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We will explore the factors behind Nottingham’s rapid expansion in the late 19th century. We will look at maps, period photographs and other historical sources to plot how industries like bleaching and dyeing, textiles, brick making and brewing linked up with improved road and railway networks to enable the creation of new communities. Forest Fields will be looked at in detail especially in relation to the two families: the Birkins and Gregorys and how they influenced the physical landscape of the area.

As Nottingham grew and spilled over its old boundaries the need for housing became urgent. Maps and official documents will be used to track how major new housing estates, like the Aspley Estate, began to appear; incorporating ‘standard’ architectural styles and modern facilities that were influenced by successive housing Acts.Then we will look at how new influences affected local suburbs. We will consider the arrival of local libraries, schools, shops, and churches in the suburbs. As well as changes in the physical landscapes we will ask what other changes influenced the development of the Inner Suburbs. Finally we will look for sources that reflect on what it was like to live in new housing areas of different kinds