Nusthorpe facts

NUNSTHORPE FACTS

Grimsby's Nunsthorpe Estate is known locally as the Nunny.

The pre-Second World War development in the eastern part of the estate is known as Old Nunsthorpe, while the post-war development is called New Nunsthorpe.

Although built in the 20th Century, Nunsthorpe takes its name from the nuns who once inhabited the priory of Saint Leonard. This stood at modern day Nuns' Corner, where Scartho Road joins Laceby Road.

Following the end of the First World War, decent homes were needed for returning servicemen. House building was started by Grimsby County Borough Council in 1920, on land bought from Lord Yarborough. Originally called the Laceby Road Site until 1923 the new Nunsthorpe housing estate, with its modern conveniences and large gardens, was also known as Garden City.

Most of the streets in this early development, built during the Twenties and Thirties, were named after famous people – Burns, Byron, Kingsley, Leighton, Newton, Walton groves; Milton Road and Shelley Avenue. Dame Kendal Grove was named after a Grimsby-born actress while Sutcliffe Avenue was named after Jack Sutcliffe, a previous mayor of Grimsby.

During the late Twenties a maternity hospital was established in Second Avenue using converted council houses. This was incorporated into a new building which opened in 1933.

In 1943, a number of people were killed and houses were damaged when butterfly bombs were dropped on the estate during a German air raid on Grimsby.