Inns and Institutes

Whitwell - A Parish History

Inns and Institutes

Inns

For centuries inns have been an essential feature of society - providing the sustenance much sought after by both the worker and the traveller. Mead was brewed by most cottagers in the Middle Ages and, in later years, beer was sold from beer houses until Parliament prohibited such sales by those without a licence. The census returns for Whitwell suggest that there was probably a beer house on East Parade, while other beer sellers are listed in the 19th century trade directories and there was Joseph Minkley of Fox Brewery, 'Celebrated Ale, Beer, Stout, Porter, and Indian and Pale Ales' brewer, who established his premises at Fox House.

Eventually the inns became the established premises for the sale of wines, beers and spirits. Probably the first to open, but no longer standing, are the three associated with Creswell Crags, notably 'The Star Inn', 'The Pear Tree' and 'The Millstone'.

Most of the existing public houses in Whitwell date from the 18th or 19th centuries. A few details of each one are given under individual headings.

Half Moon Inn

One of the two oldest public houses; the landlord from 1753-67 was Samuel Cutts. Standing on the Chesterfield to Worksop turnpike road, a stone wall once separated the building from the road. A hand operated BP petrol pump used to stand close to the front entrance. An amusing story is told of a resident at Burnt Leys Farm who, when primed with drink, was assisted onto his bicycle and allowed to freewheel home! (An indication of how little road traffic there was at that time!).

Boot and Shoe

The second of the really old inns. The landlord in 1753 was J. Brownhill. Though the style has changed, bay windows have always been a feature of the building; originally a stone-walled garden separated the frontage from a cobble-stoned pavement and the main road. A gas lamp used to hang prominently above the main entrance of the 'Old Boot and Shoe'. Two families have long associations with the inn - the Websters from around 1797 until 1871 and the Collinghams from 1871 until 1925. The Collinghams, who were also builders, once occupied the PearTree Cottage, which used to stand in the Square. They were responsible for a number of buildings at Welbeck and also built the Portland Street Schools.

Old George Inn

One of the old coaching inns, which stood on the Chesterfield to Worksop turnpike road; the stagecoach used to stop there and the mounting steps are still retained in front of the building, now converted into flats. T. West was the first landlord, the family retaining occupation until 1862. The mews cottages opposite to the Parish Church were once part of the complex where the head coachman lived.

The inn is inseparably associated with farming - the Whitwell Farmers Association used to meet there. Charles Alletson farmed 252 acres, when he lived there, followed by Joseph Ellis, a widower with two daughters and a son (Mary, Sarah and William), who farmed 180 acres. Another farmer George C. Blagg moved to there from the Dale Inn in 1909. William Futtit, who became landlord in 1896, weighed 20 stones when he died and on the day of his funeral, had to be lowered from the bedroom window. During internal alterations to the clubroom, a broken tombstone was found behind the fireplace, probably a memorial stone to his parents 'Sacred to the memory of Mary, wife of William Futtit, who died 14th May, 1865 and William Futtit, who died 2nd July, 1865'.

The George ceased to operate as an inn in 1994 and was converted into council flats.

Jug and Glass

The earliest mention of the inn is in 1828, when Robert Wood was the landlord, followed in 1835 by Robert Leggat, who was also a blacksmith.

William Tinker took over in 1845, he was a carpenter and moved with his wife from Rotherham. The Tinker family became quite prominent in the village; brother George, also a carpenter, became landlord of the Spirit Vaults (later Vaults Hotel and Holmefield Arms). The family also operated wagonettes for the transport of people and goods.

One report tells of a 3-year old boy who fell 12 feet from the bedroom window with no bones broken. John Dean of Shirebrook was landlord from 1908-12, like William Futtit he weighed 20 stones and had to be lowered from the bedroom window, when he died. Holes Brewery, who had taken over Joseph Minkley's establishment, discharged Harriet Dean in 1924, when she was found to be buying beer and spirits from other sources.

Dale Inn

The Dale Inn was built in 1840 by Thomas Ellis, who also built the farm and cottage at Wood Nook, two rows of houses on Whitwell Common, the Reading Room, Cliff Cottage and the house which stood opposite to the Whitwell Post Office. His father, Thomas Ellis (1728-1809) was for 30 years 'Messenger of the Grand Chamber in Ordinary to His Majesty'. The son of landlord Thomas was killed in the First World War; his name appears on both Whitwell and Harthill war memorials.

George C. Blagg was the landlord in 1896, before moving to the George Inn. The Dale Inn was also a staging post for stagecoaches on the turnpike road. When the foundations for the building were dug, a skeleton, a ring and a sword were found. The sword was eventually handed to Canon Mason for inclusion in a proposed village museum. Before gas was laid on, the premises were lit by carbide. Pigeon shoots used to be staged there at one time - using live pigeons.

The Dale closed in December 1994 and the building is now a private residence.

The Butcher's Arms

The first landlord of the Butcher's Arms in 1840 was William Marshall; he was also a butcher. Peter Legatt, who followed, was a master blacksmith and John Hall was a gamekeeper. Two of John Hall's daughters became schoolteachers, one was headmistress at the Steetley School.

Dan Bottom, who took over in 1893, is best remembered as a county cricketer; he later became landlord of the Greendale Oak, Cuckney. In 1908, Walter Bayliss left the Jug and Glass to take over the Butcher's Arms, when his successor forgot to apply for a transfer of the licence, he became the landlord of two public houses for one day.

The Holmefield Arms

Formerly the Spirit Vaults and the Vaults Hotel. As previously mentioned, when the Tinker family moved from Rotherham to take over the Jug and Glass, George, a carpenter, became landlord of the Vaults Hotel and retired from there in 1928 after 40 years service. In addition to the hotel, he operated a fleet of wagonettes - one of his relatives introduced the first taxi-service into Worksop. Following a complete refurbishment, since the Second World War, the premises have been renamed 'The Holmefield Arms'.

The Royal Oak

The Royal Oak served the small hamlet of 'Baxton Moor'- rather surprisingly the name is omitted from some of the trade directories of the last century - perhaps the compilers considered the hamlet as not part of Whitwell. Elijah Blood, aged 26 in 1861, was a publican and saddler on Bakestone Moor.

In 1874, two men from Holbeck Woodhouse were charged with the assault of a constable at the Royal Oak. A report on the 90th birthday of George Slaney, third son of Tom Slaney, shows that he was born at the Royal Oak in 1897 - he claimed to have rode the first penny farthing bicycle in Whitwell.

The Mallet and Chisel

Whilst we have no precise date for the origin of the 'Mallet and Tool', prior to 1841 the premises operated as a beer house. In 1861 William Palmer was licensee; he was still there in 1881. William Godley was also a licensee. Charles Ellis was licensee for 34 years from 1895 - his daughter Mrs J.S. Maycock has recorded a few historic details.

She was born at the 'Mallet' and stated that the place was built by her mother's grandfather. She remembers the bent oak beams supplied from Whitwell Wood. Her grandfather brewed his own beer in the cellar, for which they drew their water from a deep well in Well Yard. This well was dug by nine Irish navvies, who lodged at the inn, while working on the railway tunnel between Whitwell and Creswell. There was a spring of clear water in the cellar - the cellar having been hewn out of solid rock. There was also a dairy with red stone benches round the sides. The premises were originally lit by candies and paraffin oil lamps.

The Portland Arms

The Portland Arms, Belph was built as Greendale Cottage in 1820. George Heartley was probably the first landlord in 1852 -the Heartleys were also blacksmiths. Joseph Minkley followed in 1871 and remained until 1896, when Mr A. Rawson took over the licence; he died in 1908 and the licence for the Portland Arms was never renewed.

Institutes

In contrast to the inns, which have histories spreading over two centuries, the institutes belong to the 20th century. Each of the four institutes, when opened in Whitwell, was primarily a man's domain; in more recent years the doors have been opened to women members.

Whitwell Welfare

The Welfare was provided by the Shireoaks Colliery Company in the 1920's for the miners: weekly subscriptions for membership were deducted from weekly pay packets. Mr J. Elise was one of the early presidents. In 1928, the bowling green was laid, which having suffered from the occupation of the Cheshire Yeomanry during the Second World War, was re-laid in 1949. Tennis courts were also provided outside.

Joe Davis played some of his exhibition matches on a billiard table in the Welfare. Over the years the upstairs hall was the venue of dances, concerts, operatic performances, badminton and many other exhibitions and shows. The building was maintained by the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation and was completely restructured internally during the 1980's.

The Welfare closed in 1992 and private dwellings have been erected on the site of the tennis courts.

Whitwell Social Club and Institute Ltd.

The Social Club stands on the same site as a former private school and a subsequent boarding house, and was incorporated in 1910 as a company limited by share holdings. The institute was established in premises leased from Sarah Jane Levick, farmer's wife of Hayton, Retford. The croft attached to the premises was occupied at the time by a Mr Cantrell. The lease, for 21 years, was at an annual rental of £40, payable on each of the quarter days.

Conditions of the lease required that in the first year and every four years thereafter, the premises should be painted outside with two coats of 'good oil and white lead paint'. All wood and metalwork inside should be painted every seven years - the premises to be accessible for inspection by the owners. A bowling green was laid and was firmly established by 1918: in later years tennis courts were added.

Subscribers to the original institute were:

William W.J. Lawson - Doctor, George T. Walker - Gentleman, Henry Clark - Miner, John Brown - Miner, William Shakespeare - Grocer, Stephen Ashley - Builder, Arthur F. Godley - Insurance Agent.

Whitwell Middle Club

Built at the beginning of the century, the premises had been originally intended for use as a cinema. However, those responsible for the project moved away from the village and the building was opened as a 'gentlemen's club' on completion. In 1911, a Mr C. Cripp is described as manager of the club. As with all the other clubs the structure was eventually altered to include a concert room. Different organisations have had their headquarters at the Middle Club, from time to time, including the Whitwell Band and certain sports teams.

Hodthorpe Workingmen's Club

The first meeting of a group of men from the village was held on the 1st April, 1909 in a wooden shed at the Portland Arms: the shed had been the changing room for Whitwell Colliery FC. Hodthorpe Workingmen's Club then opened in November, 1909; following the closure of the Portland Arms there was a desperate need to provide a club for the working men of Hodthorpe. At the first meeting, Mr D. Jones was elected Chairman by the following: Messrs. Geo. Dunn, John Jones, O. Turner, J. Knowles, T. Knowles, Sam Chell, Ed. Turner, T. Jones (Jnr.), W. Hayes, Fred Savage and Sam Thompson.

An unusual event took place at Hodthorpe in May, 1928, when Arthur Marshall, one arm Derbyshire Champion defeated Arthur Thomas (Rhodesia) at billiards.

Some early landlords

BOOT AND SHOE:		OLD GEORGE:		JUG AND GLASS:
J. Brownhill	1753-60	T. West	1812-35	R. Wood	1828
Jos Willis	1760-96	R. West	1835-52	R. Leggatt	1835
Webster	1797	E. West	1852	W. Tinker	1846
W. Webster	1829	G. Alletson	1862	C. Presley	1871
Sarah Webster	1840-6	J. Ellis	1871	J. Coupe	1896
Joseph Webster	1852-62	W. Futtit	1896	W. Bayliss	1907
Joseph Collingham	1871	VAULTS (HOLMEFIELD):		HALF MOON:
Wm Collingham	1896	G. Tinker	1888-1928	Samuel Cutts	1753-67
DALE INN:		ROYAL OAK:		William Rose	1767-80
T. Ellis	1840-62	Elijah Blood?	1861	Robert Martingale	1780-85
J. Ellis	1871	Slaney	1879	Ashmore	1785-1810
G.C. Blagg	1896	MALLET & CHISEL:		Shipman	1811
BUTCHER'S ARMS:		William Palmer	1861	G. Shipman	1840-62
W. Marshall (Butcher)	1846	William Godley	1895-1929	J. Roberts	1862-96
P. Leggatt	1852	C. Ellis		Mary Roberts	1896
J. Hall	1862	PORTLAND ARMS:
M. Bennett	1871	G. Heartley	1852-71
D. Bottom	1893	J. Minkley	1871-96
W. Bayliss	1908	A. Rawson	1896-1908

Whitwell - A Parish History