Interview with Eric Troop; our park's creator
In the early 80s, Eric, had been based at Ruffiord Abbey which was the HQ of the Countryside Division of the NCC which at that time incorporated Sherwood Forrest and Cresswell Crags.
The Mill Lakes were created by the Planning & Transportation division, gaining an award for their efforts. As far as we understand, the area had previously been a waste tip for Basford. We have been told that the mounded area at the back of the ponds was built up to such a height that the railway, (now The Robin Hood Line), having once stood proud on an embankment was now much lower. This was a time of investment in green spaces and once completed, the area was then handed over to Lesiure Services to become part of the country park.
The Director of the Countryside Division was Clive Gordon, a landscape architect who had been trained at Kew Gardens. He had previously tried to establish a park at Bestwood but had been unable to carry out his plans during changes in ownership and stakeholders. One of the original ideas was that the valleys within the park would be filled in with waste before creating the park but luckily that didn’t happen.
This is where Eric comes in.
Alexandra Lodge was derelict at this time and was not covered by a preservation order; it was going to be demolished. Somehow, with the input from villagers and the Coal Board, a schedule II listing was attached to the building and it was saved.
Eric was approached by Clive to take on the task of creating the park and at his first visit to the area with his wife and Clive, was told that he could live in Alexandra Lodge should he so wish! The enormous amount of work carried out at this time meant that he was able to move in there eventually and this became his base.
During this visit, they were threatened by youths on motorbikes, the land was unfenced and previous rangers had been shot at. Eric likened it to the Wild West.
Eric was given a Landrover, a spade and no budget. The first job he tackled was to erect a gate at the entrance from the village with the help of Jane Forshaw, who lived at Rectory Cottage. Jane was Eric’s first hands on volunteer, joined next by Lee Scudder.
He was then granted a budget financed by the Countryside Commission and Notts. County Council and was able to employ two rangers.
The task was unenviable. They removed numerous burnout cars, sheep skins (from sheep rustling) and had to deal with fires caused by the burning of wiring stolen from the coal board to sell on the copper.
Eric was adept at finding volunteers to help with his enormous task and co[1]opted out of work miners who he met on their dog walks.
The park was overrun with bored children and his method of dealing with their behaviour, (fires, damage etc) was to visit their homes, speak to their parents and then sign them up as junior volunteers. At one point he had around 40 ‘working within the park’.
He had employed a third ranger by now and was able to split the children up into three groups. The rangers set up a Youth Club and worked on rotation with the children to educate and train them for the tasks. The rangers were also able to get out and about giving talks outside the area on a weekly basis. They also increased the diversity amongst their volunteers.
There were no paths or drainage within the park at this time, so, together with John Smith from County Hall and Mike Windsor, (Clive’s Deputy), Eric devised the major paths and bridleways that exist today. The conditions were initially so bad that trees would float down through the arch of Alexandra Lodge during storms. Drainage was put in down both sides of the main path. Volunteers were involved in the path laying and tree planting; there was a government scheme in place which gave access to two teams of unemployed to help with laying the paths and bridleways. Boggy areas on top of the tip were filled in with whatever rubble they could lay their hands on, broken bricks etc.
In the early 90s a management plan was created by Eric, he thinks that there could still be a copy in some library archives somewhere; maybe.
Eric also had help from teams of prisoners and lads from borstal who planted trees on the pit top.
Jane and Mike are both still in touch with Eric.
The maintenance of the park was outsourced to Gedling Borough Council in October 2017.
Eric mentioned the involvement by Lee Scudder, one of his original rangers. Lee is a zoologist and has a wealth of knowledge regarding the wildlife, particularly birds and bats in the park during his years working there. He could have more information that would be helpful to our group. He was involved in the Management plan. The third ranger at this time was Anna Chylac.
Some research was carried out on the species of insect called the Harvestman which, again, may be in the archives.
Eric was ably assisted on his rounds by a police dog who hadn’t made the grade! He was a welcome addition to the team and proved his worth on many an occasion.
Eric retired in 90/91 and one of the last jobs he oversaw was the creation of the car park on Park Road.
He talked about coal being dug from one of the fields at Broad Valley, which was then sold as ‘Bestwood Crackerjack’ as it contained so many stones.
Eric also talked about boxes of electrical parts that were meant for the Winding Engine House. If they are still there in Alexandra Lodge, they can be accessed through the trapdoor that leads to the roof which is up the stairs on the right.
Eric had some luck in becoming the Ranger Manager. Clive had been delayed by car problems on his way to giving a talk to the Institute of Directors. Eric volunteered to take Clive’s place and his talk was so well received that he was then approached by Clive to build our park; good luck for all who followed in his wake.
Having left school whilst still only 13, Eric had done rather well.
Telephone interview with Eric Troop - 11th & 19th January 2023
Carol Hart - Information Hub & Membership
The Mill Lakes were created by the Planning & Transportation division, gaining an award for their efforts. As far as we understand, the area had previously been a waste tip for Basford. We have been told that the mounded area at the back of the ponds was built up to such a height that the railway, (now The Robin Hood Line), having once stood proud on an embankment was now much lower. This was a time of investment in green spaces and once completed, the area was then handed over to Lesiure Services to become part of the country park.
The Director of the Countryside Division was Clive Gordon, a landscape architect who had been trained at Kew Gardens. He had previously tried to establish a park at Bestwood but had been unable to carry out his plans during changes in ownership and stakeholders. One of the original ideas was that the valleys within the park would be filled in with waste before creating the park but luckily that didn’t happen.
This is where Eric comes in.
Alexandra Lodge was derelict at this time and was not covered by a preservation order; it was going to be demolished. Somehow, with the input from villagers and the Coal Board, a schedule II listing was attached to the building and it was saved.
Eric was approached by Clive to take on the task of creating the park and at his first visit to the area with his wife and Clive, was told that he could live in Alexandra Lodge should he so wish! The enormous amount of work carried out at this time meant that he was able to move in there eventually and this became his base.
During this visit, they were threatened by youths on motorbikes, the land was unfenced and previous rangers had been shot at. Eric likened it to the Wild West.
Eric was given a Landrover, a spade and no budget. The first job he tackled was to erect a gate at the entrance from the village with the help of Jane Forshaw, who lived at Rectory Cottage. Jane was Eric’s first hands on volunteer, joined next by Lee Scudder.
He was then granted a budget financed by the Countryside Commission and Notts. County Council and was able to employ two rangers.
The task was unenviable. They removed numerous burnout cars, sheep skins (from sheep rustling) and had to deal with fires caused by the burning of wiring stolen from the coal board to sell on the copper.
Eric was adept at finding volunteers to help with his enormous task and co[1]opted out of work miners who he met on their dog walks.
The park was overrun with bored children and his method of dealing with their behaviour, (fires, damage etc) was to visit their homes, speak to their parents and then sign them up as junior volunteers. At one point he had around 40 ‘working within the park’.
He had employed a third ranger by now and was able to split the children up into three groups. The rangers set up a Youth Club and worked on rotation with the children to educate and train them for the tasks. The rangers were also able to get out and about giving talks outside the area on a weekly basis. They also increased the diversity amongst their volunteers.
There were no paths or drainage within the park at this time, so, together with John Smith from County Hall and Mike Windsor, (Clive’s Deputy), Eric devised the major paths and bridleways that exist today. The conditions were initially so bad that trees would float down through the arch of Alexandra Lodge during storms. Drainage was put in down both sides of the main path. Volunteers were involved in the path laying and tree planting; there was a government scheme in place which gave access to two teams of unemployed to help with laying the paths and bridleways. Boggy areas on top of the tip were filled in with whatever rubble they could lay their hands on, broken bricks etc.
In the early 90s a management plan was created by Eric, he thinks that there could still be a copy in some library archives somewhere; maybe.
Eric also had help from teams of prisoners and lads from borstal who planted trees on the pit top.
Jane and Mike are both still in touch with Eric.
The maintenance of the park was outsourced to Gedling Borough Council in October 2017.
Eric mentioned the involvement by Lee Scudder, one of his original rangers. Lee is a zoologist and has a wealth of knowledge regarding the wildlife, particularly birds and bats in the park during his years working there. He could have more information that would be helpful to our group. He was involved in the Management plan. The third ranger at this time was Anna Chylac.
Some research was carried out on the species of insect called the Harvestman which, again, may be in the archives.
Eric was ably assisted on his rounds by a police dog who hadn’t made the grade! He was a welcome addition to the team and proved his worth on many an occasion.
Eric retired in 90/91 and one of the last jobs he oversaw was the creation of the car park on Park Road.
He talked about coal being dug from one of the fields at Broad Valley, which was then sold as ‘Bestwood Crackerjack’ as it contained so many stones.
Eric also talked about boxes of electrical parts that were meant for the Winding Engine House. If they are still there in Alexandra Lodge, they can be accessed through the trapdoor that leads to the roof which is up the stairs on the right.
Eric had some luck in becoming the Ranger Manager. Clive had been delayed by car problems on his way to giving a talk to the Institute of Directors. Eric volunteered to take Clive’s place and his talk was so well received that he was then approached by Clive to build our park; good luck for all who followed in his wake.
Having left school whilst still only 13, Eric had done rather well.
Telephone interview with Eric Troop - 11th & 19th January 2023
Carol Hart - Information Hub & Membership
