Memories Of The Past

[johndawsonjune1955]

Lets get some memories flowing. I have been looking through my personal pics of the past and found some very interesting ones indeed. Ca

n you remember the Domino and Supermac on his birthday ? i can't recall how old he was, but it was in 1973, Were you there ?

Or recognise anyone ?

Edited January 26, 2012 by johndawsonjune1955

[johndawsonjune1955]

Quoits is it still played ? Heres a pic from my archives of the Sun Inn Quoits Club in 1967. I remember they played around the back.

Know anyone or memories ?

[johndawsonjune1955]

For my 100th post i decided to put this great pic up of my dad and some family members and his friends. Taken at the Choppington High Pit in 1961 i believe.

At the rear is Geordie Wharton, father of Joe, Sep, and George.. Middle left to right, Sammy Neal, Thomas "Tucker†Dawson, my uncle, Bart Dawson, my uncle. Front left to right Leighton Bush, and John Dawson my father.

I think Sammy Neal raced pigeons, i may be wrong, but have an inkling he did.

Edited January 26, 2012 by johndawsonjune1955

[Symptoms]

John - I'm wondering how the snapper illuminated the shot. I doubt it would have been a flash - didn't most flashguns back in the 60s use a 'use once' bulb that sort of overloaded to create a flash which might have been dangerous to use down the pit. Looking at that clear shadowline at the bottom of the snap it could have been illuminated by a lamp ... any former miners on the Forum might be able to confirm (or rubbish) that the helmet lamps gave a decent enough beam for photography.

[johndawsonjune1955]

Im not sure how it was taken. Cracking pic tho and one i treasure. What you say is true enough, but will ask the chap who took its son and see if he can shed any light on it. hehe, thats a funny one aint it "Shed any light on it" must be turning a comic these days

BTW ww1 and ww2 stories updated on our website. http://www.sixtownships.org.uk have a look its interesting. Will be putting more Bedlington history on at the weekend.

[bediesathome]

is this the tucker dawson that lived at eastgate during the 1940s and 50s that i can remember also was he a pidgeon man ?

[johndawsonjune1955]

is this the tucker dawson that lived at eastgate during the 1940s and 50s that i can remember also was he a pidgeon man ?

yes thats him. my uncle. he died about 12 years ago with cancer of the brain. but still the same fella and good crack to the end.

[bediesathome]

sorry to hear that tucker had passed away i got on very well with him he was a nice young lad

[johndawsonjune1955]

sorry to hear that tucker had passed away i got on very well with him he was a nice young lad

thanks very much

[mickypotts]

Quoits is it still played ? Heres a pic from my archives of the Sun Inn Quoits Club in 1967. I remember they played around the back.

Know anyone or memories ?

Yes Thats my Dad Bill Potts on the right side, he was one of the founders of the quoites club, I believe that the quoites were made in the machine shop at Ashington pit where he worked and the clay was made by adding oil to soil.

Do you have any more like this??

[johndawsonjune1955]

Yes Thats my Dad Bill Potts on the right side, he was one of the founders of the quoites club, I believe that the quoites were made in the machine shop at Ashington pit where he worked and the clay was made by adding oil to soil.

Do you have any more like this??

yes i have. upload them during the week.

[johndawsonjune1955]

The photograph was taken at the opening of the quoits bay at the Welfare Park, Bedlington. Throwing the quoit is Councillor Dickie Hindhaugh. Jim Carley (left) next to him is Henry Brown (my wifes grandad)and on the right is John Temple (my wifes uncle)

Anyone put a name to the others ?

Edited January 30, 2012 by johndawsonjune1955

[johndawsonjune1955]

The Howard Arms, Quoit Club, Bedlington, 1928, Champion quoit player is second left, Jack Barnes. Sadie Barnes is far right. Other names in the photo are John Caine, Topper McGlen, and a Mr. Ruddy.

[johndawsonjune1955]

Anyone else got some sports pics to share. Lets get the memories flowing. I will put more up soon from my archives.

[John Fox (foxy)]

The photograph was taken at the opening of the quoits bay at the Welfare Park, Bedlington. Throwing the quoit is Councillor Dickie Hindhaugh. Jim Carley (left) next to him is Henry Brown (my wifes grandad)and on the right is John Temple (my wifes uncle)

Anyone put a name to the others ?

George Cowell second from right

[mickypotts]

Quoits is it still played ? Heres a pic from my archives of the Sun Inn Quoits Club in 1967. I remember they played around the back.

Know anyone or memories ?

Albert Cochrane is to the right of my Dad

[bediesathome]

as a young lad my friends and myself usedto play quiots we never had the proper ones so we used to use horse shoes when the pit ponies were re shood we got the worn ones

[johndawsonjune1955]

as a young lad my friends and myself usedto play quiots we never had the proper ones so we used to use horse shoes when the pit ponies were re shood we got the worn ones

Thats a fantastic piece of info. Its good to know these facts and record them for future generations.

[Black Bull Bedlington]

John, in the pictures above what is 'the Domino'?

I see Supermac is still in the NE and a radio presenter now!

Edited February 2, 2012 by Black Bull Bedlington

[Keith Scantlebury]

John, in the pictures above what is 'the Domino'?

I see Supermac is still in the NE and a radio presenter now!

The Domino was a night club in Bedlington Stn, it is now apartments that arent selling very easily. Prior to being a night club it was the Wallaw cinema up till the mid - late 60's. Malcolm McDonald co-presents a 5 nightly football phone in on local radio and he lives in Seaton Sluice (between Blyth and Whitley Bay) Edited February 2, 2012 by keith

[jack b]

The Howard Arms, Quoit Club, Bedlington, 1928, Champion quoit player is second left, Jack Barnes. Sadie Barnes is far right. Other names in the photo are John Caine, Topper McGlen, and a Mr. Ruddy.

[jack b]

Im new to all this but do you have any photos of john caine? He was a councillor and jp and a family member. Or any other info on him. Thanks

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

For my 100th post i decided to put this great pic up of my dad and some family members and his friends. Taken at the Choppington High Pit in 1961 i believe.

At the rear is Geordie Wharton, father of Joe, Sep, and George.. Middle left to right, Sammy Neal, Thomas "Tucker†Dawson, my uncle, Bart Dawson, my uncle. Front left to right Leighton Bush, and John Dawson my father.

I think Sammy Neal raced pigeons, i may be wrong, but have an inkling he did.

Hi John!

This pic is on the information board at the entrance to Choppington High Pit road,up Guide Post road,on the left,[for new visitors!]

As a 17-year-old transport lad,at the High Pit,in 1961,I supplied all these men with thier coalcutters,conveyor belt driveheads,cutter cables...etc.

Now the coalfiller on the left,in the middle row,[unless I am getting severe dementia!!],wasn't Sammy Neal,John,it was John Million. 

My Wife has an old Lady friend,whose [deceased] Husband,Tom,was John's Brother,I think.

I showed her a copy of this pic,which I took from the info board [with my digital camera,]and she recognised him immediately,even though she is a very sprightly 80-odd year old lady.

I can remember John Million,and the rest of these fella's,as if it was yesterday!!

Leighton Bush's Son,[billy Bush],was on timber-leading,at the time this pic was taken,in the Beaumont Seam,5th South coalface.

I used to see Billy odd times,long after the pit was closed,walking down the GuidePost road,and also Joe Barratt,the Overman.

Mind,I never knew that anybody ever took a camera down,while I was there,which makes me wonder if the pic was taken in maybe [at the latest] -early 1960,cos I was down the pit in August of that year,after my 16th birthday.

At  that time,there were only 300-odd men at the pit,so if you split that count into four shifts,i.e,back-shift[8-30 am],night-shift.[5-0pm],foreshift [12-0am],

with odd amounts of men in at 6-0am,and 2-0pm,it doesn't take much working out,to find that you quickly got to know every man at the pit !

[less than a hundred men per shift,as opposed to 500 men per shift like in the big pits..]

Gossip travelled quickly in such a tight knit underground community like this family pit,where four Brothers and their Father,and usually a brother-in-law,or Uncle,all filled coal next to each other,on the same coal face![like the Nicholson's,the Dreyer's,the Barratt's...[officials].....etc]

So I think it would have been the talk of the pit,men having their photo taken,and I think I would have known about it,but  as I say,I am at a funny age.......!

Bediesathome,I wish I could place you,cos if you were around in the fifties,did you not work down the High Pit also?

We used to also play quoits with cast-off ponies's shoes,at bait-times,underground,cards,pony-jumping over hardwood chocks stacked up to create the fences.......thundering up the mothergate like hell,bare-back,jumping the fences and getting hoyed off.....crackers we were!!...all black and blue,but the conditions were so bad,these games were like stress relievers,though we didn't think that way,at thi time,we were just young and daft!!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Im new to all this but do you have any photos of john caine? He was a councillor and jp and a family member. Or any other info on him. Thanks

Hi Jack B !

Was Joe Caine the same fella,[maybe John was his middle name?..or vice-versa..]?

In the mid-sixties,Joe,who was a real canny fella,used to book my pop/rhythm group,for Labour party social evenings,at the Market-place club.

In fact ,our very first booking ever,was done by him,at that club.

He used to be smiling  all the time you ever saw him.

Stocky-ish,jet-black hair,very amiable-natured fella.

Sorry I don't have any pics,but I'm sure there must be loads in the council archives,newspaper cuttings etc,and I bet John Dawson is the guy who willl be able to help on this one!

[Martyn Bayley]

Hi, just a long shot but anyone here remember Ned and Hanna Livingston who used to  live at 19 Hartford Cres? My Granddad Ned worked down the pit in Bedlington, frequented the 'club' especially on a Sunday lunch time, this was back in the late 50's early 60's.