A Hucknall History

Pubs & Licensed Clubs

New Hucknall Colliery Institute

The past Huthwaite tute holds a relatively short history after the new building was officially opened by the Company Chairman, Mr Emerson Bainbridge. His well received speech additionally reported by the Mansfield and North Notts Advertiser dated that 10th February, also felt need to caution the audience into their concerns regarding tumbling coal prices in a falling market.

The New Hucknall Colliery Company purchased several large village plots well managed under Simeon Watson. Having secured his own grand home 1891 addressing Hill House prior Mill House rename, they invited working families into modestly sized terraced houses. Constructing whole length of Newcastle Street was largest block, leaving a corner plot into New Street for lastly siting these amenities.

Year 1900 identified Henry Evans as keeper of the New Hucknall Colliery Institute. Both he and secretary John Hick reappear listed again in 1912, a year when this building was notably enlarged. That work may well date residents memories who claimed a couple of houses were sacrificed to add a rear extension. The concert room was also understood to have been somehow enlarged around year 1951.

Two World Wars each demanded its use for billeting and training army troops. After the First War, whenever hosting social dance parties the Colliery Institute kept common addressing given to the Huthwaite Drill Hall. Members were given a reported 1934 farewell supper by Mr and Mrs Slack. Their retirement revealed charge of the New Hucknall Welfare Institute had lasted the past 14 years. Directories list Thomas Hill as 1932 secretary and Herman Wharmby held that 1945 Institute and Reading Room post.

Accommodating the largest and best equipped concert room in Huthwaite made the 'tute a regular choice of venue for organising larger charity dances and whist drives in aid of various good causes. Rowed seating along trestle tables would fill the large staged hall with an audience for weekend live acts, long before more frequent, ever popular bingo nights drew eager participants fiercely claiming their own usual seating place.

Initial need for a reading room would be lessened after Huthwaite councillors erected a free public library. But it still offered more private and comfortable seated use for intimate group meetings. Hosting a 1932 annual dinner for the Institutes own football team is also an example of the various sports and organised teams that membership often encouraged. From horse shoe tossing to gentlemen playing league billiards.

Whit walkers c1950 give unique exposed view off New Street before the addition of a keepers house. A large car park is also afforded later on nearby corner into Sherwood Street. A junior school party invited first attendance some 20 years later. Sweet was not a dessert then, but a disco pop group played at 45rpm on stacked vinyl records. A well kept snooker table in right front corner room mainly attracted my teenage patronage. Hearing mechanical one arm bandits occasionally making the same few wives centre of attention noisily dropping coin payouts, left husbands playing team games.

Through devastating closure of the Huthwaite pit, the committee run Tute was not the only pub to notice a loss of trade. And that was just a prequel to an entire National Coal Board industry being made redundant. Chairman of the Miners Welfare Institute through those difficult years was Mr Alex Smith. Wife Beryl is shown presenting 1984 awards to the Sutton and District Spastics Pool League finalists. Teversal Miners Welfare on left won runner-up awards. Winners having the honour of hosting that leagues first presentation was our own New Street Miners Welfare.

Despite other encouragement for new custom the premises had to be sold off. Several private ventures then failed to reclaim neglected pride, left behind by competing breweries with extensive pub renovations. Stood empty through partial roofing work, the property sustained far greater fire damage after purchase by a local Dr Smith. He then had no hesitation demolishing the 1992 derelict property. Its ultimate demise after being stood 99 years. was captured on video by ex-miner Brian Hayes, who's album shares extracted stills.

An exposed plot firstly sited a new Peak Pharmacy next door the New Street Health Centre. Main plot continued laying waste to spark some rumours suggesting Dr Smith had been motivated in providing a larger site for a much needed future Health Centre, until sold for constructing Newcastle Street town houses completed in 2007. The chemist also relocated 2013 into the new Sutton Road Medical Centre.