W H Higginbottom Architect
William Herbert Higginbottom was born in Leeds in 1868 but before Williams 1st birth day he had left Leeds, with his father Anthony and mother Elizabeth ,for Arnold. His father having moved the family to Arnold ,on being appointed the Headmaster of the BritishSchool. This school was then situated on the site now occupied by the Arnold market. The Higginbottoms took up residence in Deans Cottage at 20 Hallams LaneArnold. This property also no longer exists as it was demolished to make way for the old Sainsburys ( now Wilkinsons store).
As well as a teacher Anthony was also an amateur draughtsman, producing plans for several projects in the Arnold area. This interest prompted his son to study architecture and to eventually qualify as an architect and surveyor. William married a local girl, also called Elizabeth, and eventually opened an architectural practice which had offices both at 120 Front streetArnold and 2 Friar Yard, Friar Lane Nottingham.
During his career he designed many of Arnolds best and monumental buildings including The Carnegie Library, Church Drive School, the St Albans Picturedrome , the Empress Cinema, The Mission Church at Daybrook (,which became the school rooms for St Pauls.) The Sir John Robinson Alms Houses at Daybrook, the WarMemorialArnotHillPark, Cross Street Baptist Chapel, Daybrook Baptist Chapel, and Wesleyan Chapel Arnold, in addition to many houses and lesser projects which included my own house.
Some other notable buildings included, the Victoria Cinema Carlton, Ruddington Public Hall. Chilwell War Memorial, Beeston War Memorial Cross, United Methodist Church Sneinton, StaplefordSchools, Park House Carlton and several factories in the Lace Market. Unfortunately very few of his large out put of public and private buildings still exist today.
He was for many years very active as a local councillor on the Arnold Urban District Council and became Chairman from April 1911 to April 1913. He was a Member of Nottinghamshire County Council, for the Bestwood Park Division, where he worked on the old age pension and highways committees.
He served on the local military tribunal during World War One assessing men’s eligibility for service in the army. He also served as a Justice of the Peace .
A Methodist, he was a life long very energetic member of the Ebenezer Methodist Chapel ( now ArnoldMethodistChurch ).
An amateur sportsman of some renown, he was a keen cricketer being a member of Bestwood Cricket Club, for whom he played regularly. He was presented with a gold watch on his retirement, having also been secretary of the club for 29 years.
He died on the 6th December 1929 at the age of 61 after a long illness and is buried in RedhillCemetery, in an unmarked grave, next that of his father and mother...