The Racecourse on The Forest
Although the 1845 Enclosure Act allowed for up to 130 acres of land to be allocated as open space, the only places specifically named were the Race Course, the Cricket ground and the Military Training...
View ArticleReclaim the Night, 2013
Reclaim the Night – or Take Back the Night – marches have been held all around the world as a protest and direct action against rape and sexual violence against women. The first such event was held in...
View ArticleThe End of the Race Course
The Race Course on the Forest, c.1800Courtesy of Nottingham Historical Film Unit and www.picturethepast.org.uk Horse racing began on The Forest in the late seventeenth century. Originally organised by...
View ArticleEmploying the Unemployed
Nottingham, like many towns and cities suffered periods of economic depression and high unemployment throughout the 19th century. For many, the final resort was the much criticised workhouse. In...
View ArticleConcerts in the Parks
From its opening in 1852, band concerts in the Arboretum were popular events. Not only did they feature prominently in the opening ceremony but were a regular feature of the weekly programme of events....
View ArticleRoyal Celebrations
On 22 June 1911, Nottingham celebrated the Coronation of George V by a remarkable public demonstration of loyalty. The events began in the City centre as 3,200 men and boys gathered in the Market...
View ArticleThe 1928 move of Goose Fair from the Old Market Square (part 3)
By Mick Smith and Jonathan Coope Goose Fair Re-Launched Despite worries about whether the re-launch of Goose Fair on its new Forest site would be a success, some saw grounds for optimism. The...
View ArticleThe 1928 move of Goose Fair from the Old Market Square (part 2)
By Mick Smith and Jonathan Coope 1927 The fate of the Fair and the market lay ultimately in the hands of the council’s General Purposes Committee, working in close conjunction with the Markets and...
View ArticleThe 1928 move of Goose Fair from the Old Market Square (part 1)
By Mick Smith and Jonathan Coope Introduction Goose Fair, the world’s oldest travelling fair, dates back more than 700 years and still thrives today for five days each October on the Forest recreation...
View ArticleThe Forest – a video introduction to its history
An introduction to the history of The Forest recreation ground in Nottingham, with John Beckett, Professor of English Regional History, University of Nottingham.
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