Photo Identification

[keith lockey]

I found these photos of my father and wondered if anyone can identify the other blokes on them.

 

My dad is second from the right on both.

 

[threegee]

I bet those side-by-side bikes were loved by politicos on holiday - they can steer in both directions at once! :blink:

[keith lockey]

No good, Threegee, they can't do U-turns, the politicians' greatest manoeuvre.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Wrong Keith, from what I see on a weekly basis (and I will ask Adam to back me up on this!) most politicians greatest manoeuvres are sleight of hand, hypocrisy, corruption and outright duplicity!

[keith lockey]

And some of them can ride tandem at the same time.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Well you can tell the ones I am talking about, they are breathing!

[keith lockey]

Er, are these them???

 

[Reedy]

First pic Dad thinks the man at the far right was called Lewinski & was Polish. He also thinks the man in the centre was Jackie Lockey which would make him your uncle? He recognises the man in the cap from Netherton Club.

Butlins pic, man at far right was called Brown possibly Bill. He asks if your Dad was known as 'Nipper'.

[keith lockey]

Cheers Reedy. Yes, that would be my Uncle Jacky - he lived in the Rows (Raas). Don't know about the Polish guy, Lewinsky. The guy on the bike wouldn't be Fanna Brown, would it? And finally, yes, my dad was nicknamed Nipper. Good one, thank your dad, cheers.

[Adam Hogg]

Wrong Keith, from what I see on a weekly basis (and I will ask Adam to back me up on this!) most politicians greatest manoeuvres are sleight of hand, hypocrisy, corruption and outright duplicity!

Hear, Hear.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

I could be miles oot,but the guy second left on pic 1 with the cap and solemn look,is the spitting image,[in my mind!]

of one of the managers who came ti Choppington High Pit in the early 60's,called Jimmy....Jimmy....it's on thi tip of me tongue......!

He was a lovely bloke,and too nice natured ti be a manager.

"Noo, me lads"...[was his greeting when he came inbye on his visits..]

Might not be him,but it's freakily like him!

Guy on the right side,pic 1 looks also freakily like the Safety Officer at the pit...strange that both blokes remind me of both senior officials,Ned was his first name,canna mind surnames of either.

Aal rack me feeble brains aal neet noo...even if aam wrang aboot them both!

[John Fox (foxy)]

Guy on the right side,pic 1 looks also freakily like the Safety Officer at the pit...strange that both blokes remind me of both senior officials,Ned was his first name,canna mind surnames of either.

Aal rack me feeble brains aal neet noo...even if aam wrang aboot them both!

Was it Stephenson?

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Spot on Foxy! Ya a star! Ned Stephenson was the safety officer.

When aa was 17 years aad,in 1961,aroond aboot then,a went inti the offices ti see aad Ned Cushing,wa training officer..[a luvly gentle fella who knew my Faatha when HE worked at thi pit in 1929!!]..

Ned Stephenson came oot o' he's office and got he's eye on me studded belt.

He ordered me ti get rid of it,or he wud "tek yi in,bonny lad..."...when a sed who the hell di yi think yi are,he flashed his "Special Police constable"

I.D.wallet at me,of course aa hadn't heard of a special police constable,so a got stroppy wi him and telt him ti mind he's aan business!!

He reckoned me belt was an "offensive weapon",at thi time when gangs were using them like that.

Mine was through aal me breeks loops,and a wud be kicked in by thi time aa got it off!

Anyway,aa didn't gaan oot drinking and fighting,a spent my pocket money on guitars etc,and lived a quiet hillbilly life!

So a towlt the manager aboot aal this argument wi Ned,and HE telt me ti just ignore him!!!

By hell,a was a quiet lad,unless any bugga tried ti waak owa me!

Howw,Foxy,hoo did yi knaa his nyem?,is he related?Nae offence meant aboot me story,purely nostalgia,but a cud tell yi a few hair-raising stories aboot thi High Pit and Ned!!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

It's queer hoo blokes were really aad cheps,when yi were only aboot 17 years aad,and as yi aged yasell,and look back at pics like this,the blokes were really young also!! Perspective on life!

Ned Stephenson was caaled ..."Stivvysun"....

Aam still racking aboot Jimmy wi thi stotty-cyek cap on.....

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Jimmy Shillinglaw! THAT'S hoo a was trying ti think of....manager of Choppington High Pit at one time,not for long though,we had a few in quick succession.

Gotta tek little black Jess oot noo,gotta a story ti tell aboot Jimmy,later!

If THIS isn't Jimmy in the pic,aal eat grass!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

New day,unusually early in the evening,[for me,that is],a  gotta eat grass!

Clear brain tells me it WAS Jimmy Shillinglaw,but he wasn't Manager,he was a deputy at Bedlington aad pit,not lang afore it closed,in 1971.

He was a canny fella,at a time when aad-fashioned deputies were very strict.

A can be excused for the mix-up,cos Jimmy the Manager at the High Pit,was the spit o' this Jimmy,so aam still searching for a surname here,even though a was so sure a had got it!

A WILL get it,cos aam hoping me aad marra who a worked with at thi High Pit,in thi '60s,will remember him.

One day,in aboot 1963,[a was 19 years aad], a was tekkin' a full tram-load of arched girder legs up a steep bank,wi me pony pulling and straining he's back legs,and steam rising from he's body with being soaking wet,and sweating at  thi syem time. 

Ye cudn't see past the horse for aal thi steam coming from him,and aa was at thi back wi a six-foot wood plank under the back of thi tram,paizin' ["levering"]

ti try and help poor charlie,me horse.

There was a newly -installed "drop-girder" safety device,on thi bank,and this was designed to arrest any runaway tubs or trams etc.['cos there wasn't any machine rope hauler in this roadway].

The roadway was a steep incline all the way for a quarter of a mile or so.

Normally,we used to tie this drop-girder up near the roof,out of thi way,cos it was a nuisance,but this day,a had a feeling,with this heavy load a was tekkin in,summik might gaan wrang,and sumbody might get hurt or killed,if me tram went amain doon thi bank.[runaway out of control..].

Whey,a put thi girder doon,into the safety position,and got Charlie ti keep pullin this heavy load.

Next thing aa knew was,Charlie lost a footing,reared up like Silver,in the Lone Ranger,and thi sheer weight pulled him head owa heels,and back doon thi bank,by his collar roond his neck.

Terrifying sight to see,but aad seen it aal before,lots of times,with other lad's horses..[common cruelty at Choppington,due to lack of investment in rope haulages..]

Anyway,thi tram went [seemingly] 30 miles an hour doon thi bank,only aboot fifteen lonnnnngg yards,and smashed inti the drop girder,tipping aal thi girder legs off thi tram,and virtually closing thi roadway...dust everywhere,sparks flying,crunching..metal on metal.....then silence except for Charlie's panting..[he was o.k.]

Next thing aa knew was ....voices!!

Several people appeared through the dust-filled roadway,led by....Jimmy..?...the new pit Manager!!

They were government mines inspectors,engineers,safety officer,[Ned Stephenson..pictured above],and other visitors.

AA  was hevvin twins,shaking in me wellies,at the state of this roadway,which was impassable,with a heap of tangled up girders,and a tram lying on it's side,but still halfway up thi drop-girder,hangin,ready to maim anyone who was stupid enough to try and pass by!..[and a steamin,stinkin,sweaty pony,pantin his head off,and up to thi eyes with clarts.]

A was fully expecting the sack,and a court appearance,from the Manager and safety officer,and a was flabbergasted when nice Jimmy,the Manager,said to aal the visitors,AND me,"Noo yi see hoo gud these drop-girders are for safety?....well done Wilma,for using it properly,if ye hadn't,we might aal have been injured,or even killed,by this lot..!"

They wanted to help me shift the girders ,ti mek room ti pass,and a wudn't let them,cos they weren't used ti handling the heavy weight,so a quickly made it safe,and away they went,with the Manager at the back of the party,whispering in me ear,hoo pleased he was,that this had happened,cos he was trying,....

...trying ....TRYING!!....ti convince the area director to put more money into the pit,in the way of investment on safety.!

Was aa pleased a had put that drop-girder doon that day,and a DID every day after that...ye learn by ya mistakes in life,and never forget them..!