Bedlington Colliery

[James]

On 04/01/2022 at 14:33, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@Sloopy .Dog - I have added the names of collieries I can remember that were in the area - don't think I've missed one but @HIGH PIT WILMA will keep me right. There was a railway link between the tow Bedlington pits and they both dumped the waste onto the same pit heap.

 

Hi Eggy

The only one you've missed is Barmoor colliery and was just off your map. It was on the Nedderton - Morpeth road just past Hepscott in the "dip" behind the row of houses on the right side of the road driving towards Morpeth. It was the smallest pit in the Bedlington group of collieries.

 

[James]

22 minutes ago, James said:

 

To make sure I don't upset (HPW), there were two Choppington collieries - Choppington 'A' (the low pit) and the pit where HPW worked, Choppington 'B' (the high pit)

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

6 hours ago, James said:

Hi Eggy

The only one you've missed is Barmoor colliery and was just off your map. It was on the Nedderton - Morpeth road just past Hepscott in the "dip" behind the row of houses on the right side of the road driving towards Morpeth. It was the smallest pit in the Bedlington group of collieries.

Cheers James - image updated. I'm assuming the Choppington 'A' & 'B' pits were right nest to each other. The DMM site only has the one entry but does say 'A' & 'B' pit

 

Edited January 8, 2022 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[James]

14 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

Cheers James - image updated. I'm assuming the Choppington 'A' & 'B' pits were right nest to each other. The DMM site only has the one entry but does say 'A' & 'B' pit

 

Hi Eggy,

I have added the exact location of Choppington ‘B’ to your map. 

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

1 hour ago, James said:

Hi Eggy,

I have added the exact location of Choppington ‘B’ to your map. 

 

Cheers James - updated my copy.

[Grahame Appleby]

On 08/01/2022 at 11:34, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

I did download Google Earth Pro a couple of years ago and had a bit play but I though my Desktop PC didn't have enough working memory to use all the features without having to swap different procedure code in and out of memory. So I went beck to using Google maps which does have the facility to switch Street Views back to 2008-9. 

I haven'r read Steven B. Martin's booklet on Barrington. I rely on ex Barn'ton lads who are Admin of the Facebook group - Barrington, Barnt'n memories and stuff!!! - if I need info. 

I don't know who added the text to this one but Chapel Row is named🙂  

Hi,

GE can be a bit quirky at times, but Street View is excellent as the historic street images are not easily available in GE. I tend to swap between them.

Grahame

[Bhx7]

Good Evening,

Thank you for accepting me on to the forums. My 4 x Gt Grandfather, John Atkinson Harrison had the Rose & Crown, Bedlington Iron Works from c1840 till about 1852. All but 2 of his son's worked in the Iron Works. It has been intriguing reading this particular thread, especially the mention of the Rose & Crown and its positioning. There are a number of incidents which happened during my families time there both happy and tragic, none moreso than the accidental death of the youngest son Joseph Atkinson Harrison at the tender age of only 5.  The incident is mentioned in the newspaper cutting below. Taken from the Newcastle Guardian 15 Sept 1850. 

I have looked for good picture of the Rose & Crown for years. I was lead to believe it was one of the buildings seen below the wooden Viaduct. 

Thanks Brian

[MichaelDavidson]

I have seen reference to the owners of the Bedlington colliery in 1850s as Davison, Easton, Anderson, Stodart, Bates & Henderson.  Thomas Davison was mentioned in a booked called "A History of Northumberland". 1909.  Is there any way one could find out more about this "Thomas Davison" and his family? My family history research is point to this guy as my great great grandfather.  Was the colliery sold to someone else between 1855 and 1860?  It is my belief that he retired soon after this, moving his entire family to Ontario, Canada.

[Canny lass]

On 10/01/2022 at 03:48, Bhx7 said:

Good Evening,

Thank you for accepting me on to the forums. My 4 x Gt Grandfather, John Atkinson Harrison had the Rose & Crown, Bedlington Iron Works from c1840 till about 1852. All but 2 of his son's worked in the Iron Works. It has been intriguing reading this particular thread, especially the mention of the Rose & Crown and its positioning. There are a number of incidents which happened during my families time there both happy and tragic, none moreso than the accidental death of the youngest son Joseph Atkinson Harrison at the tender age of only 5.  The incident is mentioned in the newspaper cutting below. Taken from the Newcastle Guardian 15 Sept 1850. 

I have looked for good picture of the Rose & Crown for years. I was lead to believe it was one of the buildings seen below the wooden Viaduct. 

Thanks Brian

Welcome to the forum, Bhx7!

You are correct. The Rose & Crown Inn was located to the west of the viaduct and situated between Keelmans Row and Rose & Crown Row.

 

(Ignore the red star)

Census enumerators were creatures of habit who followed a strict route. In the 1901 census, having left the Sea View/Paradise Row area (Bottom right corner of map) he entered the Iron Works area and followed his route including Fergusons Row (where my father was born, 1900) proceding through Old Factory Yard and its offices, he then makes his way downhill to the riverside where he records in the following order as he walks towards the bridge at the foot of the hairpin bend:

Green – Rose & Crown Inn (marked P.H. ’Public House’ on the map)

Orange – Rose & Crown Row (nrs 1-6)

Pink – Bridge House

Yellow – Clock House

Blue – Rose Cottage, the last dwelling in his district (Cowpen 16)'

The Rose & Crown Inn is actually named on this second map from 1897 just 4 years before the census.

Thanks to Eggy for the  art-work on this last map. As you see, he's much better at it than I am!

Edited January 21, 2022 by Canny lass

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 10/01/2022 at 02:48, Bhx7 said:

 

I have looked for good picture of the Rose & Crown for years. I was lead to believe it was one of the buildings seen below the wooden Viaduct. 

Thanks Brian

 

@Bhx7 - have you checked back through page one of this topic? There is an image of the Rose & Crown pub. The image is showing a local Man, Matty Whinthrip, with his Horse and Cart outside the pub. The photo is from a book by local historian's Stephen B. & Evan Martin.  Also on page 1 of this topic there are a couple of photos showing the wooden bridge and the steel bridge that replaced it. There are buildings in each photo and one of them must be the Rose & Crown. 

Hope that helps.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

13 hours ago, MichaelDavidson said:

I have seen reference to the owners of the Bedlington colliery in 1850s as Davison, Easton, Anderson, Stodart, Bates & Henderson.  Thomas Davison was mentioned in a booked called "A History of Northumberland". 1909.  Is there any way one could find out more about this "Thomas Davison" and his family? My family history research is point to this guy as my great great grandfather.  Was the colliery sold to someone else between 1855 and 1860?  It is my belief that he retired soon after this, moving his entire family to Ontario, Canada.

@MichaelDavidson - Have you ever looked at the info on the Durham Mining Museum (DMM) site? The site is ran by a charity and I believe all those that help on the site are volunteers. The site has info on all Northumberland and Durham collieries and included in the info on the 2 Bedlington collieries - 'A' & 'D' pits - are the list of owners from 1850 that you have mentioned above and then the owners from 1950 until their close = 

1860s - Bedlington Coal Co.

1890s - Bedlington Coal Co. Ltd.

1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)

This is a direct link to the Bedlington colliery page on the DM site :- http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/b022.htm

[Canny lass]

On 10/01/2022 at 03:48, Bhx7 said:

I have looked for good picture of the Rose & Crown for years.

I knew I had one somewhere! The larger building to the right of Viaduct Cottages (sorry, I said Keelmans Row earlier. That was a mistake)

[Bhx7]

On 21/01/2022 at 12:20, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@Bhx7 - have you checked back through page one of this topic? There is an image of the Rose & Crown pub. The image is showing a local Man, Matty Whinthrip, with his Horse and Cart outside the pub. The photo is from a book by local historian's Stephen B. & Evan Martin.  Also on page 1 of this topic there are a couple of photos showing the wooden bridge and the steel bridge that replaced it. There are buildings in each photo and one of them must be the Rose & Crown. 

Hope that helps.

Hi Alan (Eggy)

Thank you. I actually had that one of the Rose & Crown, although it is nice image, it shows very little of the actual building concentrating more on the man . Very much appreciate the heads up on the others though and getting back to me.

On 21/01/2022 at 15:15, Canny lass said:

I knew I had one somewhere! The larger building to the right of Viaduct Cottages (sorry, I said Keelmans Row earlier. That was a mistake)

Hi Canny lass

Thank you you very much for the maps and photo's it helps a lot with positioning etc.. So from your description I would assume the closest building to the viaduct is the Rose & Crown. 

 

It is lovely to be welcomed on to the page and to be given so much information. It is very much appreciated. Bedlington and Horton play a major roll in my families history and its journey into Iron and Steel. I look forward to talking to  all more in the the future

Kind regards

Brian

 

 

[Bhx7]

Just looking at the map again... Is the first building in the photo the Rose & Crown? 

[James]

Two earlier photos of the Rose & Crown showing the wooden bridge. The Bedlington Coal Company built the first Bedlington Viaduct in June 1850 as part of its line from Newsham to Bedlington. It was a timber trestle bridge designed by Robert Nicholson, 80 feet high and 770 feet long. (From article “Bridges on the Blyth”) In 1930 the old wooden structure was demolished by the London and North Eastern Railway and was replaced by the present iron bridge (The Black Bridge). (From article “Bridges on the Blyth”)

[Canny lass]

12 hours ago, Bhx7 said:

Bedlington and Horton play a major roll in my families history and its journey into Iron and Steel.

In my family too but they were in coal-mining. They've probably tread common ground.

Re the location of the Rose & Crown Inn in the photo:

 

[MichaelDavidson]

On 21/01/2022 at 05:36, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@MichaelDavidson - Have you ever looked at the info on the Durham Mining Museum (DMM) site? The site is ran by a charity and I believe all those that help on the site are volunteers. The site has info on all Northumberland and Durham collieries and included in the info on the 2 Bedlington collieries - 'A' & 'D' pits - are the list of owners from 1850 that you have mentioned above and then the owners from 1950 until their close = 

1860s - Bedlington Coal Co.

1890s - Bedlington Coal Co. Ltd.

1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)

This is a direct link to the Bedlington colliery page on the DM site :- http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/b022.htm

I know this discussion is really about the mine and the building around it.  Thomas Davison was one of the original owners but there doesn't seem to be much more than a simple listing of his name on the DMM site. Was wondering who he was and when did he actually sell his share in the mine?  1860?  I have an ancestor from this area, wife was from Bedlington, children born in Horton Parish in early 1880s.

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

13 hours ago, MichaelDavidson said:

I know this discussion is really about the mine and the building around it.  Thomas Davison was one of the original owners but there doesn't seem to be much more than a simple listing of his name on the DMM site. Was wondering who he was and when did he actually sell his share in the mine?  1860?  I have an ancestor from this area, wife was from Bedlington, children born in Horton Parish in early 1880s.

 

I can't help you Michael. Apart from the entry on the DMM and your comment of -' mentioned in a booked called "A History of Northumberland' I haven't seen his name mentioned anywhere.

[Canny lass]

16 hours ago, MichaelDavidson said:

Thomas Davison was one of the original owners but there doesn't seem to be much more than a simple listing of his name on the DMM site. Was wondering who he was and when did he actually sell his share in the mine? 

You might try the Northumberland Archives,Michael, https://northumberlandarchives.com

Thomas Davison has popped up in my reasearch earlier on documents related to Bedlington Colliery - last one dated 1857.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 23/01/2022 at 21:26, MichaelDavidson said:

I know this discussion is really about the mine and the building around it.  Thomas Davison was one of the original owners but there doesn't seem to be much more than a simple listing of his name on the DMM site. Was wondering who he was and when did he actually sell his share in the mine?  1860?  I have an ancestor from this area, wife was from Bedlington, children born in Horton Parish in early 1880s.

 

@Maggie/915 - is Thomas Davison someone the Bedlingtonshire Local History Society might have reference to and be able to give Michael some links to documentation? 

Edited January 25, 2022 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Maggie/915]

On 25/01/2022 at 20:06, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@Maggie/915 - is Thomas Davison someone the Bedlingtonshire Local History Society might have reference to and be able to give Michael some links to documentation? 

The Local History  Society organise events and talks on a wide variety of topics . 
The members themselves have a wide and detailed amount of local knowledge but the society do not store any archives  that can be viewed  on line .

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

2 hours ago, Maggie/915 said:

The Local History  Society organise events and talks on a wide variety of topics . 
The members themselves have a wide and detailed amount of local knowledge but the society do not store any archives  that can be viewed  on line .

Cheers @Maggie/915👍

[MichaelDavidson]

On 25/01/2022 at 13:06, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@Maggie/915 - is Thomas Davison someone the Bedlingtonshire Local History Society might have reference to and be able to give Michael some links to documentation? 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.  I have been out of town for a while so I'll try and contact the Local History Society.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Correction about the Doctor Pit dumping waste on the aad pit heap...news ti me!

The Doctor Pit had it's aan pit heaps,another playgrund of us kids..in the early 1950's.

It was very dangerous ground,constantly burning,and giving off Sulphrous fumes,as weel as showing light pink patches at the sides of the paths we trod.

Us younger kids were taught to follow the older ones,and to take notice where weeds and grass grew.and where rabbits burrowed under..they were the safe places to walk..and we were taught NOT to venture where the ground was light pink coloured..cos they were the areas where it was still burning hot,no flames,just smouldering hot.

One day,a was really curious,and just dabbed me foot lightly on a pinky spot,and the ground just sank in like a quicksand,with a red hot plume of dust and fumes spewing out from the hole what was created by my actions..the big lads played hell with me,including my older Brother,who was looking after me..

I later heard of a wee lassie who was playing along with her friends,one minute,and the next minute,when her friends looked back for her,she was gone..she had fallen into thi "quicksand furnace" and would be incinerated in seconds..tragic story..

I don't doubt that maybe in the latter years just before the pit closed,that the pit might have run oot of dumping ground,and railed the stone doon ti the Aad pit heap.

Cos the Doctor Pit didn't pile the heap up like the Aad pit,they more or less spread the waste oot owa a large area.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

15 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

Cos the Doctor Pit didn't pile the heap up like the Aad pit,they more or less spread the waste oot owa a large area.

A nivver knew that👍