A Northumbrian Childhood - 1967

[Andy Millne]

The following was sent in via the contact us form from Yvonne...

Quote

 

Almost thirty years ago our family moved into Nedderton but, regretfully, only stayed for four years as my husband changed jobs which then took us to Hull.  I shall be moving again in the foreseeable future so am trying to clear out items I have not looked at since we moved into this house twenty-two years ago. One of the items I have found is a typed transcript entitled "A Northumbrian Childhood", dated November 1967 and dedicated to "Alan".  It was written by Eric G Boll and is 51 pages long with the opening paragraph being, "I was born in the Northumbrian village of Nedderton in 1905..."

I wondered if there is a local history or archival group who would like to save this document for future generations?

Ever hopeful.

 

@Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Andy Millne - I'm no historian but I would be quite happy to try and find a local group that would probably welcome the book.

@Maggie/915 - used to mention a local  history group

There is also the Bygone Bedlington group Facebook Admin -  John Krzyzanowski   who collects Bedlington memorabilia and he works at the Woodhorn Colliery Museum. I will ask him if he is interested and let you know.

I have Messaged you with my address so if Yvonne wants to pass the book on quickly I would accept it and pass it on.

@Canny lass - woulf you be interested in this book?

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Andy Millne - a Mr Boll gets two mentions in the Album @Carole created on Netherton :-

 

and 

 

[Canny lass]

12 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

a Mr Boll gets two mentions in the Album

The Mr Boll in this photo is William Henry Boll who was head teacher at Nedderton School. Eric George Boll was his son, the seventh child of eight born to William and his wife Agnes while living in the school house in Nedderton village shown in Carole's photo above. They had one servant living in (1911) which must have been a great help to Agnes.

Eric, at some point before 1939, moved to Lancashire where he died in 1974 at the age of 68 years. I believe that he was a police constable but have not been able to verify that as yet.

This sounds like a very interesting document, which I would certainly be interested in reading. It should be preserved and available to all. Woodhorn Museum sounds like a good place, or digitalized for availability on-line.

I'm sure Maggie can tell us more about school house. All I know is that it had 6 rooms and 10 residents in 1911.

 

[Canny lass]

13 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

a Mr Boll gets two mentions in the Album

The Mr Boll in this photo is Bedlington born, William Henry Boll, who was head teacher at Nedderton School. Eric George Boll was his son, the seventh child of eight born to William and his wife Agnes while living in the school house in Nedderton village shown in Carole's photo above. They had one servant living in (1911) which must have been a great help to Agnes.

Eric, at some point before 1939, moved to Lancashire where he died in 1974 at the age of 68 years. I believe that he was a police constable but have not been able to verify that as yet.

This sounds like a very interesting document, which I would certainly be interested in reading. It should be preserved and available to all. Woodhorn Museum sounds like a good place, or digitalized for availability on-line.

I'm sure Maggie can tell us more about school house. All I know is that it had 6 rooms and 10 residents in 1911.

 

[Canny lass]

Update: Eric George Boll was indeed a police constable in Lancashire. He married in Chorley, Lancashire in 1934 to Chorley born Muriel Sandiford. Whether the move to Lancashire was initiated by love or employment remains untold.

I forgot to add that Eric George had a brother, Alan. Could this manuscript be dedicated to, or even about, Alan?

Edited September 5, 2019 by Canny lass

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

2 hours ago, Canny lass said:

This sounds like a very interesting document, which I would certainly be interested in reading. It should be preserved and available to all. Woodhorn Museum sounds like a good place, or digitalized for availability on-line.

 

 

If it comes to me to be passed on to Woodhorn I will see if I can scan it first and email you a copy.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Canny lass]

Thanks Eggy! I don't know how I've managed to post that twice. The second was meant to be an edit of the first! BTW, it's only fair to say that I don't know which of the males in that photo is Mr Boll. It's a fascinating photo. Netherton infant school only had two classrooms, so they can't be staff, and most of them look well over school age and can't be pupils. Also, if I can say so with no disrespect to the people of Netherton, the clothing seems somewhat out of place for a colliery worker's family. 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Canny lass

[Canny lass]

I may have been barking up the wrong tree here. It now strikes me as odd that the faces in that photo are all young. William Henry Boll (WHB) was 48 years old in 1911, just one year before the photo was taken. WHB was undoubtedly the headmaster at Nedderton Village School and living in School House in 1911. So I don’t think he is in that photo of 1912.

A bit more research reveals that he had another son, Hugh Clementson Boll, (HCB) who also entered the teaching profession. HCB’s occupation is given as “pupil teacher”, age 18 years in the 1911 census and he is living in Nedderton village, walking distance from Netherton Infants School. I’m more inclined now to think that this is the Mr Boll in the photo of 1912. He seems to have done very well in life aspiring to the dizzy heights of “Headmaster Senior School” in Manchester 1939.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Andy Millne - I might not be able to hand over the document to John Krzyzanowski for handing in at the Woodhorn Museum.

This is the latest reply I recieved from John (Facebook Messenger) :- I am not at work again until 25th Sept. The problem is the legal position is the owner of the document must sign a form otherwise they cannot accept it. If you wait until I'm back I will check at work to see how we can get around this. Give me a message just before and I will see what I can do.

If Yvonne does send the document to me (my address in the message I sent you) I will do what I can to make sure the document ends up in Woodhorn.

[Andy Millne]

I have replied to the email from Yvonne so hopefully she will be able to reply here directly.