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I remember the shop in market place very well. Jimmy Milne's. As mentioned you had so much choice. I used to visit the cafe on the right hand side and have tea and soup. The young lass I went out with at the time worked in the office there. Really nice lass and She eventually went and joined the police force. I imagine She would have done very well as an intelligent lass and could write in short hand which would have been helpful. It is rather sad all these places closed but it is the same all over. Time stands still for no one. Thanks for the memories. Regards. Jim

April 2025

16th March 2025

Alan, Thanks for the update. Yes, Miss Smith and Mr Hedderly were the Deputy Head replacements for Miss Edna Humphrey ( who passed away on the day before her 100th birthday) and Mr Richards who both left BGS in 1964. Miss King/Mrs Penhalluric replaced a Mrs Flanagan who left in December 1962. ( a mere 63 years ago). The only female PE teacher (can't remember her name) that I remember (in 1967) played cricket for England women and thrashed my bowling to the far end of the Hockey pitch). She arranged a hockey match between the senior girls hockey team and the Upper sixth boys. We (the boys) were completely outplayed and had to resort to GBH to sneak a 1-0 win. Keith

Alan, The photo could only have been taken in spring/summer of 1966. According to the 1966 BGS Mag, Ron Cave joined BGS in January 1966 and Miss Heywood, Harry Dawson, Kevin Tanney and Mrs Penhallurick( who?) left in the summer of 1966. Miss Heywood retired, Harry Dawson went to Wansbeck School, Ashington, Kevin Tanney to St Mark's School Westerhope. Mrs Penhallurick went to teach PE at Westmoor Grammar School. Mr Shivas taught up Summer 68 but was very ill in his last term and then passed away in November 68. Keith

Update from Hazel Krzyzanowsk on the Barrington, Barnt' n memories and stuff!! - Hazel Krzyzanowski Alan Edgar girl sixth from the left with white on and dark hair (x marked in photo) is my Aunty Mabel Nicholson xx

From Crewroom D. 1983-1988 British Caledonian Sales Manager. From 1988-2000, freelance to United Airlines, then job in Scotway Independent Travel Agents, then private consultant in Communication skills in a company/business. In 2000, Mansel retired and he and Margaret moved to Selby, Yorks. Keith

Hi @Keith Harle I didn't know Mansel Dinnis but I had a quick look through the newspaper archives to see if there could be anything to help you. Unfortunately there wasn't a lot. He did indeed work for Caledonian Airways but only for a short while it seems, 1986 - 1988. Here are the few snippets of information I was able to find: 1971 He seems to have been working for BOAC and is reported on as having represented the company when giving a talk on the company’s organisation to the Elland Round Table. (Huddersfield Weekly Examiner) 1987 Mansel represents British Caledonian Airways (BCA) where he is sales manager, Scotland. He hands out the first prize (two tickets to Dallas USA) on behalf of BCA who donated the prize. (Dumfries and Galloway Standard) 1990 in October he joined the management team of the Westerwood Hotel, golf and country club. He is reported to previously have been British Caledonian’s sales manager in Scotland from 1986 to 1988 before operating his own management consultancy practice. The hotel is due to open early in 1991. (News & Chronicle) 1991 Just 3 months later, in January, he leaves “to pursue other business interests”. The general manager, Stanley Fredman resigns shortly after. The hotel is due to open in a couple of weeks so these two resignations make headlines in the local press. (Cumbernauld News) Of course, he may have returned to BCA at a later date. 2003 - 2005 he is on the electoral roll as resident in Selby, Yorkshire. Hope this is of some help to you.

Mr Wealleans taught history to Class 1A in 1960. I got the spelling of his name from the 1960-61 BGS Magazine. Miss Smith was the editor. I seem to remember Mr Robinson from 1964/5. He was also an excellent teacher. Mr Cook tried ( unsuccessfully) to teach me A level maths in 1966/67. I think that he joined BGS in 1966. Re Mansel Dinnis, there is a blog for ex British Caledonian staff called Crewroom D which seems to indicate that Mansel was still alive in Sept 2024 although his last post to that site was in 2018. If so, he will be 82 and living in Yorkshire. I'm 77 next month. Keith

Finding the information interesting Alan ,thank you

My half brother Colin Jordan. Who died suddenly at home earlier this year. He'd often nip up and drive around the areas he grew up in; North Ridge, Netherton colliery, Steadlands Square, Clement Avenue etc.

@loopylou - unfortunately still no one in the photo identified by any of the ex employees of the Welyn that are members of the facebook group Bygone Bedlington. Latest comment was :-

Bowers Garage is visible in this photo of The Neuk. For those of us who lived at the "bottom end" (Hollymount, Millfield) and worked at the Doctor Pit, the quickest route to work was through The Neuk and into the railway siding of the pit, located just behind Bowers Garage. In mining terminology, each end of a longwall face was known as a "neuk," meaning a dead end. Similarly, if you entered The Neuk from the marketplace, you would find no through road—hence the name The Neuk.

Bower was my grandad , I was a kid and lived near the yard

Awarded to Malcolm Robinson for his volunteer work in the West Bedlington community and his online postings on this group and Facebook keeping the community up to date with councill business that was, and wasn't, happening in the area.

Piper Award certificated presented to the volunteers.

Anonymous guest post:

@Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) slowly but surely! 😁

@loopylou at the moment just 5 names - 4 positive and 1 '?'. Any updates I will let you know.

@Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) That would be lovely, thank you!

@loopylou no luck with ant names from from my sister in law. I could post your photo, with space for names, on the Facebook group Bygone Bedlington and see if we can get anyone identified and I will add the name(s).

@loopylou I have a sister in law whoworked there in the lat 1960's I will see if I can get her to have a look at it and possibly identify anyone in the photo. Don't hold your breath

@Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) The Welwyn is well before my time, so I don’t recognise anyone either! I think this was my great-grandmothers photo. 🙂

@loopylou Don't recognise anyone in the photo. Don't think I have ever seen any stats etc on the number of people and different trades there were at Welwyn. I must have passed the place a hundred times in the early 1960's but I can't remember ever having been anywhere on the Welwyn grounds. Normaly as school kids in the early 1960's we explored everywhere we could - but not the Welwyn

December 2024 - photo from Simon Williams.

The words ' The Fourteen Club' replaced with 'XIV CLUB' and the year changed from 1958 to 1960- update from @bluebarby

Think it was pre-Brexit Wilma!

Divvent ye dare!

I think that Mr Bebbington should be added to that list HPW.