Woodborough’s Heritage

Woodborough, a Sherwood Forest Village, recorded in Domesday

A rather lonely man, possibly he seemed to some a little too good for this world and he was not always appreciated at his true worth. Too often the greatness of a man is only discovered after he has gone!

A strict vegetarian, he loved animals and would not willingly have even the smallest killed.

He will be missed by his friends and by those who knew him well. For many years he was Hon. Chaplain to the Old Naval Comrades Association in Nottingham.

We offer our sympathy to his wife and family.

Sir Frank died at his home on 18th April 1973:

I have written and spoken to a number of tributes to him and it is interesting that people afterwards add further to my picture with the remembrance of many things he did which were characteristic of him, showing the personal side of the man, his regard for people, his thoughtfulness and courtesy.

The official records list a remarkable achievement, a wide range of interests and a list of high awards, but it is perhaps this other, more personal side which means more to us in the village. The packed chapel was itself a significant tribute by us all. The Minster memorial service drew civic officials from a wide area and again it was clear that men thought well of this man. As church men we are proud that he was well known as one; for his concern for the ‘life of society’ has been a central theme of Methodist doctrine.

As a village we are proud that Woodborough is identified with Sir Frank. The village was part of his life, it gave him his early and only schooling, his first work on the machines and then his great chance of working on the land of his own. His business ability gave him freedom to follow his administrative flair and the rest of the story is known. It would be intriguing to work out how the village as a whole benefits in some way from the honour that comes to one of its sons. He will be missed at various levels of the County’s life and certainly his regular presence at Chapel focused for us our responsibility to nourish and pray for such people who carry responsibility themselves. We share the loss of Lady Small and also her pride in a man widely recognised as a leader of vision and principle.

His funeral service was held at Woodborough Methodist Chapel on 24th April 1973 before his cremation and on the 17th May 1973 a Memorial Service at Southwell Minster was also held for Alderman Sir Frank Small, C.B.E., D.L., JP., Vice-chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council.

Death of Lady Small née Foster 1973

Lady Small also belonged to the area. She was born in 1901 at Field Lane, Woodborough and was one of ten children of an agricultural worker. Sarah died in 1973 only four months after her husband. She had survived the shock of his death and the upheaval of moving to a new home and planning new arrangements but her health, never very good, failed her just as we hoped that she might have come through to a time of rest and recuperation.

There were of course many more deaths that would have been recorded elsewhere, it is beyond the scope of this website to research so many.

Acknowledgements:

• Various issues of the Woodborough Newsletter

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Deaths

The Late Rev'd. W E Buckland M.A. - May 1932

The death occurred with tragic suddenness at the Rectory, Normanton-on-Soar, on Saturday, May 14th, 1938, of the Rev’d Walter Edward Buckland, rector of St. Anne's, Sutton Bonington, from 1920 to 1930.

He was a son of the late Edward Buckland, of H.M. Treasury Office, and a grandson of the late Dean Buckland, of Westminster. The Bucklands were natives of Devonshire. He was born in the Deanery of Westminster, baptized in the Abbey, and educated at Winchester College and Keble College, Oxford. He was ordained in 1876, and presented by Lord Wantage to the living of Beedon, Berkshire, a year later. He was vicar of Woodborough, Notts., from 1891 to 1896, and married Ada Murray Parkyns, the third daughter of Mansfield Parkyns and the Hon. Mrs. Parkyns, of Woodborough Hall, in 1886. While in charge of these two livings he successfully undertook the restoration of both churches. He was made vicar of East Malling with New Hythe, Kent, in 1896,

and left there in 1920 to become rector of St. Anne's, Sutton Bonington, where he remained until his retirement in 1930.

Mr. Buckland was a great scholar and an authority on ancient history and archaeology. His book on Parish records in the Diocese of Rochester is permanently in circulation and was written when he was Hon. Sec. for Parochial Records. He wrote books on the history of Woodborough Notts., and Notes and Jottings on Sutton Bonington, now in the Nottingham Library.

Mr. Buckland was a well-known sportsman in his younger days. He was a good oarsman, coached and rowed in his college eight. A good swimmer, and while at Oxford saved a man from drowning.

The Rev’d. W. E. Buckland was buried at Sutton Bonington, on Wednesday, May 18th. The service was conducted by the Rector (Rev’d A. L. Thomas) assisted by Rev’d F. W. Soames (Rector of St. Michael's) whilst the Bishop of Southwell (Dr. Mosley) conducted the service at the graveside.

Death of a Woodborough Vicar Rev’d Myles Atkinson - 1952

We regret to record the death of Myles Atkinson, Vicar of Woodborough, 1919-1930. He obviously made a deep impression on Woodborough (I asked him to preach last Feast Sunday but he felt it too much). Mr Savidge and Mr Mansfield Foster represented Woodborough at the funeral.

Death of Churchwarden William James Joy 1954  

Twenty-seven years as Churchwarden is a record to be proud of: Mr Joy served the Church he loved very faithfully and devotedly. He was also a School Manager and Governor for many years. We offer the sympathy of the congregation he served to Mrs Joy and her family. William ran a market garden business from his home on Lowdham Lane.

Death of village cobbler Joseph Alvey - 1957  

Died 26th September 1957 aged 77.  Joe was a cobbler in this village for over 60 years, a staunch Methodist, he will be gratefully remembered as a gentle, gracious soul, and a good craftsman.

Death of vicar Rev’d Leslie Charles Rowan-Robinson - 1955

I have known many Vicars of Woodborough, but in some ways the Reverend L.C. Rowan-Robinson was unique.

He has been a Surgeon Commander in the Royal Navy; he was ordained in 1923; he was called up for Service as a Doctor in 1939. I well remember how embarrassed he was with his Navy Pay, which, in his opinion, he had not adequately earned. He was stationed at Plymouth, which at the time was being heavily bombed and on several occasions he thought he would never see Woodborough again.

The late Vicar was a simple, humble kindly man of prayer; he was big hearted; there was nothing small about him; his particular gift lay, as one might expect, in visiting the sick. He never played for his own hand or desire the lime-light. Preferment or financial advantage never came within his scale of values.