Barrington

[Monsta®]

Hi Ronnie, I seem to recall a "Parker" living at Barrington ?

was he nosey!!! sorry!

[Barton Lad]

Oddly enough there was a Parker, two brothers, Rex and Donny who live in Double Row. I think Rex played cricket, maybe at Bedlington.

[Sierra Delta]

Oddly enough there was a Parker, two brothers, Rex and Donny who live in Double Row. I think Rex played cricket, maybe at Bedlington.

Arkles lived doon Alexander Raa too. I think that they were the last to leave before it was pulled doon.

[ronnie]

Ronnie, My mistake. There was a Barker who lived somewher in the middle of Alexander row, which everyone called High Row.

There was a brother and sister. Billy, who now lives at Rotherham. Isabel who lives somewhere at Guide Post.

I hope that helps.

thanks barton rafie. billy is my father and still lives in rotherham and isabel (his sister) my auntie still lives in guidepost. my grandparents thomas william and isabella also lived on alexander row

[Cympil]

A couple of photo`s i`ve came across regarding Barrington.

How Barrington used to look

and Office Row

[Barton Lad]

Cympil, these are two cracking photographs, well done.

I would guess the photo of Office Row was taken 1960? There are TV ariels on the chimmey's and it would appear that No's 1,2,3 & 4 have been partly demolished (roof is missing, but I could be wrong)

The dirt track led to the Park, which was the football field. There was certainly no swings, or round abouts etc. But I guess it sounded good when you talking about "the park" to other people in the surrounding villages.

Once a year Hilton Taylor, farmer used to cut the grass with his tractor and grass cutting machine. The Park was indeed Barton's wembley.

PS: We used to use the tree at the top of picture as a tarzan swing.

[Cympil]

Cympil, these are two cracking photographs, well done.

I would guess the photo of Office Row was taken 1960? There are TV ariels on the chimmey's and it would appear that No's 1,2,3 & 4 have been partly demolished (roof is missing, but I could be wrong)

The dirt track led to the Park, which was the football field. There was certainly no swings, or round abouts etc. But I guess it sounded good when you talking about "the park" to other people in the surrounding villages.

Once a year Hilton Taylor, farmer used to cut the grass with his tractor and grass cutting machine. The Park was indeed Barton's wembley.

PS: We used to use the tree at the top of picture as a tarzan swing.

Thanks Barton, glad you like them I`m always on the look-out for old photo`s. Barrington and Netherton Colliery photo`s seem to be scarce though!

I`m not sure which year the Office Row photo is from, but i think you must be pretty close. What year was it demolished, do you know?

Also, could you give me the names of any other rows at Barrington? I`ve heard of Double Row and Alexander Row but that`s about it. It might help my search a bit if i knew a bit more about the place.

[bediesathome]

Thanks Barton, glad you like them I`m always on the look-out for old photo`s. Barrington and Netherton Colliery photo`s seem to be scarce though!

I`m not sure which year the Office Row photo is from, but i think you must be pretty close. What year was it demolished, do you know?

Also, could you give me the names of any other rows at Barrington? I`ve heard of Double Row and Alexander Row but that`s about it. It might help my search a bit if i knew a bit more about the place.

i think there was a row named wood row or wooden row.

[Barton Lad]

Cympil, I have annotated the photo with the names of the rows. Office row was pulled down 1968/69. I think Blacksmith row was demolished 1930's. The other "rows" were Railway Row, Victoria Row, Stone Row.

The photo must have been taken about 1900, due to the elevation from the pit rail track. It must have taken a quite bit of effort to take this photo. I wonder what the party of school children are looking at ??? It looks like a bomb crater. Also what is the building to the right ? It looks like a prison, maybe its a pig cree.

I am sure the photo holds some interesting facts.

Edited November 29, 2010 by Barton Rafie

[sizsells]

Arkles lived doon Alexander Raa too. I think that they were the last to leave before it was pulled doon.

A few of the names I remember who lived in Alexander Row..... Hoggs ,Gibsons, Greenacres, Staffords, Littles and the Arkles who you have mentioned...........Fantastic pictures btw thanks Cympil

Edited December 12, 2010 by sizsells

[Cympil]

i think there was a row named wood row or wooden row.

Nearly spot on there, there was an `Old Wood Row` along with `Sinkers Row` and `School Row`

The information i found..taken from here

`The colliery was owned by Viscount Barrington and had the Henry and the Molly shafts as well as the backshaft. Sinkers Row was built around 1840, followed by Old Wood Row and School row in 1851. The condition of the houses varied, but Old Wood Row seems to have been terrible, definitely worst. Yet some of the other houses had 5 rooms in all and had gardens front and back. There were 2 water supplies, one from Sleekburn Colliery which was often unfit to drink, and the other from a water cart that got water from the old iron works, and for which a charge of ½d per bucket was charged.`

[Barton Lad]

I understand there was a culvert, which ran under the Bedlington - Choppington railway line, under the gardens, under the pit railway embankment and finally into Willow Burn (Barnton burn). The culvert was open, but in 1889 was piped into a 18" drain. In 1900 the culvert became blocked and Blacksmith, Middle Row and Chaple Row was flooded. The flooding lasted for some days, until the engineer freed the blockage by blowing up the pipe where the blockage was.

There are two stories how this was done, 1) Explosions placed on top of the pipe, which was under water 2) A miner crawler into the pipe from the pit side to where the blockage was and placed the charge.

The picture shows where the pipe was blown up. A great photo.

[Barton Lad]

Does have anyone have a better picture of the Barrington Flood, which happened in Oct 1900. The conditions must have been terrible in the houses that got flooded. No leaving the houses in those days for several months to allow drying out the floors, walls etc.

I guess the row you see in the back ground is Blacksmith Row.

Edited December 23, 2010 by Barton Rafie

[Dr Pit]

Oddly enough there was a Parker, two brothers, Rex and Donny who live in Double Row. I think Rex played cricket, maybe at Bedlington.

Rex parker alive and well, lives in Stakeford.

[Barton Lad]

Rex, good to hear from you. I was talking to George Wilkinson, who lived next door to you at Double Row. George (lives at Bedlington) and passes his good wishes on.

There was a Thompson, Grieves and Alan Hall who also lived in High Row.

[Cympil]

Another photo to add to the Barrington collection, although it`s not very big unfortunately..

Double Row, Barrington.

[Barton Lad]

Cympil, do you have any information when this photograph was taken ?

There are no TV ariels on the chimmey's, I would guess pre 1950. The first upstair window appears to be much larger than the other ones ? Also the first house has a chimmey pot, whilst the other's have none. Must have been some posh people living in the first house.

[Barton Lad]

I understand the building, which has the 6ft high wall around, was where the pit stored explosive powder. Each pit had there own storage building.

The building in this photo was used by Bedlington A pit. There were two other similar buildings in Barrington. One (used by Bedlington F pit) was located near the pit pony training centre. The other powder building was located within the Barrington pit. The building in the photograph must have been knocked down in the 1920's. However the other two powder storage buildings were still standing in the 1950's.

[Cympil]

Cympil, do you have any information when this photograph was taken ?

There are no TV ariels on the chimmey's, I would guess pre 1950. The first upstair window appears to be much larger than the other ones ? Also the first house has a chimmey pot, whilst the other's have none. Must have been some posh people living in the first house.

The photo, i believe, is the early 60`s, possibly late 50`s. I`ll try and find out for sure though.

[Barton Lad]

I understand the 7ft high wall surrounding the power store was to contain the blast if the store blew up. I can also well image the wall toppling over. You be pleased to know this store, being close to houses, would only contain the fuse wire and detonators.

It would also appear to be the practice for miners to steal the power, fuse wire and detonators and make up the "firing shot†in the house. They would do this because of the better light compared with down the pit. Unfortunately this practice resulted in many accidents in the home. I am not an expert, so maybe someone could correct the statement

[bediesathome]

I understand the 7ft high wall surrounding the power store was to contain the blast if the store blew up. I can also well image the wall toppling over. You be pleased to know this store, being close to houses, would only contain the fuse wire and detonators.

It would also appear to be the practice for miners to steal the power, fuse wire and detonators and make up the "firing shot†in the house. They would do this because of the better light compared with down the pit. Unfortunately this practice resulted in many accidents in the home. I am not an expert, so maybe someone could correct the statement

in answer to your question about making up the fuse and the detonators the miners could not get them as only a deputy and shotfirer could aqirer them he had to sign for them at the start of his shift and return the unused ones back to the stores at the end of his shift

[Barton Lad]

Photograph, which shows a class in 1949. Not to sure what ages the group is, but is it quite a small class. Does anyone have any names?

Edited June 26, 2011 by Barton Rafie

[Symptoms]

I understand the 7ft high wall surrounding the power store was to contain the blast if the store blew up. I can also well image the wall toppling over. You be pleased to know this store, being close to houses, would only contain the fuse wire and detonators.

It would also appear to be the practice for miners to steal the power, fuse wire and detonators and make up the "firing shot†in the house. They would do this because of the better light compared with down the pit. Unfortunately this practice resulted in many accidents in the home. I am not an expert, so maybe someone could correct the statement

I remember my old Uncle calling, what you referred to as "fuse wire", cap wire. You often used to come across lengths of it in a load of coal delivered to the houses ... clearly, the long runs being severed into bits by the blast and being mixed-up with the coal. The same Uncle, when on a shift break down the pit, would chop bundles of sticks (for fire lighting purposes back home) from wooden pit props; these he bound together with the cap wire. He used to keep the extended family well stocked with sticks.

[Barton Lad]

I remember my old Uncle calling, what you referred to as "fuse wire", cap wire. You often used to come across lengths of it in a load of coal delivered to the houses ... clearly, the long runs being severed into bits by the blast and being mixed-up with the coal. The same Uncle, when on a shift break down the pit, would chop bundles of sticks (for fire lighting purposes back home) from wooden pit props; these he bound together with the cap wire. He used to keep the extended family well stocked with sticks.

[Barton Lad]

Every night it was our job to fill the pails of coal for the fire. The coal house was across the road. It would take three pails to bank the fire up for the night, plus two pails for a late top up. It was a quite a task, every day of the year. This day we spotted a fuse wire with a detonator attached. Our dad was on hand and immediately took this prize away. The mind boggles if had being missed and landed in the fire. It would have taken half the house away.