Description:
Towards the end of the eighteenth century, many fine dwelling houses were built bordering directly upon the streets, and in order to preserve light, air, and distant views from the windows it became the custom to obtain land upon the opposite side of the street, and to layout a formal garden. Such gardens were called 'Vistas', and were quite common in Nottingham even to recent times; unfortunately, modern conditions have swept them away, and they have all been built upon with the exception of the one in Castle Gate, the entrance to which is represented in this drawing. The beautiful gate posts with their reeded columns supporting classic urns, make a very delightful composition thoroughly characteristic of eighteenth century architecture; it is interesting to note that within this garden is one of the very few mulberry trees in Nottingham.
Other well-known vistas were; one in Park Street, opposite the Mansion House Hotel, now occupied by offices; another in Castle Gate, upon which printing works have been built. while 'Wesley Chapel' - built a century ago - occupies the site of the vista preserved by Mr. Morley when building his beautiful house; now known as the 'People's Hall'.
Descriptive text taken from 'Nottingham Past and Present', published in 1926.
Thomas William Hammond 1854-1935. Born in Philadelphia of Nottingham emigres, and orphaned at the age of four, he came to England with his younger sister Maria and lived for a short while with his grandparents in Mount Street. In 1868 age 14 he enrolled in the Government School of Art. On the 1871 census he is described as a lace curtain designer, and in 1872 he was awarded the 'Queen's Prize for a Design of a Lace Curtain'. Other prizes followed and in 1877 he was again awarded the Queen's Prize, this time for the design for a damask table Cloth.
Hammond was an indefatigable worker, and soon began to use his skills as a draftsman to record aspects of the changing town. He began showing his work at local venues in 1882 and in 1890 exhibited for the first time at the Royal academy. His real hobby was black and white sketching in charcoal. He drew about 350 pictures all together mainly scenes of a Nottingham he knew but which has largely passed away today.
Extracted from 'The Changing Face of Tom Hammond's Nottingham' by John Beckett which is the introductory essay in 'A City in the Making Drawings of Tom Hammond'.