On Bedlington.uk Now...

I'm with you and I doubt we will stumble on anything that proves it one way or the other. Can'tm remember ever having seen Baptists yard identified on the old maps I hva looked at

I doubt if the Sleekurn edition would cover Front Street, West End, Alan. I don't have any of Stephen B Martin's books but I have several by Evan Martin - including the one above, posted by Vic. Evan Martin uses the same photo of 'Baptists Yard' accompanied by almost the same text. Unfortunately he doesn't disclose the source of the photo or the information in the text. He does say that the "The Baptist Yard" contained " Bedlington's first Post Office and in 1858 the telegraph system was installed there." (page 99). I find it somewhat strange that just 2 years after such an investment, the Post Office would move to new premises nearer the Market Place as shown on the 1860 map. It's also worth remembering that maps aren't created overnight. They take several years of survey work before being published, so the location of the PO shown on that map may well have been surveyed prior to 1860. I have to admit that I have wondered if that really is Baptist Yard and if the PO was ever located there.

Unfortunately he doesn't give any references but only acknowledgements.

@Canny lass - I only have one booklet by S B Martin and I will have a look through it and see what's in it (it's years ago I got t of ebay). I have googled it but no copies avialble. This is the cover :- Don't know if that is the one @James is referring to. When I was Googling for Stephen B Martin books on Bedlington this one came up :-

I have just seen the sad news that Tommy The egg man has passed away. https://funeral-notices.co.uk/evening chronicle newcastle/death-notices/notice/miller/5288277?photo=start

Hi Folks..I think I can safely say I am of honest,decent,and very sociable nature.Facebook doesn't think so..they have disabled my account because of comments I made using "Sexual Exploitation" ?????!!!...ME...at nearly 82 yrs old?!..I cannot remember what that means now!Haha!..No.I put an honest comment on describing what I think Four Black Immigrants who took turns gang raping a 14 yr old girl should have as punishment for this hienious crime...that's why I was banned.Seems it was ok to report on it and get people angry..but not ok to react. I read where there are 25 million people banned mostly random and for no reason whatsoever.Anybody else had the same problem?Cheers!HPW.

That is interesting! I would love to see it confirmed somewhere. Does Martin give any reference to the source of that information? Perhaps the booklet contains a list of references to literature, maps etc. used by him when compiling the booklet. If so, could you post a copy here please.

Cheers @James - I hadn't remembered that one

According to Stephen Martin's booklet about Bedlington, the first Post Office was in the Baptist Yard.

Mild Cognitive Impairment? Never heard of it! I call that sort of thing ”having a senior moment” - mind you, I’ve been having them frequently since I was 30!

@Canny lass - for the Google strett view shots I actually typed in Front Street West Bedlington for my initial search as I knew that's where the PO was. So me then typing Front Street East can only be put down to Mild Cognitive Impairment or Onset of Dementia. It's like been back at school and I can here the teacher saying - Edgar stop stairing out the window and concentrate

@Canny lass - it's just me not thinking straight - again - yes Front Street West.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you there, Alan. I think this is Front Street West, Alan – same building you show in your second photo. The Bedlington PO has a long history and it first appeared on OS maps about the time the postal service was being developed. The first PO in Bedlington was also on Front Street West but nearer to the Market Place than to the Red Lion as you will be able to see on the 1860 OS map below: In 1897 the PO began to appear in the Market Place on the OS map of that year shown below: It remains in that location on those maps I’ve looked at until at least 1967 (Copyright prevents me looking at anything more recent) and I can remember using it then. It later moved from the Market Place, as you rightly say, but I have no recollection of it moving to Front Street East and I can’t remember any buildings on Front Street East with a low wall in front as can be seen in your photos. I returned to Bedlington in the 80s for a while and the PO was then located on Front Street West but further up the street towards the top end (Red Lion). It had a small walled area in front. I’m pretty sure that’s it in your photo which I’ve reproduced above.

On the Facebook group Bygone Bedlington a member, Ian Foster, posted this clip from the BBC archives when the BBC was looking for the 'Market Place' Post office and you will need the volume turned up to listen to this :- https://bbcrewind.co.uk/asset/611257809e2c440020e8f292?selectedLatLng=55.13239860534668%2C-1.5979957580566406&zoom=11 So I checked the journey of the Post Office When it was in the Market Place :- Then it moved to 40 front Street East and was still called the Market Place Post Office :- Where it is now - Google Street View 2024 - 20 Front Street

Thank you! Nice to know you enjoyed it. They were an important family in Bedlington's history so I thought they were worth a bit of effort. My own family history research is at a bit of a standstill so I have some time over from that and I might as well put it to good use.

@Eddie Yarrow - have you ever visited the Northumberland and DurhamPits Facebook group to see if any member can identify anyone/ If you are not on Facebook group(s) then if it's Ok with you I could post one of your photos, with the space, numbers and names, on the group to see if there are any memmbers that recognise and old relative.