance performance.
• All links from the Churchyard Memorial pages to the appropriate page of the Burial Register transcription are now in place. Many, of course, are linked to years that are still to be transcribed.

Added in March 2006 (apologies for the delay - but there is quite a lot now almost ready!)

• A full write-up of the later Oldrini generations with an updated genealogy
• More on William Bower, publican at the Boat & Horses - thanks to input from Daryl Bower.
• Additions to the list of Beeston Publicans, etc from 18th Century to 1920

Added in December 2005

• An article on Beeston Pub Checks by Grenville Chamberlain
• Corrections to the Dix Family story following further research
• List of Beeston Publicans, etc from 18th Century to 1920

Added in November 2005 :

• The completed narrative page on the Dix Family
• An overview of Beeston Pubs and a start of individual pubs

Added in October 2005 :

• New Topics menu for Beeston landmarks
• Beeston Smithy feature added to Landmarks menu
• A genealogy of William Dix, Beeston's blacksmith
• Nearly 30 more memorial photographs in the Churchyard pages.

Added in September 2005 :

• A transcript of Divine Mercy Exemplified by Rev John Hudston.
• Completion of the transcription of the text of Beeston Then and Now by Robert Mellors. This had been previously left incomplete. Inclusion of the original illustrations will follow.
• Narrative on the origins of the Hudston family and the Beeston Hudstons. Much more to follow.
• Additional memorial photographs in the Churchyard pages.

Added Earlier in 2005 :

• A genealogy of the Thornhill family in Beeston with extensive narrative.
• A full genealogy of the Harwood, Styling, Nutt, etc families with family narrative and commentary on the Elizabeth Nutt Harwood diary to coincide with the publication of the diary transcript by Notts County Council.
• A genealogy of the Hudston family of Beeston, etc.
• Notes on the Oldrini family with a genealogy
• Notes on the life of William F Wallett, "The Queen's Jester"

We have a lifetime of research to add and it is going to take years to add it all - and we are still gathering information - so keep calling back to see what is "new" !

© David Hallam 2005 -