Arnold Local History Group

It was also around this time that John Lawson Thackeray acquired an area of land in Arnold, at Arnot Vale, building a large family home known as ‘Arnot Vale House’ on the site. The house was situated near to the large traffic island currently on Thackerays Lane. Thackerays Lane originally formed a long driveway which led to this once grand house. By 1870, Thackeray and Hickling had decided to part company, and subsequently the partnership was dissolved with Thackeray taking over the assets of the company. The business continued to prosper however, and in 1876 and 1878 two patents were issued for the design of machinery for the doubling of cotton and other threads.

In 1879 Thackeray’s eldest daughter Sarah Kate married Horace Arthur Fisher, a Lace Manufacturer from Nottingham and for a time Kate Horace and their ever expanding family lived at ‘The Hills’ Bramcote. John Lawson Thackeray died on 3rd December 1886, his death reported in the Nottingham Post: “J. L. THACKERAY, J.P. It is with regret we announce the death of Mr. John Lawson Thackeray, J.P., which occurred at his residence, Arnot Vale, near Arnold, on Saturday evening. Mr. Thackeray, who was 74 years of age, had not enjoyed good health during the last few years.” Thackeray left a personal estate to the value of £30,721.5s. Less than three years after the death of John Lawson Thackeray in 1889, the Nottingham Suburban Railway was completed. A station was sited nearby at Daybrook and the railway line crossed over a bridge on Thackerays Lane, close to the site of Arnot Vale House. The census taken in 1911 shows that Sarah Kate and her husband Horace Arthur Fisher had moved from Bramcote; they and their family were now living in Arnot Vale House. Not all went well for this notable local family; sadly, the family were to experience great tragedy when two of John Lawson Thackeray’s grandson’s were killed whilst fighting in France during WW1. In 1950, Thackeray & Sons, the company that JL Thackeray had formed at Forest Mills, finally closed. The demand for lace had declined, and the company had failed to upgrade its equipment to the more modern standards required. The mill buildings were finally demolished in May 2019, with plans in place for commercial units and apartments and a further 229 homes to stand on the now vacant site. Arnot Vale House was demolished in the mid 1930’s, the land sold to make way for housing. The area is now completely covered by housing; and a school also stands on what was once a part of the extensive gardens to Arnot Vale House. Two eminent local families after which, both Thackerays Lane and Fisher Avenue take their names.

Lynne Gadd © Arnold Local History Group