List Of Pubs And Clubs - Bedlington District

[Tonyp]

Reedy think I mentioned this before but there was the welfare park club which got burnt down they used to sell horrible worthington E. there is the cricket club which still sells alcohol 🍺 & the community centre which was behind the sun I also think there was a Glaxo club near the cemetery,maybe wrong on that one.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

13 hours ago, Tonyp said:

Reedy think I mentioned this before but there was the welfare park club which got burnt down they used to sell horrible worthington E. there is the cricket club which still sells alcohol 🍺 & the community centre which was behind the sun I also think there was a Glaxo club near the cemetery,maybe wrong on that one.

@Tonyp - The Glaxo social club was next to the Ridge Farm pub. The Ridge Farm pub is now the Co-op  and a Vets and  where the Glaxo club was is now houses =The Chase.

 

Edited March 10, 2020 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Tonyp]

Cheers Alan wasn't sure 

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Canny lass - on the Northumberland communities site is a document from the Parson & White Trade Directory - 1827 - and it lists :- The Free Masons, Ralph Oliver. 

https://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/004894.htm

https://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/Communities.htm = all the towns it covers.

Edited March 12, 2020 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Canny lass]

Now that's a turn up for the books! Well done! It clearly went on to be called the Mason's Arms at some time before 1861 when it's named in the census. Something that's struck me as odd over the years is the number of Bedlington publicans who appear to have had a second string to their fiddle, so to speak. 1851 there's a shoemaker/innkeeper (I'm not sure which pub but somewhere between the market place and last house at the east end of the town on the north side of the road). Same year we also had  at the Black Bull - innkeeper/cooper, and at the Sun Inn - Innkeeper/blacksmith. 1861 the Traveller's Rest had a  Beer Housekeeper/labourer. Clearly, selling beer hasn't always been the lucrative profession it is  today.

There's also a Swan Inn. I've never heard of that one.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 12/03/2020 at 16:33, Canny lass said:

There's also a Swan Inn. I've never heard of that one.

me neither.

[Symptoms]

Tonyp's earlier post about the vile Worthington E muck got me thinking about a challenge ...

That impressive list of boozers elsewhere on this thread could be complimented by naming the breweries that owned them;  I know that it'll be impossible to do it for many of them 'cos the old fellas that supped in them are long gone but I'll make a start.

The Railway Tavern = Vaux (that vile Mackem stuff)

I suppose the Clubs were a type of 'free house' so were able to sell stuff other that Federation Ales.  I know there was a Cameron pub (that Smoggie stuff) but can't recall the name of the pub and of course loads of Scottish & Newcastle ones (Blue Star).

Go on ... you've got nowt else to do with your time at the moment.

[Symptoms]

As to Canny's confusion over "... publicans who appear to have had a second string to their fiddle ...".  I recall reading years ago that many of the original ale houses were in private dwelling and that the wife of the main breadwinner would brew some jugs of ale* for immediate family.  This expanded into to offering the ale to others for a price ... of course this brew had to be consumed soon after being made as it went off (this was before the use of hops to extend the life {and taste} of the ale). So perhaps this activity was formalised and acknowledged in census records. 

*remember back then that the drinking of water tended to be avoided in case you got ill (likely) and that ale drinking was seen as being a safe option.

[Tonyp]

Hi Symptoms long time since we've spoke hope your potatoes still cooking well in your spoon of oil🤔 I'm living in the land of Viktor Orban, don't think my mate mr Lavery would be impressed with that. Anyway remember the Howard arms was a Vaux pub Lorimers scotch on offer there rank the Sun & The Monkey were Cameron's Hartlepool brewer didn't like there strongarm & when Betty Stewart had the Northumberland arms it was a whitbread house unusual for a pub in Northumberland I believe but the worst beer in my opinion was Newcastle Amber ale it tasted like rats p*** anyway symptoms nice to see your about 

[Canny lass]

On 02/04/2020 at 21:29, Symptoms said:

As to Canny's confusion over "... publicans who appear to have had a second string to their fiddle ...".  I recall reading years ago that many of the original ale houses were in private dwelling and that the wife of the main breadwinner would brew some jugs of ale* for immediate family. 

Thanks for that Symptoms. I've wondered what might be the difference between a Public House and a Beer House. That could well be it but most of those I mentioned above were public houses where the landlords occupation was given as innkeeper plus one other occupation. Maybe the beer houses were taking away their trade.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

 

On 08/03/2020 at 20:41, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@Canny lass - checked the other photos that have been posted on the various groups  but can't make out the sign above the door

 

 

On 09/03/2020 at 09:54, Canny lass said:

Great photos! In the second of them I think it says Masons Arms. I'm pretty sure about the word Arms and that the first word also ends with the letter s. The first word is also marginally longer than the second. Not a lot to go on but better than nothing. What I find more interesting is the medallion on the wall above the sign. Looking at the shape it reminds me of the present day Freemasons sign:

 

I don't know when the photo was taken but according to census records from 1851 through 1891 the occupation of 'mason' crops up quite freqeuntly. Not so surprising as Bedlington had a quarry or two. I do know that the Stonemason's Guild eventually became the society of Freemasonry. Did they take over this sign from the Stonemasons Guild? Anybody with connections to the Freemasons who can help out here?

@Canny lass - page 109 of the Bedlingtonshire Remembered book :-

[Canny lass]

Another mystery solved!

[Symptoms]

Here's a plan for the Mechanics Institute ... I think I downloaded it off the Northumberland Communities site.

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

2 hours ago, Symptoms said:

Here's a plan for the Mechanics Institute ... I think I downloaded it off the Northumberland Communities site.

 

Info on the Northumberland Communities site is :-

 

Do I recall someone saying The Mechanics Institute was next to/behind The Sun Inn and was extended to become the Community Centre? 

[Symptoms]

Alan - It was up 'the grassy knoll' behind the War Memorial so your photo above is correct but the building I remember as the Mechanics Institute was behind what is now the Community Centre (perhaps it was an extension of the CC).  I recall an open yard behind the building in the photo and a single height building which was the Institute;  so, it formed a sort of L-shape with what's now the CC ... perhaps, both building formed the Inst.  

As lads in the mid-1960s we explored Bedders looking for mischief and once got into the old Institute.  As it was a sinle storey there was a hole in the roof (the tiles had been removed) so we climbed up and dropped into the place ... It hadjust been abandoned!!!  There were full sized snooker tables covered in dust, tables and chairs, a mahogany bar, mirrored shelves, etc.  It was if they'd been supping the night before and just left it.  Very strange.  I recall another poster here some years ago talking about this too. 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

19 hours ago, Symptoms said:

..........  I recall another poster here some years ago talking about this too. 

Found the other post - by @Cympil - Feb 2010 - History Hollow - under the Title of 'Workhouse.

I started a new album - 'Old photos of Bedlington 2' under the Historic Bedlington section and I will probably create an entry for the  Mechanics Institute in that album and the photos and info into it.

@Andy Millne - can't remember what access I created to the album - Historic Bedlington>old Photos of Bedlington 2. I meant to create it so that every member could use the 'Add Images' option. Thought I would be able to check it out, and change if necessary, but I can't see a way of checking, and updating, the settings. Can you update the settings so any member could use the Add Images option?

Edited August 24, 2020 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Canny lass]

I'm wondering if we have the right Mechanics Institute here?

In 1860 the Bedlington Colliery Mechanics Institute was in the Market Place, a stones throw from the pit. 

 

Edited August 24, 2020 by Canny lass

[Canny lass]

... and, does anybody know anything about the "Lime Shed" to the rear of the building or the "footpath to station" shown bottom right?

[Canny lass]

Found it! 1897 it's next to the Sun Inn:

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

2 hours ago, Canny lass said:

Found it! 1897 it's next to the Sun Inn:

 

The Institute i's also on the map extract, next to the Sun,  that @Cympil posted but no date mentioned by Cympil.

Can't see 'Lime Shed' on your map extract - it's me age + eyes .

When you say footpath to the station are you on about what is now the road from Vulcan Place down to Stead Lane, Bank Top then Bedlington Station? Not that I will know anything about it 

[Symptoms]

I've been doing a bit of research on the Mechanics Institute and I'm currently reading a long dissertation some guy did for his Doctorate years ago on the history of Mech Insts.  Ours, the one next to the Sun Inn took over the old courthouse and klink there and it was sponsored by the Bedlington Iron Works.  I've got more details noted in my study but I ain't there at the moment so can't give dates.  I'll try to do a summary and post it so we have some facts listed.  The formation of Mech Insts was interesting national Victorian movement ... but more later.

[Symptoms]

I read through that Doctoral Thesis (phew!) and found it very interesting but only a couple of mentions about our Mechanics Institute.  It was founded in 1848 and closed in 1906 when it had 200 members (the last year when member numbers exist);  most Mech Insts in the NE had closed by 1913.  It's economic base and benefactor was the Bedlington Iron Works.  You can read the Thesis here: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/5614/ but you'll need to download the .pdf document shown at the top of the page ... I can recommend the read as it opens the door for us into the Victorian drive for self-improvement for working men (and it was only for men);  all most women had to look forward to was a life of drudgery back then.

It clearly continued as a social club but no longer followed the purpose of it's founders, namely the pursuit of technical education. 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Symptoms

[Canny lass]

I think we might be discussing the wrong Mechanics Institute in relation to the extension plans. I’ve had difficulty locating the Mechanics Institute, as depicted in the drawing, anywhere on the map of Bedlington. The Block Plan shown in the bottom right corner of the drawing doesn’t remotely resemble the area around the old Court House. If so were the case then "Front Row Cottages" would be in the main street and the "lime shed" would be the Sun Inn.

Initially, I thought the plan for the extension may have been intended for the Mechanics Institute in the Market Place but this would have meant that the MI was in Muggers Neuk, rather than the Market Place for any extension to the west to be possible.

Intrigued by the “footpath to station” in the Block Plan, I started looking at Bedlington Colliery A pit rather tha Bedlington Colliery Dr.Pit. The drawing makes no specification as to which Bedlington Colliery it refers. OS maps of the time always refer to both simply as "Bedlington Colliery.

Bedlington Colliery A pit also had an Institute at that time. On this map from 1897 the institute is situated at the end and rear of Front Row (later South Row). It is found behind the gardens and outside toilets of those houses and there is an adjoining building at the rear of the institute - possibly the lime shed. The layout of all these five elements: houses (yellow), toilets (green) and gardens (red), institute (blue) and lime shed (pink) correspond to the block plan in the drawing. It’s also just a short walk to the station. The institute is still there on maps from 1924.

It would appear, comparing the drawing of 1895 and the map of 1897 (revised from 1896) to the block Plan shown on the drawing, that the reading room has been added as two porches are clearly evident on both.

 

 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Canny lass

[Canny lass]

41 minutes ago, Symptoms said:

It was founded in 1848 and closed in 1906 when it had 200 members (the last year when member numbers exist);  most Mech Insts in the NE had closed by 1913. 

 https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/52152

Shows that Bedlington Mechanics Institute was still active in 1921 when  Joe Caine was president and unveiled the WWW1 memorial plaque, later salvaged from the Bedlington institute and presented to to Beamish Museum in 1979. There is a photo of this plaque on the Beamish site, which for some reason I am unable to access at the minute. However, here's a link to it on another site http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6449 which shows that the plaque was comissioned by the Mechanics Institute.
 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Canny lass

[Symptoms]

Here's another snippet from The Freemason's Chronicle (see bottom right):