Contributor Leaderboard

The Laverock hall road is the A1061 the road coming out of Blyth from Newsham, up to the roundabout that right takes you Bedlington, Horton and Three horse shoes and left to Seaton Delaval, straight over towards Shankhouse and Cramlington. I'm not sure what leaves would be used when dying the eggs, the yellow gorse flower was under the onion skin, tied with thread I'd guess the the leaves would have been also from the gorse bush!

See photo of an article from The Morpeth Herald of 20th. June 1908. The opening statement of the 1908 AGM of the Wansbeck League states that the meeting was held at Bedlington Royal Oak (The Blue Bell).

The two things to look out for when searching for Shankhouse - 1) The Albion Pub and 2) Hastings Terrace. The Albion pub, demolished years ago and houses built, was between Hastings Terrace, Shankhouse and the Cramlington Fire Station. Both Hastings Terrace and the Fire Station building (no longer used by the fire brigade ) still exist. If you came out of The Hastings pub, turned right went past the Fire Station along the road about half a mile and turned right at the small row of houses = Bog Houses and pass them about quarter of a mile to the Horton Road. Cross the Horton Road and you are at The Three Horse Shores.

Hi Eggy! Great to get additions from the horses mooth..and Albert is spot on!!..I didn't know Albert is still kicking aboot!! He and my older Brother were great friends,along with Lol Thompson and Alan "Cowla" Cowell. Most of these lads named were in my Brother's class all the way through school at the Whitley. Three years older than me,and the only one on here who sat next to me in the same desk for years is Alan Wilkinson!! He WAS a really gud player,as all these team pics prove....his older Brother Derek was his Mentor ...another team member. Alan Cowell was on Composite work down the Three-Quarter Drift,where my Bates pit pics were taken,and was one of my cross-marra's...a smashing natured lad..really likeable.[R.I.P. Alan Cowell.] Aye,this team was made up from about three age groups,which leads me onto the subject of how Pete Smith was on the Whitley team when he went to Netherton School! I am beginning to doubt my own "so-sure" memory about this one!! Did Netherton School close around the same time as this team was being formed,with Peter being sent to the Whitley,and qualifying for the team within a few weeks of starting at the Whitley? Or are my vivid memories of my next door neighbour and close friend parting company with me to go for Raisbeck's bus,[to Netherton],as I walked down Vulcan Place to the Whitley... just my imagination playing tricks in old age?!!!!! I'll have to ask my Sister-in-law ,who is Pete's older Sister,and who is married to my older Brother,and SHE will clear my muddled mind!! If I am all muddled really....I will be the first to come on here and tell the crew I was wrong !! Heh heh! To re-cap , in 1954, Alan Wilkinson [and Me!] were 10 years old!! Lol Thompson,Albert Glenton,Alan Cowell,Paddy Gore,Brian Palmer,..were all 13 years old!! At that age,that was a canny difference in size and strength,to be matched against opponents of similar statures!! Alan Wilkinson wasn't a very big lad,but by hell,he wasn't half fast with the ball..!! Eggy,seeing as aam not on facebook,could you please pass a comment from me to Alan,or his family,for them to pass onmy best regards to Alan,and would love to hook up with him to natter aboot old times doon the woods,and daeing daft things as laddies did in them days!! Cheers!