Plessey Row, Netherton

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

I was asked by ex Third Row resident Hilda Oliver (née Storey) :- 'why was Plessey Row named within the simple sequence First, Second & Third Row? 

Did a Google search just to see if the question had been asked, and answered, before but no luck.

CL - during your research have you found anything to suggest why they would name the rows in that sequence?

Whilst searching the following info on the name Plessey was found :-

The name Plessey has been used for :-

Plessey Hall – Plessey Mill – Plessey Checks – The Plessey Farm pub (now rebuilt and restructured as the Snowy Owl pub) – Plessey Street, East Hartford -  Plessey Road, Blyth – & at the pits Plessey seam was worked (according to Durham Mining Museum [DMM] site) from 1914 at Netherton, Bedlington ‘A’, Doctor Pit, Cambois, Bebside and from 1935 at Bates.

In Evan Martin’s book – Bedlingtonshire – he states that the building of the Rows commenced in 1902. So compared with the info on the DMM site the building of the rows commenced 13 years before the Plessey seam was worked at the pits.

First, Second & Third Row names appear on the old maps from 1921 to 1947 but the name Plessey Row does not appear until the 1961 map.

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http://northeasthistorytour.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/plessey-waggonway-nz229791-to-blyth.html

Plessey Waggonway (NZ229791 to Blyth)

Described as one of the earliest and longest waggonways in Northumberland, Plessey Waggonway is known to have ran from Plessey Hall Farm eastwards for some five and a half miles to the port of Blyth. It was in use from at least as early as 1709 and continued carrying goods – mainly coal – until 1812. Though it was very probably far from the earliest – nor, indeed, the longest – in the county, it is remarkable for its survival in the landscape.

Though now overlaid for long stretches by both the A192 and A1061, it can be seen in places as an earthwork over six feet in height. Out of commission by the time of the birth of the railways proper, it was used to transport coal on horse-drawn waggons and was made from beech wood rails laid on oak sleepers – though iron runners were used in later years. The horses would have been small in stature, each animal pulling a ‘chaldron’ of 52 hundred weight – and would be expected to make two round trips per day.

One may look at Plessey and its environs today and wonder what all the historical fuss is about. But this now largely empty space on the map was once a thriving village, with coal being mined from the immediate area – and shipped to London – from as early as the thirteenth century. Plessey Hall Farm itself dates from 1680, but the site was almost certainly occupied by an earlier building belonging to the Plessis family and formed the centre of the local manor. A series of lumps and bumps in a nearby field provide likely evidence of the deserted medieval village.

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http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/24766

In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Plessey like this:

PLESSEY, a ville in Stannington parish, Northumberland; on the river Blyth and the North eastern railway, 5 miles S S E of Morpeth. It has a station on the railway; and it figures in many ancient deeds and records. P. Hall was formerly the seat of the Plessey family, but is now a farm-house; and P. Mill was connected with St. Bartholomew's monastery in Newcastle.

A little Pub history - The Snowy Owl sits on the site of Plessy North Moor Farm, which was originally part of the estate owned by the Ridley family of Blagdon Hall. When converted to an inn, the building was named The Plessy Farm, though the structure has been rebuilt and restored at least three times since it was originally constructed long before 1600.

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None of the above answers the question - 'why was the sequence - First, Second, Plessey, then Third?' 

Does anyone know why?

 

[Canny lass]

4 hours ago, Eggy1948 said:

'why was Plessey Row named within the simple sequence First, Second & Third Row? 

CL - during your research have you found anything to suggest why they would name the rows in that sequence?

First, let's just bring some clarity into the names. There has never been a First-, Second- or a Third Row. While  they were built as rows of terraced houses they all had the name Street. The houses in Netherton Colliery, prior to these being built shortly after 1905, were named Row, Howard-, Yard- and Clifton Row as well as the even earlier wooden dwellings in New Row (later renamed South Row.)

Second, Evans is wrong when he states that 152 houses were created during the 1905 build. The building of 152 houses was approved in 1905 but all were not built. I believe there were 113-115 houses completed. Third Street had 25, Plessey- (as it later became known) had 27-28, Second- had 29-30 and First Street had, I believe, 32.

These houses were built when the Howard Pit was brought back to life after 21 years of standing idle. The wooden dwellings of South Row were, by then, fit only for demolition but some of the later built stone dwellings in Howard-, Yard- and Clifton Row were  able to be repaired. The next phase in development was the colliery housing as I remember it, the brick built First-, Second-, Plessey- (as it came to be called) and Third Street.

The streets were quite simply named as they were built. First Street being the first of the four rows of houses. What had been South Row, became the 'street' by which the residents reached their front door. It later became a row of gardens but the pavement remained as long as the houses. Originally, as can be seen on the maps above, Second Street consisted of two rows of houses witha common access to their front doors via the 'street' that went between them. Their front doors faced each other and again the pavements remained.  Third Street had it's front entrance to the west and that 'street', with pavement, later became a lawned area joining onto the gardens (a later addition). The street names, rather than being the name of the actual  row of buildings, were in fact the names of the streets that ran outside the front door of the houses - exactly as they are printed on the map.

Two rows of houses shared one back lane which the back door opened onto (albeit inside a yard): First Street and Second Street shared one while Third Street and the other half of Second Street shared the other. These can be quite clearly seen on the map.

Where The name Plessey Street came from, I've no idea. I assume it's something to do with the Plessey family and it's dotted about all over the east Northumberland area. I can say, however, that one of the main Northumberland Coalfield seams, The Plessey, was worked at Netherton.

When the name came, I can't say with certainty, only that it's always been Plessey Street throughout my lifetime (born 1947). I heard many years ago that the change of name was related to postal difficulties but I've never been able to find any evidence of this.

Regarding Old Row, it didn't belong to the Colliery as I knew it. It was situated more towards Nedderton village, simply called 'Netherton' on this map from 1860.

 

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Oooops, can't get Row oot me mind. I should have known, the street with no name!

CL & Maggie - do you two have the Netherton Colliery Booklet as I do have a copy, scanned, I could send to you.

CL - Westridge & Netherton came up in a conversation during lunch in the Hastings Arms, Seaton Delaval and when I mentioned your name Elizabeth (Betty) Hall said - 'say hello to CL we were at Westridge together. 

 

[Canny lass]

Which booklet would that be, Eggy?

I remeber Betty well! Give her my regards.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

9 hours ago, Canny lass said:

Which booklet would that be, Eggy?

I remeber Betty well! Give her my regards.

Regards given.

The booklet is by Stephen B. Martin = Netherton (Nedderton) from Bedlingtonshire Villages History Series - 20 pages.

When searching Bygone Bedlington for Nedderton info I found a link to the booklet a Phil Hodgetts had posted on flickr  

 

[Canny lass]

Thanks eggy! Philip already gave me this booklet. He's been a great, personal help with my family research. 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Just now, Canny lass said:

Thanks eggy! Philip already gave me this booklet. He's been a great, personal help with my family research. 

Champion.

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 11/19/2016 at 00:14, Canny lass said:

I heard many years ago that the change of name was related to postal difficulties but I've never been able to find any evidence of this.

CL there was a comment on Bygone Bedlington, by Alan Brady, some months ago that got me to do some 'Googling'. The comment from Alan was :-  'Netherton was the name of the village and the name of the area until the postal system began in the 1840's. There was confusion with Netherton in Coquetdale so the name of the village was changed to Nedderton. Which was also it's name mentioned on a historical document back when they didn't care very much about spelling. The district remained as Netherton ward of Bedlingtonshire'

You probably have found this stuff already but here are the images I found and posted on the Bygone Bedlington site. Can't remember what site the info was on and how many pages of Google links I had to work through to find thses :-

 

[Canny lass]

Thanks again Eggy. KTD I'm familiar with but I've never heard of the Parson & White Trade Directory.

I'm rather intrigued by "rendering a rose yearly, if required". Can anybody explain what it means?

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

57 minutes ago, Canny lass said:

Thanks again Eggy. KTD I'm familiar with but I've never heard of the Parson & White Trade Directory.

I'm rather intrigued by "rendering a rose yearly, if required". Can anybody explain what it means?

Haven't given it any thought but one reply to the question on the rendering quote was :- It's knight's fee, a rose !! To be rendered once a year in midsummer.
Rental of lands etc.'

[Canny lass]

8 hours ago, Eggy1948 said:

It's knight's fee, a rose !! To be rendered once a year in midsummer.
Rental of lands etc.'

We've had knights in Netherton?

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

11 hours ago, Canny lass said:

We've had knights in Netherton?

You will have to read read A History of Northumberland in 3 parts by John Hodgson.

The rendering a rose yearly came from Alan Dickson that used to post on this site but now looks after the Facebook group - Barrington, Barnt' n  memories and stuff!!.

When I Googled the line Alan gave me -  It's knight's fee, a rose !! To be rendered once a year in midsummer - no relevant info was returned.

I asked Alan if that was all he had searched for and he came back with - Just type in fealty, and rendering a rose - and returned some interesting links, for those wanting to research and read that is.

I also searched for - A History of Northumberland in three parts - and that gave a link to the site - archive.org - where you can read and download the book.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Eggy1948

[Canny lass]

Isn't that a great piece of work by Hodgson! I started reading it, time permitting, a year ago (see my topic "Bedlington pre 1832"). I thought I'd covered all of Bedlingtonshire but this "rendering a rose" doesn't ring any bells. I'm getting quite worried about the state of my bells!

Thanks for Hutchinson. That's a new one on me.