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I noticed a charva mooching suspiciously today... mind charvas do nothing much else... it has forced me to rethink my home security arrangements. I need to protect the empty paint cans and broken BBQs in my garage with a new lock. As a pawn in the Bedlington.co.uk advertising game, me and my newly shaped eyebrows trotted down to the station today, in the search of DIY produce. In an ill-thought out move, I tried first to accomplish my security goal in Sonias, where although a pleasant sales assistant was responsible for the good selection of products on sale, the prices were not as reasonable as they once were and a few weird-smelling station-folk put me off my task. B.O-evading, I left for patures new... Keenlesides... A great shop! A fine selection of products for both the novice DIYer and professional alike... they have seen me through from my first set of picture hooks, to providing the wood for grand unit-building schemes. Some time ago, my only flaw in the shop is that they were more costly than their rival, however, now, they may even been the cheaper of the two! The staff are great too! There are at least 5 of them in at any time... and they always stop their conversations to head off to help customers whenever someone comes through the door... without even needing to be asked! (you don't get that in B&Q). The shop has a huge choice of every sized screw, nail and bolt that is possible to be invented (or so it seems) AND they have a super choice of radio station that always has some kind of choice hits. At Keenlesides I was able to find all items to suit my needs, allowing the empty box my hoover came in 3 years ago and the table with the broken leg to stay safe from chav hands!

Helen Savage, wine correspondent for The Journal, used to be vicar of St Cuthbert's Church. http://www.helensavage.com John Trewick (b 1957), football coach for Hereford United Sir Al Aynsley-Green, Children's Commissioner for England Not present day, but the Rev'd Charles Whitley, who retired to be vicar of St Cuthbert's was one of the founders of the University of Durham. Professor Charles Saint (b 1886), medical practitionner in Sark, founded the Professor Charles Saint Medical Trust.

You've only got to check out this highly authoritative website to see the principal ones. It should mention Dr. Trotter though, even if WDC did (quite literally) sideline him from his place at the top-end. He may not have been famous outside the shire, but I think it's fair to say that many Bedlingtonians wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for his efforts to eradicate some of the cesspit of disease that characterised 18th Century Bedlington. One statue that does deserve its place. And one which should be rehabilitated to a place of prominence. Yet how many present-day Bedlingtonians have even heard of him? The Friends of the Legacy of Dr. Trotter maybe? A case of Trotter over Potter?

Is Harry Potter from Bedlington? I know of none, other than that knacker Middlemass who is too bland to count.

Just after 4pm this very day Bedlington's infrastructure almost ground to a halt! The cause? Some old biddies alighting a coach. The incident occured somewhere besides Nettos, and involved a coach stopping along the route of the nouveau-Front Street diversion, alongside a little old lady, waiting to pick up her friends while parked back to front besides the mid-road bollards. Traffic was held back in all directions, from past the Red Lion, Netherton and almost as far as the Gate. At one point a man, in outrage, shook his head at the pleasant girl in the really cool sunglasses who parked blocking the roundabout. The incident lasted for almost 23 minutes, until the octogenarian driver did a 42 point turn to allow the coach the opportunity to pass. The excitement was almost too much for one coach passenger, who, while waving off her friends, proceeded to fall over her suitcase. After this sheer traffic-carnage, the coach professionally trundled on it's way, causing a similar chaotic moment at Beech Grove, while all other buses, cars and biddies went happily on their way. Your roving reporter Vic(mrs)

Haven't we already got one - right here by the looks of it! Either way the local politicos will still ignore it - until election time, of course! Try gathering a crowd at the Market Cross and you'd probably get arrested for disturbing the peace. A quaint term which often meant simply upsetting the local squire. Anyway the only ones that would gave the guts to use it would be the BNP (complete with minders). So in current thinking that sort of rules it out completely.

Is there really to ba 'speakers corner' or are you inciting rebellion?

No to both questions. I recently watched a program "The Speaker" I think it was called which was looking for Britain's best young speaker. As part of their "training" they spoke at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park and far from rebellion it appeared to be quite constructive. When somebody mentioned to me the other day that nobody knew when or for what purpose the Market Cross was built, I thought it may have been some sort of public speaking pedestal.

I find this quite intriguing; it's well known that market crosses - popular constructions - were placed so that those who came to barter had a point of focus. Indeed, the type of cross we have at bedlington - quite rare now, as it happens - is known as a 'nail'. One explanation for the expression 'to pay on the nail' is the association with bartering and dealing at them in markets. This information was told to me by my grandfather when I was about eight, when visiting bedlington to see relatives. When it was built may be something of a mystery, but I don't believe why should be.

That does indeed make sense. A quick google reveals this explanation http://everything2.com/title/Pay+on+the+Nail I wonder what would be the best way to date it.

A brief google brings up the website http://northumberland-cam.com/bedlington/index.htm Included is a picture of said cross, with the caption: "The old Market Cross - erected in 1782" I can find no reference to a source for this, and would actually reckon it be older.

Further, at the website of the 'Public Monument and Sculpture Association' includes the following: Builder - Not known Year of unveiling - c.1700s Unveiling details - Erected c.1700s Plus the unconvincing: Road - A189 Some info, then.....

Anybody want to take up the challenge of initiating the Market Cross as Bedlington's new speaker's corner? I'll provide the megaphone.

Good find. Bedlington History expert Evan Martin may be able to give us a bit more information. There's a Bedlington Heritage Open Day on September 10 at the community centre (more information on the calendar). I shall make it a point to bring up.

Do you know of any ex-Bedlingtonians who've gone on to fortune and fame? Excluding Harry Potter of course.