Puddler's Raa[Row]

[tonyg]

is that man in the back row fourth from the left . PETER BACCI

Edited July 4, 2013 by tonyg

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi all you kind folks on the site here!

Your greetings are really welcomed and appreciated by me!!

I am still recovering.and getting better each day,and as i always maintain...there are a lot of people in the world who are much worse off than any of us..so that helps to perk me up a lot,while i have the deepest sympathy, especially for those poor people where disasters have struck across the globe.

Noo..!....Lone Ranger,a while back,i had you all but pinned down,and gave a lot of reasons and clues as to how i deduced your name,but you never sort of let me know that i was right!

If you check out the Durham mining museum link to fatalities at High Pit,you will find the name of the shunter who was killed at the High Pit in the mid-sixties.

I can remember the lad as vividly as if he was standing next to me now.He was a big stocky lad,wore glasses,and the reason i remember him so well was because....unfortunately,i have to be honest here,we didn't get on very well,before he had his terrible accident.

His name was Ronald[Ronnie] Hunt,and he didn't have the most pleasant nature or attitude towards a lot of people,but he particularly used to have a go at me every time he saw me.

I think it was because i stood out from the crowd with my long hair,and the fact that i was one of those "noisy gew-gaa" players,that was starting to appear in every working men's club in the north-east at that time.

A lot of the old-timers really hated the young rock'n'roll kids,with thier "noisy ampleeefiiaas"...[as they used to say..!]

When i say a lot,it was still a minority,otherwise how did we get return bookings all the time,if we were so bad?!!

Ronnie Hunt was 29 yrs old when he was fatally injured by the truck,but he was an "old man" to us young teenagers,at the time!!

Now i am 70 next year,and i am one of those "old men" who cannot stand a lot of the young kids' music nowadays!!!

I guess every generation has always been the same throughout times gone by.

The only difference is that i like to think i am a bit more tolerant than people like my father was,when was young!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

John,Frankie Barrat was a Deputy when i was at the High Pit,Joe barrat was colliery Overman,Fenwick,["Fen"]Barrat was

the ventilation officer,and Ernie Barrat was one of the "Fivers Men"..a team of specialised workers who could go anywhere and do anything that was asked of them.........for £5 a day.."fivers!"...when the coal fillers had an average of £4-5shillings [85 bob]a day!!

They were a really good team,and very well respected by everybody,but as i grew older and gained more experience,I became one of those "special" men,who was,at other pits,just an ordinary development..["composite"]worker.....

Lone Ranger knows what i mean,cos he was also one of those "Special" Men....and a bloody good one too..am i right Ranger?!!come on,stop keeping me in suspense!

I think there was another Brother,also a Deputy,called Danny,but i am not 100% sure on that one,i could be getting mixed up with another fella i have in mind,maybe Ranger might put me right on that one.

Fen Barratt's Son,Raymond,sat in front of me all the way through our school years,in the days when you used to move en-block from class to higher class each year,with everyone sitting in the same desk position.[from aged 5 years]

He later started down the High pit,but having all his family running the pit,virtually,it was expected that he would be given a "better" job than the other lads like myself,and so he went on "the lines"..his title becoming that of "LINESMAN".

His job was to go down the pit about once or twice a week,with a little jar of white paint,and a paintbrush,drop the Surveyor's strings,sight through two strings to mark off the centre line of a roadway,or coalface,about every 50 yards advance in a roadway,to help the caunchmen,or development workers,to drive the roadways straight as possible.

The Linesmen also struck off [or marked off..] the centre line for a new roadway,or coal face,which was to be won out.

Adam.....if i had nothing else to do in the day,i think i could churn out a book in every month!

But with my commitment to being a full-time carer for my disabled Wife,and all the chores involved,it's been very difficult getting my own life story to the point at which it stands now,awaiting further massive entries to get it finished!!

Notice what time every one of my comments have been posted!![by the time i sit down at the end of my normal day,it's

always approaching midnight!!]

[the lone ranger]

hello hpw thank you for your compliment about being a good composite worker and a drifter developer .i enjoyed every day of working in the mines . i would do the same again if i had my time to live again .. later on i went to college at ashington to sit for my deputies tickets . you seem to know my name other than the lone ranger . if you post it and you are right i will admit it

[johndawsonjune1955]

John,Frankie Barrat was a Deputy when i was at the High Pit,Joe barrat was colliery Overman,Fenwick,["Fen"]Barrat was

the ventilation officer,and Ernie Barrat was one of the "Fivers Men"..a team of specialised workers who could go anywhere and do anything that was asked of them.........for £5 a day.."fivers!"...when the coal fillers had an average of £4-5shillings [85 bob]a day!!

They were a really good team,and very well respected by everybody,but as i grew older and gained more experience,I became one of those "special" men,who was,at other pits,just an ordinary development..["composite"]worker.....

Lone Ranger knows what i mean,cos he was also one of those "Special" Men....and a bloody good one too..am i right Ranger?!!come on,stop keeping me in suspense!

I think there was another Brother,also a Deputy,called Danny,but i am not 100% sure on that one,i could be getting mixed up with another fella i have in mind,maybe Ranger might put me right on that one.

Fen Barratt's Son,Raymond,sat in front of me all the way through our school years,in the days when you used to move en-block from class to higher class each year,with everyone sitting in the same desk position.[from aged 5 years]

He later started down the High pit,but having all his family running the pit,virtually,it was expected that he would be given a "better" job than the other lads like myself,and so he went on "the lines"..his title becoming that of "LINESMAN".

His job was to go down the pit about once or twice a week,with a little jar of white paint,and a paintbrush,drop the Surveyor's strings,sight through two strings to mark off the centre line of a roadway,or coalface,about every 50 yards advance in a roadway,to help the caunchmen,or development workers,to drive the roadways straight as possible.

The Linesmen also struck off [or marked off..] the centre line for a new roadway,or coal face,which was to be won out.

Adam.....if i had nothing else to do in the day,i think i could churn out a book in every month!

But with my commitment to being a full-time carer for my disabled Wife,and all the chores involved,it's been very difficult getting my own life story to the point at which it stands now,awaiting further massive entries to get it finished!!

Notice what time every one of my comments have been posted!![by the time i sit down at the end of my normal day,it's

always approaching midnight!!]

Thanks m8 good info. I also knew an Eddie Meins. He went to Whittle Colliery eventually and a deputy. Canny fella and a good friend of the Dawson family he was.

[the lone ranger]

hello h.p.w i have read all your posts .all the names you have mentshiond about minors at choppington b colliery i knew all of them due to you complimenting about my work saying i was bloody good at my job . i am going to give you a hint to my name .brian b,,ford one day i might get your name .

[burr]

Tony G - re your earlier question about the Green families in Stead Lane.

65 Stead lane was occuppied by brothers Billy Green and Rufus (Buster) Green.

Billy possibly ran a boot repair business next to the clock tower in Oldgate, Morpeth. Rufus was believe it or not a roofer who worked at the A pit.

63 Stead Lane was occuppied by Daniel Green and his daughter Blanche. Daniel worked at West Sleekburn colliery.

Been reading this thread with interest and the list of names living around the Bank Top area is very interesting, having lived around there myself and also traced some previous lines of my family back to there. However I believe the above is slightly incorrect, I have connections to 65 Stead Lane and Billy Green used to live at number 63. I don't think 65 housed Daniel either, I knew the name of the previous owners of 65 but can't recall it now, but it definitely wasn't Green, unless it changed hands between the Greens and the current owners. Got some of this information from the Gallons at 71 as mentioned on the list earlier.

Just realised the thread hasn't been updated for months, I just found it when googling Puddler's Row. Very nice to see the old pictures of Bedlington around the station and the pit, thanks to those who have posted them.

[Orloff]

I remember the Gallons 'cause our garden backed on to the side of theirs, well a bit of their garden at least. I remember their dog Prince he was a Rough Collie and every Saturday he used to come to our back door to get a cup cake from my mam,

[tullybrone]

Hi,

I started this message on its own topic thread earlier today nut have ben advised to attach it to this thread as it mentions Phoenix Row.....

"I'm looking for some help in working out which Bedlington colliery my relatives worked at pre 1914.

On the 1911 census my great uncle Peter Devlin, born Workington, Cumberland, 1893 is living at 1 Phoenix Row, Bedlington Station lodging with a Wills family, employed as a Coal Miner (Putter) Underground. There are some 50 Workington born people in Bedlington on the census.

He was joined by his widowed mother and youngest brother Frank Devlin, born 1897, later that year after his brother left school. Frank joined him to work at a local pit.

Frank enlisted in 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers in May 1914, aged 16 years. He was killed in action with 1st NF at Bazentin Le Grand, Somme, France Friday 14th July 1916, aged 18 years.

Peter enlisted in 1st Battalion Tyneside Scottish (20th NF) in October 1914. He was killed in action at La Boisselle, Somme, France Saturday 1st July 1916, aged 23 years.

I have recently obtained the soldiers will made by Frank Devlin in January 1915 before he went to France with 2nd NF. He gives his mothers address as 13 Clayton Street, Bedlington Station.

The 1911 census shows a Front and Back Clayton Street. I think they were close to Phoenix Row as they are listed on consecutive pages.

I know that miners homes were in effect "tied cottages" so I am hoping that someone will be able to help me with the ownership of the Phoenix Row and Clayton Street houses and perhaps be able to narrow it down to a colliery where my relatives would have been working before they joined the army.

They are commemorated on a memorial at St Bede's RC Church, Bedlington.

I'd appreciate any assistance.

Thanks.

Steve Y,

Maghull,

Merseyside"

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Contributors

236 posts

Posted 05 June 2013 - 01:14 PM

HIGH PIT WILMA, on 05 June 2013 - 12:10 AM, said:

Anybody noticed hoo once a get wound up,a tek sum stopping!!

A write like a taak.....!Sorry if aav hogged the channel....[C.B.-speak...circa 1981!]

Now just listen here Wilma, just keeping getting wound up. There are loads, like 'tonyg' and me, that were turned away from the pits by parents that enjoy the stories. You should move off this Puddlers Raw topic and start a Pit Story page. I have one uncle left alive, born 1937, that worked at the pits, ended up at Bates, but has always lived in Choppington since getting married. Must be loads of good reading. I had a mate at the 'A' pit that they us to say - who's that little lad lad on the end of that cxxk?

I just copied and pasted this comment above,and i bet the little lad was either D.B. Senior,or his

Son,also D.B. junior!

0 .Back to top

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi Lone Ranger!

I'm pleased you have confirmed who you are,cos i already knew when i first saw your comments donkeye's ago!!

Didn't you remember that i asked if you still mended watches?,and also i asked if you still had your wee spirit level in your pocket,and did i not ask if you knew that your old marra Bob Keel., passed away?[i was looking for you at Bob's funeral,and thought you musn't have known..]

As regards my name,you got it here now!! Wilma was the nickname that everybody at Choppington High Pit

knew me by,nobody knew my real name,except the pay office staff![Keith Cooney -deceased..R.I.P. gave me that knickname cos i had long wet straggly hair,doon the pit,and he said i looked like Wilma,off the Flintstones!...and it stuck!]

But in latter years,as a young pit Deputy,in 1973,i was driving the backdrift doon ti thi 3/4 seam,where you and Bob K.and me all met up again.

My real name is Bill A.....n,and i chucked deputy-work in,just as you went onto the job,so at first,i was in charge of you,then,occasionally,you were in charge of me!!

But my vivid and lasting memories of you are,as i already said before,doon thi high pit,when i was only a 16 year-old laddie,on transport,with John Dickinson,and John Wardlow,in stinking conditions,

and deaing a heavy ,man's work,for a laddie's pay.

You were friendly and learn't me a lot aboot thi ways of pitwark,apart from just general cracking on,aboot cars,bikes,watches,and ivrything else under the sun!

It was very daunting for a young laddie ti be thrust from a school desk,inti them conditions,so when thi lads accepted yi inti thi fold,as you,and other lads did,it made the tasks a lot easier ti face!

So noo that a naa,aam pleased ti be cracking back wi yi again.....53 yeors lata!!

Cheers B.!

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

First time I have come across a map with Puddlers Road on. Found it in 'Bedlington Extensive Urban Survey – Page 48

http://www.northumbe...x?page=5907#EUS :-

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

First time I have come across a map with Puddlers Road on. Found it in 'Bedlington Extensive Urban Survey – Page 48

http://www.northumbe...x?page=5907#EUS :-

Top right section on the edge.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Eggy1948

[norman]

With reference to Puddlers Lane My family moved into Coquetdale Place when it was first built, there was nothing but fields all around, Stead Lane actually ran from the junction where Muters house was to where the Terrier was then there was fields for about a quarter of a mile then Steadlane ran on until it met Puddlers Lane. When we were lads one of the one of our tests was to be able to ride our bikes up Horsey Hill anat the toponthe other side of the road was Puddlers Lane. Raisebecks buses used to run down Stead Lane to the station and the United used to go down the other road to the station.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi Lone Ranger,again,hope you are keeping well,it's Dec. 1st today,and i'm wondering if you can mind o'

thi time when we were driving thi 1-in-2 drift up ti thi Beaumont back road,from the 1-in-4 3/4seam

back drift.

Three quarters of thi way up,we were getting bad shots,and thi next time it was drilled oot and stannin' ti fire,you said,Bill,load the ******s up,and let's get sum gud shots this time......!

[i was your deputy at thi time...remember?]

So i loaded the shot up wi Polar Ajax,and fired....

We got gud shots that day....and I blew three girders oot,and had ti gaan ti see Auld Blue,thi Undermanager.!![it took three days ti put the roadway reet,but it was Waitie's fault,a had asked for days,for a carload o' sleepers,and got none....so that was the result of a shortage of timber....not me loading the sods up!]

A can still picture ye putting a line on for the girder leg,.....ya tape measure,ya chaak,and ya string wi thi wee 2-0inch lang spirit level....ti get the 1-in-2 lift,ti keep on gradient.......

Tha wus a lot of ingenuity had ti be done and learn't,ti be a miner,more than the average layman would understand!![ye canna see through a thousand foot deep solid strata,like engineer's can on the surface,

so ye have ti depend on white painted surveyor's lines on the girders,then put your own lines on,to make sure you are driving a roadway in the right direction and at the right gradient...!]

Come on Brian,hae ye still got ya auld pit waistcoat yit?

A hope ye have checked oot me Bates Pit photostream on Flickr.

Cheers Brian.

Bill

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

I have been reliably informed that the streets which were located around the 'Bank Top' area were as follows -

Starting at what used to be Joe Jennings farm and shop including Mansion House now possibly 'Smiles' was Glassey Terrace. The first 7 houses were originally named Howard Terrace but the name was changed to Glassey Terrace as a result of misdirected mail as another Howard Terrace existed in Netherton.

Families living in Glassey Tce in the 1940s/1950s were -

1 - Storey

2 - Jobson

3 - Storey

4 - Watson

5 - Tait

6 -

7 - Hedley

8 - Moscrop

9 - Proudlock

10 - Hedley

11 - Andrews

12 - Brown

13 - Gregg

14 - Morton

15 - Gibson

16 - Wonford

Next came the Bank Top Hotel(opened in 1903) Landlord J McKenna.

To the left of the Bank Top pub was a row of about 4 cottages occupied by families McSparron, Cole and Thompson. These cottages were next to the Puddlers Arms which contained flats occupied by Bell, McGregor, Miller , Rooney. These were also known as Craggs Buildings. This collection of homes including the Puddlers Arms were eventually cleared to make way for what is now River View Close.

Continuing away from the Bank Top was River View -

1 - Turnbull

2 - Scoular

3 - Patterson

4 - Dodds

5 -

6 -

7 -

8 -

9 - Stanners

10 - Metcalfe

11 - Tipple

12 - Dawson

13 - Mood

14 - Hall

15 - Short

16 - Fenwick

17 -

18 -

19 - Douglas

20 - Coe

Staying on the right hand side of the road next came 'Puddlers Row'. These houses ran as far as number 2 Stead Lane across the area at the top of what is now Tomlea Avenue where the cottages are.

Families in Puddlers Row approx mid 1950s (some show numerous or duplicate names as families moved or swapped houses)-

1 - McGarry/McAndrews

2 - Donohoe

3 - McCafferty

4 - Conomy

5 - Noon/Odonnell/Tellum

6 - Thain/Furness

7 - Neary

8 - Mullarkey/Smallman

9 - Bellerby

10 -Carey

11 - Murphy/Bolam

12 - Nicholson

13 - Weatheritt

14 - Kelly/Snowdon

15 - Kinghorn/McCafferty

16 - Oliver

17 - Birch/Mulholland/Mole

18 - Easton/Craze

19 - Smallman/Walker/McCafferty

20 - Mullarkey/Earl

These houses led onto Stead Lane with the even numbers on the right as you headed towards Bedlington and the odd numbers (Doyles Shop side)on the left.

I also have an almost complete list of families for Stead Lane if anyone wants them posted.

Please note the information was compiled by my Father (who is now 84 years old and has lived at the Bank Top all his life)and a few old family friends whose names appear in the lists of families. I cannot comment on their accuracy or the exact dates as no records were used only 'grey matter' and memories.

Reedy - can't remember if this photo has been posted on this site before. It was posted on the sixtownships history site a couple of days ago and an ex Bedlington resident, Sarah Moore (now living abroad and I don't know if that is maiden or married name) added some comments that made me remember the list you posted on behalf of your dad. This is what she said :- 

Sarah Moore That is Liddles Yard .Cruddas,s shop on the corner.Two sisters ran it one Cruddas the other Williamson. i used to tick my sweets on here when I was a dot and use everybodys coupons up .It wasnt a post office at that time.I dont know how I still have my teeth.I was born at no.13 in November 1945 but I still have a few good memories of living there.The big house on the left wasnt there when I was a toddler but,me and my cousin Carol McSparron used to play tea parties on the base of it.I also remember the bad winter of ,47 especially the men getting off the bus from Blyth at the Bank Top and pushing it because it got stuck even though it had chains on the wheels. I know some people wont believe that I can remember that far back but,I can.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Tullybrone,naebody's thought ti say hoo much respect and admiration your relations,as well all the other young lads,deserve,for the ultimate sacrifice

they gave,so we cud be sitting here in comfort reading about it.

Probably the houses were owned by the "Bedlington Coal Company",not sure,but probably were.

Anybody got any positive info on this matter?

[Peter Turner]

My Grandfather Ernest William Turner was born at 9 Puddlers Row, Bank Top, Bedlington Station in 1921. 

I am involved in researching and compiling my family history, and would love to see any photos of Puddlers (Raa).

I searched the Woodhorn Archives for a photo but couldn't find any. 

If anyone has one can you send it to -  peterturner191068.pt@gmail.com

Regards

 

Peter Turner

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Peter Turner - never seen a photo of Puddlers Row on this site, or the Facebook group sites for Bedlington.

I would assume that in your research you will have found the name Puddlers Row on the old maps eg. 1921 (published 1924)  http://maps.nls.uk/view/102346626 & 1938 (published 1947) http://maps.nls.uk/view/101028540 

I have no proof of this but I am sure I have read, somewhere, that the piece of grassed land that's in front of the Tomlea Avenue cottages is where Puddlers Row was sited.

 

 

[Peter Turner]

I think you could be right on the location of Puddlers Row. 

Thanks for the map. 

My Great, Great Grandfather (Ernest Pulling Turner) lived with his family at Staithes Quay, Bank top, Bedlington Station. It was located down by the waters edge of the river Blyth.

These were slum dwellings, and he was living there on the 1911 census. I've also tried finding a photo of this place. Can anyone help?. 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

5 hours ago, Peter Turner said:

My Great, Great Grandfather (Ernest Pulling Turner) lived with his family at Staithes Quay, Bank top, Bedlington Station. It was located down by the waters edge of the river Blyth.

These were slum dwellings, and he was living there on the 1911 census. I've also tried finding a photo of this place. Can anyone help?. 

Can't say I've stumbled across 'Staithes Quay' but I've never delved into any of the census. It seems to contradict itself - Staithes Quay & Bank Top but never seen anything to say what the full extent of he the 'Bank Top area' was.

There is an 'Old Staith', on the Bedlington side of the river, marked on the old 1922 map.

The only photos I have seen of the 'Old Staith' area are the ones of the railway bridge. There are some properties on the left as you look under the bridge but never seen them identified anywhere :-

The wooden railway bridge was replaced in 1929.

Edited July 16, 2017 by Eggy1948

[Peter Turner]

That's a great picture of the Wooden Bridge. The property's you mention unfortunately is not Staith Quay. The location is along the river, looking eastwards. A bus company has a yard there now, and previously I think it was a factory. 

The original location is sutuated just below the car road bridge on the Spine Rd. When driving southbound it would be on your left , just as you start to drive over the bridge. 

Regards

 

Peter

[Peter Turner]

All four photographs of Puddlers Row, Bank top, Bedlington were kindly sent to me by Mr Jack Earl. He was born at number 20 Puddlers Row in 1939. 

Jack contacted me through a request for photos of Puddlers Row in the local history magazine ' Creeful of Coals. 

Many thanks to Jack for the only photo I've ever seen of Puddlers Row. 

http://acreefulofcoals.simplesite.com/

Edited August 6, 2017 by Peter Turner

[Canny lass]

This Puddler’s Row has had me perplexed for a while. I’ve also had relatives living here but that was long before it popped up on the 1922 map. It’s taken a while to dig around in the old maps but I’ve now found an earlier Puddler’s Row in Bedlington Station, roughly where Melrose Avenue is today. Here is the history as far back as I’ve been able to trace it so far.

1859: Puddler’s Row appears as a row of houses, running north south and to the west of the old wagon way sidings. It is situated to the north of the Bank Top area and to the right hand side of the main road. The Bank Top area is undeveloped at this time.

1865: Showing a larger area. Note that on the map above it’s Pudler’s row and on the map below it’s Puddler’s Row but it is the same Row. The Bank Top area is still undeveloped.

1871: Puddler’s Row appears on the 1871 census for the “Village of Bank Top” which consisted of .

 ( north to south running towards the bank top):

“Bank Top cottages (1-4)

Wood Row (numbers 1-15)

Puddlers Arms

WoodRow (numbers 16-53)

Puddlers Row (1-21)

Browns Cottage”

and clearly moving across to the Furnace Bank area:

“Iron Works

Bedlington Hall

Staith Quay

Mill Bank”

So, it appears that the recently discussed Staith Quay also belonged to the ‘Village of Bank Top”.

1898: The former Puddler’s Row is still shown but without a name. The old wagon way is still visible. A new Puddler’s Row appears running east west and facing Puddler’s Road. The area of Jubilee- and Melrose Terrace is undeveloped.

Continued in next post.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Canny lass

[Canny lass]

 

1922 (Eggy’s map): The former site of the old wagonway has now been developed, to include Jubilee- and Melrose Terrace.  The ‘new’ Puddlers Row, fronting onto Puddler’s Road, runs east-west south of the Bank Top Hotel (opened 1903).

 Directly to the north of the hotel and south of Jubilee Terrace, where the former old wagon way turns off towards the old staith, is a smaller row, here named Back Row. This is very possibly the former Pudler’s Row shown in 1865.

 Two new developments appear on the left of the main road and to the north of the Bank Top Hotel. Front Row appears, adjacent to the Bank Top Hotel, and at its northern end, next to Jubilee Terrace, is the Mansion House (named on 1961 map).

1938: Back Row disappears from the map. Puddler’s Road has been renamed Stead Lane so the ‘new’ Puddlers Row, running east west, now faces Stead Lane.

1947: The old wagonway has now become a footpath leading to the old staith and Front Row is clearly seen between the Bank Top Hotel and Jubilee Terrace.

1961: Here, we can see that the row to the south of Mansion House, previously named Front Row, now has two names. The northern part, nearest the station, is now called Glassey Terrace while the southern part, nearest the bank Top Hotel, is now called Howard Terrace. I think somebody mentioned this previously. The line of the old wagon way is still clearly visible, forming the north east boundary of the Melrose housing.

It seems the original Puddler’s Row was situated behind Melrose Avenue. It also seems to have been there in 1922 and possibly still in use.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Canny lass