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My grandfather was born in 1888 in Woodland Place, an alley that ran from long row through to Parliament Street about half way between Market Street and Hurts Yard. On Saturday I was in town and between the British Heart Foundation shop and the old Habitat store there is an alley which may be about where Woodland Place was. You can only get up it a short way as there is a steel barred gate across but I notice just the other side of the gate to the left, inset in the wall is this plaque. It is as far as I can tell cast iron or some sort of metal casting and is really lovely. Shame that it's hidden and unseen and wonder what the story behind it is.
Rog is going to attach the photo for me later. 
 
 
 
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2 hours ago, letsavagoo said:
My grandfather was born in 1888 in Woodland Place, an alley that ran from long row through to Parliament Street about half way between Market Street and Hurts Yard. On Saturday I was in town and between the British Heart Foundation shop and the old Habitat store there is an alley which may be about where Woodland Place was.

 

Spot on with your location. Market Street going up the right.

 

aCcZmrC.jpg

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If I have my bearing right the up arrow is the frontage of Pearson Bros and Farmers Piano shops. The alley then runs all the way through to Pearsons loading bay. As a van lad I've run up the steps and through to despatch hundreds of times - don't remember the dog leg though so may be wrong with the location.

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I'm not sure that the alley I found is where Woodland Place was. I'll have a better look when I can. It seems to go to the rear of the car park which is on Parliament Street now. I assume the Talbot on the map is now Yates.

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I've just been looking for a current map of the area and went onto Nottingham Planning.

Quite by chance there's a planning application from 2001/2 for "Retention of gates " Hurts Yard.

 

There are gates drawn in adjacent to no.15 Hurts yard which backs onto the carpark and was presumably, along with 16, 17, 18 built with the carpark in more recent times.

Does that seem more familiar Letsavago?

 

The attached shows the current layout,

http://publicaccess.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/online-applications/files/7F36E4AAB48302F8E8B31FFA6659A257/pdf/01_00396_PFUL3--182239.pdf

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3 hours ago, letsavagoo said:

I'm not sure that the alley I found is where Woodland Place was. I'll have a better look when I can. It seems to go to the rear of the car park which is on Parliament Street now. I assume the Talbot on the map is now Yates.

As on the above map, the former Woodland Place would indeed be between British Heart and Habitat. It's nothing to do with Hurts Yard which is further up Long Row. No idea about the plaque though, if it's on the left as you look through it would be attached to the side of the former Habitat, presumably they would have had something to do with it, the brickwork looks relatively recent. It only goes up a short way to a dead end, perhaps access to the rear of those two shops. It stopped going right the way to Parliament St yonks ago.

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The plaque is indeed on Habitat's wall and you're correct the brickwork does look more recent. The plaque seems to have a harvest/food theme. Maybe it had to be retained as a planning requirement but where was it originally. It seems odd it's hidden away without access.

Stuart.C. When I click your link I get a message that the page isn't currently available for public viewing so I cannot comment on it but if you look at the old map Cliff Ton kindly and helpfull posted (#3) Hurts yard is still there albeit somewhat changed and has nothing to do with Woodland Place. I'll get a new map and lay it over the old map at the same scale and that will help. There certainly is access to BHF as I saw staff up the alley having a smoke. 

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I checked and the only brief mention of anything at all connected with items on the plaque is to a John Minnett as the advert below .  It was a court hearing of "insolvent debtors" . 
"John Minnitt  (sued as John Minnett) late of Upper Parliament Street, in the Town of Nottingham,  Tallow Chandler, grocer, and Provisions  , seedsman , lace maker ,formerly of Woodland Place".
22 February 1856 - Nottingham Journal
 
May explain the beehive and what looks like trays of seeds ?
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  • 8 months later...

Just seen this thread! John Minnitt who Davidw refers to was my Great Great Great Grandfather! Starting out on Woodland Place in the 1830's over the next 30 or so years he expanded his business and acquired premises on Parliament Street where Persian Empire Restaurant is  ( for many years  Libertys Pub was here ). To the rear he had his Candle Factory acquiring land that stretched to Long Row. I seem to remember seeing a mortgage Document at Nottingham Archives and there was a mention of a Smith Fowler of Long Row who was a Grocer! So perhaps the plaque was connected to one of these two Gentleman?

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