Demolished Memories

[Michael Booth 7,364]

There's a thread on Nottstalgia that covers the Pleasure Park and it also has some good photos, Batesy. I lived on Grainger Street, Meadow Lane, so I was always there during the summer. Great memories.

[Batesy 22]

Thanks for that Michael,great memories indeed,I also remember our family picnics of a weekend and school holidays on the embankment,in the paddling pool,playing cricket ,rounders, and football,on the crazy golf,it used to get so busy down there it was like a mini holiday camp,wonderfully memories

[piggy and babs 544]

batesy pleasure park is now colwick yahct club i was down there just a couple of weeks ago for a friends funeral reception brought back a lot of memories for a lot ofus that were there all though a bit different now the sceene across the river has not changed the little wooden hut that yuo used to pay to go inis still there andthe old toilet blocks but theres nothing else from the old days

[albert smith 803]

Hi Cliffton I tried "Britain from above" #145 but couldn't find the next photo along showing Ryehill St. where I used to live (No.8) ,the little cafe nearest the Globe (great picture, many memories!) was owned pre-war by an ex Notts footballer, Mills? 1 Photo I did find is this one (I hope) of the War Memorial in 1928 (my birth year!) I'm sure my son born 1953 has walked along the ballustrade part of the memorial on the river side of the road. We left Ryehill St. in 1960 but can't remember if it was still there, if not whose 'stately' home does it adorn now?

[Cliff Ton 10,457]

albertsmith.........I've been digging around on the Britain from Above site, and I think I've found what you were looking for.

A wider shot, with London Road on the right

And a closer view

[albert smith 803]

Thanks Cliffton, I can pick out No. 8 but there is one from London Rd. looking up Ryehill St. with the houses boarded up awaiting demolition.

[dat47 92]

my granddads bike shop on Manvers Street Sneinton late 1950s Flats now stand where his shop was.

[DaveN 1,118]

For me some of the buildings now gone that I remember are the Victoria Station - Trinity Church opposite the station - Black Boy Hotel - County Hotel and of course the Empire Theatre where I remember as a child seeing Peter Brough with Archie Andrews among others. Also near the castle Granby street with the bus station. The road was of course widened and became Maid Marion Way.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

Nothing of this remains........................ went many years ago

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

I have this photo as my desk top on my lap top.

Its the top end of the street on the previous photo

[poohbear 1,360]

The vast amount of blue brick railway constructions and embankments in Nottingham buried or destroyed a lot of ancient Nottingham sites...The ancient Sneinton Rock houses and the St Anns Well for instance.

[Chulla 4,946]

When the Contemporary Art Gallery was built at Weekday Cross, someone associated with its construction said that it blended in with the surrounding architecture - High Pavement. Where was Specsavers when we need them!. This tactless statement encouraged me to put pen to paper and in a poem relate the way that our city has lost its architectural heritage. I wrote it in the style of John Betjeman and then put it away. This thread has reminded me of it, so it seems the best place to give it an outing.

Betjemanian Lament

Come friendly bombs and fall on Notts,

On hideous structure, municipal clots,

Be gone those eyesores, the planners' dreams,

Let's see them all in smithereens.

Make way for traffic, so they say,

Destroy the old, it's in the way,

Drury Hill and Walter's Fountain,

Hotel Black Boy, destruction wanton.

Modern art we don't understand,

Build it a gallery and call it grand,

Construct it in the style of naff,

Queen of the Midlands! don't make me laff.

Planners, architects, devoid of taste,

Use glass and steel, above all haste,

Bring back character, for heaven's sake,

Brick and stone doth beauty make.

Pevsner, Betjeman, what would they say

Me thinks they'd look the other way,

Watson Fothergill, look what he gave,

Now all he can do is turn in his grave.

Don't waste our money on 'necessities',

That only breed monstrosities,

And when they stand in our town centre,

Convince us not t'was for the better.

So rain dear bombs, with direct hits,

Blast eyesores to tiny bits,

Replace them all and show some pity,

Re-establish this once-fair city.

[LizzieM 9,507]

Very clever Chulla.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

I enjoyed reading your poem, Chulla. I look forward to the next one.

[Compo 10,328]

What a terrific poem!

[Chulla 4,946]

Thank you Lizzie, Mike and Compo for you kind sentiments about my poem. Believe it or not I am not into poetry, it was just that I felt at the time that I had to say something to counteract the propaganda being said about the gallery. I have been past it many times and have yet to see anyone going in to it or coming out.

As for 'looking forward to the next one', I did write one other, some twenty or more years ago, and like the above, just put it away. Nothing to do with this thread, though.

[Compo 10,328]

The poem is so accurate and visual. I haven't lived in Nottingham for over 30yrs but it brouight back images as plain as if they still existed.

[Merthyr Imp 729]

Is the memorial park on the embankment still there?

http://www.nottingham21.co.uk/parks_memorial_thumbnail.htm

[Trevor S 2,003]

Still there but not quite the same as originally.

PTP provides some insight into the missing structure, including the original model as well as this photo that shows the structure in question:-

http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/frontend.php?action=printdetails&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;NTGM007193&prevUrl=

[Merthyr Imp 729]

I'm confused - are we talking about the memorial gateway not being there or what?

[Trevor S 2,003]

We are referring to the structure in front of the memorial gateway - '........is the construction into the Trent immediately in front of the memorial gates. It must have been substantial to have such geometric similarity with the rest of the memorial.'

The structure in question is the white wall, clearly visible in the lower third of the photograph at #201; immediately across the road from the memorial gates on the grassed area alongside the river.

Google the site and you will find that the structure is no longer there - as mercurydancer stated. This fact is upheld by the photographs in the link provided by you at #193.

With the close proximity to the river, it may well have fallen victim to river flooding at some stage but I am hopeful that someone will have knowledge of its demise.

[Cliff Ton 10,457]

Never noticed that before, but by zooming in on one of the Britain from Above photos, you get a better idea of what it was; seems to just be ceremonial steps.

[Trevor S 2,003]

Ceremonial steps for sure, Cliff ton.

Up from the river, defined line of steps and directly in line with the main entrance.

Was there any royalty that came up river and entered that way to officially open the Memorial or, for the patron, Jesse Boot, to have a spectacular view from his summer home which was directly across the river from the Memorial?

Probably be all solved by the time I wake up in the morning.

[Trevor S 2,003]

Another picture of the structure:-

http://www.heritage-explorer.co.uk/web/he/searchdetail.aspx?id=9695&crit=memorial&large=1

And more info. Note the reference to the balustrade terraces continuing across the Boulevard to the river :-

http://michaelmedwards.wordpress.com/2013/11/10/nottinghams-lovely-peace-memorial/

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

Is this what we are talking about?

Fairly recent from Google

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9345215,-1.1395344,113m/data=!3m1!1e3