Bates Colliery - Blyth

[SouthernGeordie]

40 minutes ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

I have seen the photo before  - yours is in a better state -it had been posted on the Facebook group - Friends of Bates Colliery - by Stephen Tosney on the 7th Feb 2019 but it did have a bit of damage to it . We attempted to repair and got the names from HPW and the members of the Facebook group.

This is the photo with the names :- 

19 George Hedley

[SouthernGeordie]

47 minutes ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

I have seen the photo before  - yours is in a better state -it had been posted on the Facebook group - Friends of Bates Colliery - by Stephen Tosney on the 7th Feb 2019 but it did have a bit of damage to it . We attempted to repair and got the names from HPW and the members of the Facebook group.

This is the photo with the names :- 

19 George Hedley

[SouthernGeordie]

Found another, Bates Apprentices about 1974?

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@SouthernGeordie - as your photo of the Surface workers and Blacksmiths was in a better condition (in my opinion) that the one from Stephen Tosney I have used yours to add the names onto. 

I like clarting, and attempting to repair, old photos so I have had a clart with yours. This is yours with some of the scratches removed :-

  

and then slightly enhanced :-

and then with the names + No 19 that you named above

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@SouthernGeordie - can you name the eight apprentices, and I assume two trainers/management, or would you like me to share the photo with the Facebook groups, including - Friends of Bates Colliery - and see if any member can name any of them? 

Edited January 25, 2023 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[SouthernGeordie]

14 minutes ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@SouthernGeordie - can you name the eight apprentices, and I assume two trainers/management, or would you like me to share the photo with the Facebook groups, including - Friends of Bates Colliery - and see if any member can name any of them? 

Post it on Facebook if you like I'm not on that platform.

[SouthernGeordie]

18 minutes ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@SouthernGeordie - can you name the eight apprentices, and I assume two trainers/management, or would you like me to share the photo with the Facebook groups, including - Friends of Bates Colliery - and see if any member can name any of them? 

1=Steven ?, 2=Peter Morton, 4=George Hedley, 8=Jimmy ?, 3= Mr Hindmarsh 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@SouthernGeordie - your list of names added to the photo. I will post on the Facebook groups and let you know if we get any more named.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

No's 6,7,8,& 9 updated - names from the FB group members -  Friends of Bates Colliery - Blyth remembered and memories & Cambois.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Surface Fitters & Blacksmiths - full house - No 18 named by Bill fellows on the Friends of Bates Colliery FB group.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@SouthernGeordie - No 10 named by Les Walsh - Friends of Bates colliery group.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@SouthernGeordie - N0 5 thought to be Kevin Hindhuagh by dawn bell's husband (Ex Bates worker) and William French, Friends of Bates Colliery group thinks the lads were winners of the area safety quiz.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

9 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@SouthernGeordie - N0 5 thought to be Kevin Hindhuagh by dawn bell's husband (Ex Bates worker) and William French, Friends of Bates Colliery group thinks the lads were winners of the area safety quiz.

@SouthernGeordieFriends of bates Colliery Facebook Members don't think No is Kevin Hindhaugh :-

 

[SouthernGeordie]

Jimmy Hogg did win apprentice of the year, so it's possible that this photo could be that but I'm not sure.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

14 hours ago, SouthernGeordie said:

Jimmy Hogg did win apprentice of the year, so it's possible that this photo could be that but I'm not sure.

Info on your photo updated to include 'Apprentice of the Year' and based on the comments from the 'Friends of Bates Colliery' group - Kevin Hindhaugh's name removed from No 5.

@SouthernGeordie - I am not asking you to name yourself but from the info you are giving us I'm guessing you are one of the apprentices in the photo

[SouthernGeordie]

2 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

Info on your photo updated to include 'Apprentice of the Year' and based on the comments from the 'Friends of Bates Colliery' group - Kevin Hindhaugh's name removed from No 5.

@SouthernGeordie - I am not asking you to name yourself but from the info you are giving us I'm guessing you are one of the apprentices in the photo

Yes number 4, Started Netherton colliery in 1971 as a mining trainee, had a really good job assisting the ventilation officer, then got accepted as craft apprentice, and couldn't serve my time there so left before Netherton closed, ended up in Ashington area workshops until 1989 when I accepted a redundancy package.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Cheers @SouthernGeordie - if anyone from any of the other groups names number 5 I will update your photo.

[Canny lass]

Hello @SouthernGeordie,

I'm always interested in the name Hedley. I don't suppose you have any roots in Cramlington or Bebside?

[SouthernGeordie]

Sorry, I come from a divorced marriage so I know very little of the family name.

[Canny lass]

Such a pity - no roots in Cramlington or Bebside. Hope you didn't mind me asking. ... and welcome to the forum.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi Folks,a wud think it might have been a safety quiz,cos Joe Kryozka won the Safety poster slogan and cartoon competition,Nationally for the Coal Board's safety campaign,and his Posters were up at every pit in the country,in the Deployment Centres,and they were aal brilliant. Noo!..summik puzzles me,is the use of the word "Apprentice" a modern term for "Trainee"?,cos Joe came doon the pit and went on Deputy work if I remember correctly...mind,a wad stand ti be corrected on that one!..he was a smashing natured lad.Eddie Hindmarsh,[the Ginger Fox!],was a smashing Manager,if he wasn't happy aboot owt on the face,he wud tek ye ti one side,quietly,and tell ye..Loads of respect for that Lad!!

 

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

There was one youngin,who went around the roadways by hesel',looking after aal the water pumps,[a Pumper by definition],who ran ootbye scared oot of his wits,saying he had seen a ghost inbye. He refused to gaan aroond on his aan withoot a Marra for company.Aal thi men took thi mick oot o him ivry day,caaling him a q.......[whey Gay..but not in that terminology!].Aa was a Deputy in that District at thi time,and one day ,at the end of the shift,a came oot ti the "Radio Cabin"..[where the underground Loco's were controlled by radio],ti wait for the manriding loco set coming in to take aal the men ootbye.The poor lad was nearly in tears wi being picked on..until aa waaked in and sat beside him.A asked him wat happened,but couldn't hear him for the jeering of aal the men and younger lads.So a asked them aal ti hang on and let me hear the story from the Horse's mooth,cos hearsay was aal a hord.They quietened doon with respect,and thi lad telt me wat he had seen,a telt him a believed him,cos aam from a family of Spiritualist Mediums,and a re-assured him that it's the living..like this lot in here..who will hurt ye,the Spirit winna.THEN,a turned ti aal the lads and said in a loud authororative voice.."Lads,a dafy aal of ye's hoo have been up at 8's district,where the Owaman..[Overman in Charge],Alec Waite had seen an Apparition,ti gaan up by yasel,and come back and tell me ye didn't feel a bit uneasy"...one by one they sheepishly admitted a was right,saying it was a bit weird,a queer feeling of uneasiness...wat they really meant was..it was scary!! But brave big boys usually winna admit this...so within five minutes they were taaking amang thasel's aboot the sighting by Alec Waite, and they left the lad alone.He said quietly ,Thanks Bill,ye are the first one ti believe me.Noo a nivvor knew that Lad's name,and aam wondering if he was the one mentioned in one of the quotes above.A dae remember this lad didn't last very lang doon the pit,after that.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

C.L.,a went ti school wi a reet canny lad caaled Eddie Hedley,from Guidepost a think,that was 1956-1959,when we left school,and aa went doon thi pit..aged 15 yrs.

Noo in 1963,a was daeing me coalface training at Bedlington A Pit,[the Aad Pit!],and one of me Instructors was a reet canny fella caaled Phil Hedley..fast forward ti 1993-1995,a was noo working as a  Cabinet-Maker at a Rothbury based Kitchens and bedrooms factory,and one of me young Marra's,[only aboot19 yrs aad],was a reet canny lad caaled....Phil Hedley!!..from Bedlington Station..a dinna knaa if they were related,,a nivvor thowt ti ask.Just wi ye saying ye were aalwis interested in the Hedley name.

A forgot,at Bates's Pit,when a was a Deputy,one of me Electrician's was a canny lad caaled Nigel Hedley..his Dad was caaled Ted Hedley,[nickname was "Lord Ted"..because of his posh accent!!].

Nigel noo has his aan business in Blyth,"Nigel Hedley Solicitors".

Anybody related C.L....?!!

Cheers! HPW.x

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

20 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

There was one youngin,who went around the roadways by hesel',looking after aal the water pumps,[a Pumper by definition],who ran ootbye scared oot of his wits,saying he had seen a ghost inbye. He refused to gaan aroond on his aan withoot a Marra for company.Aal thi men took thi mick oot o him ivry day,caaling him a q.......[whey Gay..but not in that terminology!].Aa was a Deputy in that District at thi time,and one day ,at the end of the shift,a came oot ti the "Radio Cabin"..[where the underground Loco's were controlled by radio],ti wait for the manriding loco set coming in to take aal the men ootbye.The poor lad was nearly in tears wi being picked on..until aa waaked in and sat beside him.A asked him wat happened,but couldn't hear him for the jeering of aal the men and younger lads.So a asked them aal ti hang on and let me hear the story from the Horse's mooth,cos hearsay was aal a hord.They quietened doon with respect,and thi lad telt me wat he had seen,a telt him a believed him,cos aam from a family of Spiritualist Mediums,and a re-assured him that it's the living..like this lot in here..who will hurt ye,the Spirit winna.THEN,a turned ti aal the lads and said in a loud authororative voice.."Lads,a dafy aal of ye's hoo have been up at 8's district,where the Owaman..[Overman in Charge],Alec Waite had seen an Apparition,ti gaan up by yasel,and come back and tell me ye didn't feel a bit uneasy"...one by one they sheepishly admitted a was right,saying it was a bit weird,a queer feeling of uneasiness...wat they really meant was..it was scary!! But brave big boys usually winna admit this...so within five minutes they were taaking amang thasel's aboot the sighting by Alec Waite, and they left the lad alone.He said quietly ,Thanks Bill,ye are the first one ti believe me.Noo a nivvor knew that Lad's name,and aam wondering if he was the one mentioned in one of the quotes above.A dae remember this lad didn't last very lang doon the pit,after that.

@HIGH PIT WILMA - posted your comment on the 'Friends of Bates Colliery' group and Kevin Fraser replied saying :-

 

[Canny lass]

On 10/02/2023 at 00:18, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

Anybody related C.L....?!!

Thanks HPW! I've still got a few gaps to fill on the Hedley tree so I'll be having a look at Eddie and Phil to see what i can find out.