PICTURES: Postman's nostalgic photos depict everyday life in Ashfield village

Pictures looking into the past of a village will be spread around shops and businesses in a bid to 'bring back happy memories'.
Celebrating the end of WW11, residents of King Street, Huthwaite.Celebrating the end of WW11, residents of King Street, Huthwaite.
Celebrating the end of WW11, residents of King Street, Huthwaite.

More than 50 photos taken by the late Ernald Lakin, who was a postman in Huthwaite and took photos of everyday life, will be spread around Huthwaite. 

Mr Lakin used to live on 25 Kings Street, Huthwaite a house that residents say was entirely wallpapered with photographs. 

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The collection, dating from the 1940’s all the way through to the seventies, almost never saw the light of day as it was saved from a skip by developers who were turning the old Huthwaite Heath Centre in New Street into homes in 2013. 

Coun. Lee Anderson, left, hands over a couple of prints to shop owners, Dale Burton from DMB Computers and Lynn Howell from Wot Notts on Sutton Road, Huthwaite, after getting hold of a number of historic photographs by photographer Ernald Lakin.Coun. Lee Anderson, left, hands over a couple of prints to shop owners, Dale Burton from DMB Computers and Lynn Howell from Wot Notts on Sutton Road, Huthwaite, after getting hold of a number of historic photographs by photographer Ernald Lakin.
Coun. Lee Anderson, left, hands over a couple of prints to shop owners, Dale Burton from DMB Computers and Lynn Howell from Wot Notts on Sutton Road, Huthwaite, after getting hold of a number of historic photographs by photographer Ernald Lakin.

Representatives of the developers then asked Huthwaite councillor Lee Anderson if he would like them and he gratefully accepted the unique collection.

Coun Anderson put them on display last year but has now decided to loan them to businesses to give people a sense of the history of the area. 

He said: “The photos are a great reminder of our past in Huthwaite and it’s only right the people should be allowed to see it on a daily basis. 

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“A lot of people are still knocking about who are still in these photos.  Huthwaite is still nice, still a tight community but the pictures reminded me what like a kid. They bring back happy memories.” 

Coun. Lee Anderson, left, hands over a couple of prints to shop owners, Dale Burton from DMB Computers and Lynn Howell from Wot Notts on Sutton Road, Huthwaite, after getting hold of a number of historic photographs by photographer Ernald Lakin.Coun. Lee Anderson, left, hands over a couple of prints to shop owners, Dale Burton from DMB Computers and Lynn Howell from Wot Notts on Sutton Road, Huthwaite, after getting hold of a number of historic photographs by photographer Ernald Lakin.
Coun. Lee Anderson, left, hands over a couple of prints to shop owners, Dale Burton from DMB Computers and Lynn Howell from Wot Notts on Sutton Road, Huthwaite, after getting hold of a number of historic photographs by photographer Ernald Lakin.

Although an amateur, Mr Lakin was a talented photographer. He even won £1,000 in magazine competition in 1957 with one of his photos, a farmer and his dog at Whiteborough Farm, Chesterfield Road. 

Photographer Antony Stocks, 76, who shot for your Chad and Nottignham Post lived across the road from Mr Lakin, he said: “He was well known and use to carried his camera on his rounds.”

The pictures will still belong to the village and will have to be returned if the business leaves.

Shops who have the pictures include DMB Computers, Wot Notts and Tonks 4x4.