Bawtry’s history – original content written by Bawtry Heritage Group, Bawtry census returns, and other material.
Bawtry in Modern times
The Origins of Ida’s View, Bawtry
An original paper by Bawtry Heritage Group
A gem of a tale regarding the mystery of a dedication still present in a hidden corner of Bawtry.
Today “Ida’s View” in Bawtry is hidden, virtually unknown, within the confines of modern day School Walk. Only a central stone plaque displayed at the midpoint along the terrace cottages numbered 2 to 12, constructed early in the twentieth century, testifies that a spot dedicated to someone called Ida ever existed.
Read this paper by clicking here:
Bawtry World War 1 Honour Roll
This includes the names and brief biographical details of Bawtry men who were killed during World War 1. It was kindly donated to BHG by a resident of Austerfield.
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Ninety Years of Drama in Bawtry; the history of Methodism in Bawtry and its connection with the Phoenix Theatre and the Bawtry Amateur Dramatic Society
An original paper by Bawtry Heritage Group.
The story of the Bawtry Primitive Methodist Chapel from its building in 1862 to becoming the Phoenix Theatre, home to the Bawtry Amateur Dramatic Society. There were three Methodist chapels and one Methodist Church in Bawtry in the 19th Century. These were:
- The Primitive Methodist Chapel shown above, now part of the Phoenix Theatre.
- The Wesleyan Chapel on Church walk, now a Gym.
- The Independent Chapel on Church Street, demolished but probably somewhere near Bawtry Tyres on Church Street.
- The Bawtry Methodist Church on Station Road, which is still in regular use.
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Bawtry and its Military Connections
An original paper by a Bawtry Air Cadet
During the Bawtry Arts Festival in June 2023, Bawtry Heritage Group organised a history Essay Competition. Corporal Freddie McBroom of Bawtry Air Cadets was the 11 to 15 year old winner. His paper, about the use of Bawtry Hall as a RAF Headquarters during the Second World War and afterwards, can be read below.
Bawtry in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970’s
This is an audio file which runs for just over one hour; click the link below to access it.
What was it like to live in Bawtry in the 1950s, 60s and 70s? The audio file contains a wealth of detail about that, being the memories of some of our older residents. This is not the sort of history you can find in books and other publications. It’s vivid descriptions are about everyday things – local schools, shops, entertainment, and are about ordinary people. This oral testimony is just as valid as traditional history. It puts the flesh on the bones of simple historical facts, in a fascinating way. Without it, such important information would be lost forever. In 2019 and 2020 BHG invited people to meet, over a cup of tea, and talk about their memories of Bawtry. They knew we were recording what they said, and why we were doing it.
The subjects covered in the discussions are as follows:
Schools and teachers
Christmas celebrations and presents
Ridings and border changes
Shops, garages, cafes – the Wimpy Bar!
Finningley Air Show
Railway excursions
The Coronation celebrations
The Town Hall and Market Hill
Gang fights and territories
Police
Local farms and farmers
Earning money as a child
Well known local people
These subjects are listed in the approximate order they can be heard in the file, but the contributors did tend to skip about a bit, defying our best efforts to edit and organise the material!
Thanks are due to everyone who took part – Rachael Blake, Tony Jones and the late Margaret Byrne for hosting the sessions, but most of all to the participants. The mainstay was the late Paul Gray. Margaret Clapham, Pearl Holdsworth, Sylvia Johnson, June Merrick and Eve and Patrick Harrison were other enthusiastic contributors.
Bawtry Pram Race
During the 1960s and the 1970s, there used to be a pram race in Bawtry. It is believed this was an annual event. The photographs and the video which are featured here are thought to date from around 1970. The video includes an audio commentary from participants of our oral history project – see “Bawtry in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s” above. The photographs are courtesy of Margaret Clapham, one of the participants in the oral history project.
This is a link to the video (with audio) – https://fb.watch/t6BBve5SQQ/
Electric car in Bawtry in 1974
In 1974 the price of petrol hit a “staggering” 50p a gallon – that’s about 11p a litre. The answer? Electric cars. This is a link to a 3-minute news video posted on Facebook. It shows an electric car being driven along the Great North Road from Hudsons and through Bawtry. The driver is interviewed.
Watch the video below:
12th Doncaster (Bawtry) Scout Group 1967 to 1977
An original paper by Bawtry Heritage Group
Explore the genesis years of this mainstay of Bawtry’s contribution to youth development.
Scouting is part of our national heritage having laid down very strong roots over the last 115 years. Bawtry has been part of that story for 56 years.
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