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17 December 2016 – what’s the story behind door number 17?

Nottingham is University of the Year for Graduate Employment. There were celebrations in September when the University of Nottingham was named best university in the UK for graduate employment, according to the 2017 The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide. The University was also back in the top 20 of The Sunday Times Good …

2 December – what’s the story behind door number two?

Celebrating 80 years of a Nottingham-born beauty brand In January 2016 Lakeside Arts celebrated the 80th anniversary of the iconic Nottingham-born beauty brand No 7. ‘Inspiring Beauty. No 7 – 80 years of making up the modern woman‘ was the most popular exhibition staged in the Weston Gallery.  It showcased previously unseen material from the Boots …

24 December: The Wollaton Antiphonal

The Wollaton Antiphonal is a large church service book made in around 1430. Its purpose is illustrated in this illuminated initial which shows three clerics singing. The Antiphonal was made for Sir Thomas Chaworth, who was the richest man in Nottinghamshire at the time, and no expense was spared. When Chaworth died it was bought …

19 December: Boots Christmas supplement

From the first page through to the last – including the festive cover adorned with Santas and Cherubs – The Mixture promotes positivity in the face of extreme adversity. This special Christmas supplement is from The Bee, the in-house magazine for Boots Pure Drug Company, and was delivered to employees ahead of Christmas 1944. The …

17 December: Ice skaters on the River Trent

The Victorians knew how to dress for any occasion and this photograph shows that a spot of ice skating on the River Trent was no exception. Taken in 1895, the photo is part of an album containing 12 black and white photographs depicting the people of Nottingham making the most of a cold snap. Despite …

16 December: Medieval deed

A clove of gillyflower… This is a medieval deed which records a land transaction made over 700 years ago stipulating that a clove of gillyflower is to be paid by the tenant to their landlord on Christmas day. In case you’re not sure, gillyflower is a type of carnation that was often used as a …

15 December: The Clarion

The Clarion was a magazine produced by allied prisoners of war at Stalag 344 and this is the front cover of the edition from Christmas 1944. It contains a range of material including pictures of a sunny day at the Stalag lido and tales of what a typical pre-war Christmas was like for captives from …

11 December: Christmas books

This is a list of Christmas books from The Times Literary Supplement published in 1917. There are 19 books on the list and many of the novels and poetry collections are still popular today – so it’s well worth a look if you’re after a festive recommendation. We’re particularly pleased to see two of DH …

10 December: Christmas in hospital

This photograph was taken on Christmas Day 1917 in a hospital ward in Nottingham. Although spending Christmas in hospital is never going to be fun, this black and white snap shows that hospital staff tried to make the day as cheery as possible. Christmas is usually a time for celebration but some people – as …

9 December: Christmas cards

This Christmas card from 1909 shows a traditional Christmas scene with a snow-covered roof and the bare branches of winter trees. True to the associations of the season, the use of a window on the card gives the idea of it being cold outside but toasty warm within. The card also illustrates indulgence with a …