BEECROFT FAMILY HISTORY
The surname Beecroft is listed in the County of Yorkshire Hundred Rolls commissioned by Edward 1st between 1255 and 1280.
Church records at Burnsall village in Wharfedale show a Robert Beecroft born 1541. By 1569 descendants of the family had moved to the Grantham area of Lincolnshire but retaining contact with Burnsall through marriage into the 1600’s.
Working as Farmers or Farmworkers the Beecroft family became established in South West Lincolnshire, South East Nottinghamshire and the Vale of Belvoir. Our branch of the family descends from the Beecrofts of Bottesford and Tithby from church records circa 1559.
With advent of the Industrial Revolution alternative more lucrative work opportunities became available and William born in 1750 became a Stockinger in Sutton in Ashfield, Notts.
Charles Beecroft born 7th July 1830, died 8th Nov 1915
Charles Beecroft was the 10th of 11 children born to William Beecroft b.1789 his grandfather being William born 1750. His Father was an Innkeeper of the White Swan which still remains in Sutton in Ashfield.
Charles was brought up by relatives in Sutton in Ashfield and Lambley before being apprenticed to Samuel Beecroft, a relative who was Provision Merchant in West Bromwich. Upon completion of his apprenticeship, he returned to Nottingham to find employment.
Charles was employed by Josiah Corbett, a small wares dealer established circa 1822, in Bridlesmith Gate and later with William and Charlotte Brailsford (brother and sister) who also traded as small wares dealers in Bridlesmith Gate, on the corner of Chandlers Lane and also in Sneinton. It is possible that the Brailsfords acquired Corbett’s old established business upon his retirement as the addresses are similar.
A friendship developed between Charles and Charlotte Brailsford, and they married in 1854 and traded as small ware dealers on Chandlers Lane corner and their newly acquired shop at number 9 High Street under the name of Beecroft in 1852.
Number 9 High St. was the last genuine Elizabethan building in the city (known as The Old Elizabethan House), the house and shop became their home until 1862. During this time, they had 10 children, 6 of which were infant deaths. In total 9 Beecrofts are buried in the family grave in the General Cemetery near Canning Circus.
The city had good access from the south (Hollowstone) and the north (Clumber St) and the west (Chapel Bar), but no practical access from the east.
In 1860 plans were made to build a new road to connect Goose Gate with Cheapside achieved by widening and realigning Chandlers Lane and demolishing properties between the two streets including premises on the High Street. One of the properties affected was the Old Elizabethan House.
The business address and home of the Beecroft family was demolished in 1862 and the new road built and named Victoria Street. As tenant Charles Beecroft was paid £480 compensation by the Borough of Nottingham.
The business is recorded as continuing on smaller scale on Clumbers Street in 1862 and at 5 Long Row East from 1864 to 1866 but the necessity to find a family home resulted in Charles returning to his ancestral roots and acquiring the tenancy of Arnold Lodge Farm from 1862-1867 and Lowdham Lodge Farm from 1867-1879. This later farm lay adjacent to his cousin’s farm situated on the Bulcote to Lowdham road in the Gunthorpe parish and is still known as Beecrofts Farm.
In 1879 Charles acquired no.5 Cheapside as a home and business address and traded as a small wares dealer and fancy goods repository.
In 1884 he acquired the tenancy in the Exchange Buildings facing onto the Great Market Place and this corner shop also fronted onto Smithy Row. The shop also faced onto the twice weekly market and the October Goose Fair. Beecroft’s Corner as it became known was the recognised place to meet for the people of the city. This became Beecroft’s Toys most famous address.
Charlotte Beecroft died in 1885. The business was now named Beecroft & Sons, Thomas, Clement, Albert and John having joined their father.
Advert for Clement Beecroft’s shop in Philadelphia c1900
Also, in 1885 Clement and his brother John emigrated to Philadelphia and Clement married Elizabeth McKinley in 1887. Clement was a keen sportsman and opened a sports shop there trading as Beecrofts Brothers. He was also known as the father of European rules football in the Eastern States, promoting and organising the game for the benefit of the European emigrants. He never returned to live in England again and died in Philadelphia in 1942. Elizabeth Beecroft also excelled in sport and played in the U.S. Tennis Open Championship in 1893. She died in 1944. John returned to Nottingham due to ill health and died in 1892.
During the latter part of the 1800’s successful businessmen ceased to live “over the shop” and moved to more modern residences on the edge of town. Charles’ residences included: – in 1889 Addison Street, 1893 Alexandra Street, 1895 Langar Hall, 1901 Trentside Farm Fiskerton, 1912 Burlington Road and in 1915 13 Shirley Road Carrington where he died in November 1915 aged 85 years.
After the death of Charlotte, Charles married Annie Bonsor in 1890 and when she died, he married Sarah Moorhead in 1907. Charles’s other sons John Henry died in 1892 and Albert died in 1916 at the Coppice Hospital.
Another move was forced upon the business in 1926 when the City Fathers decided that the Exchange Building needed demolishing and a new grander Council House should replace it, as Nottingham had been granted City status.
Businesses had to relocate and Thomas Edward Beecroft, who was the last remaining son was running the family business. The decision was made to move to a freehold shop at 16 Pelham Street, trading as a Toy and Model retailer with limited liability as Beecroft & Sons Ltd.
Advertising was done by using local newspapers or by use of advertising tickets (tokens)and the use of jingles. See Grenville Chamberlains book “Nottinghamshire Advertising Tokens and Medals “for information and photographs. By this time the Beecroft business was so well known that the famous Nottingham author Cecil Roberts includes a paragraph to them in his semi-autobiography “Terrace in the Sun”.
Thomas Edward Beecroft, born 1862, died 1932
Thomas joined his father Charles in the family business in Cheapside and took over the running of the business under the Exchange Building in 1915 upon the death of his father and managed the difficult period prior to the impending demolition of the old Exchange building and acquiring the freehold of premises at no.16 Pelham Street in 1924.
Thomas had married Emily Gertrude Hooton in 1903 and they had two children John Hooton born 1904 and Mary born 1908
Upon the death of Thomas in 1934 the family toy and model shop were managed by his son John known as Jack.
Mr and Mrs Thomas Edward Beecroft. Emily Gertrude Hooton of Colwick. They were married by Emily’s brother, Rev Edward Hooton (Vicar of Streetly, Birmingham)
John Hooton Beecroft, born 1904, died 1964
Prior to his death Thomas set up a trust (known as the T.E Beecroft Trust). The main object of the Trust was to allow Jack Beecroft to manage the business and for his sister Mary to receive a regular income from the business. The Trust ended with the death of either party
Upon the death of Jack Beecroft in 1964 Mary had the option of continuing the existing arrangement with Jack’s family or exercise her option under the terms of the Trust to claim her 50% share of the assets of the business. Mary s husband Frank Miller advised her that the money would be put to better use in their own business, and she requested the 50% option as per the terms of the Trust.
In 1932 Jack had married Gwendoline Florence Smith and lived firstly in Daybrook and moved to Burton Joyce in 1938 and finally to Bulcote in 1962 until his death on 29th March 1964.
In 1938 Jack opened another shop in Central Avenue, West Bridgford but due to the effect of World War Two this shop was closed in1940.
Businesses were controlled by Government restrictions, stock supplies limited, and the situation was not helped by Jack being conscripted into the RAF from 1943 to 1946. The shop was then managed by Thomas’s widow Emily and Jack’s wife Gwendoline until his return.
In 1932, JHB (Jack) had married Gwendoline Florence Smith, b. 1907, and lived firstly in Daybrook and moved to Burton Joyce in 1938 and finally to Bulcote in 1962 until his death on 29th March 1964.
Jack & Gwen had one son David John, born 7th July 1933.
Upon his return from the RAF in 1946 Jack had the opportunity to purchase no.18 Pelham Street in 1948 and plans were made to amalgamate the two shops to create one of the largest specialist toy and model shops in the U.K. The shop comprised of three retail levels as well as stockrooms, office and staff rest rooms.
In 1962 Jack personally bought a permanent lock up toy and model stall in the Central Market on King Edward Street.
Between 1948 and 1962 Jack invested a large amount of the company’s capital reserves in structural modernisation of 16-18 Pelham Street and to keep abreast of developments in retail trading during its recovery from wartime restrictions.
John Hooton (Jack) Beecroft and Gwendoline Florence Beecroft.
John ‘Jack’ Beecroft served in RAF 1942-46
David John Beecroft, born 1933
Following the death of Jack in 1964 the business continued trading as Beecroft’s Toys Ltd under the management of Jack’s widow Gwen and their son David. The 1960’s and 70’s proved to be a difficult period for many long-established family businesses in the City Centre and many ceased trading or were acquired by larger companies.
In 1965 the new business of Beecrofts Toys Ltd was opened on Drury Hill, an extension of Bridlesmith Gate leading to Broad Marsh bus station and Midland Station. A very busy and popular throughfare. The shop numbered 12-14 Drury Hill had been occupied by J.P. Higham a long-established boot and shoemaker and retailer.
In 1967 the area around Broad Marsh including Drury Hill was scheduled for demolition to make way for the new Broad Marsh Shopping Centre and Bus Station, Beecrofts had to relocate yet again. The move was back to Pelham Street this time at no.42, whilst continuing at the Central Market and trading at Goose Fair which was now held on the Forest each October.
In 1965 in an effort to remove the businesses dependence on seasonable trading a small number of summer outdoor events and local Agricultural Shows were attended.
As Jack’s widow Gwen became less involved in running the business, David’s wife Margaret Mowbray b.1936 became more active in the business. Gwendoline Beecroft retired from the business and died in 1975 at Selby Lane, Keyworth.
The Business flourished with David and Margaret managing the new direction the business was taking and this was becoming increasingly successful as new opportunities presented themselves.
In 1972 the Central Market stall moved to the new Victoria Market in the Victoria Shopping Centre. In 1975 the shop at 42 Pelham Street was closed and relocated to a shop in Tanners Walk in the Broad Marsh Shopping Centre. The Tanners Walk shop closed in 1978 and the final retail outlet in Nottingham at Victoria Market closed in 1984. This decision allowed the business to concentrate solely on indoor and outdoor events and shows.
Major events including the Daily Mail Ideal Home Exhibition and The Royal Tournament held at Earls Court and a number of exhibitions held at the NEC Birmingham, also Motor 100 at Silverstone, a number of pre-school nursery and toy events were attended. These events were sponsored by Matchbox Toys Ltd who at that time were looking for a retail partner to promote their products.
During the period of 1965 to 2010 Beecrofts exhibited at Equestrian events such as Badminton and Burghley Horse Trials, major County Shows around the UK, Autumn and Christmas Markets and opened specialist ‘pop-up’ shops selling Fireworks.
The business Show activity extended throughout England, Scotland and Wales and ultimately attending sixty events each year. To service this operation an HGV lorry, long wheelbase vans and caravans were used to transport stock, staff and marquees for outdoor events. The type of stock carried was matched to the type of event i.e., Farm models for agricultural and County Shows etc.
Living accommodation with office, warehousing and vehicle parking space was purchased at 196 Porchester Road, Nottingham.
In 1982 Margaret Beecroft divorced David and resigned her directorship, her place was taken by Christine Eva Williams. Christine and David managed the business until Christine’s death in 1989. During this period the business continued to expand and the necessity to find larger premises particularly for warehousing and vehicle parking.
In 1988 larger premises were urgently required and as there were no longer any shops to service in Nottingham, an out-of-town rural location was sought, but this was put on hold due to the illness and death of Christine in 1989.
In 1992 Sheila Susan Turner (Sue) joined the business, married David in 1995 and became a director. An ideal site was found on Swinderby Road, North Scarle between Newark and Lincoln in 1997.
These larger premises made it possible to offer a mail order service and ultimately to take advantage of the developing internet and a web site www.beecroftstoys.co.uk was designed offering mainly agricultural toys, models and products sold at the outdoor show events.
After 55 years trading at outdoor events and 65 years in the toy trade David and Sue took the decision to retire, particularly as the business would require a large capital injection to update computer systems replace aging outdoor event equipment all in the face of rapid changes in consumer habits and the rise of multinational companies with huge buying power controlling the market i.e. Toys R Us.
The website and mail order part of the business was sold to Louise Game trading in West Sussex but appeared to cease trading after three or four years.
The outdoor events business was sold to Orchard Crown Limited / Toyland based in Preston to trade as Beecroft Toys and still remain trading in the 2023 season.
Beecrofts Toys Ltd is still registered as a dormant company at Companies House, David and Sue both live in retirement remaining in the Lincoln area.
It is interesting to note that for the best part of the first hundred years the business was totally run by men but with advent of WW2 the wives of Thomas and Jack ran the business and from that time the involvement of women became an integral part of the success of the business.
Written by David Beecroft, December2022
Acknowledging the extensive research carried out by Dr. Amina Beecroft of Calgary into the Beecroft family in Canada & USA.
David John Beecroft at 90
