Nottinghamshire Archives opens its doors on Heritage Open Day

Excited about local history? Want to know more about your family’s lineage? Join the Inspire team for a Heritage Open Day at Nottinghamshire Archives on Saturday, 10 September, between 10am and 3pm, where you have the opportunity to explore the County’s proud history and the people who made it.

The event, part of the Heritage Open Days series which runs nationwide, will give visitors the chance to learn about the four million historic documents entrusted to our care and handle real letters written from the trenches.

Could one be from a member of your family or community?

“Keep up a good heart, mother. Your four soldier sons are yet alive and in the best of spirits.” Sergeant John William Streets, 12th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment.

So wrote Will Streets to his mother - less than two months later, on 1st July 1916, he was one of over 19,000 British soldiers who fell on the first of 141 days of the Somme campaign. Hear about the life of Sergeant John William Streets in his own words. Will, as he was known to his family, was a miner and soldier poet from Whitwell, near Worksop.

Will’s story is one of thousands which make up the county’s history. The open day is an opportunity for visitors come along and add their own story. The Archives team will be on hand to provide advice and guidance.  

Visitors can also take a tour of the environmentally controlled strong-rooms, where documents are protected, and meet the team who conserve and repair your history.

There will also be a screening of the 1916 film the ‘Battle of the Somme’ and the chance to talk to an expert about its history - how much is real and how much propaganda?

Archives and Local Studies Team Manager, Ruth Imeson, commented: “The Heritage Open Day offers a fantastic opportunity for us to celebrate Nottinghamshire’s architectural and cultural history, and showcase the work we do here at the Archives”.

The open day is suitable for all ages and activities for children are included.  If you can’t make the open day visit Nottinghamshire Archives at: County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG.