Papers of Ena Palmer (1906-1998), Nottingham schoolteacher and conservationist, 1913-1992

The collection comprises:

School reports of Ena Palmer whilst a pupil at Clarendon Street and Mundella schools, Nottingham. 1913-1924 (MS 741/1);

School exercise books used by Ena Palmer whilst a pupil at Clarendon Street and Mundella Secondary schools, Nottingham. 1916-1923 (MS 741/2);

Student notebooks used by Ena Palmer whilst a student at University College Nottingham containing pencil sketches of botanical subjects (such as algae, dicotyledons, plants), and notes on aspects of physics (such as magnetism, electricity and heat). 1925-1929 (MS 741/3);

Student notes, typescript and manuscript, made by Ena Palmer during her botany degree. 1926-1929 (MS 741/4);

Notebooks of Ena Palmer compiled during her preparation for teaching in schools. 1948-1966 [MS 741/5);

Correspondence and other papers relating to her school and college career. 1915-1925 (MS 741/6);

Printed copies of East Midlands Geological Society circulars, leaflets, newspaper cuttings, and other printed materials. 1979-1992 (MS 741/8).

Ena May Palmer was born in 1906 and received her early education at Clarendon Street Preparatory School and Mundella Secondary School in Nottingham. She entered University College Nottingham in 1925, passed her intermediate science examination in 1926, and went on to obtain a bachelor of science degree in botany in 1930.

Whilst at the college she trained to be a teacher. She began her career as a science teacher at Haywood School for Girls in Nottingham. As an active local conservationist and historian in Nottingham, Ena Palmer helped to found the Lenton Local History Society, was a member of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, and campaigned against the destruction of Drury Hill and the construction of the Broadmarsh Centre in Nottingham city centre. She also assisted in creating Priory Park and Pocket Park in Lenton, having been a resident of the Nottingham suburb for all of her adult life. Ena Palmer received the Citizen of Honour award from Nottingham City Council in 1994 for her environmental work. She died in November 1998.

The collection has been divided by document type into series. Within these series, items have been arranged chronologically.

Accessible to all readers.

Copyright in all descriptions belongs to the University of Nottingham.

Online: Detailed catalogue available on the Manuscripts Online Catalogue, accessible via the Manuscripts and Special Collections website.

Good

Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk).

Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

The collection was acquired by the University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections in August 2000.