Art Deco, Travels

Art Deco buildings in Long Eaton

On Saturday, 13 September I’m doing the second of my Nottingham Art Deco architecture tours for Art Deco Society UK. As I write, there are just 3 tickets remaining. I’d recommend joining ADSUK if you love all things Deco, and you will receive a discount on their events.

Nottingham: Art Deco in the Details, 2 pm, Saturday 13, September 2025. 

Since I’ve followed up my interest in Art Deco architecture, I’ve been looking for it everywhere I go. After taking note of Long Eaton’s Fothergill building, we headed to the other end of the High Street to find the former Burton shop. If you’ve been on any of my Art Deco walks in Nottingham, you’ll know that I am a bit obsessed with the shops built by Montague Burton The Tailor of Taste. The one in Long Eaton was opened in 1935 in a hail of hyperbolic publicity. 

The Long Eaton Advertiser, Friday, December 6, 1935 waxed lyrical about the “mammoth building” which “stands like a crystal palace, glistening in the sunshine and adding dignity to Long Eaton’s shopping centre.”

“Montague Burton buildings are easily recognisable throughout the country by the originality and beauty of their design, but now the palace is stamped and sealed with Neon Sign Lettering, telling the world that it belongs to Montague Burton, Ltd.”

Burton Long Eaton, 1935. British Newspaper Archive.

“A magnificent structure, noble in conception, graceful in design, and occupying a prominent position in the centre of town. Impressive in appearance, and commanding the admiration of the general public, this triumph of the building profession should form an enduring monument to the vision and enterprise of Montague Burton, whose ever-increasing chain of tailoring establishments throughout Great Britain and Ireland forms one of the most interesting romances of trade.”

“The building and its two lofty storeys, with stately columns rising to the top, and crowned with a massive pediment bearing the firm’s name, which at night is illuminated, suggests solidity of construction enhanced by artistic ensemble.”

You get the gist… this was a showpiece of the Burton empire, so much so that not only did it feature The Chain of Merit Windows but also five foundation stones with the names of members of the Burton family. 

However, these days, since Burton closed down in 2021, the shop is not in a great state. It’s currently on the market, and it retains part of its original shop front. So we had a close look…

Former Burton shop, High Street, Long Eaton (2025). (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)
Montague Burton The Tailor of Taste, Long Eaton (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

Foundation stones laid by Lady Montague Burton (Sophie Amelia Marks Burton (1887-1957) born Worksop, wife of Montague Maurice Burton (1885-1952) (born Meshe David Osinsky, in Lithuania). Their twin sons, Raymond Montague Burton and Stanley Howard Burton (stone covered), their younger son Arnold James Burton, and Austin Stephen Burton (a nephew or cousin or possibly an infant grandchild at the time?).

An original Burton grate at street level. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)
Curved plate glass windows on the side of the shop were most recently in use as a Burton. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

Upstairs, a snooker club – I wonder if this was the original use, as often Burton’s upstairs floors were used for billiard rooms.

It would be wonderful if this shop could regain some of its former glory. Fingers crossed. 

Back at the Market Place, another building caught my eye, The Oxford pub, this had the words “Therm House” on the parapet. I immediately guessed it must have been a gas showroom, lo and behold, I was right.

Therm House, High Street, Long Eaton (Now The Oxford). (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

Therm House was announced in November 1938 in the Long Eaton Advertiser:

“A building which will add dignity to the Long Eaton Market Place will be “Therm House,” which Messrs F. Perks and Son will commence erecting within the next few days. The Long Eaton Gas Company have certainly planned through Mr. J E. Dodd, the well-known architect, attractive and commodious premises which will occupy the site… On the ground floor there will be showrooms and offices. The first floor provides for a demonstration room to accommodate 300 people, along with a projector room and accommodation for a cafe.”

Indeed, the Oxford Cafe was in the building for a period (and the name remains today on the pub). 

“Therm House” will radiate “light and power” in the old market.”

Mr Therm was an anthropomorphic flame character used by Gas companies in the UK to advertise the convenience of their power and household appliances, appearing from the early 1930s to around the 1960s. The Mr Therm logo was originally at the top of the building between the two words on the parapet.

Mr Therm even had his own swinging theme song…”Meet Mr Therm”. With some choice lyrics:

“Meet Mr Therm, he’ll make your life more easy and very much less greasy, so meet Mr Therm…”

Mr Therm, in the guise of Sherlock Therm, appeared in a series of adverts in the press in the 1930s. British Newspaper Archive.

Finally, for now, Long Eaton has recently lost its Art Deco Cinema. This is all that’s left of the Galaxy Cinema on Derby Road, Long Eaton.

Site where The Galaxy Cinema once stood, Derby Road, Long Eaton. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer/ Louise Hunter)

There will be a few more interesting buildings in Long Eaton in the next post. Until then, if you’d like to find out more about Art Deco Architecture and the buildings of the 1930s, join me for a tour of Nottingham for Art Deco Society UK on Saturday, 13 September, 2 pm.

If you’d like reminders of walk dates and blog updates, subscribe to my newsletter and support my work.

Fothergill Bank Long Eaton
Fothergill Buildings Outside Nottingham

Fothergill in Long Eaton

I finally made it to Long Eaton to see the building Fothergill designed for Samuel Smith’s Bank. Just over the border into Derbyshire, Long Eaton is a half-hour bus ride away from the centre of Nottingham (I caught the Sky Link airport bus and met up with my friend Louise on the way).

The Halifax (former Samuel Smith & Co, Bank), 24 Market Place, Long Eaton. Architect: Fothergill Watson, 1889. (Photo: Louise Hunter).

Halifax are closing this branch in September 2025, so we wanted to visit while it was still possible to go inside. However, the interior was fairly modern with the only evidence of the original detail being the coffered wooden ceiling. I didn’t take a photo, as by then the counter assistants were wondering if I was casing the joint.

In March 1889, Fothergill Watson (pre-name change) submitted plans, commissioned by Messrs Samuel Smith & Co, Bankers, but these do not survive in archives. There are several other Fothergill buildings linked to this association with Smiths Bank, including alterations to a house on Cator Lane, Chilwell, for Mr F.C. Smith (see blogs passim), Hucknall Institute & Coffee Tavern (memorial stone laid by Mrs F. C. Smith), and a branch in Bullwell (now demolished).

The Grade II Listed bank makes good use of its location, with both side elevations projecting into the street; there is a porch on the south corner with a typical polished granite column.

Smith’s Bank, Long Eaton. South Elevation. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

The building uses Fothergill’s favoured red brick with blue brick bands, stone dressing the terracotta dressings. Elaborately moulded chimneys and a slate roof are also typical.

The front has five moulded Caernarvon arched windows with polished granite columns with foliage capitals. (Caernarvon arch is a term often used by Historic England and refers to an arch comprising a wide keystone resting on two corbels shaped to fit the keystone.)

Caernarvon arched window. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

Below the windows is a continuous moulded sill band and above a moulded terracotta frieze (now mostly visible thanks to a smaller Halifax signboard).

Close up of the terracotta moulding. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

The porch has semi-circular headed stone arches supported by a large polished granite column with foliage capital. There is wrought ironwork in the tympanums and grid iron work below (it looks like originally there would have been another grid gate to close off the entrance).

Porch with wrought ironwork. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

The date stone overlaps 1889 and is rather discreetly placed in the stone arch of the window.

Date stone in window arch. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

On the north corner, a canted oriel mullioned and transomed window with terracotta panels to the base and coloured brick corbels below.

Canted Oriel window. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

On the north side, facing into the church yard, a grand stair window with a stepped base and below a large moulded arch with a door and window.

North side door. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

While we were exploring Long Eaton, I was pleasantly surprised to discover there were several other buildings of note. More coming up…

If you’d like to learn more about the architect Watson Fothergill, why is swapped his names around, how to spot his buildings, and much more, then join me for The Watson Fothergill Walk, an architectural walking tour of Nottingham City Centre. Next date 7 September 2025.

Art Deco, Events, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

Join me to see Nottingham differently

Thanks to everyone who came down to The Vat & Fiddle for my Nottingham Art Deco Pubs talk. I’ve heard that a few of you have been visiting these fabulous buildings – here’s a recap if you’d like to find some Art Deco gems in the Nottingham area: A Guide to Nottingham Art Deco Pubs

Screenshot

There are still a few tickets remaining for Nottingham: Deco in the Details for Art Deco Society UK on 13 September, 2 pm. This is a version of Deco in the Details Part 2. It’s also open to non-members and the Deco-curious! We might even finish off with a look inside The Bath Inn. 

Tickets: Nottingham: Deco in the Details £22 each with a discount for ADSUK members. 

Also, coming up: Watson Fothergill Walks on Sunday 7 September, 10 am, and Sunday 12 October, 10 am.

Join me for my original tour looking at Nottingham’s Victorian Architecture by its most flamboyant architect. Last chances this year, so don’t put it off book today! 

See what folks are saying about Watson Fothergill Walk in my TripAdvisor reviews – It’s 5-star rated doncha know! 

Read the reviews

Tickets £20 each

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 7 Sept, 10 am

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 12 Oct, 10 am

Or book any of these walks on Yuup

Photos of Fothergill’s Nottingham and Notts Bank and Express Newspaper Offices from 1897 issue of “The Builder” (from Internet Archive). 

There is also a rare opportunity to do The Carrington Crawl on Saturday, 27 September, 1 pm

This tour looks at some of the houses designed by Watson Fothergill, architect, and his chief assistant Lawrence George Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington. There’s lots more about their lives and work too. Plus a chance to take a closer look at Clawson Lodge, a large house on Mansfield Road, now home to the Nottingham Ukrainian Cultural Centre. 

Tickets £20 each. 

Carrington Crawl, Saturday, 27 Sept, 1 pm 

Clawson Lodge – prior to restoration – it looks even more glorious now! (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

I hope you can join me for a walking tour soon!

Lucy – WatsonFothergillWalk.com

Art Deco, Events

Nottingham Art Deco Pubs Talk

Thanks to everyone for the great response to my new Nottingham Art Deco Pubs talk – it seems the combo of fine ales and pub history is a winning one!

I will be giving the talk, which is fully illustrated with photos, again at The Vat & Fiddle, Queensbridge Road (very handy for Nottingham Railway Station) on Tuesday 19 August, doors 6.30 pm, the bar will be open. Talk starts 7.30 pm and the pub closes at 9 pm.

Tickets are £10 each and are available here or there are a limited number available at The Vat & Fiddle if you wish to pay cash.

Info on the talk: Architecture Historian and Tour Guide Lucy Brouwer (creator of The Watson Fothergill Walk) will take us on an entertaining and informative virtual tour of Nottingham’s Art Deco Pubs. This illustrated talk will uncover the local architects who designed many of the pubs in Nottingham and the surrounding suburbs in the 1920s and 1930s, explore the concept of the Improved Pub, and examine trends in pub design during the inter-war years. Featuring the work of architects WB Starr & Hall, AE Eberlin, TC Howitt and more and including pubs such as The Grove (now The Vat & Fiddle), The Vale, The Wolds and The Test Match Hotel among many others. 

See you there!

Vat & Fiddle Pub Nottingham
Art Deco, Events, Mansfield, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

More Art Deco Pubs & Mansfield Meander

Extra dates for my new projects! Plus more Watson Fothergill Walks this summer.

Hello to new subscribers, and thank you to everyone who has already joined me for a walk or talk so far…

I’m lining up to repeat my new Art Deco Pubs talk at The Abdication on 22 July. This one is now SOLD OUT, so I’m staging it again, this time at The Vat & Fiddle in their Golding’s Room, on Tuesday 19 August, doors 6.30 pm. Tickets £10 (including fees) from Eventbrite or from the pub if you’d like to pay in cash. 

The Vat & Fiddle, Architect WB Starr & Hall, 1937-8, previously known as The Grove, Miami, Ziggy’s, Tom Hoskins… Photo: Lucy Brouwer

I’m also offering a shorter version of Watson Fothergill Walk in honour of the 184th anniversary of his birth on Saturday 12 July, 2 pm. This was organised to coincide with a talk about architect George Gilbert Scott at Bromley House Library. We will explore some of Scott’s influence on Fothergill’s work and take a leisurely stroll back to the Library to look in the garden. It was initially only open to Bromley House Library members, but if you’re not a member and would like to join in, you can visit as my guest (as long as you’re on your best behaviour!) 

Tickets for the Shorter Fothergill Birthday Walk here. 

There are just 3 tickets remaining for the Hine Hike on Sunday 27 July, 2 pm.

After the amazing response to the release of tickets for The Mansfield Meander, I’ve added a new date – Sunday, 3 August, 3 pm. Tickets hereWe will explore some of Fothergill’s early buildings and look for traces of his work on the streets of his home town. 

The next Carrington Crawl – a look at the work of Fothergill and his chief assistant LG Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington is on Saturday, 27 September, 1 pm. This finishes up Clawson Lodge Ukrainian Cultural Centre with a chance for a cuppa and a look at their turret! 

Extra turret! Clawson Lodge. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

There are a couple of summer dates scheduled for the original Watson Fothergill Walk, these are Sunday mornings, in an attempt to beat the rush of Nottingham city centre in the holiday period… Sunday, 17 August, 10 am and Sunday, 7 September, 10 am. All ticket links and info here. I hope you can join me. 

I’ve got limited availability for private weekday walks this summer – so send me a message if you’d like to bring a group of 6 or more on The Watson Fothergill Walk, Hine Hike or Deco in the Details.

Mansfield Cattle Market
Events

Phew! More dates because you can’t get enough buildings!

Mansfield & Art Deco pubs sell out! More dates coming up in August & September.

Thank you so much to everyone who has shown an interest in my new events. 

My new Nottingham Art Deco Pubs talk at The Abdication Micropub has sold out both nights and I’m looking for a venue to hold another performance! More news as it is confirmed. 

The Mansfield Meander on 31 August is now full up… so I’m going to squeeze in another one on Sunday 3 Augus– this will probably fill up fast so don’t delay. I’m also hoping to do this walk for private groups, so if you have 6 or more people who’d be able to do it on a weekday or evening then please, get in touch.

Watson Fothergill Walk – Mansfield Meander: Sunday 3 August, 3 pm 

I’m also doing a shortened version of the Watson Fothergill Walk to mark the anniversary of the Architect’s birth on 12th July 1841. Starting at 2 pm outside Bromley House Library (following on from Nigel Lowey’s sold-out talk about architect George Gilbert Scott). I will lead a shorter than usual walk to look at some of Watson Fothergill’s buildings in Nottingham city centre and explore his use of Nottingham bricks, the influence of George Gilbert Scott and the Gothic Revival on his work. At the end of the walk, there will be an opportunity for a short visit to Bromley House Library (as my guest) to see the wonderful hidden garden. Tickets: £15 with a discount for Bromley House Library Members. 

Watson Fothergill Birthday Walk: Shorter Walk Special, Saturday 12 July, 2 pm 

There are currently tickets available for the original City Centre Watson Fothergill Walk and Hine Hike on the following dates:

Hine Hike: Buildings of Thomas Chambers Hine, Sunday 27 July, 2 pm – 5 tickets remaining. 

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 17 August, 10 am – back to early starts to beat the beach rush!

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 7 September, 10 am 

There will be another chance to join me for The Carrington Crawl looking at houses by Fothergill and his chief assistant Lawrence George Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington. Carrington Crawl, Saturday 27 September, 1 pm


And Finally…

I will be running Nottingham Deco in the Details Part 2 for the Art Deco Society UK on Saturday 13 September, at 2 pm. There is a discount for ADSUK members. More details and tickets from ADSUK: Deco In The Details Part 2

As ever – if you’d like a tour or talk for you and your group I have some availability on weekdays – so drop me a message.

Research, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

Another Fothergill on the market

A couple of small flats are for sale in another Fothergill building, the former Marhill Brewery building at Carlton, to the north of the city centre.

The former Marhill Brewery, Carlton from the listing for a flat in the upper floor on Rightmove

Originally built for Mr Vickers in 1899, it was converted to residential use around 2005. It seems that the Brewery was quite a short-lived enterprise, The Vickers family held the licence at The Black’s Head pub close by in Carlton in the late 1800s.

“Brewing in Nottinghamshire” has an older picture of the building and states that the Carlton Brewery was short-lived. With Mrs Vickers there in 1902 and Willam (her son?) there between 1904-1906. It was sold in 1904, 1906 and 1909. It became a laundry, then a print works and then it was used as a dye works owned by the Ilkeston Hosiery Finishing Company. The sequence of these changes is not entirely clear according to the official listing on Historic England.

This building is too far out of the city centre to feature on my tour but you can reach it by bus then walk from Carlton Square.

More pictures of my FothergillSpotting on the Watson Fothergill Walk Instagram!

Events, Lawrence G Summers, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

Spotlight on The Carrington Crawl

The Carrington Crawl is my deep dive into the history and architecture of the houses built by architect Watson Fothergill and his chief assistant Lawrence George Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington, just outside Nottingham city centre. On this walk, you’ll find out more about Fothergill’s family home and his life there with his wife and seven children. You’ll also discover the two most complete known designs carried out by Fothergill’s talented Chief Assistant, a fine architect in his own right, L.G. Summers, FRIBA.

One of the houses that features on the tour is St Andrew’s House, on Mapperley Road which happens to be on the market at the moment.

A rare view of St Andrew’s House, Mapperley Road. On the market as we speak. Photo from the listing on Rightmove.

Fothergill actually added to an existing house and you can see his characteristic polychrome brickwork, tourelle with spire roof and squat attic floor with brick nogging, along with flourishes in the windows, stained glass and other features. The house was extended for Dr Stewart in 1886. Interestingly this building later served as the office for another architect, Thomas Cecil Howitt, who had gone into private practice after his work on Nottingham’s Council House. Several of his buildings from the 1930s feature on my Deco in the Details tours.

I’m only able to do the Carrington Crawl occasionally so don’t miss out on the next date: Saturday 7 June, 1 pm. Finishing up with a visit to Clawson Lodge, where we can have tea with the AUGB who use it as their Ukrainian Cultural Centre.

Events

May, June and into July 2025!

Here are all the tours that currently have tickets available

Saturday, July 12 marks the anniversary of Watson Fothergill’s birth in 1841 – and I’m doing a special shorter version of my walk to look at some highlights and explore the influence of George Gilbert Scott on the architect’s work (in conjunction with Bromley House Library) Walk start 2 pm outside Bromley House Library and lasts for approx 1 hour TICKETS HERE

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 6 July, 2 pm the original city centre walk.

The Hine Hike, Sunday, 27 July, 2pm, discover some of the many buildings of architect Thomas Chambers Hine. 

Lucy shouting and pointing in tribute to Jarvis Cocker (IYKYK! Pulp new single out now, party like it’s 1995!) Photo: Nigel King

I also have some weekday availability for walks for small groups – friends, family society or club – drop me a line here to book: https://watsonfothergillwalk.com/bookings/

Some of my walk events are also available to book on Yuup.  Subscribe to their events mailing list for £10 off bookings of over £50. Please use this direct link to book on Yuup.

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

May & June from Watson Fothergill Walk

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, 11 June, 6 pm. £20 each includes booking fees. Date changed to 11 June.

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).

Deco in the Details Architecture of the 1920s and 30s.

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 menuBook 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