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Merry Christmas to all.

Merry Christmas to everyone in this group from Bygone Bedlington:-

Is that Wilf i can see loitering by the traffic lights? Hopefully it is, cos that means it's officially Christmas! Whoopee!!! A very merry Christmas to everybody. I hope to be a bit more active next year as two eye operations have meant I've had to rely on someone else to read and write for me for a couple of months. Reading has been a little bit easier but only if I lift the laptop to within an inch of my face. However, I'm on the mend now but can't get new specs until the beginning of February when everything is healed. Have a great Christmas and knock hell out of what's left of the year!

I have attached photos of the only ironworks building remaining. The first one was probably taken in the 1950’s and the second one taken about 5 years ago. The building is now completely covered with ivy. I asked an East Bedlington councillor on site a few years ago why they were allowing ivy to cover this important historical building. He replied that once it was covered with ivy, no one will know it is there so the building will not be vandalized. An unusual way to protect historical buildings! I have attached a copy of Chris Bergen’s book on the Ironworks that may be of interest. Old ordinance maps should show the layout of the ironworks. History of Bedlington Ironworks.pdf

Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy New Year

EVs are a brilliant idea ... until (as others here have said) you look at the vehicle charging infrastructure; I'd buy an plugin EV if I could be sure of decent range and loads of FAST charging stations. My observations when out and about is how scarce they are and when you see one that works there's usually a queue of cars waiting to get a connection. I currently drive a 'mild hybrid' - 3 litre diesel engine with a big battery under the floor for the leccy motors so don't plugin. They talk about fast home charging but most of the UK housing stock has limited electrical capacity - if you're lucky it'll be 100amps but more usually 80amps so good luck with getting a fast charger with that sort of 'crippled' supply even if you're lucky enough to have a driveway to park the motor; ditto the street lamp idea ... limited electrical capacity. So what about the hydrogen route ... makes sense for HGVs until you look at our old friend the infrastucture issue. There's an article in The Engineer magazine discussing the issue in the USA and the ENORMOUS cost of building it. https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/news/project-launched-to-advance-heavy-duty-hydrogen-refuelling-infrastructure So, SYM says, burn the diesel and to hell with polar bears.

I need to pinch that cartoon GGG😄

The awrd initiated by @Bedlingtonian in 2020. Last year, 2023, the members voted for https://www.facebook.com/Thefriendsofwestleacemetery The first three years we had a poll, created by @Andy Millne, and last years was a suggestion that the members agreed with with so no poll. As it has been another quiet year, even for the regulars @Canny lass - @threegee - @Vic Patterson & me, I would suggest the same method as last year but naturally if anyone wants a pool then please ask Andy to set it up. Even Piper has had a quiet year and hasn't even had his coat trimmed for the trophy and is lying down on the job My vote this year would be for Malcolm Robinson. Regardless of his politics he has fought tirlessly for Bedlington and kept us and Facebook members aware of what is going on, or not going to happen, in Bedlington.

Vic..........planning early next year......... https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/politics/council/major-milestone-reached-in-ps10billion-ai-data-centre-scheme-in-northumberland-4896802?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawG_mhNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHdplEg6hAbl-_bv1qHZ4PcDoEHZFIiV6CTyhecapyYwOSuNIAlQd9Om9CQ_aem_23lTItGp2UR8r9o_tQvCkg#Echobox=1733438593

Hello to everyone out there that went to Westridge in the 60’s. My name is Ken Straw some of you may remember some not. My siblings all attended Westridge, Pamela, Peter and Pauline Straw. We lived in Westlea, we are now scattered around the globe (well almost). I moved to the USA, lived there for 43 years and retired in Southeast Spain. My sister Pamela still lives in Calgary, Canada and Peter lives in Bedlington and Pauline lives in Whitley Bay. Love to hear from anyone we went to school with!!!!

Message Handling Protocol??? The BBC isn't a place for politics? You must be joking!

Not yet suitable for me, -40c snowing 130 km to nearest fast charge station (if they have one yet!) round trip to the city 900km plus. Okay for local shopping.

That is Wilf - your eyes are better than my OH's

https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2MUdkKUl047JgGES-iJSnoH0Qkhv44rLuKjTqcm0ZVHt3NMFkNAfsrRok_aem_tHlMA989V9LgnMDn4-FTEg

Hello, Adventures on Ancestry.com have led me to realise that I am descended from Bedlington/Morpeth and not soley from London as I thought. I'm trying to find out who my grandfather might have been. Are there any reasons why miners from The Bedlington Colliery would have found themselves in London in 1944 (when my father was conceived?) Thanks in advance Dansybelle 🙂

I would prefer not to share as I have left out some of the more salacious details. I no longer live in Bedlington but I recognise some of the names on here and I think most on here would know me. I lived there most of my life until I was about 25. Bedlington is a very small. Alex Wilson is not my real name. I was reading something at the time and that was a portmanteau of what I was reading. As far as I know, my grandfather had no children after my father was born, so I would doubt if we shared the same grandfather unless your father was illegitimate? My father was in fact illegitimate. He was born in Morpeth workhouse and his parents married after he was born. He died some years ago and I do not believe he knew. My grandfather had done well for himself and when he died the solicitor as executor distributed his estate to my father without checking his birth status. His sister was adopted so was never a beneficiary of the estate. If he had checked, he would have realised that at that time illegitimate children were not entitled to an estate under the intestate rules. I am not sure when the rules changed.

Thanks for the info- he could even be my grandfather as well. Who knows! What was your grandfather's name? If you don't mind sharing.

My grandfather was born in Bedlington in 1913 to a single mother (of dubious morals IMO) and unknown father. He started his working life as a miner. In the 1939 census he was working in a hotel in central London. His wife (my grandmother), was working as a servant in a large house in the south. They left my father and his sister up here with relatives. One was left with Gr grandmother of dubious morals. Grandmother came back to Bedlington. Grandfather was in WW2 and never returned, barely seeing his children again. After the war he had a professional career, remarried, and although had no further children did very well. I remember my great grandmother well and she had calmed down a bit in her later years, but often wonder if grandfather left Bedlington because his mother was a disgrace. That said, I hardly remember him. No birthday or Christmas cards. Nothing. So perhaps the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. So although the mines were doing well, it may be personal circumstances that took your relative down south.

https://northumberlandcoastloop.uk/2024/12/07/nera-things-to-see-on-the-northumberland-line-a-free-guide-and-restating-the-case-for-the-n-c-l/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0j5MbdiZk_49wU8SOyxHdrroQeJxNDFNnY2WWOeqtZ7xNondVW9CB7oVo_aem_orAnrxx4pvgvQVR7mbQJ6g

@Vic Patterson this is the latest update on all the news sites :- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3e957k9d1yo

Stead Lane was once named Puddlers’ Road and at the bottom of the road was a row of terraced houses called Puddlers’ Row. On your certificate of baptism the address is Rose Cottage, Puddlers’ Lane. Puddlers’ Lane doesn’t appear on any of the old maps and I’ve never heard of it but there have been a few postings on this site about Rose Cottage. It is shown in both the 1939 and 1911 census. I don’t have access to the 1921 census, and it may show the Clark family still living there. In the photo, Rose Cottage is the one with the collapsed roof. Directly opposite the cottage, on the other side of the river was the Ironworks so I can see why the Rose Cottage address is shown to be in “Puddlers’ Lane”. The puddler was the person who worked with the molten ore after it was released from the bottom of the blast furnace. From Wikipedia - “The strenuous labour, heat and fumes caused puddlers to have a short life expectancy, with most dying in their thirties.”

Ashington to newcastle - not stopping at Bedlington - starts on Sunday 15th December 2024

Before James and Annie Clark lived in Shiney row the lived in puddlers lane . Thought that people who liked paper documents might want to look at it .

Welcome to the group @dansybelle. From when the mines started in the North east there has always been stories of families moving from the South to find work in the Northern mines but never heard any stories etc. of miners moving South to find work in mining as all the mines would have been in full production in 1944 when WWII ended. The Durham Mining Musem site has a list of all the Durham & Northumberland collieries. This is a direct link to the alphabetical entries of mines in the area :- http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/index_a.htm Under the Morpeth name there are only two entries :- Morpeth Banks Colliery Pegswood, Morpeth & Morpeth Moor Colliery There were two collieries in Bedlington :- Doctor Pit & Bedlington/Sleekburn 'A' pit and these two pits had links with other pits in the area eg. Cambois, Choppington, West Sleekburn, Barrington & Bomarsund, Stakeford. For a family to move to the South withoput work or links to relatives would seem to be a very brave move. I am not a member of a genealogy site but expect them to have access to to the latest census records ie. 1921 and birt h records that might help you identify area the family lived and occupation.

We lived in Hartford Camp before Westley, me and Peter attended Netherton Colliery school with Pamela attending Nedderton Village school. Then we all went to Bedlington county primary school. Thanks for the link, great memories in those old photo’s. Ken

Hi CL and Sym! Aam a bit late in catching up but appreciate your comments! Hope you all have a nice time over the festive season!! Cheers and all the best!![that goes for Alan and everybody else that contributes on this great forum!!]

That's brilliant James thank you

Hi Alan thank you for the offer I appreciate it. I'm currently researching the ironworks with a view to building a 3d digital model, but I'm struggling to find an image/plan drawing of the site buildings/layout etc. I have some renders I have done from images I've found online, but I'm still unsure of materials used i.e brick/stone roofing slate tiles. I have attached a couple of images of how I think it might have looked so if anyone has anything they can add It would be appreciated. Thanks

William . Nancy . Elsie and Florence Clark of 34 shiney row 1916

@threegee ;-

I can think of a couple of possible reasons for a coal-miner's child being born at the granary. Coal-mining was playing a big part in Bedlington’s industry and miners were ‘imported from many parts of Britain. If you look at the population in 1851 there were almost as many miners from other parts of the country as there were native Bedlingtonians. Housing was at a premium and miners lodged wherever they could get a roof over their head until colliery housing became available. Another explanation for a birth at the granary may be that your relative wasn’t born at home. It wasn’t uncommon that prima gravidas (first-time mothers) went to the home of a female relative, often their mother, when the birth was imminent.

@threegee - reply from Cllr Alex Wallace =

The Watsons must have been there for a very long time. Wm. Watson Esq gets a mention on Armstrongs map from 1769. Almost next door to Mount Pleasant farm and granary is a "seat or noted house" with his name on it. (upper edge of map).