The Wipers Times Exposé: A Picture of Dorothy Violet Hall emerges

I mentioned in the Staff, Suspects and Witness post that I was at something of an impasse regarding researching Dorothy Violet Hall. While I had fragments of information, there wasn't really enough to form more than a fragmented sentence here and there. I received an email in October 2023 from Richard Sheppard, a retired archaeologist and collector, who had come across the following photograph. On the back, it was marked '11 Watcombe circus circa 1909' and in the background is a nameplate on the wall which says 'Hall' — without a doubt, that is her brother Henry Hall in the centre. The address listed on the back is confirmed by the 1911 census, and given the approximate ages in the photograph, it is extremely probable that the woman on the right is Dorothy Violet Hall, with the woman on the left being likely her sister Marguerite Hall (later Daisy Baldock).

However, I had been stuck — for months — about how to write this up. I didn't want to post it with 'here's a picture', I wanted to try and make a post that would move the search forward, and here is my attempt.

As a general update, In regards to the Wipers Times, my original intention was never to write about the paper, but the process of trying to track down details on Dorothy Hall — as this series has shown — uncovered several further individuals involved, several further details on its production, as well as uncovering a previously forgotten — missing — evening edition. I only have limited resources, and there are plenty of other subjects I want to research, so I have started to wrap up what I have learnt about the paper, making sure there are enough breadcrumbs for anyone else wishing to pick up the trail. Inspired by a quote by the paper's printer George Turner, what I am working on is bringing the story of the 12th Sherwood's as soldiers and the story of the paper together. At the heart of this, I have been working on mapping the regiment's movements, alongside the paper's production and locations and features mentioned in the paper, and producing a timeline. This is a fair old undertaking and is something I am chipping away at in the background.

But it got me thinking, why couldn't I do the same for Dorothy? Perhaps a bit of an unorthodox approach, but it is a way to present the information I've gathered to date.

A few caveats before jumping in:

One thing that has made this extremely difficult is there are/were a fair number of Halls in the Nottingham area — made more complicated by the frequent use of the names John, William, and Anne.

I am no genealogist, and there are plenty of dead ends below, so if you can help in that regard, please get in contact.

The vast majority of information here has been sourced from local papers. I have only included information where I am 90 percent (or higher) certain that it relates to the Hall family.

I've mentioned before that I believe the key to unlocking more — given his prominence in the local art scene — might lie with her brother Henry. But I want this post to be focused on Dorothy, as I feared including all the detail I have on him might overshadow her (I am working on a more detailed post about Henry). However, I have included bits of information about the wider Hall family in the hope that it might trigger new leads.

The Map

Timeline

1881

Dorothy Violet Hall was born on 22 April 1881 to William (1850-1905) and Annie Hall (1856 -????), who at this time resided at 67 Queens Walk, in the civil parish of St Marys. At the time of the census, Dorothy had one older sibling, William F. Hall (1880-1968?) and they employed one servant, Mary Deuce (1857-????). William Hall's occupation was listed as a Timber Merchant, running the business alongside his brother John Hall (1844-1908).

Halls Timber

The Hall family and the timber trade stretches back to the start of the 19th century and by 1881, it employed 52 men and 8 boys.¹ It operated from several locations in and around the city of Nottingham, which are marked on the map above. At the turn of the 20th century there was a flurry of activity around the business, which gives some further insight into its structure and size.

In 1900, a new company vehicle was set up: the William Hall Timber and Joinery Company, to take over the William Hall Timber and Merchant Company, registered with a share capital of £20,000 (approximately £2.1 million today). The shareholders were listed as:

William Hall, 9, Third Avenue, Sherwood-drive, Nottingham
John W. Hall, Tattershall-Drive, The Park, Nottingham
William F. Hall, 9, Third Avenue, Sherwood Drive
Thomas M Hall, 25 Woolmer Road, Nottingham
George Bland (manager), Kentwood Road, Sneighton
William B. Winnicott (accountant), 16 Douglas Road, Nottingham

William Hall was Dorothy's father, John W. Hall (1874-????) was her cousin, and William F. Hall was her older brother. I have not been able to establish who Thomas M. Hall was, but I think it is safe to assume it is a relation. Given that William F. Hall and John W. Hall are of similar age — and young men at this point — I think this formation is a case of planning a 'family' business for the next generation. There was also a flurry of adverts for office boys and typists in this period — suggesting either expansion and/or getting the house in order.²

The firm appeared, as creditors, in several bankruptcy hearings in this period, and this gives an idea of the scale the business was operating, for example Albert Hutchley, who traded at the Rock Tavern, Percy Street, Old Basford owed £3,000 (approximately £323,000 today) to his creditors.³ J.H. Vickers Limited, builders at the Palatine Works, Lenton Boulevard, had liabilities of £7,240 (approximately £745,000 today).⁴

Everything points to an established, successful, and large extended family-run business that was well-entrenched in the Nottingham area.

1891

By 1891, William and Annie had four more children:

John Francis Hall (1883-1945)
Henry Cecil Hall (1885-1970)
Marguerite Hall (later Daisy Baldock, 1888-????)
Charlotte Marion Hall (1890-1891)

The family had moved to Glendale, Hamilton Drive, located in the park, and they employed two servants: Agnes Bennett (1873-????) and Anna Hyde (1863-????).

Sadly, an obituary appeared in the same year for Charlotte Marion, who died aged just one year and six months.⁵

1893

William Hall was mentioned in an article at a meeting of the Nottingham Timber Merchants, which took place at the Flying Horse Hotel. The meeting was called in concern about the rise in railway rates, and the fear they would damage not only the timber trade but the trade of the town. The outcome of this meeting was the formation of the Nottingham, Timber Trade and Saw Millers Associates. With a Mr. T. Flewitt appointed secretary, the Association included in addition to Halls Timber:

D Woodward Clark & Co
Nottingham Mills Company.⁶

1894

The first mention of Dorothy appeared in the press in December (then aged 13) for passing the Advanced Piano Grade examinations of the Incorporated Society of Musicians (now known as the Independent Society of Musicians, Bayswater London).⁷ Other students who passed included:

Mabel A. Howard
Emily Parkin
Kate Robinsonv Fanny Piggin
Bessie M. Panton.

1895

A fire broke out at 5 Station Street, destroying a book shop near Clarkes Commercial Hotel, which was where William Hall leased part of the ground floor for his business. ⁸

Dorothy won one guinea for best-written verse in a writing competition set up by the Dr Ridges Food company.⁹

1896

A strike occurred at the Halls Timber Wilford Road Works. Strikers included Frank Smith, who found himself in court for using abusive and threatening language towards Frederick Wild, manager at the Halls Timber Woolpack Lane branch.¹⁰

In December, Nottingham High School for Girls hosted its Prize Giving Ceremony, which was attended by the Grand Duchess of Portland, along with other dignitaries, at the Albert Hall.¹¹ At the ceremony, Dorothy performed piano fortes along with Miss Margarete Windle. Dorothy also won prizes for English Essay and English Literature; other prize winners included:

Ida Fryer
Dorothy Walker
Mary Tutin
Gladys Peck
Ada Stretton
Agnes Bradfieldv Jane Wooton
Emily Oldersshaw
Laetitia Rogers
Frances Hoyte

1899

The family moved to a new address, 9 Third Avenue. The exact date of the move is unknown, but there is an auction listing for the property, in June 1899, by Martin and Songs, Solicitors. The listing describes it as 'a family residence, with outbuildings, stables and a coach house. Six bedrooms, a conservatory, breakfast room, pantry and a butler's pantry with a wine cellar in the basement. The grounds contain a tennis court and were planted with fruit trees and choice shrubs. In total 1,864 square yards of space'.¹²

Annie Hall collected 2s in pennies for the Daily Guardian Shilling Fund for wounded soldiers, widows and orphans.¹³

1900

The family moved once more — literally round the corner — to 8 Second Avenue.

Dorothy Hall raised 2s for the Daily Guardian Shilling Fund for wounded soldiers, widows and orphans.¹⁴

1901

The family employed a single servant by the name of Kate Holt (1879-????).¹⁵

1902

The family placed an advert for a cook and a housemaid,¹⁶ then again for a cook in 1904.¹⁷

1905

William Hall died peacefully, on 24 January, aged 55. ¹⁸ His funeral took place at the city's Church Cemetery and was attended by many friends, acquaintances, the work staff of Hall's Timber and a number of local businesses, as well as members of the Masonic lodge that he had been a part of. The service took place in the nearby St. Andrews Church, conducted by the Rev. F.R. Pyper, who also took the graveside service. The immediate and close family rode in six coaches and the cortege was joined along the way by several private individuals.¹⁹

A notice in the Nottingham Journal stated that William was a well-known Freemason, and left an estate valued at £10,405 12s (over £1 million today). Probate had been granted to Mr Lawrence Arthur Hind, of Fletchergate, and Mr Samuel Lee of Major Street. In addition, William Henry Seymour, of the Nottingham Traveller, had also been named as an executor. William Hall's House and the residuary income were to be left to his wife Annie. After her death, he directed the executors to retain the share to his son, William F. Hall, in trust with certain conditions attached.²⁰

In a perhaps surprising move, considering the activity around the business five years earlier, a final dividend of 12s and 3d in the pound was issued in June and the Halls Timber business was wound up.²¹ This was handled in part by the solicitors Messrs Morris and Place (acting on behalf of the debenture holders), the accountants Winnicott and Kenah, and the solicitors Messrs Wells and Hinds (executors). The Nottingham Journal listed an impressive array of 'modern' machinery that was to be put up for auction, including steam cranes and compound jet condensing engines, as well as the inventory of the business, which included over 100 standards of redwood and 150 standards of pine. All the buildings and workshops were also put up for sale, including the office furniture.²²

In October, a collection of 100 high-class oil paintings and watercolour drawings, once belonging to William Hall, were auctioned by the solicitors Messrs Morris and Place.

The auctioneers described the more important works to be found included 'Let Sleeping Dogs Lie' by John Charles Dollman (1851-1934), and 'Kings Mills' by Edmund John Niemann (1813-1876).²³

1906

In February, Dorothy's brother William F. Hall married Frances Maud Clarke (1881-????) at St. Augustine's (now demolished) in New Basford, Nottingham. Dorothy's was one of the signatures on the marriage certificate.²⁴ Frances, lately of Gloucester, with a career listed as barmaid, was dressed in 'charming traveller attire', and was given away by Mr Walter Danks of Gloucester. John Hall acted as best man for his brother, and the newlywed couple moved into 92 Nottingham Road, Sherwood Rise.²⁵ This is the last mention of William F. Hall I can match with confidence, after which his trail goes cold.

In March, 8 Second Avenue was put on the rental market by the estate agents Baker, Balford and Sons, fully furnished, for £100.²⁶ I suspect that this is the year that Dorothy, her brother and sisters moved to 11 Watcombe Circus.

1908

Dorothy's uncle, John Hall (1843-1908), passed away suddenly at the Empire Hotel in Llandudno, Wales, leaving behind his wife Sarah Hall (1858-1945) and one son, George Hall (1885-1951).²⁷

1909

Dororthy's older brother, John Francis Hall, married Edith Eliza Watkinson (1882-1920) in Southwark. He later moved to 186 South St, Walworth, London.²⁸ The 1911 Census recorded his occupation as a Commercial Traveller (Timber Trade).²⁹

1911

According to the 1911 Census, Dorothy was still living at the Watcombe Circus address, her occupation listed as Novelist. She lived with her brother Henry (Brewer's Traveller), sisters Marguerite (Lady Clerk), and Annie (Scholar). They employed one servant, Edith Whettingkeel (1890-????).³⁰

1915

By 1915, they had moved to 3 Park Drive, The Park. This might have been as early as September 1913, as an advert appeared in August of that year, saying it was available to rent from September.³¹ In July 1915, both Henry and Dorothy were fined for a 'bright light issuing from the fanlight of their house'. They were fined 20s and 10s respectively.³²

1916

On 10 February, Marguerite (now going by the name Daisy), married Claude Henry Baldock (1890-1917) in Leicestershire. Daisy's address at this time was given as 77 Overhill Road, Dulwich, London.³³ In March, their half-Persian bob-tailed cat went missing.³⁴ The Halls started to advertise chicken eggs for sale in the local papers also around this time.³⁵

Around 3 July, the first 'Violet Chronicle of Fashion' appeared in the Wipers Times.³⁶

In October, 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Emmanuel Ward of the 12th Sherwood Foresters , wrote to his parents saying he recognised Violet's name, but not her address, but saying she was a Nottingham girl.³⁷

1917

In January 1917, The last 'Violets Chronicle of Fashion' column was published.

In May, Claude Henry Baldock, who served in the 16th (Service) Battalion, The Prince of Wales Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) was reported missing on 3 May 1917 — he is later believed to have been killed on that date.³⁸

On the pension record card, Daisy's date is given as 76 Crawford Street, Denmark Hill (now believed to be called Crawford Road, map marker an approximation). Of note, John Francis Hall's address appears in the 1921 census as 76 Crawford Street, and in a membership list for the Beacon United Grand Lodge of England Freemason membership, his address is also marked as Denmark Hill,³⁹ suggesting that Daisy went to stay with her brother.

Skipping ahead briefly, Daisy's trail goes cold a few years later — by the 1921 census she was living at 18 Finborough Road, Kensington, London, working as a Private Secretary (stenographer) for Henry Snowden Rowell (1851-1951) OBE, DSc, the Director of Research for the Research Association of British Motor and Allied Manufacturers.⁴⁰ Apart from a directory listing in 1924, I cannot find anything else about Daisy's life, except to say, her brother John moved into the Kensington area near her around this time.

1921

According to the 1921 census, Dorothy, Henry and Annie were still living at 3 The Park. Henry's occupation was listed as a Wine and Spirit Merchant, Dorothy's as Home Duties, and Annie's as Singer. They employed one servant, Doris Hunt (1904-????).

Dorothy set up a small business manufacturing dentifrice, with a loan from an unnamed friend for £500 in November 1921.⁴¹

1926

In March of this year, an insolvency case is bought against Dorothy for the amount of £845 18s 1d. This was about the dentifrice business she set up in 1921 and regarding the loan she received that year. Further details emerged that she had received a previous loan of £250 from the daughter of the creditor and was under the impression that she would have not been liable to pay back the loan until she was able to do so.⁴²

In August of that year, she applied successfully (after a six-month suspension) for a discharge from the bankruptcy. The report mentioned that she had made her living, for some time, by teaching and journalistic work, as well as the profits from her dentifrice business.⁴³ It also noted the loan was initially to help a struggling relative in straitened circumstances and the initial father and daughter creditors agreed on the advance with no conditions or interest charged on the amount.⁴⁴

Also in this year, Dorothy's sister Annie Hall was one of 16 entrants in the World Tennis Table championships, organised by the Daily Mirror, finishing as a runner-up. A trophy from the tournament came up at auction in 2010, hallmarked as sterling silver and weighing 41oz. The trophy was engraved 'United Kingdom Table Tennis Championship. Second Place won by Miss Annie Hall, May 2nd, 1923'. However, the organisers of the competition did not issue trophies for runners up, and table tennis historian Steve Grant has a theory that the trophy was more likely to have been commissioned by family members.⁴⁵

1928

November, Henry Hall is pictured with Miss Doreen Robinson in Tatler, with the photo captioned: ‘Mr. Hall the Brother of the clever lady, Miss Dorothy Hall, who was the only woman contributor to that famous journal the ‘Wipers Times’ during the war’.⁴⁶ Doreen Robinson, daughter of the local surgeon Dr G. A. Robinson, would go on to marry Captain Charles Venn of the 7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters in 1937.⁴⁷

1935

Henry Hall invented 'an encased kerb light' for the illumination of streets at night.⁴⁸

1936

A trial of Henry's lights was installed in Canning Circus, and there was talk of the lights being expanded into Parliament Street to mark the pedestrian crossing.⁴⁹ In general, it would appear the idea didn't seem to win favour. Criticisms included that maintenance was difficult and that they were prone to be put out of action by traffic; there was talk of further five-year trial schemes in places such as Manchester and Leeds, but they would have no doubt been interrupted by the blackouts in the Second World War.⁵⁰

1939

The 1939 Register has their address still as 3 Park Drive. Henry's occupation was listed as Wine & Spirit Merchant, Dorothy's as Knitting Designer, and Annie's as Manageress of a Textile Showroom. They employed a cook, Evelyn Thompson (1908 -????).⁵¹

1945

In September, her brother John F. Hall died. His obituary noted that he was a keen golfer and a member of the Borough Club, as well as being a member of the Timber Importers Federation London. ⁵²

1947

Dorothy, Henry and Annie no longer resided at the Park Drive Address.⁵³ Around this time it's believed they moved to Hillsley House, Clifton Lane, Ruddington.

1950

Miss Ann Hall (daughter of John F. Hall and Evelyn Hall) appeared in the engagement announcement sections of the Tatler, about her upcoming wedding to Lieutenant Martin La Touche Wemyss.⁵⁴ Tatler would later give over two-thirds of a page to covering the wedding in March 1951.⁵⁵

1962

On 8 February, Dorothy Hall passed away. The following obituary was published in the Nottingham Guardian:⁵⁶

The Funeral Service will take place at St. Peters Church, Ruddington, on Monday, for Nottingham concert pianist and writer, Miss Dorothy V. Hall, who died at her home, Hillsley House, Ruddington, on Thursday, after a long illness.

Miss Hall, a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music, performed publicity at many concerts in London and other cities. She also wrote poetry and short stories. A Brilliant Scholar, Miss Hall was head girl of Nottingham High School for Girls. One of her great interests was girls' clubs.

She leaves a brother and a sister. ⁵⁷

Summary

Revisiting the fragments of Dorothy's story got me thinking, what would reaching the finish line in researching her look like? We have evidence for her completed exams in piano playing. While there are numerous mentions of piano concerts with a D. Hall or a Miss Hall in the press, there is nothing concrete to tie them to our Dorothy. So, a first win would be a confirmation of a performance/s by Dorothy.

We also know that, from an early age, she was a good writer and, of course, she contributed to the Wipers Times. But while there is supporting evidence that she wrote for other publications, undertook a bit of journalism, and engaged in poetry, there is no evidence of any of that actual work, and I believe this is probably the most important element to establish.

Lastly, and perhaps the most challenging aspect to me is that she still feels very much like a name on a piece of a paper with some dates added. I would like to at least get an inkling of what she was like as a person — perhaps finding some correspondence and other works by her would answer this question.

If you do have any leads after reading this, please do get in contact, either by leaving a comment below, or through the details on my Bio page.