Little Known Facts About Your Town

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

I've lived in Nottingham for forty years and just before Christmas I noticed something I'd never noticed before. Here's a photo of part of it.



Any Nottingham peeps know what it's part of?

Are there any little known facts about your town. (Be it architecture or anything else?)

[HTP99]

The author Lewis Carroll owned a house in Guildford but didn't actually live there, however he died in the house and is buried in Guildford.

Many people think Guildford is a city because it has a Cathedral, however it is a town.

According to Wikipedia the Odeon in Guildford was the first cinema in the world to show digital 4k films to the public.

Katherine Legge is from Guildford, as is Simon Bird.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

HTP99 said:

The author Lewis Carroll owned a house in Guildford but didn't actually live there, however he died in the house and is buried in Guildford.

Many people think Guildford is a city because it has a Cathedral, however it is a town.

According to Wikipedia the Odeon in Guildford was the first cinema in the world to show digital 4k films to the public.

Katherine Legge is from Guildford, as is Simon Bird.

The cathedral thing has always bothered me. Until recently wasn't Chelmsford the same?

[vixen1700]

Alfred Hitchcock was born here. A little known fact when I was growing up but everybody knows it these days.

Edited to add:Another Eastender I see.

[valiant]

OO Beckton said:

Some will know about this, but those who don't may be fascinated...

Beckton Gas Works (E6)

Location for:

- Full Metal Jacket - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKzcFPWuaQ0
- For Your Eyes Only - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U00tRdMKTqI (from 2:30)
- Branigan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLyydMrg5_s (5:20-)
- Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyJU2136ym4

Also had dry ski slope opened by Princess Diana, called the Beckton Alps. Can still climb up the old slag heap and get best views in East London short of going on the cable car.

Look on Flickr for photos:

- https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=%22beckton%20g...

Enjoy.

Learnt to ski on Beckton's dry ski slope!

[HTP99]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

HTP99 said:

The author Lewis Carroll owned a house in Guildford but didn't actually live there, however he died in the house and is buried in Guildford.

Many people think Guildford is a city because it has a Cathedral, however it is a town.

According to Wikipedia the Odeon in Guildford was the first cinema in the world to show digital 4k films to the public.

Katherine Legge is from Guildford, as is Simon Bird.

The cathedral thing has always bothered me. Until recently wasn't Chelmsford the same?

Yep Chelmsford has only had city status since 2012.

Guildford has applied for city status a few times but has never been granted it, it is strange to not be granted city status as Guildford is a very prominent town with a university, cathedral, big business names, large population etc.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

HTP99 said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

HTP99 said:

The author Lewis Carroll owned a house in Guildford but didn't actually live there, however he died in the house and is buried in Guildford.

Many people think Guildford is a city because it has a Cathedral, however it is a town.

According to Wikipedia the Odeon in Guildford was the first cinema in the world to show digital 4k films to the public.

Katherine Legge is from Guildford, as is Simon Bird.

The cathedral thing has always bothered me. Until recently wasn't Chelmsford the same?

Yep Chelmsford has only had city status since 2012.

Guildford has applied for city status a few times but has never been granted it, it is strange to not be granted city status as Guildford is a very prominent town with a university, cathedral, big business names, large population etc.

..and handy for Goodwood! I like Guildford, we lived in Midhurst for a decade and got to know it quite well.

[Alucidnation]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I've lived in Nottingham for forty years and just before Christmas I noticed something I'd never noticed before. Here's a photo of part of it.



Any Nottingham peeps know what it's part of?

It looks like the utility company broke the slabs when they took them up and decided to smash them up to make a 'feature' when
reinstating them.

[Robbo 27]

Alucidnation said:

It looks like the utility company broke the slabs when they took them up and decided to smash them up to make a 'feature' when
reinstating them.

A candidate for the 'this makes my teeth itch' thread.

[StevieBee]

Grew up in Upminster. FiL was vicar at the Church there from where the speed of sound was first calculated and from where the bloke who founded the state of Georgia in the US came from.

Currently live in a village near Danbury where Marty Feldman was evacuated to in the war, from where F1 Driver Richard Robarts came from and where Graham Bonnet out of Rainbow lived.

[NDA]

Godalming was the first town to have electric street lighting. Allegedly. Also a local pub was the last place where a body was put out on display after a hanging (not sure if this is true). George Mallory (Everest) lived in Godalming as did Alvin Stardust. The wireless operator of the Titanic lived in Godalming.

I'm out of factoids.

[red_slr]

Alucidnation said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I've lived in Nottingham for forty years and just before Christmas I noticed something I'd never noticed before. Here's a photo of part of it.



Any Nottingham peeps know what it's part of?

It looks like the utility company broke the slabs when they took them up and decided to smash them up to make a 'feature' when
reinstating them.

They would not be able to do that. Would have to be reinstated to same condition as before or better. Smashing up flags would be a nono.

[Riley Blue]

Cannon balls and cricket balls were made in Chesterfield - hopefully shipments were never mis-directed.

[Voldemort]

Leeds

The first moving pictures were filmed in Leeds in 1888

[TwigtheWonderkid]

StevieBee said:

and where Graham Bonnet out of Rainbow lived.

Was he Zippy or George?

[P5BNij]

One of the Mitford sisters, Unity, lived pretty much under house arrest in a local vicarage in Hillmorton close to where I live during the war. She was said to have had a close dalliance with Hitler and on her return to England in 1940 was watched like a hawk my the authorities. Her sister Diana married Oswald Moseley...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39304317

Dennis Gabor, the inventor of the hologram lived in Rugby.

During the cold war our little corner of Warwickshire was top of the list as a target because of the Hillmorton radio mast site.

Edited by P5BNij on Sunday 28th January 11:57

Edited by P5BNij on Sunday 28th January 11:58

[helmutlaang]

I live a few mins from the house Henry VIII gave to Anne of Cleves as a wedding present apparently.
Gary Paffett also grew up in this town

[maxdb]

Hastings is home to the worlds 1st large scale underground car park. I'm not sure what they classify by large scale though but there's a fair few spaces.

[chow pan toon]

Wolverhampton is where the first 200mph car was built.

[Fastchas]

chow pan toon said:

Wolverhampton is where the first 200mph car was built.

Wasn’t it also where the first traffic lights were installed?