Kegworth in the Twenties

In 1926 Kegworth was, along with the rest of the country in the grip of a General Strike. Things were grim to say the least, unemployment was rife and no 'dole' to ease matters. Industry, as expected in a strike situation, was at a standstill. The only safe employment was farm work. This very low paid and much maligned work became much sought after. Men with families to support were desperate to find work of any kind, this very often only paid enough to buy a little food - paying the rent was out of the question.

However, things began to improve, and out of the misery of the strike, Kegworth took on a new lease of life. Apart from the larger industries in the village a number of trades people set up their own businesses. The village became virtually self-supporting. We had a comprehensive range of trades and businesses that compared at that time with any village in the Midlands.

We had engineering, hosiery, agriculture and brewing. There were shops, hotels, stockingers, saddlers, blacksmiths, public transport, taxis and garages. Haulage contractors, cattle transporters - a cattle drover before the cattle transporters - general carters, plumbers, builders, cabinet makers and joiners. Window cleaners, chimney sweeps and jobbing gardeners. We had newsagents, fishmongers, grocers and green grocers, tobacconists and confectioners. A town crier, a lamplighter and a watch and clock repairer. Cycle repairers, coal merchants, ladies and gent's hairdressers, bakers, doctors, dentist and a veterinary surgeon. A bookmaker, singing and music teachers. We also had, for the size of the village, a good number of licensed premises - all seemed to do fairly well, invariably the publican went to work during the day - his wife running the 'pub' whilst he was away.

On the social and recreational side we were well catered for. Two excellent football teams - St. Andrew's F.C. and "the other lot" the "Vic's." A tennis club, hockey club and the renowned cricket club. Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and a large church institute - a boon in the winter months with billiards, snooker, darts, table tennis and a host of table games and lots of books.

We had a cinema, a dance hall (the parish rooms), the local boys and girls school in Dragwell. A town band, British legion Club, two banks - Midland and Westminster which later became National Westminster (both now closed at time of writing), a local constabulary, solicitors, a dramatic society and the St. Andrew's Church choir was a very accomplished one - large and some excellent singing from both sexes. We had a team of bell ringers ably led by Felix Sutton.

These then are some of the activities in Kegworth at that time - 1920 onwards. Maybe I have omitted some and I may not have every little detail correct. There are many people in the village who may have a clearer memory - I would very much appreciate being put to rights on any matter on which I have not got the facts correct.

I hope I have brought back a few memories to the older villagers, and also given our 'new friends' an insight into the conditions in Kegworth in the 'bad old days'.

The following is a list of businesses, their owners and location, which relates to the above article.