The New Inn
The New Inn was built shortly after the construction of the Derby to Little Eaton canal in 1897. The patrons were workers on the canal or the gangway. The canal boat crews were regarded by many at this time as “ the worst possible of neighbours, a grave nuisance wherever they set foot on land and produce a very unfavourable effect on the inhabitants of the village.”
Perhaps because of this, there were frequent changes in landlord. The first recorded landlord was George Milward in 1841. He was followed in 1861 by Stephen Beecroft who lived there with his wife, Sarah, and two daughters. By 1871, Charles Porter was landlord, with his wife Elizabeth and 3 children. In 1881, Philip Wain and his wife Sarah, 6 children and 2 boarders are recorded resident.
The OS Map from 1900 below shows the New Inn on the edge of the canal, with the Clock House at the canal head.
New Inn Landlords and Landladies
George Milward – 1840s
Stephen Beecroft – 1860s
Charles Porter – 1870s
Philip and Sarah Wain – 1880s
Joseph and Emma Walker– 1890s
Samuel Stevens - early 1900s to 1912
Thomas Carman - 1920s
Lily Tervic, Betty Jervis, Arthur Cave 1930s and 1940s
Norman Thums – 1950s
George and Mary Webster 1960s & 70s
Bill Cooper 1989
Mr Ashley 1990
Phil and Helen Heimes 1994 (set up fundraising committee)
Sandra and Mick Williamson 1990s
By 1891, the landlord was Joseph Walker who lived there with his wife Emma and 4 children. There are frequent references in the newspapers at this time of Walker being summonsed before the local courts for drunk and disorderly behaviour. He was still the Innkeeper in 1901.
Shortly afterwards, the new landlord was Samuel Stevens, who lived at the pub with his five children, his brother-in-law and a servant. One of the children died in 1906, and another, George, was born in the pub in 1907. His wife Mary Ann died suddenly in 1911 and Samuel sold up in 1912 and went to Australia.
By 1925, Thomas Carman had taken over as landlord. In 1930 the newspapers reported that a tree fell on his car. In 1936, his wife died.
By 1946, Lily Tervic had taken over as landlady, followed by Betty Jervis, Arthur Cave and then Norman Thums.
New Inn Lane, Tittlecock Fair and Travellers in New Inn Yard
The picture shows New Inn Lane, looking from Alfreton Road towards the canal, with the New Inn on the left. The rail that can be seen at the far end of the lane was to stop people and horses going too far and falling into the canal!
This Lane, and the Yard attached to the pub, became a hive of activity every year with Little Eaton’s famous Tittlecock Fair taking place along the Lane and then spreading all the way up Alfreton Road.
In the 1940s and 50s, it was common for travellers living in New Inn Yard to be arrested and fined for gambling, for example:
Sept 1946: Violet and James Barwick of New Inn yard and Betty Jervis of The Limes fined for “operating games of chance”.
May 1949: Rose Ball (of the Bleach Yard); and Lily Jervis and Harriet James (of New Inn Yard) fined for gaming with machines.
May 1950: Lily Jervis and Harriet James of New Inn Yard fined £1 each. For playing games named “Wheel-em-in” and “Stock Exchange”
New Inn Extension 1993
In the early 1990s, Marstons decided to extend the 200 year old building and make the “New Inn” live up to its name. Their plans included a large side extension, an even larger extension at the back, and new car park. The pub would triple in size.
At the time, these plans were met with a mixed reaction in the village, with some locals objecting to the plans, feeling that the new seating area would change the character of the pub and it would be taken over by “yuppies”.
In the end, the refurbishment and extension went ahead, with the front of the pub on Duffield Road retained as a drinking bar. The pictures below show the extension in action, together with the newspaper article describing the controversy.
