On Bedlington.uk Now...

alan thank you for looking I was not aware of https://nufc-history.co.uk. the search continues lol

I know you have said you have checked out the NU_AFC sites but as I had been digging around I will post what I found (and what you probably alread have) :- A site that covers NU_AFC through 1890 to 1990 (and is still 'work in progress') is :- https://nufc-history.co.uk Unfortunately your granda does not get named anywhere that I have looked on the site so it could be worth giving them the info you have to update their records. Using the NU_AFC 1923-24 squad photo your sister @Juliejule sent to me with your granda on I checked the names on the photo against the names the nufc-history.co.uk site had and there are three names, Coates, tate & Coulthard, on the photo that I can't find on the nufc-history site :-

Wasn't "The Shirt Factory" in the council (BUDC) yard? I can remember the outpouring of girls from there at the end of their shift. It was always a place anyone industrious could get employment. The phrase "she works (worked) at the shirt factory" did have a tiny bit of social stigma in those days, though. It implied that the person might have done better at school. Having said that, it probably paid a lot better than shopworker or clerical jobs. The Rag Trade on TV epitomised this type of work. Work which was steadily eroded by the waves of imports from overseas "sweat shops", but don't get me started on so-called "globalism"! I recall they had a problem with asbestos roofing in the BUDC yard, and some poor worker being killed when the roof didn't support their weight. This might jog someone's memory on the place. I can also remember going into the Barrington establishment to deliver or attend to something, or maybe to seek someone out. At this point in time, I can't remember why I was there, though I have a brief mental image of the offices but not the work floor. It was, I think, a conversion and not a purpose-built factory. Update: Ah, yes, that's it above. Should have scrolled up! Just pointing out the social attitudes (snobbery) of the era, and no downers on the industrious salt-of-the earth people that worked there. A lot of that lingers on in the present day, when the thoroughly brainwashed ex-uni types regard themselves as socially superior and have a right to do everyone's thinking for them!

In the earl 1960's I don't think I ever went onto Front Street East apart from when me mam would drag me to the Co-op to get school uniform clothes and on the Northumberland Miners Picnic day when the streets were too crowded to see any shop fronts. Late 1960's by the time we got to the bottom end of Front Street East, via Red Lion, Blue Bell, Grapes, Sun Inn, Howard Arms, Market Place Club, Northumberland Arms I would not have recognsed, or remembered anything but would still have managed to get into the Black Bull then the Dun Cow before heading down to Atlee Park for a lie down and snooze. I can't ever remember ever going into the Gardners Arms. As usual I have gone off track of the origal topic

The pic from down Shiney Row of the shirt factory is correct I think, but you could also get to it from the way I said under the Council Offices, just 90 degrees around 😉 The Glove factory was in a double fronted shop with the windows blanked, possibly where PremierExpress/ R&S Convenience Store is, or close by. I think it was a couple of doors away from Hay the butchers shop, I'm talking about over 60 years ago and the East End Front Street isn't recognisable from then as all the shops have changed. I think it may have changed to the Barrington Glove Company when Mr Sharman bought it from the Mautners...

Morpeth Church Institute became Morpeth Town FC in the late 30's

Never knew the shirt factory or the glove factory going towards Bebside. This is the only image I have ever seen of the shirt factory and that was as you looked down Shiney row, from the Glebe road, towards the old gasometer :- The glove company I knew was always on the Barrington Road and called the Barrington Glove Company. I used to live behind the Oval shops in the 1950's and 60's and in the 50's a lot of the kids, like me and my brothers, went to Barrington County primary School. The Barrington Glove Comany building, on the right as you travel from Bedlington Station along the Barrington road to Choppington, is still in use. Originally it was the Barrington colliery institute and the engraved sign for the institute is still there but it is covered over by the current owners, NLS (Natural Light Systems Ltd), of the building. I knew one or two who worked at the Barrington Glove Company and I do remeber them talking about Mr Sharman and he is identifed on a photo from the 1970's with the staff grouped outside the side of the buiding :-

hi Alan, i have the Blyth and Newcastle info about when he signed and games he played it more the other clubs information I was looking for. I know he signed for Newcastle in 1923 and left in 1924 due to injury about the same time his father was killed in Woodhorn pit, but its almost 3 years later he turns up signing for blyth in 1927. claiming he been playing at choppington again

Just joined the site when I posted info about the shirt factory behind Front Street and also mentioned the Bedlington Glove Company which was started by Mr & Mrs Mautner - Rudi and Valli, and it was on the left past the turn for Bedlington Station heading towards Bebside. The Mautners sold up to the Manager Mr Sharman and retired to Cardiff but had a small chain of laundrettes down there. Before they retired they had outgrown the Bedlington building and moved to Barrington Lane, I think it was by the railway going from Barrington to Bedlington Station, the company may have changed names and made items other than gloves there, my father was no longer doing their electrical maintenance by that time following the Mautners retiring. Again it is an old thread but hope it helps.

From memory, Ackroyds shirt factory was through an arch where the Bedlington Urban District Council offices were. It was through the arch and down a bit on the left. As it was a long time ago and I haven't been near Bedlington for years, the arch in question (with offices above) was on the left going down the Front Street from the Red Lion towards the turning down to Bedlington Station. It was on the opposite side of the Front Street to the library which had Abbs milkman behind the library. I know it is an old thread but thought it may still be of interest. Further down past the turning for Bedlington Station, going towards Bebside on the left was the Bedlington Glove Company run by Mr and Mrs Mautner, I think the Manager was called Mr Sharman. They made gloves for Marks & Spencer among other companies.

@lee coates can't find anything that I have on any Bedlington teams that goes back to the 1920's. When you have been doing your research what team name have you been looking for? Back in the 1920's there two collieries in Bedlington - the Doctor Pit and the Sleekburn 'A' pit and the Sleekburn 'A' pit later changed it's name to the Bedlington 'A' pit.

@lee coates I checked of the Facebook 'Blyth Remembered & Memories' as I knew there was a lad on there who had recorded a load of info on the Spartans team and crated a web site :- https://blythspirit.wordpress.com/2023/10/18/blyth-spartans-team-photograph-archive/ and I see you have already been in contact with him :-

Welcome to the group @lee coates. My initial thoughts are that we don't have any info for any teams, other than Bedlington, from the 1920s. In the Gallery section. Under the Gallery>Sports section there are two Albums = Local Football & Local Football 2 that contain team photos but there are only two that are believed to be c1920s and one is an unknow team and the other is a Bedlington Primative Methodist team from the 1929-30 season. I did a search of this group for the name - coates - and the only coates (other than yours) that gets a mention is for a Vicar and his sons from Bedlington in the 18th & 19th centuary. I'll have a Google for Newcastle United AFC teams but no doubt you have already done that. I'll get back to you, and your sister @Juliejule with anything I find.

Hi Vic His Name was William Coates

Welcome to Bedlington.UK Lee, What was your grandfather's name?

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Hi there been doing some research regarding my grandfather who played as a Goalkeeper for a few teams from 1920's to 1930's looking for any info or photo that might be floating around he played for: Choppington United 1922/23 and 1925/1927 NUFC 1923/1924 Blyth Spartans 1927/1928 Bedlington Colliery 1928/1929 Morpeth Church Institute 1929 I hope someone might be able to help or point me in the right direction

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