Philips Yard

[Vic Patterson]

Is Phillips Yard, Market place still there? I haven't been able to find any reference to it, it was around in 1944.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

12 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

Is Phillips Yard, Market place still there? I haven't been able to find any reference to it, it was around in 1944.

Don't know it Vic and not named on any of the old 1920 to 1947 maps I have looked at. I've posted  your question on the Bygone Bedlington Facebook group to see if any member knows anything about the yard

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Vic Patterson - I put your comment on the Bygone Bedlington group and I 'Tagged' Keith Scantelbury as I remember he used to live at the Market place in the 1950's.

Keith replied with :- Alan, I can't remember a Phillips yard. We moved to what is 5 Market Place in 1958 I think, I would have been 3 in December that year. The two houses there belonged to Mr. and Mrs Johnson ( of the shoe shop) so to some it may have been known as Johnson's yard. Carrick's the baker shared the same yard. Next door was the yard behind the Bank and the butcher's where the slaughter house and lairage was. That was accessed by the alley by Oranges garage ( now Tyred and Exhausted - Avor) . Further along the other way was the Neuk an further up the street were a few yards . The ones I can remember were the Council yard and Foggons yard where Newton and Mrs Foggon lived.

It's quite some time since I visited Bedlington.co.uk Alan. I used to talk with Vic regularly. He worked with my mother's cousin over in Canada. Pleased to hear he is still kicking about.

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I told Keith I had passed on his message and he replied with :- 

 

Keith Scantlebury Alan Edgar yes please, send him my regards . He worked with Kenneth Charlton my mams cousin

Edited February 29, 2020 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Canny lass]

Many of Bedlington's ´yards' quite often don't appear on early maps the reason being that the names were given by the residents and weren't in any way official. The residents named them so that friends and workmates could identify them. Popular names were the names of pubs (as the yard belonged to the pub). One example of this is Tankerville yard. Another way to identify the residence was by giving the name of the owner. Keith gives a good example of this in the previous post - Johnson's yard - another is Foggan's yard.

I believe Phillips yard may have belonged to the Phillips family who seem to have run the Cross Inn at the market place, next to Pattinsons the estate agent. The  yard may well have belonged to pub and no longer exists. The Phillips' certainly ran the pub in 1888:

http://www.sixtownships.org.uk/sad-death-at-bedlington.html

and the 1911 census shows the same Hannah Phillips still living at 'Market Place' Bedlington. Hannah is by then a widow who gives her occupation as "retired Beer House Keeper".

[Vic Patterson]

I think that would be quite conclusive that it would be the same Phillips, I think the cafe now on the corner would have been the bakery that Doreen remembers (them passing the reject Tea cakes and stotties across to #1Phillips yard) 

Doreen remembers an archway to the yard and stairs that led down to Bacci's, a few neighbours names she remembered were Kathleen Parr, Sheila Saint and Jimmy Bower, before she moved about 1948 to Hollymount Square, yes near good friend HPW!

Thank you Alan, Keith and Canny lass.

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Vic Patterson & @Canny lass - some photos you may, or my not, have seen of the area :-

c1930

 

No date but the Air raid shelter for the Village school hasn't been built in this photo so pre 1939

The Neuk - Salmon Place 

BACCI

The Cross Tavern

Edited March 2, 2020 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Vic Patterson]

Thanks Alan for posting the pictures, Doreen is sure that is the area of the archway to Phillips yard, (behind the inserted picture) 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

14 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

Thanks Alan for posting the pictures, Doreen is sure that is the area of the archway to Phillips yard, (behind the inserted picture) 

@Vic Patterson - not very clear photo but this 1938 shot from when the 'Nail'  needed repair could show the entrance to Phillips yard :-  

@John Fox (foxy) - do you have any photos of the entrance that used to be to Phillips yard?

Edited March 3, 2020 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[John Fox (foxy)]

Not sure if this is it @Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) sorry about the watermark but the pirates have been  selling them again.😡

[Vic Patterson]

Thank you foxy, Dot said just below the red fire/burglar alarm is where the archway would have been, #1 Phillips yard, her first home! (that was the registered address on both hers and sisters birth cetificates)

Thank you all. 

(Dot will be moving into a local seniors lodge this Thursday, )

[Canny lass]

On 01/03/2020 at 21:50, Vic Patterson said:

I think that would be quite conclusive that it would be the same Phillips

Depends how long the yard has been there, I'm now thinking. There was also, in 1861, one  of Bedlington's largest "licensed lodging houses" on  Muggers Corner (west corner of Mugger's Nook - Mugger's Neuk in the Bedlington dialect) run by one Eliza Phillips. This must have faced what later became known as Phillips Yard when the third house, adjoining the Cross Inn was built. I've been having a look at area of the main street and market place through the census records and I've actually found a Phillips Yard registered in 1871. However, that yard is at the top end of the town opening out onto Glebe Row. It consisted of five dwellings of which one was occupied by Septimus Phillips, a coachman born in Morpeth - as were the Phillips from the Cross Tavern. Maybe related? So that's another bit of history Doreen has confirmed in naming the market place yard.

Sorry to hear about Doreen, Vic, it's a tough decision to make! However, you've done a great job nursing her at home as you've done. I take my hat off to you! I'm pleased you've found somewhere local which should make visiting and maintaining  family contact a bit easier for you.

PS That must be Heppell's the baker Dorren remembers. It can be seen on the 1938 photo of the market cross posted by Eggy.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Canny lass

[Vic Patterson]

Thank you so much Canny lass, Yes Doreen confirms it was Heppell's that donated all those stotties just over 70 years ago, said she call still smell the bakery!

[Canny lass]

14 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

Thank you so much Canny lass, Yes Doreen confirms it was Heppell's that donated all those stotties just over 70 years ago, said she call still smell the bakery!

Just the mention of the word stotty brings back that bakery smell to me!

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

33 minutes ago, Canny lass said:

Just the mention of the word stotty brings back that bakery smell to me!

Whenever our youngest came home (went to Uni in London 1998 and stayed in London after she finished Uni ) would call into Greggs, now across the road from the Central Station, to get two stotties to take back with her. The other think she couldn't get in London was Monkey's Blood on her ice cream. In today's politically correct world she now has to ask for 'Red Sauce' . The younger generation ice cream sellers from the vans along the NE coast no longer use the term Monkeys Blood.

[John Fox (foxy)]

Heppell's @Vic Patterson  not mine 😉 but cropped  my postcard collection.

[Vic Patterson]

Nice one, even looks period correct from when she lived there, around '49 '50, thank you Foxy.

 

 

 

[Canny lass]

Cigarette machine on the corner! Who can remember those?

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

1 hour ago, Canny lass said:

Cigarette machine on the corner! Who can remember those?

I was guessing at the 1940's based on the ciggi machine and that pram. Googled the ciggi vending machine history but didn't find anything to put a specific period/decade they were introduced into the UK - gave up after 30 mins

I must have used the ciggi vending machines in the 1960's but preferred to visit the local Co-op, at the Oval shops, and get 10 JC, cos that's what me mam smoked and the bloke in the Co-op assumed I was just getting them for her.

Don't have any photos from the 1940's of me, or my two older brothers, in a pram so no idea what we spent our first years in. As the three of us were born in consecutive years and I can't imagine my family having a twin pram etc I do wonder how me mam got to the shops! There again me grannie had nine children, between 1920 & 1937, so I would guess they had to learn to walk early and the youngest one had the pram. Or would they 'top-and tail' in an old pram? 

 

Edited March 12, 2020 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Vic Patterson]

I noticed the post office location behind the people when did it move further up the street? 

The pram! the transport of the day, we have seen them full of bairns, yes top and tail or full of groceries, or a combination of both, even seen a bag of coal but not at the same time as the bairn. Parked at the front door, hat, mitts and harness on while mom got her housework done! different era. Did anyone see a dad push a pram in those days? (no prams in the club I suppose)

Edited March 12, 2020 by Vic Patterson

[Canny lass]

1 hour ago, Vic Patterson said:

I noticed the post office location behind the people when did it move further up the street? 

 Of old maps to judge, the PO moved from its location between the King's Arms and The Mason's Arms on Front Street West 1860-61. However, while I can remember it in more recent times once again on Front Street West, I can't remember when it moved there.

1 hour ago, Vic Patterson said:

The pram! the transport of the day, we have seen them full of bairns, yes top and tail or full of groceries, or a combination of both, even seen a bag of coal but not at the same time as the bairn. Parked at the front door, hat, mitts and harness on while mom got her housework done! different era. Did anyone see a dad push a pram in those days? (no prams in the club I suppose)

... and when the family was completed and the pram no longer used for transport of other household essentials the under-carriage made a great bogey! Two sets of wheels, three planks of wood: one long, two short and a bit of your mother's clothes line for the steering and the dragging it back up hills. Am I right in thinking we also called that a trambone?

[JayDe]

I’m intrigued by this discussion of Phillips yard. My great great grandparents were Phillips and I believe Septimus Phillips was related to them.  My great great grandfather was a boot/shoe maker who also worked in the local taverns.  My great great grandmother was a hatmaker/milliner. They are listed in many directories as having premises in various parts of bedlington high street.  Sadly I believe there may have been bankruptcy which resulted in them having to leave the area in or around 1870/72.  

I wonder if anyone has any further information about that time that might prove useful. Thanks.

JayDe

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 02/03/2020 at 11:53, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

 

 

3 hours ago, JayDe said:

I’m intrigued by this discussion of Phillips yard. My great great grandparents were Phillips and I believe Septimus Phillips was related to them.  My great great grandfather was a boot/shoe maker who also worked in the local taverns.  My great great grandmother was a hatmaker/milliner. They are listed in many directories as having premises in various parts of bedlington high street.  Sadly I believe there may have been bankruptcy which resulted in them having to leave the area in or around 1870/72.  

I wonder if anyone has any further information about that time that might prove useful. Thanks.

JayDe

The Cross Tavern

@JayDe - this is not something I have researched or now anything about, it just happens that when I was attempting to find out about the pubs that have existed in Bedlington I discovered the Cross Inn that is where Phillips yard used to be. All I had ever found was the photo above that had been posted on the  Six-T Media group.

Yesterday I bought a book - Bedlington Remembered -  by Evan Martin and in it was the above photo of the Cross Tavern plus some info on a story about the landlady - Hannah Phillips in 1888. Image and info from the book :-

 

I have no idea if the Cross Tavern Phillips is linked to your family.

Edited August 14, 2020 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Canny lass]

On 06/03/2020 at 15:08, Canny lass said:

There was also, in 1861, one  of Bedlington's largest "licensed lodging houses" on  Muggers Corner (west corner of Mugger's Nook - Mugger's Neuk in the Bedlington dialect) run by one Eliza Phillips. This must have faced what later became known as Phillips Yard when the third house, adjoining the Cross Inn was built. I've been having a look at area of the main street and market place through the census records and I've actually found a Phillips Yard registered in 1871. However, that yard is at the top end of the town opening out onto Glebe Row. It consisted of five dwellings of which one was occupied by Septimus Phillips, a coachman born in Morpeth - as were the Phillips from the Cross Tavern. Maybe related?

I suggest having a closer look at the census records JayDe. Maybe you'll recognise some of the other names at these addresses.

[JayDe]

Thank you Eggy and Canny Lass. I’m going to dig out the info I have and compare it, but I’m fairly sure there is a connection.  I know my relative had a brother named Septimus and Eliza is a common name in the tree. Will check it out and let you know what I find.  Thanks again.