Help with dates

[Pete]

Does anyone know the year the YMCA was opened in Bedlington station (the new YM not the old one)?

[Malcolm Robinson]

Sorry thowt ya meant dates Pete!  

[Pete]

There hard to come by these days Malcolm,  the wife is always watching.

[Smudgeinthebudge]

It's easier to get them in boxes at Christmas with sticks in for eating them. I've noticed that you can get them already pitted but they are a bit more expensive!

[Canny lass]

You mean there are more than one Pete?

[Pete]

You mean there are more than one Pete?

 

Yes CL, there was the old stone building, that was replaced by the building that we knew wood/brick but cant remember when the new building opened (Derick Ruddy Time) Possibly late 50s or early 60s.

 

The reason I am asking is because a group of friends and myself were trying to find photos of the YM. We know that The Blyth News took Photos of the building and of some of the events that were held there. The problem is The Blyth News no longer exists but the Blyth News archives are held at Blyth library, problem is the archives are so vast that the advice from the library is that we would need specific dates to locate the information we need.

[Reedy]

The old YMCA was a converted farmhouse at the far end of what is now Cherrytree Court. The caretaker was called Benson. The new building was built closer to The main road of Jubilee Terrace.

Sorry we don't have dates but the new building was possibly opened by Princess Alexandra which might help with your Blyth News search.

What pictures are you looking for?

[Reedy]

If you Google Bedlington YMCA theres a link to a charity registration for the organisation which started on 30/11/64.

http://opencharities.org/charities/522031

[Canny lass]

If I remember correctly I stared going there a couple of years Before I left school in 1n 1962. It was quite new then.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Canny lass

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Can't give exact dates but could ramble on a bit and that might help jog memories.

To help raise funds for the new building I remember one (weekly or monthly I can't remember) fund raising event in the old building was a Beetle Drive. Aunty Elsie Humble used to take me and my brothers when they had a pea & pie supper after a mad Beetle Drive event - the more mature ladies used to get quite vocal when their mate couldn't throw a six to get started with the beetle body! That had to be between 1958-60.

 

John Bygate was the YMCA leader when we used to go. Was he the first leader in the new building?

 

Can't ramble as much as I thought, must be me age - Your Memory Can Age. 

[Pete]

Eggy1948, John Bygate was the second leader in the new building, the first was Derick Ruddy. You mention the name Humble in your post, Owen Humble was a regular at the YM.

 

Reedy, there is one picture in particular that we are trying to find it was one showing the wooden letters (YMCA) that were on the front of the building, two friends of mine made them and the Blyth News took a photo of them before they were put on the front of the building. I have tried to find photos of the YM on the net but not had any luck. Thanks for the charity link.

[tonyg]

we had our wedding reception at the .YMCA. Bedlington Station in 1967.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Eggy1948, John Bygate was the second leader in the new building, the first was Derick Ruddy. You mention the name Humble in your post, Owen Humble was a regular at the YM.

 

Reedy, there is one picture in particular that we are trying to find it was one showing the wooden letters (YMCA) that were on the front of the building, two friends of mine made them and the Blyth News took a photo of them before they were put on the front of the building. I have tried to find photos of the YM on the net but not had any luck. Thanks for the charity link.

Never knew Derick Ruddy.

Owen Humble - my mam's cousin. Amateur photographer but unfortunately only have a few of our family photos taken by Owen. on Owen's death his immediate relatives stripped his house of all belongings so any photos of the YMCA, where he praticed a lot of his work, were discarded.

[Maggie/915]

I remember going to The Beetle Drives with my mothers sister .

Must have been late 50's

The pie and pea suppers were also good at the YMCA

[Pete]

Never knew Derick Ruddy.

Owen Humble - my mam's cousin. Amateur photographer but unfortunately only have a few of our family photos taken by Owen. on Owen's death his immediate relatives stripped his house of all belongings so any photos of the YMCA, where he praticed a lot of his work, were discarded.

Yes, Owen did take a lot of photographs, there was a darkroom on the right hand side of the corridor as you entered the YM. Owen and a few others use to use it, they also has photographic lights that they used for indoor photography.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Jp Brewis of John,s Car Parts (was the Bed. Station Post Office) posted this aerial photo of his shop & the YMCA grounds with the date of c1973.

 

[Pete]

Great photo Eggy, its the first photo that I have seen of the YM. I have some great memories of that place. Many thanks

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Bedlington YMCA 1937 Football team - posted on Facebook group Bygone Bedlington by Stephen Wilkins with the comment :- Bedlington Station YMCA - 1937 - older photo with my grandad Jimmy Otley (goal keeper) only information I have is " Bedlington station YMCA 1937" written on the back."

My guess would be that the photo was taken next to the wall, that still exists and borders Jubilee Mews, at the front left hand side as you faced the original YMCA building. I've added numbers to the photo to see if anyone can identify those in the photo.

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Pete - Edit Barrett - Facebook group Bygone Bedlington posted this comment this evening :-  Found these when clearing a late relatives house, some very old programs. If anyone is interested in buying them message me. No silly offers

Along with that comment this image :- 

I have extracted some of the images but can't straighten them up :-

 

And Google street view showing the bit that still exists = Jubilee Mews :-

Edited June 1, 2019 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Pete]

Magic Alan, second image from bottom solves the problem of when the new YM was opened. Looks like 26th May 1961.

Cheers mate

 

 

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

12 hours ago, Pete said:

Magic Alan, second image from bottom solves the problem of when the new YM was opened. Looks like 26th May 1961.

Cheers mate

 

@Pete -  just checked th1 1961 calendar and the 26th  May 1961 was a Friday - 26th February was a Sunday but the 26th July was a Wednesday

[Pete]

Thanks Alan,  a bit of good detective work there.