Free Woods Bandstand

[Alan Lockey]

Just wondering if anyone out there has any pictures of the Bandstand that used to be on the grassed area near the furnace bridge....opposite the Halfpenny woods. Ive hunted hi and lo for shots of this, but cant find any anywhere. It used to be quite popular in the 60's, mainly with the salvation army playing, but i do remember a group playing there once, and it was very busy, and very noisy.

ALSO, can anyone tell me when the bandstand was demolished ?

[Keith Scantlebury]

The motor club once had a bbq down there and had a group using the bandstand.

[Symptoms]

Alan - try here:

http://www.bedlington.co.uk/community/gallery/image/877-1961-bandstand-bedlington/

and here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelockeys/sets/72157624981442025/

and here:

http://www.bedlington.co.uk/community/topic/2534-band-stand/

[keith lockey]

I think my brother means the one that was at the bottom of the Furnace Bank. There was a small circular bandstand there. The attached photo shows you the area where it used to stand.

[Alan Lockey]

Thanks Symptoms. Ironically, the shot's that youve put in your attachment are actually my shot's that i took a couple of years back. It's kinda chuffed me that theyve made google images :-))))) I'ts the one at the furnace bank that i'm more interested in. I / WE spent many a happy day playing in and around the bandstand, and it would be great to find a few...even one...shot of it.

[James]

Unfortunately the quality of this photo of the "Seven Sisters" is poor but you should be able to see the bandstand behind the tree on the extreme left (the seventh sister!).

The photo taken from the "hairpin bend†with the Ha'penny Woods on the left and the Free Woods on the right. I believe that sometime in the late 1960's the "Seven Sisters†were cut down and the bandstand demolished.

The poem on the post card was written by Gladys Laws who lived in Bedlington and this particular poem was included in a book of her poetry called "Gems of the Heart†published in 1964.

[Brett]

What an informative first post.

Welcome to the site James

[Keith Scantlebury]

Agree with Brett, welcome James. Pretty sure the bandstand and the 7 sisters Poplar trees were still arround in the 70's though. I think the trees succumed to wind damage and mebe finaly dissapeared during the miners strike in the early 80's......... certainly around after the 60's anyway

[keith lockey]

I agree with my namesake. I used to play down the woods everyday practically in the 60s & 70s and the Seven Sisters were still there. Wind damage rings a bell as well. (PS welcome to the site James.)

[James]

Keith has pointed out that the date I gave for the demolition of the bandstand is incorrect.

Evan Martin's book "BEDLINGTON IRON & ENGINE WORKS 1736 - 1867" has some information at the end of the book that seems to indicate it was demolished in 1974. At the end of his book he he summarised the events that took place in the area following the closure of the Ironworks in 1867. The following information is taken directly from the book -

1906 - Last chimney (that of the engineworks) felled.

1936 - Old ironworks cottages near Bank Top demolished.

1959 - Remaining works building cleared, and park made with with impressive bandstand predominant.

1972 - Bandstand wrecked, park overgrown, water pools stagnant. A retreat for stray dogs and dumpers of old prams.

1974 - Bedlington Council has performed a cleaning up operation and "the seclusion and loveliness of the spot" has returned.

[John Fox (foxy)]

Old postcard

[Keith Scantlebury]

Keith has pointed out that the date I gave for the demolition of the bandstand is incorrect.

Evan Martin's book "BEDLINGTON IRON & ENGINE WORKS 1736 - 1867" has some information at the end of the book that seems to indicate it was demolished in 1974. At the end of his book he he summarised the events that took place in the area following the closure of the Ironworks in 1867. The following information is taken directly from the book -

1906 - Last chimney (that of the engineworks) felled.

1936 - Old ironworks cottages near Bank Top demolished.

1959 - Remaining works building cleared, and park made with with impressive bandstand predominant.

1972 - Bandstand wrecked, park overgrown, water pools stagnant. A retreat for stray dogs and dumpers of old prams.

1974 - Bedlington Council has performed a cleaning up operation and "the seclusion and loveliness of the spot" has returned.

I knew it was around beyond the '60's because I left school in '71 and it was still around for a year or two after that. I think that the 1972 statement is a bit of an exaggeration. We know the place succumed to some vandalism ( the scourge of the '70's), but I dont think it was as extreme as that statement suggests. I know that there was some issue with rubbish being tipped over from the houses etc above the free side, that was addressed. The river suffered a bit with junk thrown in from the bridges, (not just the furnace bridge) as did the Wansbeck and the Coquet. I have always been very proud of Bedlingtons "rural" retreats from Plessey to Humford to Atlee Park and all the way down to the Kitty Brewster bridge and Granary Point. Yes, they did suffer spells of Pollution (from the factories) and vandalism. The latter continues with the wrecking of the picnic tables AND NCC's refusal to gut the grass, claiming that it is their "grow wild" conservation area. (at the Bank top)

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Just wondering if anyone out there has any pictures of the Bandstand that used to be on the grassed area near the furnace bridge....opposite the Halfpenny woods. Ive hunted hi and lo for shots of this, but cant find any anywhere. It used to be quite popular in the 60's, mainly with the salvation army playing, but i do remember a group playing there once, and it was very busy, and very noisy.

ALSO, can anyone tell me when the bandstand was demolished ?

Alan - thought this would be rather easy for me, with a couple of relatives having lived around the Bank Top and the Oval for years, and still do. As kids, say 8 to 14 years, we lived down there. As yet no trace of anyone having a photo. Meeting older relatives in a couple of weeks and the subject will be discussed. So still only the picture from [http://www.bedlingto...y3/37/index.htm attachment=2855:Bandstand_Free_side.jpg]

[Reedy]

Part of my Dad's collection is this picture of the start of the 'Free Woods'.

You can see the bandstand over the grassed area.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Part of my Dad's collection is this picture of the start of the 'Free Woods'.

You can see the bandstand over the grassed area.

Your dad will be Alan Lockey's hero if that old pic has a date on the back? Alan still trying to work out when it was built, and demolished. Edited June 5, 2013 by Eggy1948

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

The pylon above on the left,gives a bit idea of the time slot when the pic was taken["start of the free woods"].

They were being built from the late fifties,through to the 'sixties.[a bit of useless information...!]