Have you ever wondered how inventions changed the world, especially the ones from Nottinghamshire? Nottinghamshire is home to many great inventions, you may not know that these inventions were actually created here. But today we will teach and show you where these brilliant inventions were born!

Below we have created a list that explains how inventions change the world, including most of the iconic creations that we use to this day! All created in Nottinghamshire.

1. HP Sauce

Now we are sure you have heard of HP Sauce! HP is a massive name and a brilliant sauce brand to this day! HP Sauce was originally the brown sauce, which caused a massive debate on whether red sauce (tomato ketchup) or brown sauce was most appropriate on a bacon sarnie. This sauce was invented in the year of 1895, by Frederick Gibson Garton, a grocer from Nottingham. The name was registered as HP sauce after hearing that during that year, a restaurant in the Houses of Parliament had started serving the sauce. And from then and for many years the bottle label included a picture of The Houses of Parliament.

HP Sauce had developed a new nickname in the 1960s and 1970s. People would refer to it as “Wilson’s Gravy”. This was named after the Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson. Due to the fact that his wife, Mary Wilson, had said in an interview to The Sunday Times “If Harold has a fault, it is that he will drown everything with HP Sauce”.

2. Traffic Lights

If you’re still wondering how inventions changed the world? This invention will surely explain. If you don’t know what these are, we have every right to be concerned! The traffic lights were invented in 1866, by J.P Knight. J.P Knight, who invented the world’s first traffic lights, was a railway engineer from Nottingham. The idea for traffic lights was created after more than 1000 people died in road accidents in London in 1866. During these times motors had not hit the streets just yet and didn’t until the late 19th century. These traffic lights would regulate horse-drawn carriages.

The world’s first traffic lights were installed outside the Houses of Parliament near Westminster Bridge in 1868.

Knight based the system on railway signal lights. They used waving semaphore arms operated by a policeman during the day and featured red and green gas-operated lamps for use at night time. However, the gas lamp exploded and killed a policeman in 1869 resulting in the lights being removed. On 5th August 1914, the first fully electric traffic signal system was installed at the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio.

3. Boots

Founded in Nottingham in 1849. Boots was born. The drugstore we all know and love. John Boot was the founder of Boots the Chemists. Originally working in agriculture, he was forced by ill-health to change careers. So he decided to set up a shop to sell medicinal herbal remedies. This was the first herbalist store, offering an affordable alternative to traditional medicines.

4. Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen was discovered in 1961 by Stewart Adams and Boots UK. It was initially marketed as Brufen. Stewart Adams was an English pharmacist and bioengineer who was part of a team from Boots that developed the painkiller. Listed as one of the World Health Organisation’s essential medicines. Their aim was to identify an analogue of aspirin that might be suitable for long-term use for rheumatoid arthritis. in 1986 Ibuprofen was launched in the UK for treatment of rheumatic diseases and marketed as prescription medicine Brufen at a dose of 600–800mg per day.

There are many other inventions discovered in Notts. But these are the main ones! Be sure to head down and enjoy the beautiful cities. And immerse yourself in history. Some amazing people have walked the streets you will be walking in Nottinghamshire!