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Does anyone have memories of the lace market factories,i had a uncle that worked in the cutting room at birkins,down in the dungeon(sorry cellar)i used to pop in to see him on my dinner break,i worked as a postie oh i thought it was awful,no windows,or air con i even would have a cuppa with some of the other workers and it was all the same noisy and very hot,the girls would go for a crafty fag in the toilets,i was trying to remember some of the othe factories,shortens,brooks,michelsons,mostly along stoney street,hollowstone,memory fading,anyone help

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My mother in law was a machinist at Cooper and Keywood, they made men's trousers and complete suits. She would go to the factory shops in her lunch hour and try and find bargains. And she did, she got my hubby some underpants for 10p a piece, they were so well made he couldn't wear them out! [no comments] they lasted years, he chucked them in the end as he was sick of them. She got my son some little boys underpants too at the same time, he wore them for years and so did his younger brother afterwards. They don't make stuff like that anymore.

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I used to work in this small print factory called Lakeshore Graphics in Plumptre Street in the Lace Market in the early eighties. A fantastic old building it was too (albeit a little run-down) having originally been a merchant's home. I used to work on my own on the top deck doing artwork and using an industrial camera in a small dark room that was set up there.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=plumptre+street+nottingham&ll=52.951747,-1.14106&spn=0.000992,0.00305&hnear=Plumptre+St,+Nottingham,+United+Kingdom&gl=uk&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=52.951721,-1.14173&panoid=gxPEPicgJp8eePKEn7Aacw&cbp=12,220.68,,0,-13.72

It was a really nice area to work at that time even though the revival of the Lace Market has not really begun in earnest. I used to like the fact that I could wander down Broadway into town for a mooch around on my lunch hour. I'd also head over to the old Ice Stadium on Monday lunchtimes to take my place in the large queues which would form for tickets for the Nottingham Panthers who had returned recently in 1980 after a twenty-year hiatus. The Old Angel was the preferred destination for anyone going for a Friday lunch pint. Always used to get a friendly wave from the girls working in the textile factory straight opposite on Plumptre Street! ;)

Around that time the Lace Market started to open up again socially with the emergence of The Mill Pub which people would walk over Hockley from town to get to, followed by Brownes Wine Bar.

Shortly afterwards the company moved to an industrial estate near Alfred Street. Working on a series of bleak and isolated industrial estates for other print companies after that time was certainly a come-down after working in such a pleasant and convenient (for me) area.

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  • 1 month later...

I was at school with one of the Keywoods. Wisely he decided that the rag trade was not for him and he's done rather (well, very well) in accountancy as one of the very top people at the world's largest firm: Price Waterhouse.

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Hi Sneintongal,I left Notts in the 1960s and i worked in the lace market,the factory i worked at was on Woolpack Lane it was called City Uniform,the name tells what we used to make,I never found anywhere in the West Mids to replace what i had to leave behind,I do not know if City Uniform is still there or even if Woolpack lane is still there.

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In the 30's Mum worked at G W Pryce in the Lace market, and up until the late 50's Great Aunt was still undertaking lace repairs in her home in Comyn Street. Bundles of lace net were delivered to her for her to mend, which meant picking up the threads which had been missed in the factory.

They were then picked up by Pryces and another bundle dropped off.

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started my first job at 15 four days before i was 16 at john thorpe on stoney st in 1985 26.25 a week and i think paul hardcastle was number one with nnnn nineteen horrible job jumped up boss called john connely handed my notice in after three months and he decided to sack me there and then instead,,,got a job at bardot fabrics in radcliffe on trent which i stuck for 6 months before altering my cv and blagging my way into a trainee electrician job at lg tooms electrical contractors who did loads of work at all the meridian sites arnold ilkeston (was at that particular site when the space shuttle blew up} haydn rd long eaton spondon and a couple of others they also did lots of work for howitt printing in basford before it moved to bulwell and was spawny enough to be there on a day when a minibus full of page 3 girls pulled up for the annual calendar photo shoot.

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Hello All,

I'm hoping you can help me...

My name is Corinne Sweet and I am an established author, broadcaster and journalist. I am currently researching a book about men and women who worked in Nottingham shops and factories between 1930-1960 for a novelised social history book, due out in October 2015.

I am searching for people who worked in places such as the lace factories, Boots, Players and Raleigh's between 1930-1960. I have researched the companies but am now looking to speak to any ex-employees; if you worked for, or know anyone that did work for, any of these companies, it would be wonderful to hear from you. Please email me on Corinne@corinnesweet.com ; I am looking to interview people on their experiences and memories of their time working for these companies.

Many thanks for you help and a merry Christmas to all.

Best wishes,

Corinne Sweet

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I worked on Plumtre Street in men's tailoring, the place was called Levies.

I had some good times and fond memories of my time there leaving in 1969

to have my first baby.

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My Mum worked at Richard Stump ( I think. Anyone confirm if they were there? ) on Stoney Street back in the 70's, before they moved to Haydn Road, Sherwood.

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Lace Market 1960,........what a busy place employing 100s,........i was 15 and employed as a 'Van lad' at midland station and used to do deliverys round the 'lace market' and the Piped music' blasting out as the workers sang along to it,everytime i hear 'Paper Roses' my mind goes back there.

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An example of what-might-have-been in the Lace Market.

At the top of Barker Gate is this car park.

barker1-1.jpg

Before it was built, there was this open-air car park.

barker2.jpg

Apparently, that open-air version was the remains of an abandoned project of an inner ring-road, which would come up Barker Gate and come out near Fletcher Gate / Weekday Cross. So thankfully, not all the stupid planning ideas of the 1960s actually happened.

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In the 30's Mum worked at G W Pryce in the Lace market, and up until the late 50's Great Aunt was still undertaking lace repairs in her home in Comyn Street. Bundles of lace net were delivered to her for her to mend, which meant picking up the threads which had been missed in the factory.

They were then picked up by Pryces and another bundle dropped off.

I worked for G.W. Price on Stoney Street in 1963 and today I was amazed when I had a walk round the Lace Market, a good proportion of the buildings have been taken over by NCN College and there are loads of bars and restaurants in the rest. The factory I worked in has not changed from the outside and is still called Price House, the basement where we kept all our grey stock (unfinished lace) is now"Le Bistro Live" and the factory across the road which I think was Gordonia Debrette is now "Annies Burger Shack".

The Old Angel pub where we used to go for a lunch time pint has not changed much but most of the factories are now multi use buildings.

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I am looking for information about a Land ownership demarcation Line in the form of a 'Metal Bar' set in the Pavement on Broadway in the Lace Market. This Metal Bar divider was between the Land owned by two rival Hosiery Manufacturing Companies. I believe this Metal Bar is still there to this day.

 

I would appreciate it if someone could post a Link to a Website that has the information that I'm looking for.

 

Thanks.

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