Please note: Family pages are organised by surname; however, this does not mean that all those people featured are related to each other. Where possible we will try to be clear about any connections there may be.
The Hall family at The White House
The White House: The Wadkin Archives tell us that the White House was built on a paddock which was bought from the Kinoulton Estate in 1919 for the value of the timber and that the White House was built in the early 1950s by Mr Les Bacon although it isn’t clear whether he was the builder and/or first owner.
The Hall family: Arthur William Gane Hall and his wife, Hilda (nee Smith, married in 1917) owned The White House during the 1950’s and their grandson, Nigel, tells us that he believes they were the first family to live in the newly built house. The couple had previously lived for many years on Trevor Rd in West Bridgford, Nottingham and a family photograph of Nigel in his pram at Trevor Rd shows the family were still in West Bridgford in 1950. Arthur and Hilda Smith had one son, John, who, in 1959, is recorded as a schoolmaster in Sheffield.
Arthur Hall died at the age of 66, in 1959 and by the following year his widow, Hilda, is living in Sheffield with her son. Newspaper obituaries (below) provide an interesting summary of the family’s life in business (AW Hall Ltd, a warehousing business) and in the village.
Mr Daft, gardener: Nigel also remembers Mr Daft as gardener at The White House during his childhood but, at present, it doesn’t appear that any members of the Daft family were resident in Hickling at the time. Any further information on this gentleman is welcomed.
Mr AWG Hall 1893-1959:
Grantham Journal: 24th April 1959
Hickling’s Loss by passing of Mr AWG Hall Mr Arthur William Gane Hall, of the White House, Hickling, whose death, aged 66 was reported in last week’s issue, had lived at Hickling for 22 years [sic], and had endeared himself to the community. Although a city man – he was born in Nottingham – it was his ambition to join in every way possible in rural life and activities, and this he successfully did. He was a member of the parish council, of the Vale of Belvoir branch of the British Legion, and of the parish church, and he also was the president of the cricket club. The funeral service took place at All Saints’ Church, Nottingham, which he attended as a boy and where he was married 41 years ago. The Rev JND Perkins officiated, and cremation followed at Wilford Hill. Family mourners were the widow; Mr and Mrs John Hall, son and daughter-in-law; Mrs W Derrick, sister; Mr EA Smith, nephew; Mrs J Weiss, niece. There was a large attendance of Freemasons from the Nottingham Province, and representatives from the village were Mr WE Woolley (chairman of the parish council), Mr S Walker (treasurerof the cricket club), Miss Munks (churchwarden), Mr & Mrs JH Wadkin, Mrs JG Parkes, Miss Woolley and Mrs S Walker.
Nottingham Evening News: 15th April 1959
Death of Mr AWG Hall. Mr Arthur William Gane Hall, of the White House, Hickling, a well-known Nottingham business man, Freemason and philatelist, died yesterday. He was 66. A native of Nottingham, Mr Hall, until about two years ago [sic] had lived for many years at 38 Trevor-road, West Bridgford, and carried on business as a warehouseman, first in Park-row and latterly at High-pavement. He was an authority on postal history and in 1947 published a history of the Post Office in Nottingham. Stamp Collection. He gathered an extremely valuable collection of stamps and when he was elected president of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Philatelic Society 12 years ago, his collection was estimated to include between 15,000 and 20,000 stamps. He had some rare letters going back to the time of the Battle of Agincourt and items from his collection had been shown at exhibitions in New York and in London and other English cities. In the Masonic world he was a Past Master of the Sherwood and Temple Lodges, being a founder member and secretary of the latter for 21 years. He was a Past First Principal of Annesley Chapter and in Rose Croix had passed the chair of Wingfield Chapter. He had received honours in Grand Lodge, Provincial Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Chapter. Mr Hall leaves a widow and one son, Mr John Hall who is a schoolmaster at Sheffield.