Oval Shops

[Barton Lad]

I can also remember dog/whippet racing in that location. I think the shops were all built and the racing was on the field in front, which I think now belongs to the school. The hare/rag tethered was attached to an upturn cycle. Some guy turning the wheel like mad, when the white flag was dropped.

I guess racing came to a stop, when the school was built, but not until the Netherton lads won the big money with their dog Rosie, or so the rumour has it. Maybe the police also had a hand in closing down the racing, since betting must have been involved.

I think Netherton had a proper dog track!!!

[the lone ranger]

netherton did have a proper dog racing track . it was in the 1950s .i was one of the trappers .iused to put the dogs into the traps .when it was time to let them out i used to open the trap and off they whent

[doglover]

I remember in the 50's there was an electrical shop which sold TV's and its name was Swabeys My Mam and Dad bought our first ever telly from there I think it was where the hairdressers was next to Don Lynns

[doglover]

Sorry I did'nt realise we had switched topics I was still talking about the Oval Shops

[keith lockey]

Sorry I did'nt realise we had switched topics I was still talking about the Oval Shops

No need to apologise, Dog Lover, it's great to hear about so many different shops and things that happened down around the Oval. I was born in 1956 so I can only remember the shops from about the sixties upwards. There are shops being mentioned here that I never knew. It's sad to see the buildings pulled down but to be honest some of them have been empty for yonks.

Edited July 12, 2013 by keith lockey

[Barton Lad]

As a matter of interest who actually built the Oval shops and the houses. I guess it would before the likes of Bell and Leach were around?

[Orloff]

The Oval shops, houses and most houses including Terrier Close were built by the Council by a novel thing called direct labour, where the Council employed tradesmen directly, - hence the name! This was scrapped by Thatcher's mob, because they reckoned it was better to sub out the work to a private company so that it cost more!!!!!!! Got rid of union members, so that made it OK then!!!!!!

[keith lockey]

AND THEN THERE WAS NONE.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Keith - two points, as you do seem to spend some time in that location with your, with your lens out:-

1) As the other section of the shops has been left standing is it now a hive of industry with the shutters up during the day, or is there just one shop actually open?

2) Sad to see the shops go but I bet the tenants/owners in the now visible street (Kelso Gargens ?) are please with their new view.

Edited July 15, 2013 by Eggy1948

[keith lockey]

Eggy, the three photos I posted are the 'bottom end' shops. Before demolition, during demolition and after demolition.

The ones at the 'top' end are 'secure'. There is Dillon's (Old Straker's shop). Then the next two are ones that have been moved from the bottom shops - Hairdresser's, not sure what the next one is, then there's busy bees, a Tandoori Takeaway and a computer shop, but they are doing fine.

It really is sad to see them go because there are so many memories there.

Kelso garden residents might have a new view but for how long?

Edited July 15, 2013 by keith lockey

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

George Todd started as a young lad at Bedlington Co-op,working with my [eventual ] Brother-in-law,in the mid-1950's.

One day my Mother thought she would try her shopping at the Oval shops,[in the mid-1950's],on the advice of other women who shopped there,to try and save a penny or two.

I remember her coming home crying her heart out,and me being really sad at seeing my usually happy Mother in a distressed state.

She had lost her purse with all her shopping money in it,before getting to the shops.....it contained £5 ! [my Father only brought in about £10 a week pay to keep all six of us in the family-including my parents!].

I raced down to the shops at the Oval,from Hollymount square,on my trusty steed,[my home-made bike made from bits cadged,and other bits from Bar'nt'n

tip!].

Mother's purse was handed in to one of the shops and I brought it home intact,and got loads of big hugs and motherly sloppy kisses!!

Dr's Ivory,and Robertson,originally came from Scotland Gate,[Dr Hickey's surgery],after Dr Hickey moved back to Ireland to retire.

When Dr Robertson passed away,a young Dr John Brown took up the post.

I have held him responsible ,since I was a 17 year-old heavy transport lad down Choppington high pit in 1961,for the continual pain and restricted movement of my neck,after I twisted it while down the pit one day.

I went to the surgery,at the Oval,saw him for the first time,and even though my head was on my shoulder,and my neck was swollen like a water melon,at the side,the pain shooting like lights to my brain,and me nearly passing out,he pulled my head up and down,side to side,roughly,sent me to hospital,for x-rays,and after a couple of weeks,signed me off and said I was fit for work.....FIT FOR WORK!! ...he didn't even know what work was!

I was carrying heavy girders on my shoulder for long distances underground,over rough hewn stoney wet ground,slipping and sliding,making my neck pain so much I used to be sick,but just had to carry on,cos,in those days....Doc was boss!!

Dr's Ivory,Robertson,and Hickey,were our old family doctors,like our old school teachers,who watched all your family grow up,and knew all of the community.

They would never have sent me back to work in so bad a condition,cos they knew what it was like underground,....they were often down there themselves,to treat injured men,or  to certify a fatality.

If anyone can remember Dr Robertson,would they agree that he would have been an excellent stand-in on the movie set,for Clark Gable?...!!

He was the spitting image,complete with tash!

[Colin Lynn]

Don was my cousin (a lovely family man) and his wife was called Joan. If anyone needs further clarification Don's son and daughter (David and Janet) now run the shop on Front Street. I'm fairly certain that the Wakes had a presence at the Oval with Don. Do hope this helps.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Damn!

Where does time go?

I intended ti gaan doon ti tek pics of thi shops,like Keefy did,too late noo!

A was very ill last year,and ain't been aroond that way for yonks...so wat's happenin' noo?

[keith lockey]

I'll take an updated photo, HPW, and put it on site. It certainly isn't the way we remembered it as whippersnappers. Can you recall the barber? Short-back and basin cut!!!! I got a crew cut once...thanks to Jimmy Hunter...and my mam went off it!!! If you eventually get down that way drop me a message and we'll meet up...work permitting!!!

[Symptoms]

Jimmy Hunter???? Was his Dad the bookie?

[keith lockey]

No, Symptoms, I think his dad worked at the Power Station. (He used to drive a monstrous Humber if I remember) Jimmy had two brothers and three sisters. The middle brother, David, was manager of Elliot's Garage before it became a piece of scaffold!!!

[Symptoms]

I met a lad called Hunter, maybe John (but not sure now), at a Derby County v Toon game maybe 20 years ago ... we were guests in the same Executive box at Pride Park.  I'm sure he said he lived in Church Row.  He'd be possibly early to mid 50s now.

[pennylane909]

I used to frequent Dennis' and the paper shop for my weekly Beano and 10p mix up when i was a kid (80s and early 90s)

 

I used to often go to the butchers and wool shop with my old dear too. It was a shock when i walked round there for the first time in years, not too long ago, to see most of the shops had completley gone.

 

It also made me think just how small the shops were because the patch of grass that has replaced it is TINY

 

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

If my memory serves me correctly,I think Bill Hunter was the bookie.....am I right or wrong?..[i'm looking at 1962-ish,when I met my Wife,She was friendly with Him and His Wife,they might  be in thier Eighties noo!]

Hi Penny Lane!..first time I have seen any of your posts..!

Are you a fellow[?] Musician also?....we can start a thread aboot C# 's and B-flat-minor-seventh's...with a sustained fourth......and a diminished ninth.....!!!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Kieth,my friends and me used ti gaan ti Beadnell's,for wa .22 air rifle slugs,and 1/4" square black catapult elastic,in the 1950's.

You were a proper hunter,gaan doon thi woods wi ya catty in ya back pocket,a pocketful o' whin chippings off the road for ammo,ya pea-shooter made from the big "rhubarb" weeds that grew alang thi river,ya other pocket full of Hawthorn pips for pea shutta ammo...,and ya greet big bowie knife in it's leather sheath,hangin' on ya belt...!...at ten or eleven years aad![The air-rifles came a bit later on,aboot 14 years aad...[using big Brother's gun!]

If ye fell off ya bone-shaker,[med oot o' aad pram wheels from Barn'ton tip,and an aad wood plank...],and hurt yasell badly,yi went doon ti see Dr Ivory,and Dr Robertson at "thi Grunds" surgery!]

Kids wadn't naa waat a pea-shutta was,nivvor mind mek one from a weed!

..........and wat aboot thi H&S man....!!!!!!!![He wud freak oot if he saa hoo many kids went doon them woods,fully armed ti the teeth,in...."gangs",[but friendly street gangs]....[groups of friends would be a better description of us scruffy lot!!]

[pennylane909]

If my memory serves me correctly,I think Bill Hunter was the bookie.....am I right or wrong?..[i'm looking at 1962-ish,when I met my Wife,She was friendly with Him and His Wife,they might  be in thier Eighties noo!]

Hi Penny Lane!..first time I have seen any of your posts..!

Are you a fellow[?] Musician also?....we can start a thread aboot C# 's and B-flat-minor-seventh's...with a sustained fourth......and a diminished ninth.....!!!

hi! haha i am yes! We can but i think we might be the only ones joining in!

[keith lockey]

Are you a fellow[?] Musician also?....we can start a thread aboot C# 's and B-flat-minor-seventh's...with a sustained fourth......and a diminished ninth.....!!!

 

That's what my ex-girlfirend said I had, HPW, - a diminished ninth and a flat minor!!!!   

 

On the subject of the woods and air rifles, etc. Me, Jim Hunter & Bob Barron got chased from one end of the woods to the other by a gang of lads with air-rifles!!! We were just coming up the Giant Steps when we bumped into them. They said we'll count to twenty... What they didn't know was the three of us knew them woods like the backs of our hands. They're still looking for us yet. 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Are you a fellow[?] Musician also?....we can start a thread aboot C# 's and B-flat-minor-seventh's...with a sustained fourth......and a diminished ninth.....!!!

 

That's what my ex-girlfirend said I had, HPW, - a diminished ninth and a flat minor!!!!   

 

On the subject of the woods and air rifles, etc. Me, Jim Hunter & Bob Barron got chased from one end of the woods to the other by a gang of lads with air-rifles!!! We were just coming up the Giant Steps when we bumped into them. They said we'll count to twenty... What they didn't know was the three of us knew them woods like the backs of our hands. They're still looking for us yet. 

But now I've found you - Webly 0.22 reloaded - keep looking behind you!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Heh heh! mebbe my 65 year old.22 BSA Airsporter [underlever action],might just shave his whiskers a bit cleaner than the Webley,Eggy!!

Who would have thought all them years ago,that the Webley/Beeza war would still be raging!!

Lets join forces,we gotta find our other marra to mek up that threesome!

Hope the Giant Steps aren't owagraan , Keefy!!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Keith,did you have any older relations who worked at Bedlington aad Pit,in mid 1960's?

A remember a canny young'un on timber-leading,caaled Stevie...but it might have been Locker,not Lockey.......