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I am no expert but thought others might be interested in what I have found out about this topic, and inputting here will gain me further knowledge of such? Actually I am starting this thread/blog whatever in New Basford as 2 of the roads into Old Basford pre railways era came through there, being Nottingham Road and Radford Rd .

I know not what streets existed between the 2 pre 1848 when the Midland Railway line and Basford Vernon Station opened but the names of some, Chard St and Isandula Rd for example point to some being built post Anglo Zulu war 1879, (Rorkes Drift etc) North Gate, one assumes would have been there as the word Gate (so I heard on Radio Nottingham ) stems from the Viking era!

Anyway these 2 roads headed north , Radford Rd joining Church St and Nottingham Road continuing through what I guess would be open country till it met Church St/Lincoln St in Old Basford Village, that junction is still there. On the section of Nottingham Rd between that and the (now) railway/tram lines there stood a pub, The Vernon Hotel.

Radford Rd continued to become Church St,, no junctions, no island etc, there was at that time no Vernon Road, no Valley Road and no Western Boulevard, the latter 2 only existing from the 1930‘s, there were I think 2 streets demolished for the building of Valley Rd here, one was Fairfax Street which stood where the west to east carriageway of the new road now is. Till the 1980‘s Fairfax Terrace that was off such , typical of other terraces of New Basford with corner shops at end still existed, in later years the shops were a motorcycle breakers but I recall one in the 1950‘s as a sweetshop . The second street ( if my assumptions are correct) stood with the Shoulder of Mutton on the corner minus it’s latter large car park (now Macdonald’s occupies that site)

When the railway arrived it crossed 3 roads, the 2 mentioned and David Lane, when I say crossed I mean as in level crossings, as the still there Church Street Bridge was not built until 1876 so for 28 years there must have been a level crossing over the old road, the route of which is now used as the entrance to the “nature reserve” right next to St Leo’s Church, I remember for years it was overgrown but with a bridge there similar to the bulwell bogs one over the River Leen, that was demolished when the Leen was ducted as an anti flooding measure, this old road was also shown on old maps as an entrance to cattle pens on the railway.

Vernon Road was built (as I understand it by the railway) as an Old Basford “bypass” as the only way to Bulwell was to go through the village then over David Lane Crossing up Southwark St and turn left at Bulwell Lane, I have no idea when Vernon Rd was built but post 1876 as it’s original southern end was what in later life was Smithy’s scrapyard almost on the Church Street bridge, it’s present day route from the Nottingham Rd to Valley Rd was in part of the gas works back then, the reason for altering such (I’m told) was to make an easier route for trams to Bulwell

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The original of this was across two pages, hence the dark bit in the middle. This stretch of the ring road is obviously just being finished And this is probably only a few months later http://ww

Re #119 If you do manage to type the full 40,000 lines, lets hope that nobody quotes it in a reply.

And if Cliff Ton can't find it then it doesn't exist.

Ashley, this is a very interesting post, unfortunately I can't add to it but I do remember most of the roads you mention, My aunt and uncle lived on Egypt road for many years, the company I work for has a concrete works near the gas holders and I think the scrap yard is still near the bridge, does anyone have a map of the era you talk of or is anything available from the book shop under the council house in the city? it would be good to piece all this info together to see how that part of the city developed.

Rog

just as a matter of interest, you spoke of the Zulu war of 1879, one of the officers who held out at Rorkes drift has his ancestral home just down the road from my place in Thurlby Lincs and a friend of my wife's is is Gonville Bromheads great great? niece and she still tends the family church and ancestral graves,

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Knew quite a few who lived on Egypt Road as till 18 I lived on next street to it, (1946 to 62) Knew of Bromhead,(rather you'd have asked first) lol, surprised no streets in New Basford bear his name? forget who but someone on Nottstalgia mentioned I think some General or whatever of the era has a street named after him in New Basford, maybe Chelmsford?

Tried to edit my post (but couldn't) as forgot to add a few things, one was looking at the 2 sections of Nottingam Rd split by the railway it appears they don't "line up"? it was more noticable when the crossing was there, I remember the gates there but always in the closed position, later a fence went up and later still the gap Vernon Rd side was bricked up, a pre war2 aerial photo shows the original Nottingham Rd route would have crossed the railway at a sharp angle and it would appear the last few yards Basford side were angled towards Bulwell to give a more square on crossing, probably when Vernon Rd built? David Lane Crossing also appears to have been re-aligned? as an early photo shows that "aimed" at Lincoln Street, indeed wasn't it earlier named Lincoln Street Crossing?

The scrapyard has gone, about 7 years ago I think, now some unfinished either flats or office units that look to be built of reclaimed floor boards are in it's place behind a high locked gate, next to that what used to be Fox's VW centre was part of the gas works with 2 gasometers near to Church Street

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Knew of Bromhead,(rather you'd have asked first) lol, surprised no streets in New Basford bear his name? forget who but someone on Nottstalgia mentioned I think some General or whatever of the era has a street named after him in New Basford, maybe Chelmsford?

Me....

Chelmsford was Bromheads C/O and responsible for the fiasco and deaths of the 1,000 men at Isandlwana. By his stupidity and lack of knowledge of the Zulu military machine.

The last thing he deserved was a street to be named after him....but of course he was a Lord rolleyes.gif

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I knew I saw this somewhere as well.

over a thousand were slaughtered by the Zulus at Isandlwana (Isandula Road,Basford.So named because local councillors didn't know how to pronounce it) because of the arrogance of the officers who thought a fortified camp was unecessary.

The Zulu war was instigated by Sir Bartle Frere High Commissioner of South Africa who considered the Despot Cetshwayo and his Zulu nation to be a threat to the Natal Province.

An excuse was found in the death of a couple of white settlers and the theft of some cattle, to invade the neighbouring sovereign state to remove the regime

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no offence intended by not recalling (or looking back at) who had posted that re Chelmsford, not really into Victorian military history, that said am looking at my Irish great grandfather's commision papers, Robert James McCracken, Gent Lieutenant Land Forces 13th April 1886! wonder if he was in the Zulu Wars?

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Sorry to keep this off topic Ashley but for those interested Cetshwayo's (Zulu King) shield and asaghi (spear) are part of the Sherwood Forresters collection in Nottingham castle, he was bought back to the Uk and paraded with dignity in front of Queen Victoria

Rog

Back to Ashley's original topic

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Hi Ashley, my grandmother (fathers side) lived on Ealing Av. off Vernon Rd. a few hundred yards from the Northern Baths. Grandfather (mothers side) was landlord of Catchems Corner, as it was know by most people all over Nottingham (The Great Northern) He took it over when he retired from Nottingham Forest after being a player and then the trainer. He had to open it at 6am in the morning so that the miners could have a pint (or three) before catching or returning on the train to/from the various pits.

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Not sure if you still visit Outlaw? but was "The Great Northern" the original name of the pub? I thought it had been called The Station Hotel, (think at least one engraved window still states such?) My dad was born virtually opposite Ealing Avenue on Vernon Road in 1916, still lived there 1930's. Have found another couple of "Zulu" connections in Basford, the most obvious of course is the not mentioned Zulu Road! lol and off that road is Durnford Street named I assume after Colonel Durnford killed at Isandlwana.

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Of interest to railway fans and others!

The sidings on the left were in Basford Vernon Station Yard, the reverse line going to the right ran to the gas works sidings, just to the right of the train, between that and the R hand side bridge support (and just above) can (I think) be seen part of the signal box that controlled the section, inc the yard and the former level crossing (Nottingham Rd) another interesting item is the height gauge, though part of it seems missing?

And possibly best of all is the little bridge crossing The Leen! I recall seeing this, This was I guess part of the original "Church Street" leading into Old Basford and pre the bridge I believe there was a level crossing here. The route to such from the left can still be seen today as the entrance to the nature walk at side of St Leo's Church

66-74-36A780basford.jpg

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Used to live for over 20 years about 30 yds from where that pic was took on same road ,however I can't claim credit for it,, it is from site http://www.rcts.org....ia&srch=&page=0 which Cliff Ton posted the other day in "Trainspotting in 50's and 60's topic" I've just posted another one from it in that topic which may be of interest,

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The bridge sides you mean? they were extended with new "pointy" coping stones to stop the dear little children of basford getting at the tram wires! the church street bridge has wire netting to do the same, the black "H" frames supporting such can be seen in today's pic? If the ground in said picture looks wider it's because a concrete overhang over the river leen has been added to the left of the "down" tram line (heading north) think the track is on original land but extra had to be added to provide a walkway there

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Speaking of the Church St bridge I took this picture from the bridge of the Monolith that was built on the breakers yard. Looking at it, it's in a right state, I wonder when the bulldozers will move in or will it be spruced up for our friends from foreign lands.

DSC_1622.jpg

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Am I right in thinking it was built by a company called Irwin, they lived locally but had office etc somewhere near Chilwell, That "scrap yard" (Smithies) land was the original Basford end of of Vernon Road, replaced in later years by the section from Nottingham Road to what was Church St/Radford Rd junction, This later route when the original was built would have been in the gas works yard. Not sure if still the same but the entrance and some distance in to the scrap yard (till buried under sump oil and s.... was till about 10 years ago was still cobbled and original kerbs ran into the yard.

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found some old pictures I had took pre Robin Hood Line era

Took from Church St Bridge

wbbridge.jpg

The original Church Street leading down to the bridge over The Leen

churchstold.jpg

The scrap yard, you can see how it was the original vernon rd running up to the top of the bridge

scrapyard.jpg

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found some old pictures I had took pre Robin Hood Line era

Took from Church St Bridge

The original Church Street leading down to the bridge over The Leen

The scrap yard, you can see how it was the original vernon rd running up to the top of the bridge

Nice to see your photo's Ashley, one question roughly when was the Church St bridge built?

I didn't realise the original Vernon Road went up towards the bridge although I do remember the cobbles there down to the scrap yard.

Here's a picture of the garage at the junction of Vernon Road and Church St bridge.

BulwellMarket8.jpg

Here's a picture taken at the same time of my others showing the current view from the Church St bridge.

DSC_1619.jpg

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Between you and me Mick (plus picture the past) we've a good "then and now" set, Church Street Bridge was built in 1876, the girders underneath say so, along with "Made In Bradford"!

so for 28 years (the line was opened in 1848) there was a level crossing of some sort leading to the little bridge over The Leen . Far as I know the original route of Vernon Rd was built at same time. Yes, I remember the gasometer you mention, I also remember another one the other side of the "new"Vernon Road on land that went through to Nottingham Road, on that land at some time, (not sure if when gasometer also there then) there was a block of gas workers flats, far before my time and never seen a photo of it. Owned by Nottingham Corporation, as were the gasworks, I understand it was a very grim place! was told similar to Victoria Buildings also built in 1876 (next to viccy baths) which sounds possible as name of the Basford flats was Albert Buildings, In later life Flewitts Wood Yard stood there, later some DIY type store, later still car sales depot

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