Store tour: Work, Play, Retire: The working life of those who built Nottingham's key industries

A rare opportunity to explore three units, housing reserve museum collections. From starting work, we will investigate local first day at work stories, from a 1970s project, apprenticeships dating back as far as 1800, the organisations supporting those in work and a redundancy notice handed to a lace worker! Images from the collection and the Local Studies Library, will demonstrate the skill of hardworking local people and special site visits, in addition to staff at Ericsson’s 1940s Drawing Office, who delighted in making caricatures of fellow workers. We also investigate the rattle collection of John and Elizabeth Newson, pioneers of child psychology at Nottingham University, creating toys for the Early Learning Centre from their research findings. For play, we will look at the sports and social offers, including Jardine’s firing range and sporting challenges at Ratcliffe Power Station. Also, fun days and trips out, often involving family members, with prizes for their efforts. Finally, we will look at retirement and long service, with gifts and certificates, including the remarkable freedom of the city caskets awarded to John Player’s directors, John Dane and William Goodacre Player, for their philanthropic endeavours. New this year, three discovery drawer units tell the story of Raleigh, Ericsson and local lace designers, to accompany larger 3D material located throughout the stores. visitors will also get time in each store to investigate other items of interest.

Timings

Friday 11 September:

1030 & 1300

Tuesday 15 September:

1030 & 1300

Thursday 17 September:

1030 & 1300

Location & directions

Bobbers Mill area of the city, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG8

Directions:

The full address for the store is only given on booking, car parking is available and the site is very close to tram and bus stops.

Contact on day:

Ann Inscker

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Please email Curator Ann Inscker at [email protected] to book your place. Visitors are asked to let the organised know, if they are unable to come, so that those on a reserve list may be contacted to take up the place instead.

Booking contact name:

Ann Inscker

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking opens:

01 Jun 2026 12:00 AM

Booking closes:

15 Sep 2026 12:00 AM

Accessibility details

All areas are on ground floor level are accessible. The only area upstairs is the mezzanine in the final unit which is optional to visit. Those visiting this area are advised to wear trousers, as the metal mesh floor can be observed from the underside by those looking at display items below. Toilets are available in each of the units. The ladies toilets are larger in each instance to accommodate those with wheelchairs and there is an assistance handle in each.

Additional information

Parking is available outside the units and further down the road where there are no unit frontages.

Max number of people:

16

Estimated duration:

1 hour(s) 30 minute(s)

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