NOTTINGHAM'S WAR MEMORIAL.

A fitting memorial to the men of Nottingham who fell in the Great War is in course of erection on the Victoria Embankment. It is a handsome Gateway at the entrance to the New Park, and is illustrated on page 49. The foundation stone was laid by the Prince of Wales.

MODEL OF NOTTINGHAM WAR MEMORIAL (on the Trent Embankment).
MODEL OF NOTTINGHAM WAR MEMORIAL (on the Trent Embankment).

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

In keeping with the progressive character of the city, Nottingham has liberally provided its citizens with opportunities lor reading and the cultivation of a taste for literature, and students with opportunities for home study. The Central Public Library, situated in Sherwood Street, comprises well stocked Lending and Reference Departments, the former containing a comprehensive collection of 51,000 volumes representative of all branches of literature and the latter 56,000 volumes with a number of special and local collections and a useful commercial section. A feature of particular interest is a lending library for the blind. A newsroom and other depart­ments are housed in the same building. There are also seven Branch lending libraries with reading rooms and two separate reading rooms. Four new Branches have been opened in less than three years. Special facilities are provided for children at the Central Library and most of the Branch Libraries. The total number palaces, among them being "The Picture House" in Long Row, the "Elite," at the top of King Street and Queen Street, the "Scala," in Market Street, the Goldsmith Street Picture Palace and the Parliament Street Picture Palace. A fine "Palais de Danse" has been erected in King Edward Street.

The Albert Hall in Derby Road, although intended primarily for the services of the Wesleyan Mission, has become the home of high-class music in the city. Here are given the Choral Concerts of the Nottingham Sacred Harmonic Society, an organization which can boast of a long record of good work. Admirable miscel­laneous concerts also take place in the Hall, at which the first artistes of the day are heard from time to time. Once a fortnight during the winter months Organ Recitals, on the fine instrument presented to the City by Sir Jesse Boot, attract large audiences from all parts of the City and district, and the Organist, Mr. Bernard Johnson, has carried his activities still further by establishing a series of concerts at popular prices, where the best orchestral music is to be heard. Saturday Evening Popular Promenade Concerts have recently been organized and have met with unqualified success. The Corporation have recently established a Municipal Orchestra, and these concerts are given at the Albert Hall.

It may be noted here that during the summer of 1924 the British Broadcasting Company (now the British Broadcasting Corporation) opened a relay station, 5NG, at Nottingham. The offices are at 4 Bridlesmith Gate.

SPORTING FACILITIES.

The Notts. County Cricket Ground is in West Bridgford, some 200 or 300 yards on the south side of Trent Bridge, and adjacent thereto is the ground of the Notts Forest Football Club. The Notts County Football Ground is within the City boundary at the lower end of Meadow Lane. There are three excellent golf courses, each of 18 holes, one being situated at Bulwell Forest, another at Bulwell Hall Park, and the third at Wollaton Park. This was laid out recently under the direction of Tom Williamson, the professional golfer, and although it is a municipal undertaking the question whether it should be administered by the Corporation or placed under the control of a club remains to be decided. There are excellent facilities for boating on the Trent, and, during the summer months, steamers ply regularly between Trent Bridge and Colwick Park, where the Nottingham Racecourse is now situated, and many meetings are held there during the year.

Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.
Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.

PARKS AND OPEN SPACES.

The acreage of public parks, open spaces and recreation grounds available for the people of Nottingham is not far short of two square miles—nearly an eighth of the City's area—including the vast expanse of Wollaton Park. It is doubtful whether any great city in Europe has "lung space" in equal proportion. In addition to Wollaton Park, the Arboretum and University Park, which are described separately, there are the open spaces of Elm Avenue and Corporation Oaks; the extensive recreation ground of 70 acres known as The Forest, mainly devoted to cricket, football and other outdoor sports; Bulwell Hall Park, covering 250 acres and comprising golf links, a bowling-green, cricket and football grounds and space for general recreation; Bulwell Forest, of 120 acres, and Vernon Park, Victoria Park and Lenton Recreation Ground. Woodthorpe Grange Park, which serves the Sherwood and Mapperley districts, is a recent addition to the City's open spaces. Bands and concert parties give entertainment here during the summer and the rose gardens are an attractive feature, while part of the large house standing in the park has been adapted as a restaurant.

Forest Recreation Ground.
Forest Recreation Ground.