Guided tours of Nottingham
I am now available to carry out research on the history of houses and the people who lived in them, in Nottingham and the surrounding area. I’m particularly interested in Victorian properties but will branch out where appropriate resources are available. If you’d like to see who lived in your house* through time or maybe… Continue reading Hire a House Historian
I'm busy researching buildings for what I hope will be at least one new tour in Nottingham and maybe something else for extra-keen Fothergill-spotters (all very exciting and I will share this properly with you when things are closer to being ready!) Research! Meanwhile, there are some of my walks coming up, including Watson Fothergill… Continue reading Researching buildings PLUS Summer dates for tours
Observant Nottinghamians will have noticed some changes taking place in one of the city's largest Fothergill buildings recently. The sports bar chain Box has moved into the Former Nottingham & Notts Bank (lately All Saints and before that Nat West) on the corner of Pelham Street and Thurland Street. Picture of how the Thurland Street… Continue reading Inside Thurland Street Bank
Today (16th November) marks the anniversary of the birth in 1839 of the artist William De Morgan. William De Morgan portrait by Evelyn De Morgan and De Morgan shop sign in tiles at De Morgan Foundation, Wightwick Manor (better image at NPG) Photo: Lucy Brouwer De Morgan was a lifelong friend of William Morris, a… Continue reading A Visit to Wightwick Manor & The De Morgan Foundation
Over on Instagram you might have seen an account called Inside Elm Bank, here the new owners of a Victorian villa in Mapperley Park are documenting their efforts to restore it to something of its original character. The house has some distinctive features that might be familiar to Fothergill-spotters. However, in this case, the alterations to… Continue reading Inside Elm Bank… a house through time
It has taken a lot of research but I've put together an illustrated talk on Fothergill's Buildings in The Park Estate... and some of the people who lived in them. I will be premiering this lecture for The Park Residents Association on Wednesday 4 October (7 pm for 7.30 pm) at The Park Tennis Club,… Continue reading Fothergill’s Buildings in The Park Estate
In June, I visited Lichfield and called in at the Cathedral - the relevance to this project being that such a visit was a massive inspiration to Fothergill Watson when he was a trainee architect. Lichfield Cathedral front. Photo: Lucy Brouwer Whilst working in Frederick Jackson’s office in Nottingham, Fothergill visited many buildings of architectural… Continue reading Lichfield Cathedral
I was up in Mapperley giving my talk on Watson Fothergill and his architecture to a large gathering of U3A members, on the way back into town I took the opportunity to go inside a Fothergill building I have been meaning to visit for ages... Woodborough Road Baptist Church. View from Woodborough Road. Photo: Lucy… Continue reading Inside Woodborough Road Baptist Church
Prompted by a question about this building on the Nottingham Hidden History Facebook page... This building on the corner of Bridlesmith Gate and Victoria Street was a bit of a mystery... Photo: Lucy Brouwer Ever since I noticed the details in the frieze above the first floor on this building I'd been wondering what the… Continue reading NC Club: a mystery in the details
Here's another architect who was active around the same time as Watson Fothergill in Nottingham. Gilbert Smith Doughty (1861-1909) came to my attention when I noticed that Fothergill was not the only architect to have his name carved on his buildings. Opposite Fothergill's Nottingham and Notts Bank on Thurland Street you will find The Thurland… Continue reading Nottingham Architects: Gilbert Smith Doughty