Netherton Colliery Pitmen

[Canny lass]

1 hour ago, bluebarby said:

Petra was a German prisoner of war and remained here when she married Jack. I will always remember her going about, first, on her bike, and later on her moped in her nurses uniform and cape.

I can't remember ever seeing that. It was always Nurse Crow from Choppington, later Bedlington, who I saw. Did Petra work on the district?

[bluebarby]

Where she worked I don't know, I just remember her nurses uniform, light blue dress with black belt and a darkish blue cape. She used to wear her nurses cap on the bike then she had a 'punding basin' helmet when she got the moped.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

7 hours ago, bluebarby said:

The Netherton Ghost, umm, I think if you had gone around the duckets on a Saturday afternoon and mentioned that I think the reply would have been "howay man wat goest in ee's reet mind wid wanna waak aroon doon a pit? Gidda way an divvint taak see stupit"

Heh heh!Too true!

At Bates in 1971-ish,there was an Overman,[herinafter caaled "thi Owaman"],who was a champion leek grower,and I think,President[?],of the Blyth Rosecarpe society[?],and a well known Judge on both circuits.

He was a canny fella,sociable,but he's job was to get work done.....and that he did!

Ivry body that passed him got a job of some sort...!

Alec Waite was he's name.

One day,he came down from 8's district,in the Beaumont seam,and told me he had seen a ghost.

He corrected he'sel,and said"Whey it might not a been a ghost,but a definately saa an apparition."

Three massive wooden airlock doors,under a LOT of Air pressure,had opened and closed one at a time,and he had seen a "Greyish Mist" come through the last door.

Noo these doors were so big and heavy,ye had ti put ya foot against the waal and pull like hell on the handle ti ease the the air pressure,afore ye cud open them ti let a set of three and a half ton mine cars through.[aboot 8' wide x 6' high.]

Within two days,me younger Sister came yem from her work at the Ronson Factory,on Cramlington Ind,Est,and sed.."Howw Youngin,wat's this aboot a Ghost at Bates?,it's aal aroond the factories"!!

The story made the Evening Chronicle front page!

Later on,in fore-shift,one of me Marra's was doon thi pit and the lads got on aboot thi story.

Me Marra,[a proper wit!],torned aroond and sed ti thi lads...."Whey haddaway ti hell,if Alec Waite had seen a ghost

he wudda givven the f.....er a job"!!

The lads aal howled at thi time,in thi pit evironment!

For months afterwards,Alec was sick ti deeth of the greetings he got from ivvry body he saa on he's travels doon thi pit..."Halloww Alec,seen any ghosts lately?"!!

Pitmen were a hard lot when it came to personal feelings,ye developed skin like bell-metal!

[bluebarby]

On 2013-3-7 at 19:59, Maggie/915 said:

In my time at The Netherton Colliery School, two lads lost their father in an accident.

Anyone know more, it was about 1953/4

My memory is about the community pulling together to help the family.

Truly inspirational, in every sense.

In life you try to make a difference.

You help and do not ask for reward.

The reward is to lead a useful life.

I know of only two deaths at Netherton pit in my time at the colliery. I think the accident you refer to here would be George Johnson who lived in First Street. I was good friends with both his sons, Ken and Eric, Eric who later worked in a butchers opposite Keenlysides at the station is sadly no longer with us. I still see Ken on the odd occasion. Ken was slightly older than me and Eric slightly younger and along with Jimmy Blake, also sadly no longer with us (He was killed in a tragic bus accident on the M1 that was witnessed by the Queen and his wife has a wonderful sympathy card from her) Anyway the four of us as kids used to go to the Newcastle matches on one Saturday and the Sunderland matches the next. But when push came to shove we where all Sunderland fans!

  When we went to the Sunderland games we got Raisbecks to the top end then the 3 or 3A to Newcastle, invariably when we got the 3 non other than Cecil Irwin would be in the back seat of the decker. Who is Ces Irwin? You have never lived. Look up Sunderland football club on the net. Here was Ces, 16 years old, going to play in front of a crowd 30,000 plus and we just two or three years younger going to watch him and here we were travelling on the same bus! Can you imagine that happening now? 

I still see Ces on the odd occasion at the Newbiggin Golf Club and he recons the sprint dodging shoppers between the Haymarket and Worswick Steet to catch the bus to Sunderland was the best training he ever had!

As an aside, we used to get 5 bob pocket money to go to Newcastle and 7 and a tanner to go to Sunderland.

The other death was Alan Stappard that lived 2 Third Street. I think he was crushed by a coal cutter, I am sure the details are in the Durham Mining website. Nice lad Alan, liked his motorbikes. 

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 3/7/2013 at 19:59, Maggie/915 said:

In my time at The Netherton Colliery School, two lads lost their father in an accident.

Anyone know more, it was about 1953/4

 

@Maggie/915

Had a look through the DMM list of names of those killed at the colliery and can't find any for 1953-54. You will have to have a scan through the list :- http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/n007.htm

Comment on the site = 'Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!'

@bluebarby

Only one entry with the surname Johnson = 

Johnson, William Ralph, 14 Jun 1961, aged 48, Deputy, killed by a fall of stone

and one entry for Stappard = Stappard, Alan Norman, 05 Jul 1973, Electrician, killed by a coal cutter.

The name Stappard is the only one in the Netherton Colliery list that does not have a link to the 'In Memoriam' section.

[Maggie/915]

Eggy , bluebarby has the same memory but remembers the two sons.

Thanks for looking on the internet.

 

[Canny lass]

I would also put Raffies death as being in the early 60s. I believe Eric and Ken were coming up to their teen years at the time.They certainly weren't toddlers as they would have been in the early fifties.

[bluebarby]

17 hours ago, Canny lass said:

I would also put Raffies death as being in the early 60s. I believe Eric and Ken were coming up to their teen years at the time.They certainly weren't toddlers as they would have been in the early fifties.

Right street, near neighbours, right surname but wrong Johnson. The one we are interested is is Geordie Johnson not Raffie. 

I am still digging! 

[Canny lass]

I must be getting my Johnsons mixed up. Was Raffie not Ken & Eric's father? would Raffie have been Raymond Johnson's father?

Edited May 14, 2017 by Canny lass

[Kevin1956]

There's some very knowledgeable folk on here with memories far superior to mine and I'm looking for some help - my Family (The Leonards of Netherton (3rd Street) & Bedlington (Meadowdale, Red House Farm, Ridge Terrace and the Raas) - Ned/Edward (Grandad), Joe (my Dad), Edward & Martin) worked at Netherton, Ellington and the Doctor Pit. My Granda (Lambert Bellerby) at Ashington Workshops and I believe the Aald Pit. I'm trying desperately to add some meat to the bone of our Family Tree and wondered if anyone could give me any related stories, dates, jobs at the Pits etc - long shot I know but reading some of the posts here, I'm sure someone can give me some help to fill in some of the blanks.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi Kevin!

I'm not much help on this one except to say when I met my Wife in 1962,and started going to her house as part of the family,her Uncle John Oliver,who was bedridden after a stroke,the year before I met her,used to have a visitor by the name of Lambie Bellerby.

He used to cut John's hair when it was needed,and he was a smashing fella,really nice natured and quiet.

I don't know owt else aboot him,but I also got to know Billy Bellerby,through him being a friend of my Wife's family.

Billy worked at the boot factory at the Station...Pioneer?  or Rocket?

He was also the loveliest lad waaking!

Hope ye get some more answers on here!

Cheers Kev!

[Maggie/915]

Who would put graffiti on the posters on Netherton Colliery Road ends?

The posters are for Ian Lavery and someone has sprayed derogatory words/ comments.

Maybe some miner who did not agree with Mr Lavery.

Public opinion can be expressed in so very many ways .

[bluebarby]

On 2017-5-24 at 07:48, Kevin1956 said:

There's some very knowledgeable folk on here with memories far superior to mine and I'm looking for some help - my Family (The Leonards of Netherton (3rd Street) & Bedlington (Meadowdale, Red House Farm, Ridge Terrace and the Raas) - Ned/Edward (Grandad), Joe (my Dad), Edward & Martin) worked at Netherton, Ellington and the Doctor Pit. My Granda (Lambert Bellerby) at Ashington Workshops and I believe the Aald Pit. I'm trying desperately to add some meat to the bone of our Family Tree and wondered if anyone could give me any related stories, dates, jobs at the Pits etc - long shot I know but reading some of the posts here, I'm sure someone can give me some help to fill in some of the blanks.

I remember all of the Leonards well in third street especially your granddad and your dad who were the pigeon men! 

I have spent an hour or so tonight hunting out this photo of the presentation night of the Netherton Pigeon Club, probably from the mid 60's and held in the Grapes. It shows Tommy Hopper (left) dishing out the prizes and the men receiving them are Rob Scott, my uncle, Ted Stewart (Father of Ruby Stewart who's photos of her in Netherton band have been shown recently) and on the right is your Dad Joe Leonard. 

[Kevin1956]

I was going through an old suitcase of my Dads bits and pieces recently and I'm sure there is an original of this photo. Found some fantastic old memories in there from his running and pigeon days. One of the old certificates from one of the France Pigeon races was framed by my Daughters for my 60th - bit dog eared around the edges but absolutely stunning. Will post a photo later in June when I'm home for anyone interested.

[BigPat]

The small guy at the front of the group photo is Raymond Bradley who was involved with the Netherton Colliery Band. Directly behind him looks like John Carr.

Ted Stewart pictured in the last photo at The Grapes was a great friend of our family (Leonard's) I remember him winning the pools many moons ago. Seem to recall it was around £11,000 which was a fortune at the time. He unfortunately lost his young son in a tragic accident when he drowned near Choppington Brick Yard. I used to see him in the last Top Club along with Jimmy Cunningham who ran the Institute at Netherton. Sadly neither with us any more. 

[Oneofthevillageschoolkids]

On ‎25‎/‎08‎/‎2007 at 18:56, Cympil said:

This is another photo taken at "The Ship" (is this the right name for the club?) at Netherton..

The man on the right was the manager of the club. I used to sit outside the club on the railings and my grandad used to come out and give me crisps and lemonade - my nana was there too in 'the snug'. I was seven then and now I'm 70!

[Oneofthevillageschoolkids]

On ‎12‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 13:06, Canny lass said:

I can't remember ever seeing that. It was always Nurse Crow from Choppington, later Bedlington, who I saw. Did Petra work on the district?

Petra was the woman who rescued my brother out of the sleck near Clifton Row and carried him home. He was about 10 and is now 74.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 25/08/2007 at 18:56, Cympil said:

This is another photo taken at "The Ship" (is this the right name for the club?) at Netherton..

James Lee Aynsley (Bygone Bedlington Facebook group ) has named one of the men :- 

Edited March 6, 2019 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Some names added to @Cympil's photos. 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 06/03/2019 at 19:56, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

James Lee Aynsley (Bygone Bedlington Facebook group ) has named one of the men :- 

James has now added two more names :- 

Edited March 15, 2019 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Canny lass]

I don't recognise any of these as belonging to the Hennessy family that lived in Plessey Street from about 1950 onwards.

[Symptoms]

I wonder where Cympil (the orignal poster) is now ... he was last here in 2013.  I often wonder where all our 'lost friends' end up - some must croak and other might just get fed up of the Forum.  I don't post as often as i used to ... I just got turned-off by the infestation of all those Kippers a while back.  The place seems to have been fumigated so perhaps it's time for some more Symwisdom.

[Oneofthevillageschoolkids]

On ‎06‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 19:56, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

James Lee Aynsley (Bygone Bedlington Facebook group ) has named one of the men :- 

The short man I think is Peter Dickinson, manager of the club. 

[threegee]

2 hours ago, Symptoms said:

I wonder where Cympil (the orignal poster) is now ... he was last here in 2013.  I often wonder where all our 'lost friends' end up - some must croak and other might just get fed up of the Forum.  I don't post as often as i used to ... I just got turned-off by the infestation of all those Kippers a while back.  The place seems to have been fumigated so perhaps it's time for some more Symwisdom. 

You've got the gender of Cympil wrong I think.  Nothing wrong with patriotic Kippers, unless you've still got a dose of that leftie "common purpose" bilge they serve up at uni, and I'd have hoped you'd have got most of it out of your system by now.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

4 hours ago, Oneofthevillageschoolkids said:

The short man I think is Peter Dickinson, manager of the club. 

Unfortunately not Peter Dickinson , according to his nephew David Dickinson who commented on the Facebook  group Bygone Bedlington :- 'David Dickinson -  Don’t recognise any one but my uncle Peter Dickinson was Stewart at the old club and the new one for years'