Then, during the 1860s, the coal mining industry set foot in the town; bringing with it massive employment opportunities. Rows of new houses were constructed and within the 30 years following 1861 the population grew over four fold. Consequently not only providing work for the struggling textile workers but bringing prosperity to the whole town.
During the twentieth century Rolls Royce established an aero-engine base just outside the town, where the famous ‘Flying Bedstead’ was developed; being the prototype for jet-powered vertical take-off aeroplanes.
The well known Byron family were once the town’s predominant land owners and as such were buried in their family vault within the Hucknall St. Mary Magdalene Parish Church. This includes the burial of the famous Poet, the sixth Lord Byron and his daughter Ada Lovelace, renowned as the world’s first computer programmer. Hucknall was the childhood home of Ben Caunt, an English champion boxer, who, it is said, the famous Westminster bell called ‘Big Ben’ is named after; the church yard containing his grave.
Eric Coates the composer of the ‘Dambusters Theme’ and ‘Knightsbridge March’ was born and raised in the town as was the operatic singer Morgan Kingston. Hucknall is also the childhood home of the actor Robin Bailey.
