News

Art Deco, Events, Lawrence G Summers, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

May & June from Watson Fothergill Walk

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The return of Deco in the Details and another chance to do The Carrington Crawl

Dates coming up in May & June 2025

There is still some availability for Watson Fothergill Walk on 25 May, 10 am. (It starts early so we can enjoy Nottingham while it is slightly quieter than later on in the day – it’s worth getting up for!)

Deco in the Details

I’m trying out an evening version of Deco in the Details parts 1 & 2 – these tours look for traces of Art Deco in Nottingham’s architecture of the 1920s and 1930s.

Deco in the Details Part 1, Wednesday, 28 May, 6 pm. £20 each includes booking fees.

This is a circular walk from Nottingham’s Council House down to the Broadmarsh area and back. You can do these tours in any order – I hope to stage them again later in the year.

Deco in the Details Part 2, Wednesday, 4 June, 6 pm. £20 each includes booking fees.

This second part of the walk starts outside Victoria Centre and finishes at Snienton Market (where there is an opportunity to call at The Bath Inn).

The Bath Inn (AKA The Hanging Gardens of Snienton Market) from the winter Deco in the Details Part 2. Photo: with thanks to Louise Hunter. 

The Carrington Crawl

Lawrence George Summers, Fothergill’s talented chief assistant architect, was recently commemorated with a new grave marker in the Church Cemetery. 

The young LG Summers and the new grave marker, commissioned by Andrew Paris. Church Cemetery Photo: Lucy Brouwer

On the Carrington Crawl, I tell Summers’ story, talk about Fothergill’s family home and search for the houses they designed in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington.

Carrington Crawl Saturday 7 June, 1 pm. £20 each including booking fees.

This walk starts at the junction of Mansfield Road and Mapperley Road and ends at the Carrington end of Mansfield Road with a chance to explore Clawson Lodge (now the AUGB Ukrainian Cultural Centre) where you can enjoy a hot drink (for a small donation).

Father’s Day tour

And finally, for this newsletter, a Watson Fothergill Walk for Father’s Day.

There will be a Watson Fothergill Walk finishing up at Fothergill’s gastropub where you can enjoy the special Father’s Day menu. Book in early if you’d like a table after the tour. I’ll endeavour to finish on time but book for 12.15 pm to be on the safe side! A pleasant 2-hour stroll will build up your appetite.

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 15 June, 10 am tickets £20 each including booking fees.

Tickets for all these guided walks are available on EVENTBRITE

Public Art, Research

WTF is this?

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I’ve been trying to create a tour that people could do without me being physically present. I put a lot into presenting my tours and it takes a lot out of me…

A sunny day in St Peter’s Square, Nottingham. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

I’ve tested a few options including audio tour apps (hit and miss quality-wise), printed tours (where’s my reading glasses?) and dragging guidebooks with me onto the street (haphazard and increasingly heavy to lug around – the updated Nottinghamshire Pevsner guide weighs almost 1kg). 

One of my ideas for an audio tour was for an in-depth look at some of Nottingham’s public artworks and commemorative plaques. Now come on, don’t yawn…

Who doesn’t love a statue selfie? Me with one of the Lions from the demolished Black Boy Hotel, now in the grounds of Nottingham Castle.

So while the sun was out I popped down to the centre of town to walk a route I had in mind, I wanted to include the new Standing In This Place sculpture in this survey of statues, so I headed down towards the Broadmarsh.

On the way, at St Peter’s Square (outside M&S) there is a sculptural work, placed in the 1980s by the well-meaning City Council, back when it had money to spend on the Public Realm. I snapped a photo and as I went by something caught my eye. There was something written in felt tip pen on the marble.

WTF? Photo: Lucy Brouwer

Now, I’m always on the lookout for stuff to put on the Watson Fothergill Walk Instagram, so a little later I launched this photo of Leaf Stem with brief information about the artwork, I was a bit peeved but not massively so, it’s rather neglected and hardly anyone notices it these days. I didn’t think much more about it.

It auto-posted to Facebook and there were a few comments – the usual mild outrage that I’d suggested “LOCAL PEOPLE” might have committed vandalism, a few tales about how people thought it looked like a certain anatomical shape and the names they used to call it when they arranged to meet their friends by it, that sort of thing. 

What I hadn’t really considered was that the algorithms love a bit of rage. The post started to get a bit more traction than my usual photos of buildings with names and dates. However, the next morning I awoke to a text from a friend – Saw this Notts Post headline and thought “I know her!”

It even made the print edition! Modern journalism, eh?

A little late notoriety for Paul Mason’s Leaf Stem – here’s a blog telling the story of the work in more depth. 

So I suppose I should put something together, possibly with all the slightly rude names that this sculpture has collected over the years… 

Nottingham has some great sculptures – Robin Hood, Brian Clough, Rachel Carter’s fantastic new Standing In This Place, not to mention the Left and Right Lions. They all have stories to tell. Would you like a self-guided public art trail? Do let me know…

Events

A new way to keep up while I walk

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Hello! Here’s a message from my new Substack newsletter…

If you’ve not yet been on one of my walks, I’m Lucy, a tour guide and researcher. Here’s an invitation to sign up for my re-booted newsletter on Substack.

I’ve been leading walking tours looking at Nottingham’s historic architecture for about six years now (blimey!), and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response, but trying to find new people to take part in events IRL is increasingly becoming a challenge…

Me and my mate Left Lion, Council House, Nottingham. Sculptor Joseph Else, 1927-9. Photo: Christine Gaukroger

Why Substack? 

Mailing list websites are a chore; Facebook is full of videos of women putting their cardigans on backwards, and the less said about the site formerly known as Twitter, the better. I’m at the point where anything I actually want to see is getting lost in the noise, and you might feel the same way.

Bluesky is (so far) a friendly place, but even though it’s nice to have your favourite authors reply to outpourings of gratitude for their work, it doesn’t seem to be very good for finding people who’d like to (hopefully) pay for my skills and services.

So, I’ve decided it’s time to give Substack a go. A cross between a mailing list and a blog, with the option to add videos and podcasts (and make paid content available when I’m ready), a one-stop-shop for all things walks-related should make it easier for me to send out news or other interesting stuff that would get engulfed on other platforms.

Join a new community

There are over 900 people on my email subscription list, (hello again!) and most have been on at least one of my walking tours (thank you!), but there’s plenty of room for even more to join in – if only they knew I was here… (If you were already signed up then your email address will transfer automatically to the new platform – you are free to unsubscribe at any time.)

So the plan is to post about things that might be of interest if you like architecture, eccentric architects, Nottingham history, and photos of details that often hide plain sight.

There are lots of things that I want to share that might not fit into a regular walking tour but would certainly be enjoyable as an online amble or something you’ll be able to follow at your own pace by opting in to see as much (or as little) as you’d like.

It’s all about looking up…

15 & 17 George Street, Nottingham. Architect Watson Fothergill 1894. Photo: Lamar Francois.

Here’s Watson Fothergill’s office on George Street in Nottingham, one of the highlights of my Watson Fothergill Walk. I love how this building tells a story, of architecture, of Nottingham and of the man who is still a huge part of both. Want to know more? Just follow me…


Stay in the loop for tour dates and tickets

I’m not just here to flog tickets, but I certainly wouldn’t want you to miss out on my 100% 5-star reviews on Tripadvisor tour! There are still spaces available for walks in April & May and you can book them on Yuup using this direct link or on Eventbrite. 

Latest review from TripAdvisor – Thanks Steevi_W!

My other tours, The Hine Hike, The Carrington Crawl and Deco in the Details Parts 1 & 2 will be back over the summer. Sign up to be first with the new dates. 



Events

See Nottingham from a new angle!

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Discover Nottingham’s architecture from a new angle when you join me for a tour! New date for May 2025… see below.

Former Jessop’s Department Store, King Street, Nottingham. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

Join me on an entertaining and informative tour to explore Nottingham’s historic architecture.* 

There are some tickets available for previously announced Watson Fothergill Walk dates:

Sunday April 13, 10 am

Sunday April 27, 2 pm

Tickets just released: Watson Fothergill Walk Sunday 25 May, 10 am

All tickets £20 each. 

I have some capacity for private tours on weekdays in April and May – rates start from £100 for up to 4 people. Drop me a message via this link to check availability. 

– Lucy, Watson Fothergill Walk Tour Guide.

Former Express Offices, Lower Parliament Street, Nottingham. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

*Don’t just take my word for it!

“Best 20 quid I’ve spent this year, the Watson Fothergill Walk, walking around Nottingham city centre looking at this amazing architect’s work. Lucy was an amazing guide, extremely knowledgeable with added humour!” – Tim, Facebook review, March 2025

Thanks Louise for photo - Lucy Brouwer Nottingham tour guide
Events

Spring tours of Nottingham’s architecture

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Thanks to everyone who has joined me for a walk so far this year. Please keep spreading the word about these events to your friends. 

Thanks to Louise for the photo from Deco in the Details pt. 1.

Here’s your update on forthcoming dates from Watson Fothergill Walk. If you’d like to explore Nottingham’s historic architecture with tour guide Lucy Brouwer here are the dates, click the links for tickets and all details:

There are still limited tickets available for tours in March 2025:

The Carrington Crawl, Saturday 8 March, 1 pm

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 16 March, 10 am

The Hine Hike, Sunday 23 March, 2 pm

April dates now added:

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 13 April, 10 am

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 27 April, 2 pm

All tickets are £20 each including all booking fees. 

Watson Fothergill Walk tickets also available on Yuup

Deco in the Details 1 & 2 will be back later in the year – you can also book a walk for your group on a date of your choice. Minimum charge £100 (up to 4 people), T&Cs apply. Contact Lucy by email.

Events, Research

Let’s see Nottingham differently!

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As promised, more walks are coming up. There are still tickets available for both parts of Deco in the Details in February. March sees the return of the Carrington Crawl, plus more chances to join me for the Watson Fothergill Walk and Hine Hike in Nottingham city centre. I can also take private bookings for groups of 5 or more on weekdays and I can present illustrated talks to groups, so please drop me a line if you’d like to organise an event. Terms and conditions apply.

Click on the links below for info and tickets: 

Nottingham: Deco in the Details Part One – Weds, 12 February, 2 pm

Nottingham: Deco in the Details Part Two – Weds, 19 February, 2 pm

Watson Fothergill Walk: City Centre – Sun, 23 February, 10 am SOLD OUT more walks soon or book a private tour

Watson Fothergill Walk: The Carrington Crawl – Sat, 8 March, 1 pm

Watson Fothergill Walk: City Centre – Sun, 16 March, 10 am

Hine Hike: The Buildings of Thomas Chambers Hine – Sun, 23 March, 2 pm

Tickets are £20 each* 

Valid gift vouchers purchased before the end of 2024 will be honoured – please send an email if you have any difficulty redeeming vouchers. 

*This now includes ALL FEES and is the same price across all platforms (Eventbrite, Yuup and TripAdvisor) whose fees vary. This helps my small business to reach a larger audience. 

Thanks to Jane for the photo!

Hire a House Historian

Lucy Brouwer (seen here with her mate the Left Lion) is a tour guide, art historian and researcher who likes to look at things differently. If you’d like to hire a researcher to look into the history of your house, business premises or other pre-1940 building then send an email via this form. Rates start at £57 for a preliminary investigation into each property. More details here.

Events

Architecture Walking Tours Are Back!

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Back again for 2025!

Have you been putting it off? Did you miss out on tickets last year? Now is your chance to join me to discover Nottingham’s unique architecture – Watson Fothergill Walk and Deco in the Details are back. 

Forthcoming dates (with more to come throughout the year)

Deco in the Details Part 1 – Wednesday 12 February, 2 pm Tickets £20 each including booking fees*

Deco in the Details Part 2 – Wednesday 19 February, 2 pm Tickets £20 each including booking fees*

Watson Fothergill Walk – original city centre tour –  Sunday 23 February, 10 am. Tickets £20 each including booking fees*

*Tickets are now the same price on all platforms with fees included across the board. Previously purchased gift vouchers will be honoured until their expiry date – please contact me directly if you have any difficulties redeeming vouchers. Tickets are also available on new events platform Yuup:

Deco in the Details Part 1

Deco in the Details Part 2

Watson Fothergill Walk

Make sure you’re on the mailing list for a reminder when more tickets are released.

Here’s my short video on YouTube with a lesser known view of several Fothergill buildings.

Events

Winter… already?!

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It’s been a great year for Watson Fothergill Walk!  Thank you to all the people who have joined tours of Nottingham’s great architecture, loads of you have returned for my new Art Deco tours and I’ve received some lovely 5-star reviews on Tripadvisor. Thank you everyone!

Thanks Christine G for the photo of me and my mate Agamemnon a.k.a. Left Lion.

All the tours will be back for more dates in 2025. Meanwhile, maybe you’d like to recommend the tours to a friend, buy a gift voucher for a future tour or leave me a review. Any of these help me to keep doing the tours and work on new routes around Nottingham.I do not have vouchers for the Deco in the Details tours, if you’d like to make a gift of tickets for these, please contact me.

I do not have vouchers for the Deco in the Details tours, if you’d like to make a gift of tickets for these, please contact me.

Events

Watson Fothergill Walk- Back in 2025

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Left Lion is paying attention! Photo: Christine Gaukroger

The “Winter Wonderland” in the centre of Nottingham means that I can’t do justice to the Watson Fothergill Walk route until 2025. Meanwhile there is one more (sold out) Deco in the Details walk to go or you can book a Hine Hike, Lace Market Heritage Tour or an Illustrated Talk for your group.

Drop me a line to organise your event.

Meanwhile, make sure you’re on the mailing list for updates and news of new walks coming up next year and follow WatsonFothergillWalk on Instagram for photos.

Research

Hire a House Historian

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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 you want to discover if a renowned architect was involved in designing your property, then please contact me to arrange a research package. 

For more details see the Hire a House Historian page here.

*or shop!

Have a look at some research I did last year on a house in Elm Bank, Mapperley Park… Inside Elm Bank

And here’s another house, this time in Chilwell, with Watson Fothergill connections that I looked into in 2021.

I’m not only interested in Fothergill houses… Nottingham has a lot of Victorian architecture and I’m always interested to find out more.