TODD/JOHNSTON

[Donna Clark]

Hi everyone, I'm researching my great-grandmother Ellen Johnston nee Todd and great-grandad John Johnston. I've been looking into my family tree on and off for a few years, but I've always concentrated on my mams maternal side of the family so now I'm trying and find out about the paternal side. 

Her dad (my grandad) was John Johnston, born 1926. His mother was born Ellen Todd and married his father, also called John Johnston in 1922 in Morpeth. I have their marriage certificate so I know at the time they were married Ellen lived at Old Hall Bedlington, and John lived at 14 Clifton Row Netherton.

Then from the 1939 register I can see that they lived at 38 Doctor Terrace, Bedlington. I've also recently found their headstone at Westlea Cemetery so I have their DOB and DOD. 

They had a few children, Thomas (Tommy), John, George (Geordie), James (Jimmy), Jane, Joseph (Joe), Billy and Robert Johnston. 

I'm just wondering if anybody here might remember the family? Have some stories or memories? May even be related? Or possibly have some photos of the places they lived (Old Hall, Clifton Row, Doctor Terrace)? I never met most of them so it would be nice to hear peoples memories of them.

Thanks in advance,

Donna Clark

 

 

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[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Donna Clark - welcome to the group Donna. 

There are photos of Doctor Terrace, Bedlington ( know locally as the Doctor Pit Raa's or  old pit raa's (Rows)), the Old Hall, Bedlington. and possibly a couple of Clifton Row, Netherton Colliery. @Canny lass will probably be able to tell you when Clifton Row demolished.

I will have a look through the albums in the Gallery and and either add them in a comment within this topic or add a link to the gallery album that holds the photos of Netherton Colliery and the Doctor Pit Rows.

There are a couple photos of the Old hall but I don't think they are in any of the albums but I have copies of them and I will add them for you to see.   

I have converted your 'bmp' file to a jpg file which will save any member having to Download the file to see it.

It will be tomorrow before I have a good look through the albums but I will get back to you🙂  

[Vic Patterson]

These are two I have, not sure where they came from, my father in law Bill Dagless used to live in #2, I believe it was the first window to the right of the lady by the arch.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Donna Clark - I'm sure you will be aware that the three places you mention - Old hall, Doctor Terrace & Clifton Row (Netherton Colliery) no longer exist. 

This is an old map 1896 showing the area but I have excluded Netherton as to fit it all in you wouldn't be able to read the names on the map. We will add some old maps, later, showing Netherton Colliery & Clifton row.  You will see on the current Google map added to the 1896 map the name netherton does not appear, just the name Nedderton. Nedderton used to be called Netherton and the colliery area, where the colliery houses where, was always know as Netherton Colliery. There was another village called Netherton, near Rothbury, and the post for the two vilages used to get mixed up so Netherton, Bedlington changed it's name to Nedderton but the colliery area retained the name Netherton Colliery. 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 23/06/2021 at 14:39, Donna Clark said:

I have their marriage certificate so I know at the time they were married Ellen lived at Old Hall Bedlington, 

 

@Donna Clark - including the couple of photos that @Vic Patterson posted above of the Old Hall there are just a few of the building and some info = comments by local Bedlington Facebook group, Bygone Bedlington, members - but I haven't seen any official documents on the Old Hall.

This is a 'Then & Now' (Google street view 2020). When the Old Hall was demolished, late 1950's, the new building, Council Offices, included a section, left side, as you look at the building, to 'resemble' the Peel Tower that was part of the Old Hall.

This comment by Brian jenkinson - Bygone Bedlington Facebook Group :- 

 Brian Jenkinson

The "square bit" on the left started life as a pele tower which predates the hall.

The current square structure is "a nod" to its history but is contemporary with the rest of the building (opened in 1961) and not medieval!

 

Some more photos, but no additional info from the members who posted the photos of the old building  :- 

 

These next photos are through the archway :- 

 

 

This info is from the book - The People's History, Memories of Bedlingtonshire and Beyond - by a local man, Evan Martin and t info was with the photo that Vic posted above :- 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 23/06/2021 at 14:39, Donna Clark said:

Then from the 1939 register I can see that they lived at 38 Doctor Terrace, Bedlington. I've also recently found their headstone at Westlea Cemetery so I have their DOB and DOD. 

They had a few children, Thomas (Tommy), John, George (Geordie), James (Jimmy), Jane, Joseph (Joe), Billy and Robert Johnston. 

 

There are quite a few photos of Doctor Terrace and nearly all are posted in the album - Doctor Pit and Rows. The albums are held in the Gallery section and there are a number of albums on Netherton and an album for each of the schools, old and current, in the Historic Bedlington section.

This is another photo and info from one of Evan Martin's books :-  

Have to go now but I will add some some info showing Then & Now for Doctor Terrace.

This is a direct link to the Doctor Pit and Rows album. If you select a photo thatis displayed then there is normally additional photos and info added :- 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Donna Clark]

@Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) and @Vic Patterson, thank you very much for all this information and photographs. Its amazing to look back at old photographs and see the places they lived. The peoples History sounds like a fascinating book, I will certainly have a look at where to buy it!

Once again, thank you very much for all your help!

Donna Clark

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Donna Clark - in the Gallery - Historic Bedlington section did you find the Netherton albums? 

Unfortunately I can't remember any Johnston families, but I wasn't a Top End lad, I lived at the Oval - late 1940's through to 1969. 

There is an album for each of the Bedlington schools. I assume as the Johnstons were living in Doctor Terrace the children would have attended the Bedlington Council school on Ridge Terrace :-