February 22, 200818 yr This afternoon, I received a telephone call from Gateshead informing me that my older brother Barney had died in hospital there. Apparently, of Cancer.Barney, or Bernard to give him his birth name, was born on the Bank Top in 1924.He went to St Bedes, and at 14, started work at the Doctor pit.When our house burned down in 1943, my mother, sisters, and I moved to North Shields, but Barney stayed behind in BedlingtonBarney met and married his wife in Gateshead, in the late 1940's. He had two sons, the first died shortly after birth, and the second one, born a few years later, went on to start his own construction company, and is apparently doing well.Barney moved to Gateshead in the early fifties, and worked in a wire rope plant until his retirement.His wife died some years ago, and Barney just continued on alone.He had three granddaughters, and enjoyed them, and life.Several years ago, he became blind, and was housed in an apartment designed for blind people.When I was back in Bedlington in the early eighties, I asked him how he managed to get around. He laughed, and told me that he was "too fond of crack, and company" to stay away from the pub! so he just went out with his white cane, and depended upon the kindness of friends and neighbours, to get where he was going.Barney liked his Beer, and more than a couple I should admit.He had a lot of friends in Bedlington, in Gateshead, and in Ontario, which visited every year or so.In 1982, I took my then 14 year old son Sean to meet Barney in Gateshead. He fell madly in love with him, which was not unexpected. I think that Barney inherited our father's "Gift of the gab", lord knows that I didn't.I will miss him a lot. We were two very different people, but he was my big brother, and I always looked up to him.I never quite knew how to charm people, the way he did so easily.But now, he is gone. And his many friends and family will miss him.If anyone knows any old timers from the Bank Top, please let them know.Thank you all.Joe Rooney
February 23, 200818 yr Please accept our condolences, our thoughts are with you and your family. I suspect you learned a lot more than you think from him! Vic
February 23, 200818 yr So sorry to hear your news Joe. You will have some great memories to remember him by.
February 24, 200818 yr Joe, his memory will live on through those that knew and loved him. I'd like to join the others here in offering my condolences for your loss.
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