The poem on the right was written by my aunt, Joan Wilkinson and was published in the Nottingham Evening Post on 4th August 1998. Hopefully it will invoke memories of the Old Meadows that we all remember with such fondness and are proud to have belonged to. As you can see some of the pages are still unfinished. These are your pages for your stories and pictures and hopefully as time goes on these pages will grow to be a record of your memories of the old Meadows. I hope that the site will reflect the atmosphere of the Old Meadows, with old photographs and stories from the people who made the Meadows what it was and that it will grow as more people find out about it.
Please visit the guestbook and sign in. Let me know about your old Meadows memories or if there's anything you want to know about the old Meadows I'll put it on the requests page and see if we can find out. Let me know if you have any comments about the site as well.
My Meadows was between the years 1957 and 1975 when a lot of the houses were run down and past their best but there must be loads of you out there, both here and abroad who remember the Meadows of earlier days. If so, let's hear about it. Some of the pictures and stories from this site are also on my family history pages which are now on this website. Just click on the blue Family History button in the contents on the left hand side.
If there are any teachers out there who remember the school play of 1967 why not get in touch at the address above. I think it was Mr Miller who had a hand in the scenery or costumes. you probably remember my brother, Martin, don't you Ken?. I think Miss Bailey was involved as well. You'll have to excuse my memory but it was a long time ago, and my attention span was not so long. I think the "Kings" marched on to the stage to the sound of Ravel's Bolero.
It's well known in the family that wherever my mother goes, she nearly always manages to meet someone she knows from the Meadows. What is the furthest or strangest place that you have bumped in to someone from the Meadows? Let me know and I'll feature it on the site. Email to the addresses above
I have just bought all four volumes of John Beeton's "Nottingham As it is spoke." (See books page.) Although these books are about the Nottingham "language" in general, the author had close connections with and lived in the old Meadows. There are many anecdotes about the old Meadows, particularly in volumes Three and Four.
Mum has just lent me a book of Meadows poems by a man called John (Gibbo) Gibbons. The book is "Poetic Reflections of My Meadows Childhood." I believe it was written and sold to provide funds for a charity, although it doesn't say so in the book. It covers John's childhood in the Meadows from 1944 to 1956 and the poems are both sentimental and humorous. The book was written in 1999 so it might still be possible to get a copy.
I have just added all the emails sent to me over the last year or so to the "requests" page. Apologies that its taken so long. I think I have put all the email addresses on the ones that are seeking information but if I havent just send me an email and I'll pass it on.