A Hucknall History

Pubs & Licensed Clubs

The Woodend

Wood End described a borderline area in rural Hucknall Huthwaite. That basically addressed remote location of two typical sized farms on opposing sides a narrow Harper Lane, plus a c1870s cluster of smaller worker cottages.

Woodend claimed north east fringe, adjacent Derbyshire borders defined by a cornering old Newton Wood. At lower end that wood, these premises had been privately situated in a valley setting between Nottinghamshire peaks of Strawberry Bank and Whiteborough.

Earliest mapped coverage exposes addition of a Midland Railway, favouring levelled route towards Nottinghamshire pits. Collecting more coals off this Tibshelf & Teversal Branch justified opening an 1886 Woodend Station aimed to better serve Huthwaite passengers.

Railway Inn

Magnificent rare scene cannot ignore Whiteborough Station ticket offices aside the railway bridge earlier spanning a Harper Lane cart track. Restricting width of this surfaced Station Road are also the two original Woodend premises. Interest here is on the left one serving as the Railway Inn for over a century before reclaiming original Woodend area reference. Equally rare view of a 1933 Huthwaite Isolation Hospital atop Strawberry Bank just predates Chesterfield Road housing schemes bringing closer custom.

General beliefs always suggested the Railway Inn was specifically opened to serve train passengers. That easily accounted for Inn title and otherwise remote location near an historically acknowledged station platform. Huthwaite Online research can now assure a surprisingly longer pub history predating a confirmed Woodend Station by almost two decades. This does not deny an earlier laid railroad. In fact that Midland Railway bridge leads to estimating year of constructing adjacent Woodend properties. Pub name was therefore inspired by closely overlooking when revolutionary advancement of steam cut a goods railroad through valley borders.

Commonly serving miners with home brews from larger roomed farmhouses eventually established several Hucknall Huthwaite beer houses. And like the yards constructed by other self sufficient landowners offering affordable accommodation suiting those working families, unseen in background were several smaller cottages. Clear list of all 1881 Wood End mining residents is found from census introducing basic Hucknall addresses. Earlier research is somewhat frustrated, but can so far assert 1871 publican.

Publican / Beerhouse Keeper

Stephen Ashmore was born 1840 into a large Tibshelf family typically working in that Derbyshire coal industry. This colliers marriage to a Hucknall Huthwaite lass finds Stephen holds 1871 Publican role aged 30, assisted by 26 year old wife Sarah mothering their four youngsters. His untimely 1879 death is further traced back from next illuminating Hucknall census. But with eldest son Charles 6 born in Tibshelf, his age can narrow year when family moved into their Hucknall home business. .

Widow Mrs Sarah Ashmore held 1881 Beerhouse Keeper role after naming a Railway Inn. Her term is also short, but sufficiently notes her younger scholars then naming son Stephen 8, plus Mary Elizabeth 4 and Deborah 2. Son Charles 16 works as Colliery Labourer, similarly joining all other Wood End housed pit men, until next significant family changes. By 1891 the Railway Inn publican is that recently married Mr Charles Ashmore. With wife Agnes Jane and daughter Mary 2, he now heads this household still including his two younger sisters, plus both Titterton in-laws.

Despite recent opening of the Woodend Station, there follows a distinct lack of mention concerning the Railway Inn, even among directories simply best naming a Beer Retailer. Secondary role of 1901 Inn Keeper basically acknowledges Charles living above a pub, having then returned to full time colliery work. Moving Agnes Jane and daughter into their newer 1911 George Street address must comfortably relocate them nearer the Sutton Brierley Colliery, having handed keys over to his brother Stephen junior.

Mr Stephen Ashmore never moved far from Woodend Inn birthplace after starting work in the coal mines. He remained a bachelor whom, having shared a neighbouring cottage with the widowed Mrs Titterton moved them both back above the pub. Aged 38 and affording a young domestic servant, Stephen proudly claimed 1911 publican by reasserting the Railway Inn at Whiteborough, Huthwaite. That subtle address change can be seen promoting connections reflecting Whiteborough Station renaming. Fuller width layout of Station Road probably had better chance attracting passing Inn guests from horse drawn carriages rather than rail.

Later addition of a station platform must certainly have raised hopes of serving regular passenger guests, before proving they'd be few and far between. Common enough reason behind opening this Inn on village outskirts was the opportunity to cater for district miners. Smaller coal pits were worked within a few miles radius along county borders, before larger collieries invited mass growth. Miners from Tibshelf claimed all the Woodend houses, so some social custom must have been assured. Being accustomed to long walks is sadly qualified by 1886 Silver Hill accident involving more than the two Hucknall-under-Huthwaite men from Wood End.

Rapidly building housing around profitable collieries is one badly timed reason for a remote pub left among a few farms. But the modernisation of Huthwaite did replace substandard properties, to bring newer homes closer along Chesterfield Road.

Clearance of Woodend cottages opened up a large car park to invite motorist visits after closure and removal of the station. But resurgence of The Railway Inn was likely through past brewery ties shown with sign prominently promoting Mansfield Ales.

Restricted access leaves 20th century detailing vaguely reliant on living memory after finding a George Mee 1941 beer retailer at Woodend. Press reports can offer further confirmation.

Later tenants are loosely dated upon relatives understandings. Mrs Diane Meakin offered childhood memories of being walked through countryside to visit mothers father. Mr George Buxton retired from New Hucknall colliery to run The Railway Inn. Describing grandfathers bar featuring spittoons on sawdust floor was likewise told by Terry from when that Huthwaite Councillor had next been raised there.

Mr Fred Keetley might be wider recalled for next running the Huthwaite White Hart, where he pulled my first visiting pint. Son Terence incidentally, was respectfully known as Telstar following a successful pop career. After running the Teversal Carnarvon Arms, Telstar could still entertain Huthwaite pub nights staging solo guitar and song performances.

The Woodend Inn

The necessity to modernise all public house facilities under one roof will recognise when breweries started selling off less profitable establishments. Private purchase of The Railway Inn credits owner Peter Barnard for a charmingly updated eighties layout. The addition of a kitchen serving traditional menus further transformed this old pub, all reflected by newly naming The Woodend Inn.

Presentation of a vastly extended layout begins under corporate branding by Brewers Fayre. Establishing their enlarged Woodend Inn as a fully tabled pub restaurant offering broadest choice of English menus started off well. This survived a fiercely competitive pub era into 2005. It did fuel mixed emotions, although critics should now appreciate times of change.

Crown Carveries set another appetising benchmark amongst 2006 Huthwaite pubs. Catering to larger numbers with simpler consistent choice of traditional reasonably priced roast dinners gained much broader public appeal. Some internal alterations might have been made before reaching fullest acclaim. Advertising signs shown here in 2008 for a set priced "Great Value Carvery" starting at £3.50, could likewise find premises all around the UK.

The Woodend

  Partially painted "Woodend Inn" dates October 2015 transformation behind the current "The Woodend". Latest simple pub name change marked advancement into broader menus. Despite initially trading as a Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery, alternatively branding a Sizzling Pizza & Carvery has held 2018 favour.