Rocky Horror Show

History

The Waco Siege: How a Man from Nottingham Became Part of an American Tragedy

26 years ago, a religious centre in Texas was home to one of the most brutal massacres in US history. Among the survivors was...

Bad Gals From Notts: 8 Influential Women Who Helped Shape History

22 July 19

From writers and lawyers to suffragists and nurses, these eight women fought ruthlessly for social change and shaped history as we know it. Oh, and they all hail from our hometown, too...

Object Walk: Martin Sommerville from By Our Hands We Make Our Way

21 July 19

In a new regular feature, we’ve teamed up with the National Justice Museum to put objects from the past into the hands of people of the present.

Out of Time: Highwayman "Swift" Nick Nevison

17 July 19

Our regular history feature takes a look at the colourful life of Nick Nevison, who traded in Newark during his time as a highwayman...

Bone-Carved Objects, Amputation Kits and More: The 10 Weirdest Objects in the National Justice Museum's Stores

12 July 19

We delved deep into the weird and wonderful stores at the National Justice Museum to find ten of the most interesting, bizarre and macabre items from the history of crime and punishment… 

Out of Time: Life in Nottingham During The Cold War

17 June 19

Our regular history features takes a look at just how close Nottingham came to being obliterated during the Cold War...

History of the Weird Midlands Episode Eight: Mysteries of the Midlands, Part Two

25 April 19

History of the Weird Midlands Episode Seven: His Infernal Midlands

22 April 19

History of the Weird Midlands Episode Six: Subterranean Secrets

12 April 19

Out of Time: The 508th in Wollaton Park

09 April 19

For the first edition of our brand new regular feature - which explores lesser known stories from Nottingham’s history - we take a look at when, during World War II, Wollaton Hall was used as a base for the 508th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division as they prepared for D-Day... 

History of the Weird Midlands Episode Five: The Great Nottingham Curio Show!

04 April 19

The History of Robin Hood and His Links to The Green Man

25 February 19

He’s plastered on movie posters, book covers, bank logos and the sides of buses, but there is a side to Robin Hood that you may not be aware of. Today, Literature Editor LP Mills takes a deep dive into the strange and ancient history of Nottingham’s best-loved outlaw, Robin Hood...

The History of Wrestling in Nottingham

21 January 19

Pro wrestling has had a bit of resurgence of late. With Notts lad Gabriel Kidd appearing on ITV’s World of Sport, and Nottingham Contemporary hosting a sold-out Spandex Ballet back in September, it’s fair to say there’s something stirring in our city when it comes to the sport. Here, we delve into the history of wrestling in Nottingham, and take a look at who’s flying the flag these days...

A History of Factory Work in Nottingham

21 December 18

Converted factory buildings can be found on every corner of Nottingham. The machines may be silent and the buildings now repurposed, but the work undertaken inside those factory walls have left a lasting impression on the city. In more ways than one…

The Story of Peter Pan Author J.M Barrie

24 December 18

His writing is world-renowned, his creations unforgettable. But there are some things about author and playwright J.M. Barrie that are not so well documented, including his brief stint as staff writer at a Nottingham newspaper. We take a deep dive into this strange, implacable man, his time in Nottingham, and the unsavoury rumours that surround him...

The History of Canning Circus

17 December 18

Six roads meet at Canning Circus, ferrying people up and down the hill, and out into the splintering streams of the city. This meeting of flows has deposited centuries of memories on the land around it, so we take a closer look at they’ve shaped the delta we see today...

Cannibalism, Poison, and Lost Ships: The True, Gruesome Tale of the Failed Franklin Expedition

14 December 18

In May 1845, Robert Hopcroft, a 38-year-old Royal Marine from Nottingham, bid a final farewell to his loved ones before boarding the HMS Erebus at Greenhithe, Kent. Alongside the HMS Terror, his ship was part of the Franklin Expedition, tasked with circumnavigating one of the final blank spaces on the world map: the Northwest Arctic Passage...

Can You Spot The Difference Between These Photos of Nottingham?

10 December 18

Oh, how Nottingham has changed over the years. We’ve gone from an industrial mining town full of factories and goose flogging, to a city crammed full of restaurants, call centres, arty shops, and one proper cool magazine. For a fun game of spot the difference, here are a few modern-day shots, alongside some found in John Henry Spree’s Nottinghamshire: a book of photos from around 1910, up to around 1930, put together by the photographer’s great grandson Alan Spree…

A History of Science in Nottingham

11 December 18

This humble little city we all know and love is steeped in history. No matter where you are in the world, the utterance of the word “Nottingham” will instantly draw replies of “Ah, Robin Hood?!” And while everyone is familiar with our bow-wielding outlaw, Nottingham has been party to many heroes throughout the ages, some of which were clad in lab coats, not tights...

The Nottingham Hidden History Team Have Saved Many a Cave From Destruction

07 December 18

The Nottingham Hidden History Team, fittingly, have been around for yonks. Uncovering all sorts of tales about this city of ours, the organisation has saved caves from being destroyed in local redevelopment, and has held the torch up to many-a past goings-on. LeftLion Street Tales columnist and current member of the organisation, Joe Earp, gives us a little look-in to the origins of the team, and what’s driven them to lift the lid on Notts, for the past fifty years...

Celebrating 100 Years of Women Gaining the Vote with Midlands Suffragettes

23 November 18

6 February 2018 marked 100 years of 8.5 million women gaining their right to vote. Although it will be another decade before we celebrate 100 years of all women gaining the vote, it was a huge milestone in the step towards women’s rights being achieved...

History of the Weird Midlands Episode Four: Mysteries of the Midlands

26 October 18

History of the Weird Midlands Episode Three: The Case of the Cotgrave Bigfoot

19 October 18

History of the Weird Midlands Episode Two: Aliens Over Clifton

12 October 18

The Secrets of Nottingham's Undiscovered Caves

10 October 18

You all know this already, but, spanning the length and breadth of the underground of our city are a system of caves said to be at least a few years older than your nan. Better yet, there’s still some that are supposedly undiscovered; who knows what other mysteries lie beneath your toes? Fortunately, we’re about to shine a light onto the deep, dark tunnels that populate the hidden depths of the citeh...
Motorpoint Arena