Clippie Shop At Choppington Station

[Barton Lad]

I appreciate this photo has already being posted, but it reminded me of a "clippie shop" at Choppington Station. The shop was on the right side going up the bank. I think the shops on the left, were a barber's, fish & chip shop and a grocer. On the corner was the Railway tavern, with the Lord Clyde on the opposite side.

I understand the clippie shop was run by a young lady from Barrington called Peggy. The clippie shop was where people took the old clothes to sell and Peggy washed and cut the clothes into clippies to re-sell for the proggy mats. Proggy mats were hard wearing rugs made out of clippies (rags), which were poked through a canvas/sacking.

There was always a proggy mat in the kitchen, which was laid onto top of oilcloth. This was really lino; I have no idea why the word oilcloth was used.

Does anyone remember the clippie shop at Choppington and also any stories with regards to clippie mats?

PS: The milk for Barrington was delivered by the Scotland Gate Co-op, via horse and cart. It must have been quite a task going down and up that bank in the winter.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Barton Rafie

[Vic Patterson]

It was a family event making proggy and clippie mats, hessian was stretched on two wooden runners and clippings were either poked up or down through the hessian, clippie mats were made with short clippinges and were pushed down and the ends trimmed, (like a shag carpet) proggy mats were longer clippings pushed up through the hessian forming loops and often following a pattern drawn on the hessian.

As kids it was our job to cut the strips of cloth and keep the supply of cups of tea going! Aunts and cousins used to bring there gossip and news, even share their sweet coupons! They had a mat making demo at Beamish last time I was there.

The same family members used to attend Beatle and Whist drives! even show up for wallpapering sessions or wall stippling! I think this may be the reason we never complained about "I got nothing to do!" mom would soon find something!

[bediesathome]

I appreciate this photo has already being posted, but it reminded me of a "clippie shop" at Choppington Station. The shop was on the right side going up the bank. I think the shops on the left, were a barber's, fish & chip shop and a grocer. On the corner was the Railway tavern, with the Lord Clyde on the opposite side.

I understand the clippie shop was run by a young lady from Barrington called Peggy. The clippie shop was where people took the old clothes to sell and Peggy washed and cut the clothes into clippies to re-sell for the proggy mats. Proggy mats were hard wearing rugs made out of clippies (rags), which were poked through a canvas/sacking.

There was always a proggy mat in the kitchen, which was laid onto top of oilcloth. This was really lino; I have no idea why the word oilcloth was used.

Does anyone remember the clippie shop at Choppington and also any stories with regards to clippie mats?

PS: The milk for Barrington was delivered by the Scotland Gate Co-op, via horse and cart. It must have been quite a task going down and up that bank in the winter.

[bediesathome]

during the 1940ties my sister and brother and myself used to cut the fabric so that mother could make a proggie mat . they were nice and warm on your feet when they were put on the bottom of the bed during winter.

[Barton Lad]

As well as doing proggie mats, my mother used to all the knitting for every one.

The first task was to create a ball of wool from a yarn of wool. Being the youngest it was my job to sit STILL with this yarn of wool, which was stretched out between my two arms, whilst my mother unwound the wool into the ball.

After about 4 yarns my arms were aching, the only thing to keep me going was listing to !*!@# Barton special agent on the wireless. Those were the days.

[Barton Lad]

The editor is not letting me put the abrevated word for Richard, I guess it assumes it is rude is.

Edited November 28, 2010 by Barton Rafie

[johndawsonjune1955]

I appreciate this photo has already being posted, but it reminded me of a "clippie shop" at Choppington Station. The shop was on the right side going up the bank. I think the shops on the left, were a barber's, fish & chip shop and a grocer. On the corner was the Railway tavern, with the Lord Clyde on the opposite side.

I understand the clippie shop was run by a young lady from Barrington called Peggy. The clippie shop was where people took the old clothes to sell and Peggy washed and cut the clothes into clippies to re-sell for the proggy mats. Proggy mats were hard wearing rugs made out of clippies (rags), which were poked through a canvas/sacking.

There was always a proggy mat in the kitchen, which was laid onto top of oilcloth. This was really lino; I have no idea why the word oilcloth was used.

Does anyone remember the clippie shop at Choppington and also any stories with regards to clippie mats?

PS: The milk for Barrington was delivered by the Scotland Gate Co-op, via horse and cart. It must have been quite a task going down and up that bank in the winter.

Harry Wheatley also delivered milk there too by horse and cart.

[johndawsonjune1955]

There was also the Unitarian Chapel there too, who remembers that. it was demolished in 1981.

In the 1970s i remember the Lord Clyde very well. How many of you remember the man George, who would stand outside having a ciggy with his white

apron on ? Was that George Maddison. I think there were two brothers and they lived at Scotland Gate, none of them married to my knowledge.

The Railway Tavern pub was a good place for a pint too. They say that John Wade was a very tall fella and had many antique oil lamps on display. It was originally called the Railway Hotel and built in 1860.

the houses and shops that were on either side of the Willow Bridge were built over a ten year period that began in 1860.

[Canny lass]

I also remember helping to make proggy mats in the 50's. The mat frame was a permanent feature, leaning against the wall in the livingroom/kitchen and in the evenings or at week-ends it was balanced between the table and 2 chairbacks. The radio was switched on and the children had various jobs in the mat making process while we listened to a play or music on the 'wireless' as it was better known. I don't ever remember my father making mats so it clearly wasn't a mans kind of thing.(They were probably out tending to their leeks)! My job, being the youngest, was sorting the clippings into piles of different colours ready for use. The older children cut 'clippings' and the oldest ones actually got to do a bit of 'progging'. Like Bediesathome I can remember the proggy mat being put on the bed as an extra blanket but not just over the feet. It weighed a ton and a littlun like me couldn't move under the weight. It's no wonder I was flat chested as a teenager! I think it was probably used more for its restraininjg qualities than its heat retaining properties! You had no choice but to stay in bed and lie still. I can remember a few times, when clippings of a certain colour were running out, that there was near panic and we children were sent with a clipping in our hand to go and ask the neighbours if they had anything in a similar colour. My mother's sister lived in Bristol and was obviously a bit of a progger too as odd clippings would come in the post with a request for rags of a similar colour. I don't suppose progging had reached the masses in Bristol at that time so she had nobody to ask.

Knitting was also a popular pass time and I remember that wool was bought in 'hanks' or 'skeens.' I don't remember the term 'yarns' but maybe it was a local thing. We children also got the job of winding the wool into balls but we used to turn a dining chair or stool upside down and stretch the skeen over the legs and wind it from there.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Yeah and brokens clothes pegs were never chucked out (the dolly type) they were used as proggies. Also , as you say the proggy mats were used as blankets but then they were relegated to the floor later as new ones were made. If it is any consolation ,Canny Lass, I was also flat chested as teenager..............not so much now !!

Edited January 15, 2012 by keith

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

When I was very young,my Mutha used ti mek clippie mats,and send some doon ti London,courtesy of her Sister,me Aunt Nancy,who was married to a reasonably well-off fella,and who paid the postage to send the mat,then she sold them for a small fortune,and sent me Mother the takings.

They were very well received down there!

Cany Lass,I think a lot of families were the same as yours,mine was,and a lot of my friends also,same regime regarding who did what during the clipping making process!

Bedies,oilcloth was oilcloth......not Lino,which posh folk had when it's full name was Linoleum!

Oilcloth was what pit folks referred to as "Tarry-toot",cos it was made from tar residues and burned like hell!!

You could rip it into small bits to hoy onti ya bornfire on guy faaks's neet,ti mek the fire bleeze up quicker!

When Lino became affordable for poorer off Wives like my Mother,they found it great to fit cos yi cud cut reet inti corners,withoot risking it tearing like oilcloth did.

Mind,if ye had any damp in ya floor,it stunk whenever it had ti be lifted!!

John,as kids living in Storey's Buildings on the willow bridge bank,we used ti climb the wall and play aroond the chapel,aroond 1947-ish.

Part of that wall,which was at the back of thi chapel,can still be seen ,so far doon thi bank,surrounded by trees noo.

[mercuryg]

"Part of that wall,which was at the back of thi chapel,can still be seen ,so far doon thi bank,surrounded by trees noo."

HPW, enlighten me a little; can I see this from the road, or do I need to head into the fields? I will have a look on my walk!

 

[pilgrim]

The  shop at the top of the bank on the east side opposite the Lord Clyde was run by Norman and Peggy Yarrow - they had a daughter Maureen and a son Brian who was the milk man. They moved to the shop in Vulcan Place and Brian was still doing the milk round in recent years. Norman yarrow was heavily involved in one of the churches. (for some reason I cant see the pic?)

Jacky wade was indeed a very tall man and after his mother died he married and moved to Spain - not only did he collect lamps but he also had a Dion de Bouton in the shed behind the pub and possibly another vintage car. 

ref the oilcloth - the Rice family lived at No 5 station terrace  at Choppington Station and had the chip shop at Scotland Gate. in those days fish and chips was served in newspaper and the tables were covered in oilcloth!!

Edited August 13, 2016 by pilgrim
was pointing the wtong way!!

[pilgrim]

as an aside - ref the proggy mat - every home I knew had a 'frame' for making mats and it was a whole family thing - its an interesting reflection that then the material was woollen and its possible that with the modern materials 'proggy mats' could not be made now  - there is possibly too much differential in fibre strength and thickness due to artificial fibres which wou effect the weave required on the hessian base. what I do recall was that a large number of miners did embroidery in stark contrast to the work they did

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

On 13/08/2016 at 08:00, mercuryg said:

"Part of that wall,which was at the back of thi chapel,can still be seen ,so far doon thi bank,surrounded by trees noo."

HPW, enlighten me a little; can I see this from the road, or do I need to head into the fields? I will have a look on my walk!

 

Hi Merc!Just walk up the bank from the bridge,heading towards the rail crossing.aboot three-quarters of the way up on ya left side,just walk over the wide green bit till you come to the edge where the field starts.

Look among the large bushes at the rear,and you will find the remains of the old chapel wall....nowt exciting....not exactly a castle,but a few courses of old handmade bricks from [probably] Choppington brickworks,and with a little bit of history.

I was chuffed ti see them cos I used ti play on that wall at age three years,in aboot 1947,and had to be lifted up by my older Sisters.

in reality,the wall might have only been aboot three feet high for aal I knaa!!

Alan Dickson lived in Storey's Buildings in the latter years [1970's I think],and he has already posted info about the street and shops etc somewhere else on the site,maybe if you go back a canny few pages you will find the info.

Pilgrim,you may well be right about Embroidery,but the only sewing I ever knew among aal the marra's I had when I was underground,was stitching wa breeks wi thin detonator wire[capwire],whenever they got ripped,which was every other day!

That,and also,stitching the "Airbags"....when the blast from the shots being fired tore them to ribbons....and they were our lifeline.....no airbags....no air!!

Airbags were flexible ducting in lengths of about 25 yards,which we had to couple together as the roadways advanced inbye..,and were fed by Auxiliary fans which were stationed outbye in a fresh air stream.

You can see our airbags on my Bates Pit Photographs on Flickr.

Pilgrim,I can picture,and smell,the oilcloth tablecloths yet...red tartan,sometimes yellow,and sometimes wi fruit and vegetables aal owa them for a kitchen tyeble...heh heh!!

[webtrekker]

You paint a wonderful picture HPW, as good as any of the Pitmen Painters. 

[mercuryg]

11 hours ago, webtrekker said:

You paint a wonderful picture HPW, as good as any of the Pitmen Painters. 

Agreed; love reading this stuff, it really does provide a rare insight.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Heh heh! Thanks folks for your kind comments!

Regarding the tablecloths,a knaa when a was a kid,it didn't matter if ye were eating Roasted rabbit pie,or roast beef......the oilcloth on the tyble stunk wi a characteristic odour,not dirty,cos Mother was spick and span,and used ti tell us kids there's nea excuse for being dorty,cos soap's cheap and wetta cost nowt!!

The tarry-toot on the flair was great fo' mekking flaming skimmers!!

Ye tore bits off the floor oilcloth,aboot six inches aroond,lit it on a bonfire,and "skimmed"it inti thi air!!

The melted bits used ti flea off in aal directions,like sparklers,still hoying little flames off!!...a think that's wat the red Indians musta used ti set the wagon trains on fire wi tha burning arrows!![they obviously had been owa heor fo' a holiday and seen HPW and friends acting thasel's!]

Ye knaa,wi did aal these laddie-like things,fires,sheath-knives,catapults,and a nivvor knew  of anybody ivvor gettin' born't,stabbed, or eyes put oot!

Aa got born't under me armpit,and me wooly jarsey aal singed wi a hole in it,wen a was aboot nine ya' aad , but it wasn't wi playin' wi fire,it was a bloody duff

"Aeroplane" type of firework,which was placed on the garden waal,[Hollymoont Square cooncil low waal..],by a friend's Dad,who was the adult supervisor of his Son's fireworks display in thi street.

Insteed o' the firework tekkin' off and flee'ing up in thi air,the bugga tuk off for aboot six feet,horizontally,and like a maddened Bee,torned on a thruppeny bit,and headed stryght inti my body,as a sed,lodging itsel under me armpit,and flames rushing oot like a rocket gone mad!!

Still didn't frighten me from clarting on wi fires mind!!

.......digress.......!!

 

[moe19]

On 09/11/2010 at 12:56, Barton Lad said:

 

 it reminded me of a "clippie shop" at Choppington Station. The shop was on the right side going up the bank. I think the shops on the left, were a barber's, fish & chip shop and a grocer. On the corner was the Railway tavern, with the Lord Clyde on the opposite side.

.

My mother tells me the fish and chip was once owned by the Wilsons and then by the Hunters, One of the Wilsons I think it would be Kitty married in to the Rice family who had the fish and chip shop at Scotland gate.

Some of the other shops on the bank she tells me one sold feed for hens etc and another one was ran by Davy Moody before he started with his wagons in the coal and haulier trade. She says he also delivered using a large basket and she can remember he sold cakes.    

I am also told that the Pioneer boot repair people also had a repair factory/shop next to the Lord Clyde pub.

And going up the bank towards Scotland Gate one of the houses was a Doctors surgery.

I myself can remember in the sixties a shop selling car tyres on the bank same side as the railway tavern pub.

 

As for Scotland gate front street I can remember most of the shops Hendersons the post office, Brian and Joyce ward newsagent, the star picture house long gone, then  the Travellers rest known as Wallys then around the corner next to the institute was the COOP, groceries downstairs shoes and clothes upstairs.Back on the front street was one of two fish and chip shops called  Hedleys, then you had Blackburns sweet shop , next the butchers then the fruit and veg shop I cant remember the names ,then a clothes shop called hatchet and then Rices fish and chip shop then another pub long gone that I cant remember the name of then the Garage.

Over the road was Taits ice cream shop Robsons stores then some sort of Chapel next was Taylors the bakers a Doctors surgery the Kings arms pub Scotland gate club.         

 

   

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi Moe! [Whistle test fan eh?!! great!]

The tyre shop's a blast from the more recent past,but which I totally forgot aboot!

In my hard-up days,I bought two "Colway" tyres from the guy, [a really pleasant bloke],and they were wobbling and "wowwing" ,so I went back and told him,within ten minutes he had changed both tyres and shook me hand and thanked me for just gaanin back,and not slagging him off ti anybody.

A canna mind hoo lang he lasted on the bank wi his shop.

The surgery was there since the world began a think!!

Aad Doctor Hickey,Robertson,and Ivory were there for donkey's years!

[moe19]

On 26/11/2016 at 22:17, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

 

Aad Doctor Hickey,Robertson,and Ivory were there for donkey's years!

Thats right HPW, I think when it closed Dr Ivory and Robson opened the surgery at the square in Guidepost next to the library, I think Dr Tom Brown also went to Guidepost when his surgery at his house next to Gleghorns shop at stakeford closed.

[pilgrim]

Dr Hickey retired to Ireland and was breeding greyhounds - Dr ivory retired to Cramlington - not many folk know he was a pilot in the RAF.

[pilgrim]

There is some information and very good pictures on this site

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/choppington/

which also gives maps and information about other places locally --- over 115,000 tickets issued at Choppington for the railway in 1911!! and shows the site of the brickworks in what became Barnfather's yard and other buildings along to guidepost etc.

Edited December 1, 2016 by pilgrim
data edit

[pilgrim]

seem to recall that the dentist at guidepost was called Norris?

2 doors down was a teacher at the Choppington County Primary Harry Dawes? 

I knew Dr's Hickey and Ivory and they were true gents of the old school - pity we don't have more of them these days - walked the dogs with Dr. ivory after he retired a few times and what a true gent - my mother was a friend of his and had nothing but praise for him - it wasn't easy for Drs. then without that wonderful thing of hindsight - but they did their best and what they could and will always have my respect.

oh and the police house opposite Norris - PC was Tassel -he had two sons - one was called Geoff and I think the older one was Trevor - the father eventually was promoted to Inspector in Newcastle and used to say his name was 'Tassssel' - very French lol. 

[moe19]

6 hours ago, pilgrim said:

seem to recall that the dentist at guidepost was called Norris?

2 doors down was a teacher at the Choppington County Primary Harry Dawes? 

. 

I can remember going to that Dentist pilgrim, I think that street is North Parade it had a square white  light above the front door just saying dentist and the surgery was in what would be the front room of the house.

Now the teacher you mention lived a couple of doors down from the dentist but I think his name was Dobson possibly Harry Dobson he taught at Choppington junior school  as did Mr Dawes who you mention, Mr Dobson was a lovely man who was also involved with the youth club at the Chapel that used to be on sheepwash bank down from the Shakespeare pub, I remember reading he passed away a few years ago   Other teachers at Choppington at that time  would be Mrs Brown , Mrs Hayes Mrs Celie