Nottingham in the First World War - Through Time (Paperback)

Nottingham looked upon the start of the First World War with a brave face. The Robin Hood Rifles marched off to the front with determination in stride; with cheering crowds, they left the city with motivation despite not knowing just what they would face in the coming weeks, months and, for many, years. By around the third week of August, close to 600 men had volunteered. These high spirits, as felt in most areas across the county, the United Kingdom and the world, soon dwindled when bit by bit casualties began to appear, deaths of loved ones occurred, and the future prospects of the city's economical situation and supply of food began to take on a morbid outlook. As with the First World War, the Second World War had many major implications for Nottingham, both in the way of life of the residents, the family and community structure of the city, and the visual appearance of Nottingham's streets and buildings. Nottingham was the first city in Britain to develop Air Raid Precautions and its attempts during the Blitz and Second World War efforts proved courageous. Much like many other areas in Britain involved in the textile industry, Nottingham's textile sector slowed in the decades following the Second World War. Many of the buildings that once housed the textile efforts - like those in the Lace Market area - have since been restored and are once again in use, although for different purposes. Military historian Michael shows readers what life was like in wartime Nottingham compared with the city of this day.