On 8/7/2017 at 18:53, Dawn said:

I've recently joined and found this old post, just incase you're still interested I took a photo of a dance card belonging to MIL Mother. This was above the Co-op, is this the mystery hall?

 

@Dawn - the Bedlington Station one on Station Road above the co-op was the Reay Hall, and the last I noticed it was Yates Evolution Gym & Tanning Centre.

The one you have the dance card for, the Locke Hall, was on Front Street East - no longer exists.

Edited August 8, 20178 yr by Eggy1948

I remember going to Clarence Cooper's prize bingo in the Locke Hall with me Mam. 

A bit late, but welcome to the clan, Dawn!!

I'm wondering if you are Dawn the "Vampire",who my Wife and Myself see often!

On 09/08/2017 at 21:58, webtrekker said:

I remember going to Clarence Cooper's prize bingo in the Locke Hall with me Mam. 

Did  Cooper's also  used to have the bingo on Glebe road ? I think I can remember one of the sons, was it the same family of Cooper's that lived at the showman's guild trailer site that used to be behind the Travellers pub ( Wally's ) at Scotland-gate

Looks like the family may still be in the bingo business

https://www.addressesandpostcodes.co.uk/address/ch-SX2H7k7t/clarence-cooper-co-limited-the-pavillion-bingo-15-main-street-ferryhill-dl17-8la.html

7 hours ago, moe19 said:

Did  Cooper's also  used to have the bingo on Glebe road ? I think I can remember one of the sons, was it the same family of Cooper's that lived at the showman's guild trailer site that used to be behind the Travellers pub ( Wally's ) at Scotland-gate

 

See the last comment, by webtrekker, in this Gallery item :- 

 

On 13/11/2016 at 21:41, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

Checked on the Facebook sixtownships site and John Dawson, courtesy of Gordon Smith (historian and author from Blyth), had been given what looks like the photo used in the newspaper cutting :-

The Statesmen that changed their name to the Olympics I am estimating would be early 60s when I operated the coloured bulbs. Can't remember where it was but could have been their first ever gig, at a youth club, and for some reason Netherton keeps jumping out. If I ever see John Cavaghan, lead singer, again I will ask him - think he was an electrician at the pit and he wired up the bulbs, & switch to the plank. I lived next door to John, Coquetdale Place and Peter Dean lived across from us in Fontburn Road. 

This Olympics photo, posted in Bygone Bedlington, by Nicola Cook with the date 63-64./    

That’s my grandad, John Cavagin. He used to tell me stories about when he was in the band when I was younger, I remember him saying that they used to play in the YMCA often. 

13 hours ago, azacavagin17 said:

That’s my grandad, John Cavagin. He used to tell me stories about when he was in the band when I was younger, I remember him saying that they used to play in the YMCA often. 

@azacavagin17 they did practice often in the YMCA at Bedlington station. Your granda John was a couple of years older than me and he lived next door to us in Coquetdale Place.

I remember the bands first gigg and I think it was your granda (electrician?) who connected four coloured light bulbs to aa slab of wood and added an extension cable with an on-off switch. I sat under a table, covered by a cloth, and operated the switch = off and on to the beat/rythm of the song the band was playing. The band bought me my first under age pint of a Blank and Tan. I can't be sure of the venue of this first gigg that would have been 1964, or 65, but I thnk it might have been netherton Colliery or the Top End of Bedlington.  

I know the band were riginally named the Statesmen but can't remember when they changed to the Olympics -  (to me).

 

Just remembered your granda's son fitted my kitchen when we were living in cramlington. Think it would have been in the 1990's and the two of them, I think, were living in Millbank Road. 

Edited July 4, 20242 yr by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

I’m unsure of when they changed their name unfortunately but that will have been my Dad that fitted your kitchen 😆

3 hours ago, azacavagin17 said:

I’m unsure of when they changed their name unfortunately but that will have been my Dad that fitted your kitchen 😆