Hockley, Nottingham facts for kids
Hockley is a fun and busy area right next to the city centre of Nottingham, England. It sits close to the historic Lace Market district. You can see many old buildings from the Victorian times that are still in great shape. People have been buying and selling things in Hockley since at least the 1200s! Today, it's a lively spot filled with cool shops, tasty restaurants, and friendly cafés. Some people even call it "the Soho of Nottingham" because it's so vibrant.
Hockley's History
Around the year 1285, this area had a different name: "Walker Gate." This name came from a special job. Workers would "walk" or stomp on cloth to make it softer after it was woven.
For many centuries, Nottingham's success was closely linked to the "rag trade," which means the cloth industry. This was a very important business! From 1343 to 1345, the price of wool in Nottingham Market was used as the standard price for all of England. This shows how important the area was for cloth.
Hockley was not always a wealthy place. For example, Sir Jesse Boot was born here in 1850. He grew up in a very poor family. Sir Jesse later became very famous. He was the son of the person who started Boots the Chemist. He helped turn Boots into the huge company it is today. His story shows how people from Hockley could achieve great things.
Fun Things to Do in Hockley
Hockley is a great place to explore! It has many different kinds of shops. You can find places selling unique designs and trendy clothes. There are also shops for music lovers and those interested in New Age items. Besides shops, Hockley is home to many art galleries, cool bars, and cozy cafés.
The area also has its own independent movie theatre called Broadway Cinema. This cinema is quite special! It was the very first cinema in the United Kingdom to show Quentin Tarantino's famous movie, Pulp Fiction. This happened right after the movie first appeared at the Cannes Film Festival.
Hockley was also once home to The Screen Room. This was a truly unique place! At the time it opened, it was the smallest commercial cinema in the world. The Guinness Book of Records even confirmed this! It had only 21 seats and just one screen. The Screen Room opened in 2002 and closed its doors in 2011.
