Hi, it's been a while since I have been here, so I wanted to share with everyone a couple of photos I was sent whilst I've been doing my Ancestry research. The first photo of the man holding the buckets is James Todd, born in Cambois in 1878. He married a Bedlington lady called Georgina Brown. They lived in various places through Bedlington, including Old Hall and Dr Terrace. I believe this picture of him may have been taken at Old Hall, judging from old photos that I have seen of Old Hall.

The second photo is of Kitty Todd (Katherine), she was James' daugther and married a man called John Ellis (also in the photo). As soon as I seen it I thought I recognise that sign in the background, and the corner of the Market Tavern. I dont have alot of info on them yet, but I was told Kitty and John lived their whole lives in Bedlington. John was a coal miner. Kitty, although she had bowel cancer for a number of years managed to live until she was 87. She is the sister of my great grandma Ellen Johnston (nee Todd).

@Donna Clark - my memory doesn't recognise anything in your photos but I will have a look throuh#gh all the images og Bedlington I have and see if I can find a match that might give us some info 🤞

@Donna Clark I would say the photo of James Todd with the bucket is next to the archway of the Old Hall building and the archway and steps can been in this photo showing the back of the Old Hall -

The other photo with Kitty Todd & john Ellis I can't find a photo in my collection with similar stone work on the building they are next to. I assume from the visible letters painted on the wall behind them is for a shoe shop but not sure of the name of the shop from the bit - The '@@@ENE?@@' above .

@Canny lass does the stonework of the building ring any bell with you?

Hi Alan, yes thats exactly where I thought it was too. I have seen this photo before and that staircase just looked familiar.

As for the second photo, I've screenshot where I think it is from Google Maps. I might be wrong but I'm sure when I was growing up there was a shoe shop here. If memory serves me well, I think it was called Johnsons? I remember the sign on the side of the building although it did change a couple times. And I think the brick work on the building closesest to them looks like the Market Tavern (Moods now).

@Donna Clark I think your right. When I saw the buillding sticking out my mind went straight to a shop on Front Street West that was next to Willy Wards the photographers as it it extended out.

I did look at Google street view and the walls of Mood that are painted white seemed level with the next building so I quickly moved on ☺️ and I would have no idea, being a bloke, about any shoe shops at the Top End . I think theonly time I would have walked past the Howard Arms would have been on the Miners Picnic day. We would have a pint in every pub, starting at the Red Lion working our way down to the Dun Cow.

I have now checked back through the photos I have of the Market Place area and there are a couple with what looks like adverts for shoes on that wall. This first one a lot clearer than the next and the Howard Arms stone work does look like the stonework in your photo : -

this one not as clear but looks like advertising boots : -

Edited 52 minutes ago52 min by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

10 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@ does the stonework of the building ring any bell with you?

I think that @Donna Clark has identified that correctly and yes, Donna, it is Johnson's shoe shop. Here's a photo from 1970.

1970 J R Johnson, shoe shop 1.avif