Sustrans Cycle Route, Artwork Voting

[Phil]

We have extended the voting for the Sustrans Artwork Bench for another 10 days. Please do take time to vote and let your friends and family know too. It would be lovely to see good representation from the people of Bedlington as to who they would like to see immortalised in steel and placed next to a bench somewhere along the new cycle route. There will be three figures, so we ask you to choose your top three people and let us know whether you think the Bedlington Terrier should be part of the artwork or not.

11 nominations have made it to the final voting - there were a few other nominees, but it was not possible to obtain permission from either them or their families to include them in the voting.

1. Ann Greenacre Ann has served the community of Bedlington over many years, especially through her work with the Salvation Army.

2. Sir Daniel Gooch Born in Bedlington in 1816 and became an engineer at Robert Stephenson's locomotive factory in Newcastle. The family left the NE in 1831 and at the age of 21 he was recruited by Isambard Kingdom Brunel to be the Superintendent of Locomotive Engines at the Great Western Railway factory in Swindon. He designed and produced engines, perhaps the most famous being The Great Western which could travel at speed of 67mph. Gooch's other claim to fame is his work as Chief Engineer of the Telegraph Construction Company and laid the first successful telegraph cable across the Atlantic, reducing the communication time from Europe to the US from 10 days to a few minutes. He was also an MP for many years.

3. George Todd Liberal-Democract Councillor for Wansbeck Bedlington West since 2008 and currently Deputy Town Mayor. Nominated for the support and help he gives to people in community in solving problems

4. Mary Weightman, MBE Mary set up the Peoples Animal Welfare Service (P.A.W.S.) in 1955. This is a Bedlington-based charity that provides vet treatment for the pets of people on low incomes. She was awarded an MBE for her work in 1998. Sadly, Mary passed away in 2005, however P.A.W.S is still going.

5. Mr Alastair Aitken Alastair taught Technology and Art at Bedlington High School and was a gifted teacher who could turn his hand to anything. He was passionate about cycling and a keen hill walker. Sadly, it was this passion that robbed him of his life. He died whilst trying to rescue a falled walker in the Highlands of Scotland in December 2009. Alastair is remembered as a great and inspiring teacher, both in and out of the classroom. He believed in getting young people out into the countryside and led expeditions for sutdents both in the UK and overseas. He also encouraged his year group to think of others and raise funds to buy bicycles for doctors in remote areas of Tanzania to reach their patients. The year group raised enough for 6 bicycles which Alastair took out to Tanzania in 2009. Many of his previous students still think of him as 'the best teacher I ever had'. Alastair regularly cycled to work and loved cycling as a way to explore new areas.

6. George Webster George is well known in Bedlington for his passion for the town and to ensure that it receives the faclilities and improvements it needs. He has been nominated particularly for his work in helping to set up Friends of Gallagher Park and for his work as the first Chairman of this charity. He has fought hard to get good facilities for this excellent community area. Despite a number of setbacks, he has kept goign and inspired others to do so. He was instrumental in achieving the funding for the BMX track and is not stopping there.

7. Dr John Brown Served the area for 50 years and was held in high respect by all who knew him. He was often seen around the town with his dog (a boxer called Rory, in latter years at least) stopping to talk to virtually everyone he met. When the mines were still open, Dr Brown was known for going down into the mines after accidents to help injured miners and bring them up to the surface. He ran a successful private medical practice, but believed in serving poeple before business and woudl treat people for free if they were short on funds.

8. Mr John B Topham DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) Flight Lieutanant JB Topham was a Lancaster bomber captain and pilot in WWII. He took part in 26 successful bombing sorties over Germany before his plane was struck by falling bombs from allied aircraft during a daytime raid in 1944. Flying Officer Topham had no choice but to make a crash landing in enemy occupied territory. His crew were uninjured but John had broken his left leg and crushed his right knee. His crew helped him hide in woods and found the local resistance organisation and a doctor. John was hidden and treated by the doctor and then stayed hidden in the homes of local people.

After a couple of months in hiding, the Germans moved into the town and at one point started house-to-house searches. The shopkeeper who was looking after John dug a grave in his garden and John lay inside it – buried alive with only a tube to breathe through. The Germans inspected the grave and even saluted the 'dead British airman' buried there, but left two sentries on guard. Eventually, after 36 hours the sentries left as the Americans were approaching and John was freed.

He was exhausted and fell asleep for a few moments, only to be awakened by the shopkeeper as a German SS man was returning. John refused to go back into the grave and was given a gun. He shot the German and with the shopkeeper, buried him in the now-empty grave.

Later that day, the Americans took the town where John was hiding and he returned home.

FL Topham was recommended for the award of Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition of his great courage and excellent operational record.

9.Michael Longridge, Michael established RB Longridge and Company in 1785 to make locomotives. The company made around 200 engines by the time it closed in 1853. He also owned Bedlington Ironworks from 1819 and started manufacturing of the very first malleable iron rails using a method that greatly increased production helping towards the massive explosion of the railways during the 1800s. The Bedlington works exported both engines and railway lines across Europe, including producing rails and casting for the Crimean War.

Michael is also known for his humanitarian nature and social conscience. He provided his workers with one of the first 'work's doctors' and supported better working conditions for his men.

10. Judith Bremner Judith was the head teacher of Whitley Memorial First School for over 12 years, retiring in summer 2010. Under her leadership, the school achieved the status of National School of Creativity in 2009 and also the Eco-Schools Silver Award, part of which was the development of the school grounds.

Judith will be remembered by many students and their families for the many shows she put on, introducing many youngsters to the joy of being in a show. She is known locally as Mrs Bee and was sad to retire and leave her 'Whitley Memorial Family'.

11. John Birkenshaw John was a 19th Century railway engineer from Bedlington who invented wrought iron rails in 1820. These were manufactured at the Bedlington Iron Works and revolutionised the development of the railways. Prior to wrought iron rails, rail systems had used either wooden rails which couldn't support steam engines or cast iron rails which were only 3ft in length and steam engines had to go very slowly. The wrought iron rails could carry the steam engines at speed making them an economical option, launching the railway era.

Thank you for taking the time to vote.

You can also email connect2northumberland@hotmail.co.uk and there will be voting boxes around Bedlington - see posters in the town for details.

Edited May 9, 2011 by Phil

[Phil]

The voting has been cleared and votes taken for counting.

Thank you for taking the time to vote.

We will be making the announcement as to who the three figures for the Portrait Bench will be in due course

Thanks again

Philippa