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Phyllis Nicklin Photos

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This is a comment from a former student of Phyllis's which was posted on the Keith Berry Pbase site. Seems her death was very sudden.

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Maybe there are other former students out there who remember her?

I've also found out that there is (or at least there was in 1980) a Phyllis Nicklin Memorial Lecture at the Geographical Association of Birmingham. Must have been well regarded by the GA to have this recognition. Going to see if they can offer anything about her life etc. Viv.
 
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Not sure if this adds anything. Sent to me by a friend who is on "Ancestry". Maybe the tree holder could be of help.
 
well spotted on ancestry viv...maybe someone could contact the tree holder...surely there must be a photo of phyllis somewhere...
 
Great Lyn. Fingers crossed on the Nottingham contact. Thanks Devonjim, your suggestion could be worth a try. Viv.
 
Astoness said:
well spotted on ancestry viv...maybe someone could contact the tree holder...surely there must be a photo of phyllis somewhere...
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Devonjim spotted it on Ancestry Lyn not me! Will happily try and contact the tree holder. Not a member at the mo but believe there's free access this weekend. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Devonjim spotted it on Ancestry Lyn not me! Will happily try and contact the tree holder. Not a member at the mo but believe there's free access this weekend. Viv.
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I have emailed tree holder on my friends "Ancestry" We can only wait. I'll let you know if I get a response!
 
just been sent this info off carl chinn...


Phyllis Amelia Nicklin M.A. was born in Birmingham on 9 May 1909. She
attended George Dixon Grammar School for Girls and went on to Birmingham
University where she obtained her BA in Geography 1930 and MA in 1931. In
1934 she published a pioneering article on 'The Early Historical Geography
of the Forest of Arden' in the Transactions of the Birmingham Archaeological
Society. In the same year she was appointed Senior Geography Mistress at
Sutton High School and ten years later became Lecturer in Geography at
Nottingham University, where she also took responsibility as Sub-Warden of
the Women Students Hostel.
In 1946 Phyllis accepted a post, which brought her back to the West
Midlands, as Lecturer in Geography at Dudley Training College. Four years
later, in 1950, she was appointed Lecturer and later Staff Tutor in
Geography in the University of Birmingham's Extra-Mural Department, a post
she held until her death on 18 November 1969
 
That's smashing Lyn. Feel like we're getting to know Phyllis a little bit more. Please pass on our thanks to Carl. I wonder if there are any pupils from Sutton High or Dudley Training College out there who remember her?

I've been in contact with the Geographical Association and they're away until 6 April. So will let you know of any progress with that too. Viv.
 
will do viv...its amazing how just a few words can help build up a picture...yes please keep us informed about the GA

lyn
 
That was a most interesting addition to her story. I have come across Phyllis Nicklin's obituary from ‘Geography’ Vol. 55, No. 2, April 1970 – (c) The Geographical Association - which adds some further detail:

With the sudden and untimely passing of Miss P. A. Nicklin, for many years the indefatigable Honorary Secretary of the Birmingham Branch, the Association in particular and geography in general has lost one of its staunchest adherents. A graduate and postgraduate of the University of Birmingham, Phyllis Nicklin gained wide teaching experience in schools and colleges before becoming Staff Tutor in Geography to the Extra-mural Department at Birmingham. For well over twenty years she has been the driving force behind what is possibly the most successful liaison between an academic department, an extra-mural department, and a local branch of the Association that could be found in any university city. In that time she saw the growth of the Branch to a present membership of 1200, the holding of a most successful Spring Conference in Birmingham in 1965, and the publication by the Branch of a series of excursion guides to the West Midlands. She will be long remembered for her valuable contributions to Council and Executive meetings, for the stimulating courses that she arranged on behalf of thousands of extra-mural students, for her well-organized excursions, and, not least, for her kindly, effective and dedicated service to the Birmingham Branch.
 
That's a very interesting addition to the picture Toby. Thank you. The Geographical Association plays an important role in its support of Geography teaching and Phyllis must have been highly respected for her major contribution in this respect. I'm glad we've been able to find out more about her. Viv.
 
The next instalment of NicklinUnseen photos. These will also appear in the Birmingham Post tomorrow. The article explains this is "a year long mission to showcase Nicklin's work".
https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/bu...unseen-overwhelming-response-archived-9004597
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For me, a nostalgic view from Fentham Road reminds me of driving my Hillman Imp towards the Six Ways Underpass and nearer town looking at the digital clock on the Birmingham Post and Mail building. Lovely photos ... :encouragement:
 
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Agree Phil. These are again Phyllis at her best showing us places that were liable to change. Having said that, surprisingly a few still remain in tact, such as the open spaces of Cannon Hill Park, Bournville etc. And much of the canal views are very recognisable, they've maybe even improved since her photos. Felt sad though to see the market businesses as they were, now long gone under several redevelopments of the market area. And I was taken by surprise by the Gas Street Boat Show - never heard if it! Viv.
 
Yes, Viv, the boat show surprised me too: if it was a formal affair it seems rather grand for scruffy old Gas Street Basin. When looking at the older streets I'm impressed by the profusion of huge adverts pasted on hoardings and on the end walls of buildings: their bold graphic designs are fascinating to us now, yet I wonder if they were seen as garish clutter in the 1950s and 60s. Also, the abundance of litter in the gutters; the Keep Britain Tidy campaign and widespread installation of litter bins effectively encouraged a shift of behaviour in public spaces.
 
according to the Brumpic web site....

By the time the 1911 census was taken, the family were living at 18 Link Road, Birmingham. The family home consisted of Charles, his wife Amelia, and Phyllis who was approaching her second birthday

18 Link rd P Nicklin.jpg
The house marked with the ghost block must have been her first family home.
 
pudding said:
according to the Brumpic web site....

By the time the 1911 census was taken, the family were living at 18 Link Road, Birmingham. The family home consisted of Charles, his wife Amelia, and Phyllis who was approaching her second birthday

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The house marked with the ghost block must have been her first family home.
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Thats great Pudding. I took the opportunity to use the Ancestry freebie weekend and looked up a few bits too. This is what I found about Phyllis's maternal side (family name was Wright).

Between 1927 and 1940 Phyllis, Amelia Jane (Phyllis's mother) and Amelia's mother, Elizabeth Amelia (Phyllis's maternal grandmother) were living at 44 Gillott Road, Edgbaston. Elizabeth Amelia died aged 84 on 29 October 1940 at 1 Western Road (this might have been the place of death).


In 1945 Amelia Jane (Phyllis's mother), Phyllis and her uncle, Harold C, had moved to 84 Willow Avenue in Edgbaston. By 1950 Harold had moved away.

The Gillott Road house still exists, think it's the middle one with the original porch over the door. Here it is. Viv.
 

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How lovely to see the University giving us all the chance to see more of Phyllis's photo's, I have been a fan
from the moment I fell across the first ones. It is an archive that we know will be preserved.
 
I think 1 Western Road is in fact Dudley Road Hospital (or at least what was the workhouse). I have it as the place of death for a relative. I should have said City Road but always think of it by the "old name".

Janice
 
Morning Lyn. I also had a quick look at Phyllis's father's side of the family as I thought this could turn up relations. Phyllis had 3 uncles and two aunts on this side.

Phyllis's father : Charles Howard Nicklin b.1880, d. 1920
Charles's father was William Nicklin (b. 1839) and his mother was Emma (b.1837)
Charles's brothers were Francis W (b. 1867), Albert (b.1870) and George H (b.1877).
He had two sisters; Henrietta (b.1874) and Emma L (b. 1875).


In 1881 William and Emma were living at 30 Vaughton Street, Aston with their children Francis W, Albert, Henrietta, Emma L, George H and Charles H. By 1891 they had all moved to 73 Umbersley Road, Balsall Heath. In 1901, Charles was living with just his mother in Gt Stoney Lane (not sure of road name, difficult to read) Yardley and was at this time working as a Traveller for a warehouse.

Viv.
 
Hi all, I am made to believe from this statement on the web site

Amelia Jane Nickin died on the 17th June 1969 ather home, 16 Middle Park Road, Selly Oak. Phyllis would be the official witnessto her mother’s death, and would sadly pass away herself months later on the18th November at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

16 middle park road p nicklin.jpg this must have been Miss Nicklin's home at the time of her death.
 


UPDATE ON THE HUNT FOR PHYLLIS.




hi folks i have talked to mark eccleston from birmingham uni archives and they have no photos of phyllis...he advised i get in touch with pat budgeon from the orchard learning resourse centre of the uni and no luck there either but i does seem that everyone is trying to find a photo of the elusive phyllis...i was told that she did many field trips throughout the country so we are hoping something may turn up...nottingham uni are checking their archives and will get back to me asap...she must be out there somewhere lol...

lyn
 
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