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Just a heads up that there is a long overdue Gallery update coming in February. The way images are added is staying the same but there will be some fairly big improvements in how the images are presented to members. The main changes are the awful screen overlay is being removed and the overview page will be much better at highlighting images that are being commented on.

2nd load went off yesterday from the Community Centre.

I know it's earlier than normal but I keep thinking my PC might catch an omicron variant, 'Desktop Lock Out'. Stay safe. Eggy

Merry Christmas from the cold NE i wish everyone a healthy 2022

Wilf's here! It's officially Christmas! A very merry Christmas to you all. Stay safe and avoid Covid and we'll see each other in the new year. Meanwhile, I've said this before and it's worth repeating:

Have a good one Alan, Merry Christmas to every one and a Happy New Year

Billy Mcglen was my Grandad. I often (on what would have been his birthday) Google his name. This year I came across your post. It's nice to think he is so well remembered.

Wow!

Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy New Year

Merry Christmas to all.

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

Happy to pay the necessary earlier this year to turn the old dilapidated building at West Lea Cemetery into a suitable base for the Friends of West Lea Cemetery. Instead of making their Xmas wreaths in their respective kitchens and having pine needles and holly all over their houses to pick up they can now use this. It took well over a year to sort out with the legals themselves taking for ever, but it been worth all the time and effort put into it. Anyone visiting the cemetery and the lasses are there just say “Hi”, I’m sure they will be pleased to chat and I know anyone wanting to join them in their quest to make this cemetery the very best it can be will be very warmly welcomed. And a big round of thanks for all the help off NCC cemetery staff!

Happy Christmas to you all Maggie

Following a long absence on this site I have just become aware of Derek's passing today, sad news indeed. A true gentleman respected by all who were fortunate enough to have the pleasure of his company.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! Hope it's a better one than thi last one was! Cheers Bill.

@ShaunL Hi Shaun. Like you, I've come across this site by accident. I was a seafarer, and studied at South Shields. In 1974 I was parachuting at Usworth (before Nissan goth there) and managed to break my leg. After surgery at Sunderland Orthopaedic Hospital, part of my recovery programme was a spell at Hartford Hall. At the time I lived in Cramlington New Town, but was still admitted as a residential patient. I think it was your Dad at the time who had a VW Beetle, and was having trouble with his carburettor. One or two of us fancied ourselves as amateur mechanics, and spent a happy afternoon diagnosing and fixing the problem for him. I remember Joyce Miller very well: I was once invited round to her house for dinner, and gave her a Bohemia cut crystal fruit bowl and water jug in return (cheap as chips in Poland, and I had a house full). Very down to earth, and loved a good chat. She was a bit of a match-maker, though. One of the other residents was in for treatment for a broken neck, and somehow he managed to slip on a walk down to the river, and broke his wrist. He had a yellow Triumph Sprite, which he asked me to look after, since he couldn't drive. One of the junior physios was a lovely Canadian girl. I was 27 and single, so Joyce tried to fix me up with her by telling me to take her home one evening. Being naive, I assumed she only wanted the lift home for a chance ride in the sports car, so dropped her off like the gallant gentleman I was, and drove back to the hall. The next day Joyce gave me a right going over for not asking her out. Those were the days! For my sins, I ended up doing a second spell at the hall in 1975, after a further operation, and this time it all worked out OK, so I have some happy memories of that place.

Have a merry Christmas and happy new year to all.

https://www.northumberlandline.uk/post/bedlington-works

Merry Christmas to all my gud friends on wor great channel!...Nice ti see ye back Brian..mind aav been idle an aal...but aam chinkaplonka,it's looking after Cath full on noo,that limits time for me..nivvor mind,one thing a wud like ti remind ye aal...if ye get tipsy,keep ya phones switched off!!...aam a teetotaller,so aam fully aware constantly......aav had aboot a dozen scam texts and calls owa the last few months,more so this last few weeks..from Lloyds Bank..[supposedly!],Royal Mail wanting 2 quid for a parcel ti be redelivered..[nonsense!]Hermes,[same thing],and just last week and today,a text saying "I think you are in this Video"..beware that one,my marras have fallen for it,thinking it was from old Pit Marras,but it scans all your contacts....I dont know if this has been covered already,apologies if it has,better be safe than scammed! Cheers and all the best folks! Bill and Cath xx

Thank you kind sirs! I am delighted, honoured and humbled to receive this prestigious award. I coudn’t have done it without your help - and the help of Covid which gave me, and you, loads of spare time. There are a couple of others I’d like to mention and thank for their help along the way: My parents, who provided the raw material. The people of Bedlington and Netherton who moulded that material. Friends and colleagues around the world who made adjustments and amendments to the design. The many educational establishments who nurtured my thirst for knowledge. Esther at the corner shop. Tommy the milkman. The colliery pollis at Netherton. The next door neighbours, here and elsewhere. Santa Clause. The Witch of Wookey Hole. Moscardini’s coffee shop. Lidl’s. The staff of Keenleyside’s. The Swedish Government, for letting me in. The British Government, for letting me out. Bedlington YMCA. The Metropolitan Police Force. The Canadian Royal Mounties. The Toon Moor. Newcastle United FC. Morrison’s. SAAB motors. … and not forgetting: Robson’s the printers. Jack, the ice-cream man. Netherton Socail Club. Prestos, Market Place, Bedlington. Jimmy Millne. The French Onion Sellers. The Beano. The nr 48 United Bus. St Cuthbert’s Church. Doncaster Royal Infirmary. … and, last but not least, Old Uncle Tom Cobley (and all). Thank you once again kind people of Bedders.

Greetings and best wishes from Oz. (35 degrees here in Adelaide today). May you all have a wonderful and safe Christmas .

Merry Christmas,and a happy new year to all,if we get that far!! Hope to be seeing you all a bit more next year,past two years have been disastrous ,healthwise,with my Wife. The NHS have been absoloutely MAGNIFICENT ,between Wansbeck,The RVI,The Freeman,and The Mount at Morpeth,all the Consultants and Staff,all the way down the ranks,deserve medals,solid gold ones the size of dustbin lids! My Wife and me hope the NHS gets the Appreciation,and funding that it deserves Nationally. ALL THE BEST! Bill.

Merry Christmas Alan and to all of our friends, followers and families, and a safe and happy New Year.

Just to keep our friends overseas in the loop........

If the project comes off, and I should know better after next week, trees will be supplied.

Historical factoids 23. Plessey Woods Country Park. When I was first elected as NCC Councillor, 9 years ago, I went down to Plessey Woods and spoke to the staff working there to see how it could be improved. It was about the only major ‘leisure’ asset I had in my ward. Back then it was mostly used by a few dog walkers and the staff said they had seen a steady decline in the numbers of people using the park. No wonder, it looked run down and starved of any investment! First job do something about the play offer there. There were only two ‘springers’ in the kids play park and I thought that was derisory! I lobbied the park management and the portfolio holder saying they were saying they were investing in NCC parks and while I could see investment going into others I think they forgot about one! I argued they have a sea side park at Druridge Bay and a lake park at Bolam and both were getting substantial investments. I said I think you have forgotten about your woodland park at Plessey! So that started to turn the tables a bit and I was offered some funding to put a new play park in and do some repairs to the walkways around the inside of the park. That, on the proviso I managed to increase visitor numbers. I agreed to the challenge but insisted all the monies taken in the parking machine to be used for further upgrades at Plessey Woods! So we saw the two springers ripped out and a new range of play equipment installed. I insisted some of the equipment was suitable for disabled children and I bought two all-terrain wheelchairs so everyone can enjoy the park. Once I had something there I put on some events to get people down and see what we had to offer. Visitor numbers started to increase so I asked for upgrades to the café saying it was going to be too small soon! This time I got a flat no! Covid hit and when we could go outside into the fresh air people descended on Plessey Woods en mass. So much so I had to sort out double yellow lines for the indiscriminate parking which residents down there were up in arms about and which was going on outside the park because the car park and the overspill car parks were full! I argued for a new extension to the car park and used the visitor numbers to justify it. That was agreed in about 6 months which is lightning fast for a council! I also suggested some ‘Hobbit Huts’ which could be hired on a daily basis and possibly some sort of crazy golf, but again all I got back was ‘negative wave’s man’! Just before Covid hit I worked on a scheme to install a national climbing boulder course in the park arguing this would bring in a whole new visitor demographic. I took it to the ‘gaffers’ again and blow me down with a feather they liked it! More on this later but in the course of around 5-6 years which seems the normal procrastination period for councils the prices jumped up to such a height that the 10 boulders I had specified was reduced to 3! I’ve since fought back to get the original one I wanted next to the play area for kiddies, so 4 boulders going in. I’m not about to bite the hand that feeds so……….. I also won the case for an upgrade to the café and like the boulders I’ve put my MLIS money into it to make it happen! Thankfully it was agreed to upgrade the toilet facilities there too. The only bits I’m not too happy about is the size of the kitchen, which is basally the same, and the glass atrium for the café which is basically facing the car park instead of the play area. Apart from those small niggles it’s all good stuff! So after many years of neglect (and I’ve been on several times about the broken play equipment which is now getting sorted) we will soon have a much improved and exciting park to visit on our doorstep. What I would like to see now is an enlarged and committed ‘Friends of Plessey Woods’ group formed so we can drive further improvements in this woodland park. If anyone would like to join please drop me a line. (Still think the Hobbit Huts is a good idea!)

A woman's work is never done - not even when she's Mother Christmas! Just look at all that washing, it'll never dry in this weather! Merry Christmas everybody and all the very best for 2026.

Malcolm Robinson Bedlington West Ward. I’ve been told I need to expand and better explain my post about the proposed project at West Lea. (Well that makes a change from people saying I’m too verbose!) The project I’m promoting, and have been for some years now, is to see a multifunctional facility at West Lea, next to the cemetery. We need a community centre and we need some sporting facilities so why not get them both in one hit, because in all likelihood we will only get one chance at this. That’s why there are questions in the survey about both sports usage and community usage. I’m also keen to see some SEND provision so that’s why that is in too! Also outside I want the full sized pitch restored to level and with drainage, which will help with, or give access for, some drainage for the path. Beyond that two junior pitches installed. With new changing rooms etc. in the new building this will be the best pitch in Bedlington and have decent facilities for our youngsters coming through. I’ve identified a funding route and have a small group of people who are willing to manage it, namely the Bedlingtonshire Development Trust. They have even agreed to do the training necessary so NCC will consider them suitable. Big thanks to each and every one of them for their commitment! I asked a month or two ago for some ‘likes’ to a post I put out about this in an effort to gauge some public support. What came back was about double what NCC get to their consultations and that enabled me to silence the NCC doubters and press through onto the next level. This time it’s a full feasibility study because we have to prove it’s needed, wanted and sustainable. That will be based off the replies to the survey and that’s why I need as many people as possible to fill it in! This isn’t just about the West End of Town or the Top End its for the whole of Bedlington so please fill it in if you would support it wherever you live. Let’s get behind something positive for a change and let’s start to address the lack of facilities investment into the Bedlington for the past few decades! Click the link and fill the survey in......about 2-3 mins! https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx...

That's difficult to read even when you zoom in! Try these:

CL,I live next to the main road,and when the Bedlington Station High School is coming out,after 3-30pm,the "kids"...aged anywhere from 13-18 yrs old come past my front garden each day walking along in small groups,or some are on cycles.While it's wrong to generalise..I have seen a massive change in their attitudes over the last 24 yrs I have lived here..I have noticed how Boys aged 15-16 yrs ,a lot of them,act like wee bairns..in fact my two wee bairns didn't gaan on like some of these dae..and a think..when aa was 15 yrs aad..straight from my school desk...[yawn...roll eyes!!]..I was working and training underground at Seaton Burn Colliery..six miles away from home..I went down Choppington High Pit after my 16th birthday ,working with two older men,for twenty days "close personal supervision",then I was on my own..still working with the two John's,who were by now,my good Marra's..by the time I reached 17 yrs,my two older marra's left me to go to another pit to do their coalface training.After a few days.Ned Cushing,our old Training Officer,brought a lad inbye,same age as me ,and gave me a Certificate to say I was in charge of this lad for twenty days,then he would be my new Marra..next day, Ned brought this Lad's older Brother in and gave me another Certificate putting me in charge of him also.My point is,at 17 yrs old I was down a mine,in atrocious wet,dangerous conditions,in charge of two strangers..who were to become great Marra's IN and OUT of the pit..Now!..when I see these "Children"[by definition"]..aged 15-17 yrs,acting like idiots..and showing off in front of the lasses..I think...by hell..a wadn't waant them buggers working wi me a thoosand feet doon and ten miles oot under the North Sea filling 24 tons of coal onto a conveyor belt..driving an old fashioned coalcutter,drilling hard coal and stone by hand..carrying heavy arched girders which weighed aboot the same as two bags of cement..on their shoulders...for a quarter of a mile at a time...if we ever get back to mining coal..we will have to bring the German Contractors in..as we did in the past sometimes when the NCB wouldn't invest in specialist tunneling techniques which were way above what we had at our disposal..like at the Bewick Drift at Lynemouth..so much Water pouring in and flooding the workings..they brought Thyssens in..who had specialist refrigeration and freezing techniques ...they drilled holes all around the tunnel roadway,pumped a refrigerant into all the holes under high pressure..and this froze the water..allowing concreting of the roadway to take place..which sealed the roadway from water ingress..and I think these Specialist mining companies from Germany..even China!! will mine our coal in the future..if at all..seems I am back again....sorry for digressing!! Cheers!!

Hello. I posted on this forum a few years ago and exchanged some info with member @Rigger. Is he/she still around? He posted a photo of the Anvil Inn, Guide Post, which is useful in my researchers. I'm updating my website and the website designer is checking I have copyright to use the photo he posted. I just want to check it's ok to use it, and I will credit him/her as owner of the pic. I think it's good etiquette to credit - it's not right to go lifting stuff off the web. I don't make any money from this, so this is really a courtesy Thanks, all.

Hi Folks!.Canny Lass,ye knaa me,not a nitpicker,only for correctness,for the education of the uneducated!!...but miner's coaal was never FREE!!..NOR WERE THE "FREE" houses they lived in!!..They were part of a miner's wage in lieu..and speaking personally,Linton Colliery gave the Miners coal which otherwise would be tipped on the pit heap..more stone bands than coal,also full of "Brass"[!!]..Iron Pyrites..which used to spit out onto the clippy mat and us if we sat too close!!..So!!Putters!!..the pic in my gallery on here,of my Father aged 14 yrs old,with his pony,in 1929,is when he was coal putting to his Marra,the older fella who was a Hewer.My Father putted the tubs out to a landing,where the other putters did the same thing..when there was a set of six tubs or more..the Drivers used to drive the set of tubs to the shaft bottom to be taken to bank.Every pit had it's own terms,but putters was generally the term used either for hand putting,or Pony putting.Hope that clarifies the subject.Never heard the term Cartman anywhere in any of the pits I worked at..[5 in total].

You should just be able to drag and drop the video into your post or upload to the gallery. If it's not a playable format inline it will embed as an attachment for download. You can also upload to Youtube/Vimeo and paste the link from there and it will embed inline here. e.g.

I've just come across this interesting site created by Derek Johnstone about those local lads who died fighting in the Great War (I don't know if this has been posted on this forum before). https://docplayer.net/152715054-Bedlington-soldiers-who-died-in-the-great-war.html

Had a bit play and I have come up with this template for this year and future years And for 2023 I added the info + our group logo Still need to look at the dimensions of the certificate to match the dimesions of popular frame sizes.

@Andy Millne @John Fox (foxy) @Malcolm Robinson @Vic Patterson @HIGH PIT WILMA @Bedlingtonian @Pete @Jammy @Maggie/915 @_pauls @James @Symptoms @Mal @Tonyp @Beano @7RIrF @carly @Bill Straughan @oldtimer @Dave Twist @6233jane @threegee @Darren Smith @jfk @B Davison @DJA 24 @anniemarr @Katherine Hyde @Jr6468 @Sheila Prouten @Joe McNally @Patricia Wadsworth @SouthernGeordie @rosco @Linray @lynnewatson @sallywoo1971 I have posted the message and the images onto the Facebook page of https://www.facebook.com/Thefriendsofwestleacemetery @Mal had a think, and clart, on what you proposed re certificate and anything is possible but naturally on something that is normally a pure online award there will be some issues to overcome. These are the tnings I am thinking about :- design and produce a certificate using my Winows Vista + Microsoft Digital Image pro 10 (as that is the only software I have print off the certificate - and as I am no professional that would be to an A4 sheet of paper. What dimensions would the certificate be = what are the standard picture frame sizes, between A5 & A4, that TFOWBC could by to fit certificate into Posting a certificate to TFOWC - looking at their FB page they don't have an address for where to post anything to and if they did it would have to have a letter box wide enough to accept an A4 sheet,8.27 x 11.69 inches or 21 x 29.7 centermeters, wth cardboard support to stop it getting bent/damaged in the post. ------------------------------------------------------ I will let you know if I come up with anything

I have made the 2023 award and as long as all are happy with this years award going to The friends of Westlea Cemetery (TFOWC) I will post the following text and images on TFOWC Facebook page. To the volunteers at The Friends Of Westlea Cemetery. In 2020 on the Bedlington community group (bedlington.uk) it was suggested that a yearly award (purely online) be award to anyone that had helped the group or anything to do with Bedlington. It was decided to name it The Piper Award after Ainsley Piper who bred the Bedlington terrier in 1825 in St Cuthbert’s Vicarage. This December the members of the group have voted for the online award to go to your volunteer organisation that has helped so many people in Bedlington, and beyond. So the members of bedlingto.uk would like to say thank you to the work your volunteers have done.

Aye he takes a canny snap!

Congratulations Eggy! That hat doesn't half suit you! Does this mean that you are now my 'other ' other half? Thank you kind sirs! I am again honoured and humbled to receive this prestigious award. Looking back over the last year and thinking of people people who have impacted my life in a positive way, you, my dear friends, are some of those people. Therefore, I would like to share this prize not only with Eggy but with all of you and thank for your contributions to the site. Naturally, a thank-you speech wouldn’t be a ’proper’ speech if it didn’t also convey a sense of gratitude to others who have helped along the way. To that end, I would now like to thank, in no particular order of importance: My tap-dancing teacher, June. My OH who listens patiently to my ramblings about all things Bedlington. My next door neighbour (I use the expression ”next door” in its vaguest meaning as it’s 2km away). The people of Ashington, Cramlington, Blyth and Morpeth who nurtured my love of leisure and physical activity. Postman Pat. My father and his fellow leek-growing enthusiasts who taught me that asking two questions was always better than asking only one. My mother, for teaching me to understand that the real honour lies not in winning but in taking part. I’m still grateful to Esther at the corner shop and equally grateful to Geordie Collis the colliery ’poliss’ for something or other. A special mention goes to: My hairdresser, for all her efforts to achieve the impossible. B.U.D.C Billy the butcher. King Charles III The walruss and the egg man. The Encyclopedia Britannica. Tommy Cooper … … and last but by no means least, my cats, Tickle and Pint-Pot. Thank you all once again!

Darn it! I missed it, Congratulation.

Happy Christmas and lets hope 2023 brings good things to all!

You lot and your sooty chimneys! It takes me ages to get the washing dried when my man's been to your place! But he assures me he'll manage to squeeze himself in again this year - and he's promised me a tumble dryer for Christmas! We wish you all a very merry Christmas, loads of turkey, heaps of mince pies, many chunks of Christmas cake, lashings of brandy butter and rum sauce, mulled wine in abundance, two alka-seltzer and a couple of Rennies. Have a nice one!

..while I'm here I should mention, I lost Mam to dementia in May (she was 96 and born in December '25 so in terms of logjevity actually just outlived the Queen by a couple of months). Anyway, my brother and I had scattered Dad's ashes in the grounds at Hartford 25 years ago so my wife, Ruth and I took Mam there after the funeral. Of course it's now very upmarket apartments and private grounds but I was lucky enough to find a lady sitting with her friends drinking champagne outside the main hall who turned out to be the property manager. I told her my story and she gave us the run of the grounds so I was able to take Mam down the grand steps in front of the hall down to the riverside walk where I know Mam and Dad did their courting and scattered her ashes there. It was a really nice afternoon.

Enjoy the festive season .

Hi Canny Lass,a think aal the facts about Dusty Miller ,which are as vivid in my memory as if it was yesterday,lead ye ti think it was the Accident Steve is wondering about. Take my account against some unknown,uneducated [in mining that is!],reporter,who throws his notepad in to a similarly uneducated editor,with absoloutely no disrespect intended... Unless we throw a different light on the matter,I would go for poor Dusty..he suffered agonising injuries and pain,on a day which started quite happy with a bunch of gud Marra's. The one fact I left out was hearsay to me,and I don't know how true it was except for the fact it was told to me by my own very trustworthy Marra's.. The Coalface Overman,[in overall charge of the face],left the scene of the accident,and crawled off the face and sat in the High Roadway which was the Tailgate..[return airway road]. He had taken his pit helmet off,and sat with his head in his hands,breaking down,and said to the tailgate Stonemen.."A canna gaan back doon there...a canna.."..in those exact words...which,at the time,he was heavily criticised for,but as we get older, a bet some of those who criticised,including myself,think back and understand that Man's feelings..he was in charge,and should have been organising a stretcher,informing the Surface to have an Ambulance,organising getting Dusty off the face on the stretcher..organising who should be stretcher bearers,and relief bearers,8 men in all..4 men on carrying the stretcher one man at each handle,and the other four to take over at every ten minutes or so..[it's not like smooth pavement down there you know...]..a one- mile carrying of a 16 stone fella on a stretcher,over rough,wet,stony uneven ground,then a climb of a quarter of a mile up a 1- in 6 gradient "Drift" roadway,then 200 yards to the shaft bottom,to be put in a cage to be wound 1000 feet to the surface...all the time Dusty would have been passing out,through being joggled around during the journey outbye and to Bank..[the surface]..I have been a stretcher bearer a lot of times from aged 19 yrs old down the High Pit at Choppington,and at other pits,and have carried 18 stone fellas,believe me..itwas arduous very heavy work,but when it happens,urgency of the situation,and care for your Marra on the stretcher,overrides the pain you feel. I didn't intend to go into so much detail,but feel it is necessary to try and tell the facts as best as I can,what it was like down there. This Overman was close friends with Dusty and the whole team,it was like watching a family member suffering..so now,in my old age,and I speak only for myself,I feel guilty for even just thinking about any criticism on this fella..he died a long time ago,but if he was her with us now,I would be apologising for my thoughts..I was only about 23-24-ish yrs old at the time.[young and hotheaded..as they used to say!]

Bedlington share world record with Washington. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60688397

Hi Have had a quick check and find the following: Note. the Soldiers in the Bedlington Soldiers who died in WW1 are based on the Record of Enlistment document held at St Cuthbert's Church. This is not a complete list of Bedlington Soldiers who died in WW1. 1. Robert Bestford, # 38597. died 1/12/1917. he was with the Durham light Infantry. Military records show and address at 42, Snowball Terrace Gateshead. His detailed war records are available. Robert is remembered at the Memorial for the North East Railway at York. Robert was a Station Porter before WW1. The Memorial Roll of Honour & Case at the 1914-1918 Library honours his name. 2. William Thomas Bestford, #1242, died 21st July 1916. he was with the Royal Engineers 1st/2nd Northumbrian Field Coy. his details are available on the CWGC site and easy to find. 3. George Bestford survived the conflict but had wounds and shell shock. He is shown to be associated with 5th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, Oxford and Bucks. Regiment and possibly the the Tyneside Scottish (record in the Tyneside Scottish book (Stewart & Sheen). In the Record of Enlistment he is shown to be living at Bedlington. Note the photo shows a possible Sergeant Tyneside Scottish. George has links with Egypt and being promoted to an Officer. 4. Thomas Bestford it appears was a 2nd Lieutenant with the 41 Sanitary Section serving in India. No further details available.