The city of Nottingham has long been one of Britain’s most important cities. As Nottinghamshire grew in prosperity during the Middle Ages the city became the heart of a prosperous local centre of trade and business. Later, during the Industrial Revolution parts of the county were transformed by the new industries and the city played an important role in the textile industry as an internationally renowned lace-manufacturing area.

Today, Nottingham is a thriving commercial city in the East Midlands, and the area attracts numerous visitors for its modern amenities as well as its historical and cultural heritage. In this fascinating collection of images from around the end of the Edwardian era to the start of the 1930s, author Alan Spree has collected the work of one photographer, John Henry Spree, who produced commercial postcards of Nottingham and the surrounding area of Nottinghamshire. These photographs show many of the well-known landmarks of Nottingham and surrounding towns and villages but also how much these places and the life of their inhabitants have changed in the last century.

John Henry Spree’s Nottinghamshire provides something for everyone, be they long-time residents or first-time visitors.