Feeling nostalgic

[Anne Gilbert]

Hi everyone,

I was called Anne Waldie when I lived in Bedlington as a child.

Seeing all the stuff about Humford baths made me a bit nostalgic about my birth town.

Just wondering if there's anyone who remembers me from Whitley Memorial School, or later. I can't remember when I started there as I was at the school near Stead Lane for a while, but I would have left there in 1970, I think, to go to the Grammar School. Dad was a miner at Netherton, but died in an accident there when I was 14. I left Bedlington when I was 17 to join the Army. I'd love to chat to anyone from around that time. Looking forward to hearing from you!

 

 

[Canny lass]

Welcome to the forum, Anne! There's plenty of nostalgia here if you start rummaging through the topics. I'm a bit (probably a lot) older than you but we have a couple of things in common: My father also worked at Netherton pit (and I was born in the colliery houses) and I also love languages and dialects and worked as a linguist for many years before retirement.

[Anne Gilbert]

Great to hear from you, Canny lass!

My mum was born in Shiney Row, then moved to Netherton (Nedderton?) Lane where I was born. Love the languages connection! I was a Russian interpreter in the Army, then went into teaching. I visit Bedlington every few years - a trip down memory lane. Always reduces me to floods of tears!

 

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 16/02/2022 at 14:32, Anne Gilbert said:

Just wondering if there's anyone who remembers me from Whitley Memorial School, or later. I can't remember when I started there as I was at the school near Stead Lane for a while, but I would have left there in 1970, I think, to go to the Grammar School. 

Hello @Anne Gilbert

There are also Albums for all the schools, past & present, in the Gallery>Historic Bedlington section.

The Oval/Stead Lane school - we have only managed to get one photo for that album and we think it's for those who were born c1951-52. 

Can't help with the Whitley Memorial school as our family were shipped off to Barrington CP, as were quite a lot of others from Thee Oval area. As for BGS I left in 1966. I left my name on many desks, especially the class room used for detention    

[Canny lass]

The Slavic languages were never my cup of tea. I kept myself to the Romance and Germanic families, specializing in the Nordic languages. I did some teaching of A-level languages working mostly with immigrant children (and even their families). However, I preferred teaching adullts and I'm proud to say that there are more than a few medical practitioners who have 'improved' their verbal skills in English sufficiently to enable them to deliver and defend their final dissertation with just a hint of the North East dialect.

[Anne Gilbert]

I've lost my accent somewhat now but I love to hear it. Makes me proud to be a Geordie!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi Anne,welcumtithiforruum,itsgreatiseeanuthaaadbedltngeezeronthisgratesitewheorivrybuggaisfriendlyanthasnaeslaavaaswearinglikeuthasitesbutathinkmebbecannylassneedsticumootoretireminttilarnishootitaakproppabutonthiuthahandathinkitsmewhotaaksproppaaalriddyifyeknaawatameanlikemanifyifollamejistlikemanhowww....!

.......as I was saying,it's wonderful to have you on the forum,and I am sure you will derive a lot of pleasure,integrating with such lovely people who are diligent in  their aims and objectives,of sharing knowledge and understanding to all who participate on the forum....

.....and mind,ye soond like a reet canny lass...[er sorry,CL...!..slip of the pen...so ti speak!]...aa was born in Guipost in 1944,and lived theor,and Choppingtin,Storey's Bildins ,till1947,when me Family mooved inti thi forst of the hooses in Hollymoont Squaore,number thorteen,so aal me family,three Sisters,ind me aader Brutha aal went ti thi Whitley Schuul.

 Can ye mind Matty Hall? ..Luvly fella,ex-army Boxer,who knew hoo ti use a fower foot lang wood blackboard ruler owa ya hint-end as ye were bent owa a desk..for taalkin in class..whey,ye sharp larnt not ti taak in class!!...he clipped wi,but wi still liked him a lot,cos he knew hoo ti keep ye on his side,wi his lovely manner.

He had a huge turnoot for his Funeral,he was known by so many folk in Bedlington..R.I.P. Matty.

We had loads o happy memories of thi aad Whitley!

A hope ye enjoy being a member,Anne,dinna let my glaaky taak put ye off,wi canna aal be Brain Sorgins ye knaa!!

Cheers,Bonny Lass!

Caal me Bill thi gud taaka!! xx

[ps..Wilma was a daft nickname wat a lad caaled Keith Cooney,Deceased R.I.P. Keith..gave me when we first started the pits from school..in 1959...cos a grew me hair lang and played the guitar.Doon a wet coalmine,me hair used ti be aal straggly like the early episodes of the Flintstones,where Wilma was like a thin scraggy character..caveman's squaw!!...noo that's summik ti write yem aboot...innit?!!!]

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

...er Anne,a true Geordie will hae  nae botha reading me test text!

Dinna wurry if ye hae botha,when me Neice was in the Army,a few years ago,she ranked as a corporal..and they were stationed in the Falklands..[after the war was over],and,us being very close,she was pleased to hae letters frae me noo and again.

Whey,one day,a wrote a full A4 sheet of very fine font,by hand,aboot 2mm high,as a dae when a naturally write owt doon.

So this sheet of text,was aal geordie slang,wi a load of Pitmatic hoyed in amangst it,wi nae spaces and nae puncshuashon watsiivvor!!

Aam not kiddin ye,it lukked like a load of hyriglifficks!

Whey,she read it aalreet,so she sneaked inti thi Officer's Mess one day,and pinned it up on thi Operations notice board.

Next thing she knew,she was getting her bait wi aal hor Marras in the Naafi [?],[Canteen?]..,when a high ranking Officer waaked in and caaled attention everyone!

He thundered oot.."and what is this,and who is the person who posted this nonsense on the OP. Board..?"

HE,and aal thi otha Officers,hadn't a clue wat it was aal aboot!!..and aa sed..THEY are defending wor COUNTRY ...and they cudn't decipher Wilma's pittle-tekkin..!!

A had put in phrases like .." Tha stannin theor like a brokkin paor o limmas..." ..."Ya as much gud as a Choclit Polis".."thi tell maor lees thin a Collry Polis.."!..etc..

Me Niece telt them it was just a letter from Uncle Billy in Geordielan in Englind..they warn't very amused,cos a beat thim!! Heh heh!

Noo aal get barred for ...Digressin...sorry Alan and aal ye kind folks..a cudnt resist it...am back!!

Cheers! Bill.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

On a more serious note,a hope everybody on this great site ,are keeping well as can be expected,things are pretty rough here just now,with my Wife's  and my own Health issues,so I can't come on as much as I used to,but rest assured I haven't deserted!

Sadly for us at home,tomorrow is the third Anniversary of the loss of wor LBJ,[Little Black Jess],who was a treasured member of wor family..and who kept me going for ten lovely years.

No more 3-0 am walkies....!

R.I.P. LBJ.

[Canny lass]

13 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

Anne,welcumtithiforruum,itsgreatiseeanuthaaadbedltngeezeronthisgratesitewheorivrybuggaisfriendlyanthasnaeslaavaaswearinglikeuthasitesbutathinkmebbecannylassneedsticumootoretireminttilarnishootitaakproppabutonthiuthahandathinkitsmewhotaaksproppaaalriddyifyeknaawatameanlikemanifyifollamejistlikemanhowww....!

That had even me beat!

Neneedfumeticumutoretirmintbonnyladaathinkyedejustfynyaselwiootennyhelpfrumme.

[Anne Gilbert]

Me too! I've obviously been away too long!