The Society's Current Research Projects - Can You Help?
In the following section of the website we outline a few of the lines of research the Society is currently pursuing. This is followed by a section where individuals engaged in research with a Lenton connection can request help and information.
Lenton Local History Society is interested in all aspects of Lenton’s past and would welcome any photographs, ephemera, information and reminiscences relating to the locality. We do, however, have a number of lines of research which we are actively exploring at present. Among them are the following:
Material for forthcoming issues of Lenton Times
The Dunkirk area of Lenton
In the near future we intend to devote an issue of the magazine to articles related to the history of the Dunkirk area, the shops, the businesses, the school, plus features on some of its past and present residents. If you have memories or possess any old photographs relating to this area of Lenton please get in touch with us.
The old Willoughby Street area
Eventually we would like to produce an issue of Lenton Times devoted to the Willoughby Street area. If your family had a business here, you once worked in the area, or are a former resident we would be delighted to hear from you.
Although the Society’s photographic archive contains a number of photographs of the Willoughby Street area there are huge gaps. We have very few photographs of the churches and chapels once to be found in this area; both exterior and interior shots of the pubs are largely absent from our collection; photographs of many of the shops and businesses are still required. If you can rectify any of these deficiencies then we would be delighted to hear from you.
Lenton during the Second World War
Previous issues of Lenton Times have featured a number of articles relating to this era – but we are keen to assemble more.
We have also launched an appeal for recollections on School life in Lenton during the Second World War. If you were at school in Lenton during this period then why not jot down your memories and let us have them. Photographs from this particular era are rather thin on the ground. If you have any in your possession then we would be eager to make copies from them.
Walter William Dudley
In Issue No.29 we intend to produce an article on Walter William Dudley who played football for Nottingham Forest F.C. in the early part of the twentieth century. What we currently lack is any information about what happened to Walter and his wife, Alice Dudley, once his playing days were over. If anyone knows more about this phase of his life please get in touch as soon as possible.
Ongoing Research
Lenton's Dead of World War 1
A project is underway to discover more about all those with Lenton connections who died in the war. The Lenton War memorial has 288 names on it and we have identified a further 124 people whose names are not listed there but who do have a Lenton connection of some sort. The kind of information we are trying to amass on each person is best illustrated by way of an example:
TOPLEY, Arthur William, Driver, (8th Div. Ammunition Col. Royal Field Artillery 35512). Probably killed near Mont-St.Eloi, Pas de Calais, France 27th August 1918 (his birthday). Age 33. Born in Bobbersmill [C.1891], Nottingham; lived at 137 Willoughby St. [St.Ann’s, Nottingham.m.1914] and later 2 Mettham St. [n.e.p.5.9.1918], Nottingham;son of Samuel Topley [l.b.1901] and Mary Ann Topley [C.1891] (d.1941), of 2 Tanner’s Yard, Leengate [e.1891-1905], 3 Albert Ball Memorial Homes [l.m.1922 of sister & n.e.p.21.2.1941]; husband of Beatrice Ethel Topley (nee Truman) [St.Ann’s Nottingham.m.1914] (d.1945), of 2 Mettham St. [e.1931 & n.e.p.20.6.1945]; chauffeur [St.Ann’s.m.1914].
Sources used in this particular example include the 1891 Census [C.1891]; the marriage register of St. Ann’s Church [St.Ann’s Nottingham.m.1914]; the death notices in the Nottingham Evening Post [n.e.p.5.9.1918]; Holy Trinity Church’s burial records [l.b.1901]; the electoral registers for Nottingham [e.1891-1905]; Holy Trinity Church’s marriage registers [l.m.1922]. The standard typeface indicates information obtained from official sources while the use of italics highlights information we have pieced together.
For people such as Arthur Topley we have assembled a fairly detailed profile which includes parents’ names and their residential details from 1891 onwards; any marriages plus what subsequently happened to the widow. For others we may have their service details but lack many of the relevant personal details.
Accessing the 1901 census has enabled us to pinpoint the identities of some of the men and provide additional further information about others. There are still quite a lot of details we still need to garner so if you have access to any information which may assist our project please get in touch.
Throughout the course of the war the Lenton Parish Magazine listed the names and addresses of Lenton residents who had enlisted and included short obituaries when their deaths were reported. Unfortunately Holy Trinity Church failed to retain archival copies. So far we have only managed to locate three issues. Searches at the Local Studies Library, Nottinghamshire Archives, the British Library and the Imperial War Museum have failed to generate any further copies. So if anyone does have any parish magazines from this era we would be extremely keen to hear from them.