A Hucknall History

Hucknall-under-Huthwaite

Freed from ancient Hucknall forest land constrictions enabled potential rural expansion throughout yet another alternative address. Hucknall-under-Huthwaite probably best acknowledged how Huthwaite farmsteads first stood upon later claimed Hucknall area. All known name variances swap favourable mingled use through time. Only real consistency is the eventual agreed spellings between Hucknall and Huthwaite. Although Dirty Hucknall area no longer existed, localised Mansfield court and Sutton parish affairs retain past influentially given title for just Hucknall, whilst the fuller name gains broadening recognition especially through introduction of popular 19th century county gazetteer directories identifying and progressively detailing individualistic growth.

Heavy clay soil on steep Hucknall terrain never did much suit agricultural ploughs, so just adding a few more farmers largely kept accepted rural title acknowledging self sufficient wealth. Difficulties sustaining increasing numbers of dependant working families led to introducing mass industrial support. Some landowners then realised more profitable use constructing suitable yard cottages for those labourers, as their homes started mainly rooming Frame Work Knitting machines providing supportive family employment.

Coal was undeniably dug from all around and off these Hucknall grounds long before it fuelled revolutionary steam power. Village pride could be forgiven exaggerating any earlier national economic importance before a larger drift mine confirmed some deeper seams lay under Huthwaite heights. Mellor's old pits had first encouraged some colliery workers into nearby Pit Row housing. Fact they soon used steam engines to haul tram railed tubs over adjacent Derbyshire border feeding Pinxton Wharf sales, can further dismiss any dirty unmade lane filth. Busier market towns suffered greatest highway problems, where all carted produce converged.

Plotting confirmed census figures graphs gradually steeper population increase towards 1860. Residential expansion had only very slowly begun extending eastward along formerly unusable grounds, still favouring flatter central area alongside the main roadway. A rural Hucknall-under-Huthwaite hamlet long reliant on livestock farming was then becoming a recognised industrialised township. Listing head occupations in 1841 census clearly counts however, how coal mining workers were significantly outnumbered by at least five times those employed in the FWK cottage industry, which was furthermore assisted by most other family members.

Without any precise definition of an English village, usual relevance of a parish church can typically first recognise Sutton the larger primary village. Relational growth into this secondary Hucknall-under-Huthwaite village loosely acknowledged sizeable individuality following recognisable addition of various community trades. They commonly included blacksmiths, general shopkeepers, hosiery agents, plus several beer houses between established Inns after titled farmers opened their doors accommodating public needs.

It was long believed a sharper 1861 Hucknall-under-Huthwaite population rise had been enticed by employment at the old coal pit. Swiftly increasing a large village from 1,162 residents actually adds a far broader list of professions. Figures actually do follow an extended period of generalised prosperity, built not from coal, but upon long established hosiery manufacturing. Results includes a National School with parish chapel, plus a Post Office where first local postmaster reportedly reflected his arrival as a Framesmith had been influenced by the number of used FWK machines, affording to keep his busy trade. Other factors all lead to summarising village growth came from being widely recognised sharing district renown manufacturing hosiery. That principally attracted anyone seeking easiest chance of earning a living, before industrialised productivity moved home workers into powered factory yards.

Hucknall Huthwaite

Despite need behind closing the first productive Huthwaite pit, a secondary significant rise could still partly reflect more relocated miners desperately seeking extended chance of jobs in walking distance among neighbouring collieries, such at Whiteborough, Blackwell, Tibshelf, Teversal, Skegby, Sutton and Kirkby-in-Ashfield. But while corporate pit owners sought ways to overcome the difficulties of reaching known deeper profitable Nottinghamshire coal seams, the importance of hosiery manufacturing indicated by FWK occupations seems to have been long overshadowed, even throughout Huthwaite ultimately emerging as a very proud mining community built around the indisputable prosperity from sinking its final modern pit named the New Hucknall Colliery.