Ralph Carr

The Life of Ralph Carr (1891-1975)

The photo above shows Ralph Carr exactly where so many families of St Ann's would associate him, right at the heart and centre of the 20th Company Boys Brigade in Nottingham. My father Gordon Clark is sitting below his right elbow, which dates the photo just after WWII at the Chapel St Leonards camp.

My father, now in his 80's is a living testimony to that period. He like many others greatly benefited from the Christian moral code of organisations such as the Boys Brigade, the Girls Brigade and the Scout and Guide movement. It was the philanthropic dedication of these initial Captains who had been inspired by William Alexander Smith's pamphlet about his successful Boys Brigade of Glasgow in 1883 that enabled thousands of young people to gain confidence and self discipline through drill, sport, music and comradeship. It was an experience that provided many with life skills to empower themselves out of the poverty and harsh environment that was the norm for working class children of that time. For youngsters such as my father who were not bright enough for the lifeline of a Grammar School scholarship, there was the discovery that he could excel through sport, particularly table tennis and that he also had other talents through their woodwork hobby classes, leading to a lifelong career as a skilled cabinet maker.  

Indeed 20th Company Captain Ralph Carr should rightly have been very proud when he finally looked back over his many years of altruistic endeavour in Nottingham.  However, my father never had chance to speak with him directly and now as I piece together his life from the evidence of his paper trail through local records, it would be so nice to hear any personal memories that perhaps this piece may shake out from a sparked recollection.

Born in Doncaster, his family background is usefully summarised by an obituary of his well respected father Abner recorded in a West Yorkshire paper in 1935. Ralph’s father had made his fortune from speculative house building around Doncaster. This period reflects what would have been occurring in St Ann’s with a massive expansion in housing during the late Victorian era. This had drawn in thousands of people to a booming Nottingham including a young Ralph who had been listed as a Draper’s Assistant in the 1911 Census up in Scarborough. 

However, by 1915 he was advertising in the Nottingham Evening Post for his Ladies Outfitters shop in Hockley.  Perhaps, having chosen to make his mark in the retailing of textiles it was natural that he should move South to Nottingham and its many suppliers. Whatever the reason, it was his business connections that placed him in a tight network of  fellow Christian thinkers who wanted to give something back to the Community and make a difference to other people’s lives.  That said, unfortunately there was a war on at this time and no-one of his age was going to escape its attention or tragic consequences. 

As can be seen from his Attestation Papers on the left, he initially signed up on 30 Nov 1915. So he was not one of the keen volunteers scrambling to join up at the start of the war in 1914.  In fact this would have been just before the “Derby Scheme” expired in Dec 1915, which was the last chance for recruits to volunteer before conscription the following year might place them with any Regiment needing replacements. It would also allow them to be deferred from call up until required. In this respect he is not called up for over another year and his form is annotated as Home Service Only and categorised as B2. Thus he probably had a medical condition which prevented him front line service. His records show that he joined the Royal Flying Corps at a UK base and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Admin Supply Branch in 1918. 

Unfortunately it was around this time that he lost his two younger brothers in the war. Harold who was 21 was killed serving with the Sherwood Rangers out in Palestine in Nov 1917 and then Cyril who was still only 24, but had already won the Military Cross for gallantry with the Royal Engineers was killed on the Western Front in April 1918. It must have been a terrible loss to all the family and just as well for Ralph’s mother and father that at least he was serving at home.

Note that his address in 1915 is given as 13 Goldswong Terrace, which is the nicer end of St Ann’s up at the top of Robin Hood Chase off Cranmer Street. It was close to the home of the Parker family on Elm Bank, who were half of the well established Dixon and Parker Ltd. This firm was a large clothing manufacturer and retailer with various branches and factories across the county. 

Left is another clipping from the Evening Post dated 1919 after Ralph returned from his war duty.

Ralph had married Minnie Parker the previous year who was 15 years his senior and the daughter of one of the founding company partners, Thomas Parker. Interestingly the son of  the other partner was John Augur Dixon, one of Nottinghamshire’s most accomplished sportsmen, playing football for Notts County and England and then cricket for the County for many years (hence the Dixon Memorial Gates at Trent Bridge).  It was this J.A Dixon JP  “the fine Christian gentleman and sportsman”  who was one of the main instigators of  the Boys Brigade into the Nottingham area and now we can see how Ralph himself  became part of that very close band of worthies who made such an impact on the local young population.

Right is the grand Wesleyan Chapel on Broad Street where Ralph started the 20th (Wesley) Company in 1919 before it moved to the purpose built Boys Club on Northampton Street in 1932. The imposing structure itself was sold off in 1954 when roof repairs could not be afforded and today it is the site of the redeveloped Broadway Cinema. Due to the founding connection my father Gordon remembers that the Boys Brigade would regularly parade through St Ann’s and  march to the Chapel where a service would be held.

The following press cuttings from the Evening Post in 1931 describe the fund raising plans of Ralph Carr as he describes his vision for the new Company building to be built on Northampton Street.  He was very successful in raising the capital and the new Boys Club was opened by Lord Trent (John Boot, son of Jesse)  in March 1932. It must have been a very proud day for Ralph. At the opening ceremony Ralph also read out a congratulatory message from the Prince of Wales. 

Other important names supporting Ralph in the local Boys Brigade hierarchy were Richard Swain of the 8^th Company in West Bridgford who was a successful businessman in the Lace Industry and also Oliver Hind who was the drive behind the momentous and pioneering 2^nd (DAKO) Company which was close by in Sneinton. Hind even sent boys out to new lives on the Dakeyne Farm in Canada from 1913,  all funded by himself and John Player.  

In March 1939 not long before the outbreak of the Second World War, Ralph and the 20^th Company celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the Company’s formation with a visit by another local supporter Lt Cmdr George Mackness DSC RN. This esteemed Naval Officer played a leading part in the civic life of Nottingham for many years and took on responsibilities for the DAKO Company and the Gordon Boys Home which was situated at the top of St Ann’s,  close to his home on Woodborough Road. He was married to Sir Tommy Shipstone’s daughter and was chief ARP controller for Nottingham during WW2. I find his words very prophetic given the timing and they must have made an impression. “It behoves us all” he said “ to prepare ourselves to protect that freedom and to make every sacrifice for it.”

He should know, as he had been one of the few survivors of submarine E41 which had been lost during WW1 in 1916.

Listed are many names also of 20^th Company members such as Bernard Pottinger, who would later take on a leading role. However, another interesting guest is Lady Atkey who was the wife of Sir Albert Atkey JP.

Albert had grown up in St Ann’s and through his endeavours as an engineer would end up with car show rooms around the County and become Lord Mayor of Nottingham. He was another strong supporter of the Brigade and would leave Ralph money in his will for the club.

Ralph and Minnie themselves moved out to a beautiful home in Papplewick called the Firs, but Minnie, much older, passed away in 1947. I do not have much detail about Ralph’s later life, but he does seem to have married again to Mollie Young at age 83 just a few months before his own death in 1975.

I do hope that others may add to this story with some personal details about his character or even some anecdotes, however, no matter the extra embellishments, his personal commitment to the betterment of the young people in his adopted city shines through and I trust this look at his life may inspire us to follow the example of Ralph and all his fellow worthies in the cause of helping young people meet their best possible potential and enjoy fulfilled lives.                                                                                                                                                Steve Clark  (Nov 2016)

Above: The Northampton Street Boys Club.  Ralph Carr’s vision. As it still stands today