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Hi again @Pegwoman. I think you may be right about that meaning. I’ve searched the archives and Internet and cannot find any mention of a PSFR, which Tony suggests (that’s not to say that it doesn’t exist, only that I can’t find any mention of it anywhere). My earlier idea that the medallion may have had something to do with the food office or rationing, I have totally abandoned. I’ve viewed several dozen ration cards over the past couple of days and all use the personal National Registration Number allotted to every person following the completion of the 1939 Register, in preparation for the pending war, ie: GCEV 310: 1 (the reg. nr of Vic’s late father-in-law) or GCCI 154: 2 (allocated to Ada Robson in Ashington). Looking again at the medallion, I’m still inclined to think it reads G. F. S. 2 376 and that would equate nicely with the ‘Girls Friendly Society’. In 1942, during the war, the Girls Friendly Society branch in Bedlington actively maintained local, parish-based youth work and community support for young women, 14 – 18 years old. The Bedlington Branch operated under the framework of the local Anglican Church. According to what I’ve been able to find out, groups like the GFS in industrial and mining communities kept young women connected through community work, assisting in local war efforts, Red Cross Support and regular meetings as well as providing safe recreational spaces. Members received an annual membership card, pin, or “stamped metal disc/token” which could feature the society’s emblem on the reverse. I don’t suppose you have a picture of the reverse of Elizabeth Gibson’s medallion? There were, as far as I can see, two types of members, the working- class girls, known as ‘members’ and the ladies, who were called ‘associates’. They both paid an annual subscription, tailored to their income, and the associates often provided recreation rooms in parish facilities or even in their own homes where the members could meet, read, sew etc. There may still be some records available at the Northumberland Archives and, if you’re lucky, they may document meetings and member’s activities. Alternatively, the GFS is still active in both Blyth and Cramlington and they may be able to throw some light on the matter.

100% correct, Vic. The 1939 register codes used are: GCE enumeration district Bedlington Urban District Council. V the area within the enumeration district where he lived. 310: 1 is his registration district: sub-district. You can read Ada and Ethel’s info in the same way. GCC is the enumeration district code for Ashington.

On the FB group Bygone Bedlington a member, Janet Guest, has asked - I have never heard of Burdon's Buildings but I did remember a photo @John Fox (foxy) had posted of the area and someone named Smith's & Marshall's Buildings just past the Dun Cow - see reply to Janet Guest above. I've marked, with a yellow star, where I think the Dun Cow was and then added a red blotch along where I think the buildings in question were. I know at the Top End of Bedlington along from the Wharton Arms is Burdon Terrace but never heard Burdon Building's mentioned before. Has anyone on this site heard of Burdon's Buildings? I knoe the Burdon family were involved in many thinks within Bedlington eg St Cuthbert's Church but I have never heard of Burdon's Buildings

I wish I could 'clart' as good as you!

The info on @John Fox (foxy)'s photo updated to fit it with @Canny lass's info.

@Canny lass I agree with you. I know many of the Buildings housed numerous families in just a couple of rooms each and whenn I first labelled the photo I was just speculating. It was only when I enlarged that map Michael Myers posted and it showed how the rooms/houses were allocated that I doubted what I had done to the photo. Knowing you would delve into the census etc. I was waiting for you to view all info above😊and as expected you have come up with what I would say was concrete proof of the location of the 3 sets of Buildings👍. I should get to my old PC and software tomorrow and I will correct my labelling on Foxy's photo just to point to Smith's and Burdon's Buildings and also add - ' Marshall's Buildings used to be here' pointing at the ground. I will also update the Bygone Bedlington posting of your findings👌 Thankyou

Definitely not planering anything! We’ve left all pines and birches which spread their seeds for free and without backache. It’ll be lovely in a few years.

Not too bad here in Sweden. Funnily enough, the worst heat has been in the far northern regions. Here, further south, we've had 3 substantial periods of heat with temperatures in the upper 30s. Naturally, there are bans in place in the whole country regarding, garden fires, BBQs and watering of plants and washing cars- for those with mains water supply. Water reservoirs are apparently quite low. There's the odd idiot who doesn't comply so a couple of small fires have happened near us but nothing dramatic. We felled 5-6 acres of forest nearest the house in May, just after the first heat wave, but it was planned already last year. Never the less, were glad we've done it because we think the problems will get worse.

There appears to be vhave been various identity bracelets with different abbreviations. These are two that were posted on the Ashington FB group :-

Canny lass it is definitely a P not a G it was P for personal F food S supply R ration actually if they didn’t have disc people used to put this information on old spoons & coins removing the royal head of course original information was on the ration cards but people didn’t carry them around to an air raid shelter just this basic disc but definitely not a G on it

Hi Wilma, thank you for the info regarding my dad. I didn’t know he worked at Choppington High Pit, which was about 3 years before I was born and dad would have been about 21. The amount of times I’ve walked Choppington woods and didn’t know about the antics which went on under my wandering feet. Someone once told me when down the pit, he could be stubborn, un-cooperative and would sit down in protest if things weren’t done his way. I only wish I could sit down and talk with him about the past but now has dementia and hardly speaks a single sentence. He doesn’t remember who I am or much of anything anymore. I remember his loft was a shack with CB and amateur radio's. As a kid, I remember the tv picture going crazy when DXing on amateur radio and CB am, this was before CB was legalized later on fm. Dad still has an amateur radio setup, which he never sat the test for, he was a bit of a rebel when it came to things like that. Dad looked after his things, especially the Lada, having coating it with Waxoyl to keep it from rusting. I got the impression he didn’t care much for the Lada in its later years. There was one time someone blocked his exit in a carpark so he just forced the other car out the way using the car's bumper. Lada cars were relatively cheap to buy and very basic, Russian engineering which was probably built in the same factory they made their tanks lol. Regards, Damian.