The Society was formed in 1973. Its specific aim was to foster an interest in Lenton Priory but this soon developed into a general 
interest in the history of the locality. Old and New Lenton, Lenton Sands and Dunkirk, the Lenton and Dunkirk Industrial Estates, plus the Lenton Abbey and Wollaton Park housing estates are all considered now to fall within the Society's area of interest.
Over the years we have built up a substantial archive of material relating to Lenton. This includes books and articles, newspaper reports, and a wide range other printed material. Photographs loaned to the Society have been copied and we now have a collection of several thousand historic photographs plus a number of taped recollections made by former residents most of which focus on life in Lenton during the first half of the twentieth century.
The Society mounts a regular programme of talks. The talks are now held in the Dunkirk and Old Lenton Community Centre on Montpelier Road, Dunkirk (see below on the best way to get there) and take place on the second Wednesday in the month.
The forthcoming programme is as follows:-
Wednesday 8 January
'One Page from the 1921 Census' by Gordon Fletcher
Wednesday 12 February
'Ey up mi duck: Uncovering local language in Nottinghamshire' by Natalie Braber
Wednesday 12 March
The Society's Annual General Meeting. Given we are not engaging an external speaker for our March meeting there will be no charge for those who attend.
Wednesday 9 April
'The Story of the Wollaton Park Housing Estate' by Graham Woodward
Wednesday 14 May
'The Life and Adventures of Henry Walker R.N. ' by Stephen Flinders
Wednesday 11 June
'Why Was King Alfred Called 'The Great'? ' by Mike Kelley
After the main speakers have finished there is a break for refreshments (which are free) after which there is usually a short talk about some aspect of Lenton's past or else a short film of local interest.
How to get to our Current Venue
Each of these talks will get underway at 7.30 p.m. The cost of entry is £4 per person and anyone is welcome to attend. Our current venue is the Dunkirk & Old Lenton Community Centre, housed in the old Dunkirk School building on Montpelier Road. Those coming by bus are advised to travel on Trent Barton's Indigo Service and get off at the Lace Street bus stop. For anyone coming by car there is plenty of free parking at the Community Centre itself and motorists are advised that on accessing Beeston Road from the Dunkirk Flyover end they should turn left into Lace Street and then left again into Brailsford Road which brings them on to Montpelier Road. The entrance to the car park is next to the Community Centre.
Each year members receive two editions of the Lenton Times, the Society's magazine.
Individual membership of the Society is currently £7.50 for anyone living in the British Isles.
The fee is reduced to £5 if you attend our monthly meetings or live in one of the following areas: Lenton, Lenton Abbey, the Wollaton Park Estate, Wollaton, Beeston, Chilwell and Toton. For members living in these areas we will hand-deliver a copy of the magazine thereby saving the cost of posting them out.
A cheque made out to 'Lenton Local History Society' for the relevant sum should be sent to Sylvia Taylor, 18 Hawton Crescent, Wollaton Park, Nottingham, NG8 1BZ.
Any general enquiries about the Society for the time being should be directed to Our Acting Secretary (see below)
Contacts
Sylvia Taylor, Membership Secretary and Acting Secretary: 18 Hawton Crescent Wollaton Park, Nottingham NG8 1BZ Tel. 0115 9700380 email: society@lentontimes.co.uk