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.

Bob Timms has kindly offered us access to his family history. The Timms, Woolley, Starbuck, Soar and Armstrong names are well known in the village as well as having links to both the Plough Inn and the Post Office. We are grateful that he has passed on both photographs and written histories:

Bob writes: “I thought you might like a copy of an image of Thomas who was my great uncle by marriage, he was married to Dorothy (Dolly) Soar, my Dad’s mother’s sister. My late Dad’s family has been associated with Hickling for a long time. Ethel Armstrong, Dolly’s sister, was landlady of the Plough; my uncle Burton Timms took over from her. Dolly had the Post Office, then it passed to my uncle Tom Timms and his wife Bessie (nee Woolley).

• A further sister to Ethel and Dolly (and my great aunt) Zoe had a poultry farm at Hickling Pastures.
• Buller is the family nickname for Burton, he lived in West Bridgford, hence canal access!
• There were 5 Soar sisters; Dorothy (Dolly), Poppy (Ethel Armstrong), Zoe, Helen (my gran) and Winifred.
• A sidenote, my dad Stuart was christened at Hickling and given the middle name Armstrong in memory of Harry Armstrong, making his initials S.A.T., he always used to say he was grateful he didn’t get Harry as a middle name …
• Tom Starbuck is mentioned in the history as a self employed builder/bricklayer, he had a motorcycle and sidecar.
• [Helen Soar] my gran, interestingly, was the only one [of the five sisters] to have children.
• My uncle Buller (Burton Timms) was landlord of the Plough from 1956 when my great aunt Ethel Armstrong died to 1959. He was the brother of uncle Tom, Edward Thomas Timms who had the Post Office and Shop.
• Uncle Buller ice skated from Nottingham to Hickling!”

In addition:

• Dorothy Soar married Thomas Cecil Starbuck who died in World War Two.
• Zoe, who farmed poultry on Hickling Pastures did not marry.