The history of Stanton's water tower
The recent article in the May 2007 Newsletter of the Keyworth Local History Society by Howard Fisher gave the reference to a description of the tower on the day it was formally opened. This prompted a visit to the Local History Section of the Angel Row Library in Nottingham where back copies of local newspapers are kept on film. The Nottingham Guardian of Tuesday the 20th June 1933 carried the story the day after the opening of the tower, complete with three photos of the occasion. These are unusable due to very severe scratching and blackening of the image. Fortunately, the British Library Newspapers has a complete set of the Nottingham Guardian and were able to supply a photocopy of the report and photographs, which are reproduced here by kind permission of both the British Library Newspapers at Colindale and the Editor of the 'Nottingham Evening Post' who retains the copyright of the 'Nottingham Guardian'.
"Water for the Wolds"
Nottingham's First Tower Opened: with an inscribed gold key presented to him by the Nottingham Water Engineer, Mr F.W.Davies, Alderman A.R.Atkey chairman of the water committee, yesterday formally opened the handsome water tower erected at Stanton on the Wolds for the provision of a supply to the high-lying villages of Stanton, Keyworth and Normanton on the Wolds. Prior to performing this ceremony in the presence of members of the committee and officials, Alderman Atkey formerly unlocked the door of the booster pumping station at Normanton on the Wolds which is associated with the tower.
Under the Public Works Facilities Scheme (Nottingham Corporation) Confirmation Act 1931 the whole of the parishes in the Basford and Bingham rural districts have been included in the Parliamentary Water Areas. Nineteen parishes in the Basford RDC not previously supplied by the Corporation now receive water from the Nottingham mains. In the Bingham RDC full supplies have also been given to eight parishes which are additional to the number supplied prior to January 1932. This large extension of the water area necessitated laying 56 ½ miles of mains and the erection of booster pumps in the parishes of Selston and Normanton on the Wolds and the water tower in question. Under present conditions it is possible to supply most of the villages South of the Trent from the Nottingham reservoirs and mains but from a point beyond Plumtree Station the ground levels rise very considerably and it has been necessary to erect the booster pumping station near Plumtree LMS railway station to force water to the high levels and store sufficient for district purposes in the water tower which has been erected at a point nearly opposite Stanton Parish Church.
The booster pumps are electrically driven with a pump capacity of 6,000 gallons an hour and are designed to work automatically in accordance with the district requirements. The water level in the tank is transmitted electrically to the booster station at Normanton and the pumps come into action at pre-determined water levels. The water tower is built of reinforced concrete and has a capacity of over 80,000 gallons. The diameter is 33½ feet and the depth of the water is 15 feet when the tank is full. The pump house and water tower were constructed by Mr John Cawley, contractor of Nottingham, and Messrs Pearns, engineers, of Manchester were responsible for the pumps with Messrs Blackburn and Starling of Nottingham as sub-contractors. One of the interesting points noted at the Normanton pumping station was that there is no possibility of a burst should the valve be closed when the motor is set in action. The machinery simply rotates in the water and churns it about vigorously. The whole of the equipment here is duplicated and is contained in a remarkably small building.
Latest Ideas Embodied: the committee are justifiably proud of their one and only water tower. It has been constructed to the design of the Water Engineer and embodies all the latest ideas. There is an indicator at the base of the tower of the quantity of water in the tank. A spiral structure of 115 steps leads to the summit through a shaft in the centre of the tanks. In order to ensure a firm foundation for the tower a borehole was sunk to the depth of 90 feet and an excellent foundation was located. The tower itself weighs 700 tons and the full weight of water it is capable of bearing is 360 tons giving a total weight of 1060 tons. The height of the tower to the transmitter house floor is 78½ feet above ground level and to the top of the flag staff is 97½ feet.
A fine view from here. Mr F.W. Davies, the City Water Engineer explaining the scheme to members of the Water committee from the top of the tower.
Alderman A.R.Atkey, who is holding onto his hat, is standing to the right of Mr Davies .
The water tower stood for 52 years being finally demolished in 1985 leaving a surrounding circle of Poplar trees as its memorial.
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