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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.

Hi Justine, welcome to the forum. I'm pretty certain that I can help you with that. Benjamin Graham never lived at Garton House. That is a spelling mistake or a printing error in the newspaper article. Benjamin lived at GARDEN House in Bedlington Station (often referred to as West Sleekburn). I don't know if you know the area but I'll try to explain its location. The site may well be occupied by a bungalow today but the remainder of the neighbouring houses are certainly still there. Benjamin's father moved into Garden House when it was newly built around 1910-12 and the family were still living there in 1939. Benjamins father, originally a carting contractor, branched out into market gardening and possibly the house got its name from that. The house was situated between the Railway Tavern (which was located on the site of the new car park) and Milburn House which is now number 2 Melrose Villas. Here is a map of the area Railway Tavern marked with black + and the 9 houses of Melrose Villas, marked in red. previously had the address 'Melrose Terrace, plus house name only (no number). These names were (in order from the Railway Tavern to Bank Top): Garden House, Milburn House, Wesley House, Prior House, Rothley Shield, Bernicia, Thurston Villa, Gladstone House and Cresswell House. Milburn House, Bernicia and Cresswell House have retained their names. Milburn House is arrowed in black and Cresswell House is arrowed in yellow. The adjoining terraced row, Melrose Terrace is marked in Green. Here are some pictures. I think Garden House may have been replaced by the bungalow. I myself have no recollection of a bungalow there but perhaps someone else can throw a bit of light on when it was built. However, the other houses, all built within a couple of years can give you an idea of how Garden House was. Melrose Villas looking towards Bank Top. The first of the 2 storey, semi-detached houses is Milburn House: If you zoom in you can see the name above the door. The last of those 2 storey houses is Cresswell House and the name is still above the door:

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.

I hope Christmas has brought you all happiness . Very best wishes for 2026. World peace would be great .

Merry Christmas to everyone, and Happy New Year.

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...

You might have to explain that to our nursery age school children who are being offered gender realignment services! The world is going mad!!!!!!!

Just to keep everyone updated.......here is my 'application' for County Councillor. So we have a full list of candidates for the NCC Bedlington West Ward seat and it looks like an election has had its starter gate opened with claims, counter claims, spin and misdirection already! As I have said the only promise I give is to continue to do my best for the ward, so more of the same if you like! Like any job applicant a CV would seem an obvious starting option. So here are the main points in mine: As a resident I wasn’t happy with the way our Town’s needs had been ignored for decades so as a private individual I decided to try and do something about that. You don’t really need a position but you do need a commitment and some level of understanding as to how the system works. Set up the Bedlingtonshire Development Trust. Worked with NCC to get the sports pavilion at Gallagher Park. Ran a Fields in Trust campaign after getting Gallagher Park qualified as a QE11 Park and won a national award! Did the training in counselling skills so I could interact confidentially with people on a one to one basis. Completed training in procurement, project management, VCS development, planning training and others which I thought would be beneficial. Got the funding for and ran a Heritage themed event with Leading Link, which we had to go to Manchester and receive a commendation for. I had to go to Blyth Sports Centre and push in to argue with the Olympic Torch Committee for Bedlington to be included in their processional route so our kids could see it pass too. This after NCC said no! With Richard from Salvation Army and Lyn from Leading Link we had over 5000 people lining a very wet Front Street that day! Bedlington Terrier seats……..my design and my project with the money made paying for Xmas lunches for our seniors and support for our food banks. In May 2013 I was elected as a Town Councillor. The chevron parking on Glebe Road, my idea to stop the double parking there so others could pass. My project through the Town Council. New footpath down to Attlee Park, to stop the need for pedestrians having to step out on the main road. Again my project through the Town Council. After lacklustre and aimless two years under Labour control, which was more about claiming the council to be a Labour one instead of actually doing things, I was elected to the chair of the Town Council. What happened in the next two years was more than had happened at any time before! New Bus shelters throughout. Street furniture painted gold and green. Two new play parks at West Lea and Meadowdale. New Town Gateway features, which I designed and oversaw the project. Started on the discussions with a local resident who made sun dials internationally, but who couldn’t get one in their home town. Now in the Market Place! We bought the two new commemorative seats which now sit behind the War Memorial after I did the research and costing. Restarted the Town Fair and held it on the street. First to put on a show for the Xmas Lights switch on. Put in the original three defibrillators onto the street after the existing NCC Councillors refused to back them. Brought in a REDUCTION to the Town Council tax charge, the only one to ever manage that and do everything (plus) listed above. No wonder we got phone calls from all over asking how on earth we had done it. Then in 2017 I was elected to County Council. I said “I’m drawing a line in the sand…….we don’t go backwards from here!” First job get a light controlled crossing next to the COOP because it was gravely needed! All main roads into my ward area resurfaced. I recorded every pot hole in the ward and sent in the lists. I also had to stand up to what had happened at Arch and Active Northumberland to try and bring some resolution after unbelievably bad independent audits. Covid hit and while everyone else hid under the blankets I was running around dropping food parcels off because the government essentially locked up elderly people for 12 weeks! I made sure the ones I knew in my ward had something at least once a week. I got the 100’s of food parcels from the Salvation Army so I raised money for our food banks to make sure I wasn’t taking out more than I put it! West Lea Cemetery needs a special mention: First try and sort out the flooding issues which saw flooding on the children’s graves. Cleaned out the main culvert pipe which runs alongside the western side of the cemetery. Next the road inside the Cemetery needed resurfacing. Helped set up the Friends of West Lea Cemetery group. Did the D Day commemorative plaque at the side of the entrance. Renovated the old derelict hut which stands in there for a base for the Friends of West Lea Cemetery. Flooding reoccurred so I had to fight for new field drains fitted at the lowest bit on the South side. Did the Covid plaque at the other side of the entrance. Garden of Remembrance needed sorting out. The path between the cemetery and St Bennies needed sorting out too so QE11 Memorial Path, again after Bedlington not planned to get one. Now we have the best! New railings along the Front. Worked with Cemeteries management to turn the look of this cemetery around. It’s a popular place to visit these days and the Garden of Remembrance is now filled with flowers on tended plots. Plessey Woods needs a mention too. Went down 8 years ago and spoke to the staff there and saw it was only been used by a few dog walkers. Lobbied for the money to get the new playground done as well as path repairs etc. I got the funding on the proviso that I increased visitor numbers Put on events (children’s and adults) to get people there so they could see what was on offer. Argued for the extra parking area because it was proving that popular now. Had to get double yellow lines outside to stop the indiscriminate parking along Shields Road. Set up a Friends of Plessy Woods group. Continually argued for café and toilets upgrades which are now planned for end of this summer. Came up with the idea of Climbing Boulders as a way of attracting more people down there. Worked on the design, costs and siting with manufacturers and park managers. Should see them soon! More events in the pipeline for this park! Road speeds are an issue in several places, first one to tackle, Hazelmere. The internal roads have now gone to 20 MPH. Also the B1331 as it passes four school entrances……now 20 MPH after being told it wasn’t going to happen! New path opposite Hartford Hall, again after being told it wouldn’t happen. Had to fight to get Bedlington into the mix for a PlayZone but we were eventually. Then loads of fences and hoops to jump to get it actually built. Now being built at West Lea. The first new build leisure facility in Bedlington I can remember! I’ve also had to tackle house builders on behalf of residents and we have residents meetings with them (I’d like to say regularly but………) so problems can be worked out and residents made aware of what’s going to happen. Sensible communications is very often the key! I have documented just about every aspect to this ‘job’ over the last 8 years even to the point of being referred to solicitors when it doesn’t suit one party’s narrative! I’ve told everyone what’s going on, what’s about to happen and the reasons behind the way I’ve voted on most issues. I can’t think of any resident who has been in touch and who I’ve not responded to. We might not get the answer we wanted but all concerns have been forwarded to the right place. In short this is the sort of stuff I’ve been doing for the last 8 years, a lot of which aren’t really the remit of a councillor but hey it’s Bedlington, someone has to do something! This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, and for more examples in much greater detail take a look at the Historical Factoids I posted on my Facebook page: “Malcolm Robinson Bedlington West Ward.” If you vote for me it’s not difficult to work out what you will get! Trying to inject some common sense into the county council instead of the political spin and gyrations of the Political Party’s! ‘Residents First’ because I don’t have a political party to promote and gain benefit for, so the only people who tell me what to say and do are my residents. We don’t go backwards and we don’t leave anyone behind! It’s that simple really!

Welcome back! You are right when you say that there were lodging houses at the entrance to Mugger’s Neuk in 1861. There were in fact two, but in 1851 these were one larger lodging house. As I mentioned earlier, housing was scarce for the increasing workforce so as well as the lodging house which housed 17 lodgers (and the family of three who ran it), there were a further 60 people lodging in the market place within the homes of various families. However, I don’t think your relatives were lodgers of either sort. In 1851 there were no Dixons living in the lodging house or lodging with private families in the area where the lodging house was ie. the market place. If your relative is who I think he is, Charles Dixon with father of the same name and a mother named Dorothy, then he did live in the Market Place just to the left of the Howard Arms when facing that building. Why do I think this? The enumerator’s route, 1n 1851, went from “the first house in the corner below the Cross to the last house at the east end of the town on the same side”. He then crossed the road and enumerated “the south side of the town from the first house in the Mill Yard at the east end to the last house in the Half Closes on the same side”. There was a general lack of postal addresses in the 1851 census as the postal system hadn’t really developed at that time. However, there were schedule numbers for each household in the census documents and certain locations were identifiable by the occupation of the residents – such as “innkeepers” and “grocers” who usually lived on the premises. Looking at the 1851 census for Bedlington, district 2a (which includes the market place), and following the enumerators route, as he himself describes it above, the first house below the cross has schedule number 1. Successive sch. nrs. are given in sequence to the various households along the route. NB. The sch. nr. applies to a household, NOT a building. There may be several households in one building. Continuing eastwards in the enumerator’s footsteps from Muggers corner towards Leadgate House (on the corner opposite the Northumberland Arms) you will find at sch. nr 29 an innkeeper with the unusual surname Petrie. Unfortunately, there is no name to the inn. However, if we look up Petrie in the following 1861 census, we can see that he is in the same position and that his business is the Howard Arms. That sorted out we leave sch. Nr 29, the Howard Arms, and get back onto the enumerator’s route. We don’t have to go far to find Charles and Dorothy Dixon together with 5-year-old Charles Dixon and his siblings because he is at sch. nr 31, almost next door to the tavern. At sch. nrs. 30, 31 and 32 are three small households which probably, but not certainly, occupy the small row of buildings which I’ve arrowed blue in the map below. What I can say with certainty is that Charles Dixon lived in one of the buildings - or the buildings in the yards behind them -which I’ve marked in red.

Its getting pretty acrimonious this election period. First rebuttal, "It seems the Labour canvassers going around today are saying the schemes and projects I’ve listed in my ‘CV’ post are only what I’m claiming to have been part of or done, in other words a figment of my imagination? Well the lists are there if you want to challenge them, Im quite happy to justify each and every one! In fact if you want some more………. Ill just say this in response, we had a Labour councillor for the four years before I got in and he picked up the nickname……..”The Invisible Man!” Lets not go back to those dark days! We have lost trust in the national government in record time, God forbid the same happens to our county!" Second one, "Just by way of a post script to my last ‘political’ post another claim by the Labour canvassers was that I always vote with the Conservatives. Doesn’t take too much effort to show that’s not true either! As part of the last NCC pre Budget presentations all councillors were given a large number of papers to read through. As I said at the time the financials alone were 467 pages. It would seem I was the only one to pick up on the Advance proposals they contained. You might think with tens of millions of pounds at stake it would be a stand alone item but I could only find three quite curtailed references to it. As usual I asked about it because I didn’t understand completely what was intended. Once I had the explanations my words were……….”That’s a deal breaker for me, if I went along with it I couldn’t look my residents in the eyes ever again!” Now I’ve put that in inverted commas because that’s exactly what I said at the time in the faces of the main political and professional players at County Hall and that why I voted against the conservative proposed budget. Fast forward to the recent vote on the restructure of Advance, only a month or so ago, and we see the whole Labour group vote with the conservatives on this issue with only Independents voting against. These days I only believe half of what I see and nothing of what I hear, that might be good advice for residents in what is fast becoming a pretty acrimonious election period. I’m trying to remain positive and not descend to levels others are crawling around in, but it’s hard!"

https://funeral-notices.co.uk/notice/miller/5241321 Those who remember Joyce Miller (and Biffy the dog), please see the attached. She loved Hartford and telling patients “there’s no such thing as can’t - if you say you can’t you really mean you won’t”.

Hi Hi @AvrilG! Welcome to the forum. If Edward was 2 years and 10 months, rather than ‘almost 2’ then I believe that the following is his obituary, published in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle on March 15 1929. My 11-year experience of rummaging through old documents, digital or hard copy, leads me to believe that the churchyard you refer to is Cambois Churchyard. Old newspapers, and therefore digitalised copies, can vary in quality due to the ravages of time. I can understand your mistaking Cambois for Cambels. The letter ‘i’ can look very much like the letter ‘l’ in faded or blurred print (compare the ‘li’ in ‘Bedlington’ next to the MORTON name). Likewise, ‘e’ and ‘o’. It might help you in your search to know that St Andrews (Cambois) was a small church built in the 1860s as the mission church of St Peter (West Sleekburn). West Sleekburn is often referred to as Bedlington Station, as in the obituary. St Andrews didn’t have the full status of a parish church but was supported by the parish. You could say that St Andrews was a ‘subsidiary’ of St Peters (West Sleekburn) which was the parish church of both West Sleekburn and Cambois. St Andrews was, therefore, served by the vicar of St Peters with the help of a non-stipendiary priest until its consecration in 1998 when it became a parish church. All parish records for St Andrews would be held at St Peters (West Sleekburn) until that date. Andy has given you a link to St Andrews and here you can see where St Peters is. Good luck with your search! I have some newspaper cuttings about Edwards death if you would like them.

I had it confirmed this week that West Lea in Bedlington will get its new Playzone. This is something I've been fighting for since they were first considered for Northumberland! Originally 12 were projected, none for Bedlington but I managed to get that decision changed! It represents a substantial investment not just in terms of finance but in leisure activities as well! So for anyone who doesn't know what a PlayZone is, and they are not just for football, here is a taster...........

@Canny lass & @Justine Matchett asked on the FB group Bygone Bedlington and don't know who lives in Garden House now but it is the white house in the images above and this comment from Errol Armstrong confirms it :-

@Canny lass from the info you have posted above I think you could be right🤞 My clouded memory does recall that the white house used to be where a fella had a horse & cart and sold veg in the area but I hve no proof. I will put a post on the FB group Bygone Bedlington with the Google street view photo and a summary of your info and see if anyone comes up with any info thhat migth help

Knowledge is never a heavy burden to bear!! Just think how all this new found information can be used to impress friends and relatives!

That kept you busy Alan? Thank you Canny lass, I look forward to the annual brain check.

1. Brazil 2. Italy 3. 4. 5. Russia 6. Columbia 7. Monday 16/02/26 - Fire Horse 8. Phillipined 9. 10. Haiti 11. You can't get married between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because this period, known as the Days of Awe, is a solemn time for intense spiritual introspection, repentance, and seeking forgiveness, culminating in the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) when God seals one's fate for the year, making it inappropriate for the joy and new beginnings associated with weddings1 12. 13. 14. Italians, Spaniards, and the Chinese share the common goal of warding off bad luck for the New Year, using symbolic acts like clearing out the old, eating specific foods (grapes in Spain/Italy, lentils in Italy), and wearing auspicious colors (red in Italy/China) to welcome fortune, focusing on renewal and positive energy for the year ahead 15. 16. To find L'Home dels Nassos (the Man of Noses) and get a wish, you need to be in Catalonia, Spain, especially Barcelona, on December 31st, searching the streets and public squares for a man with only one nose left (as he loses one daily), often appearing at midday in places like Pla de Palau. 17. 18. 19. 20. I bet you didn't know = I didn't. I had to Google all 20

So much for Christmas, let's see what we know about New Year traditions and celebrations! 1. Where in the world on New Year’s Eve do people dress in white, run into the sea at midnight and jump over seven waves while making seven wishes for the year to come? 2. In which country are 12 spoonfuls of lentils eaten at midnight on New Year’s Eve, one spoonful for every chime of the clock? 3. The ‘redding of the house’, involving giving your home a thorough clean before midnight 31 December in order to sweep out the bad luck of the passing year, is a New Year’s tradition in which country? 4. The island of Bali celebrates New Year (on varying dates) with a strict day of silence designed to ward off evil spirits by making the island appear deserted. All businesses, shops and even airports are closed and NO ONE is allowed to leave their home or hotel. What is the name of this day of silence? 5. In another country where silence is a tradition, the last 12 seconds of the old year are spent in silence making a wish for the coming year. Where? 6. An empty suitcase plays an important part in the New Year traditions of which country? 7. China is also a country which celebrates new year on varying dates. In 2026, the year of the Wood Snake will end on China’s New Year’s Eve. On which date will this occur? Bonus point if you know which animal will replace the Wood Snake. 8. In some cultures, round objects symbolise good fortune and prosperity so, to ensure a happy new year, they wear polka-dot clothing and eat round fruits. Where would you be able to observe this tradition? 9. What is thrown out of houses during the countdown to midnight 31 December in Cuba? 10. Which country also celebrates Independence Day on New Year’s Day? 11. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, usually falls in September and is followed a week or so later by the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. Between the two it is impossible to get married. Why? 12. Who, literally, jumps into the New Year (from a chair or sofa)? 13. What do children do on the stroke of midnight in the Philippines in the belief that it will make them grow taller in the new year? 14. What New Year tradition do the Italians, Spaniards and Chinese have in common for warding off bad luck? 15. Nouruz (or Nowruz), even called the Persian New Year, isn’t either celebrated 31 December. However, it is officially recognized as New Year’s Day in many countries including Iran, Afghanistan and Azerbajdzan. When is Nouruz celebrated? 16. L’home dels nassos, (the man of many noses) has as many noses as there are days left in the year. He appears on 31 December and, if you find him, he’ll grant you a wish. Where would you go if you want to try and find him? 17. The Irish have many New Year traditions, including setting an additional place at the dinner table for any loved ones lost during the year and having a spotlessly clean home into which to welcome the New Year. They also bang on the outside walls of their house to keep bad luck away. With what do they bang on the walls? 18. What do Greeks hang above their door to welcome good fortune, and even fertility, into their home? 19. Who are what is a Hoppin’ John and where would you find him/it on New Year’s Eve? 20. And finally, where, on New Year’s Day would you be able to witness the “Loony Dook? I'll bet you didn't know: During the 1930s farmers in Canada hitched horses to their cars because they couldn’t afford petrol. Answers Sunday January 4.

Whoopee, Wilf is here so it's officially Christmas. Let the festivities begin!!!

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

An honest assessment of the current legal situation surrounding the Bedlington Terriers from the MP. Bedlington Terriers FC – a deeply disappointing situation For more than two years, my office and I have worked behind the scenes with a multitude of partners to try to resolve the situation facing Bedlington Terriers Football Club. Until now, we’ve resisted making a public statement, hoping that quiet diplomacy and goodwill would prevail. Sadly, the situation is now worse than ever, and I feel it’s time to speak openly. Bedlington Terriers, a club with a proud history and deep roots in our community, has played at Dr Pit Welfare Park for more than half a century. They had secured planning permission and funding to upgrade the pitch to 3G and improve facilities, an exciting step forward. But legal and ownership complications have derailed everything. The land is governed by a charitable trust originally established for the mining community. When the club tried to move forward with improvements, it became clear that the lease they were operating under was legally invalid. This issue, which was first identified in 2012, was never acted upon and only resurfaced a decade later, when progress on re-development was being made. Northumberland County Council (NCC), which holds the land in trust, attempted a land swap to resolve covenant issues raised by the Charity Commission. However, CISWO (Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation), which has an interest in the site, refused to consent, citing concerns about preserving the site’s heritage and the community’s access. In December, I met with NCC and CISWO to try to find a solution. The council was open to compromise, but CISWO would not budge. Their position is that preserving the site means preventing any development, even if that development would allow the club to continue playing and thriving in the community. I strongly disagree. In trying to “preserve the site,” CISWO is ignoring the reality: Bedlington Terriers have played on the western portion of Dr Pit Park for five decades. They’ve maintained the ground throughout that time. The rest of the park, home to bowls, sports, play areas, and a Green Flag-rated green space, remains untouched and well-used. At the end of last season, the club was relegated from Northern League Division 2 having failed ground grading criteria. Then in the summer, the legal entity running BTFC was struck off the register because of an administrative issue, leading NCC to require the club to vacate the ground. Though the entity was later restored, the damage was done. Bedlington Terriers are now playing in the Northern Alliance at a home pitch outside of Bedlington. The ground, once secured, has since become a target for arson and vandalism. I raised CISWO’s role in this mess from the floor of the Commons last week and have further meetings planned in the coming weeks. Let me be clear: This situation helps no one. Not the mining community CISWO claims to represent. Not the park, which is now suffering from neglect and vandalism. Not the people of Bedlington, who’ve lost their senior football team. And certainly not Bedlington Terriers, who are fighting for survival outside their home town. I still believe a solution is possible, if sensible heads prevail. I will continue to urge all parties to find common ground and do what’s right for the club, the community, and the legacy of Bedlington.

And finally, there was bank manager Edward Mostyn Gibson. What happened to him? He has been extremely difficult to find and here’s the reason why. In September 1936 Edward Mostyn’s wife, Mabel, dies at the age of 51 years. Her address is then given as Middleton Street, Blyth. One can only wonder why. After a great deal of searching I eventually found the first trace of Edward Mostyn’s whereabouts in 1939 – and possibly a reason for his wife being in Blyth. He was at that time a patient in St Georges Hospital, Morpeth. How long he had been there is impossible to say. Mental Health Care wasn’t exactly at it’s best in 1939 and admissions were more frequent than discharges. What I can say with certainty is that Edward Mostyn died in St George’s Hospital though, again, it’s impossible to say how long he had been there. At the time of his death, he did however own a home in Bedlington – 106 Rothesay Terrace – next door to his brother at 105 (106 was vacant in the 1939 register when Edward M was in hospital). Those effects are worth only £14,745 today. A sad end to an enterprising family and a big piece of Bedlington’s history. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this as much as I’ve enjoyed researching it.

Maybe Bedlington history society and you could join forces. BEDLINGTON needs its own museum. Maybe John Hall originally from North seats ,but went to Bedlington grammar school would donate the opportunities are there. It needs a team of volunteers to organise it. I was at school with Claire Mitchell ner mam wasEllen Mitchell. I am sure that her family would be involved. There are just so many people who would support this. Also I have an extensive collection of disaster glasses some that are unknown linked with Bedlington and guidepost, Anyway it’s just a thought

https://www.northumberlandnetzero.uk/apply/free-trees?fbclid=IwY2xjawNjKoNleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHj814jY3EBkXVoM2c5XDd4SrHhRdyQstEzAeWn0m7q4PkGw5mcgR034zoqIT_aem_H4mkvU-6_T04lv-44awVbQ

I apologise for my late reply. I got volunteered to tile our daughter-in-law's kitchen, which took a little while. Once again, I am extremely grateful for the trouble you went to and the information you have provided. Thank you.

I was almost unable to speak today at full council and this time it was passion not being forbidden to speak! I’m used to having a fight with the Administration to get anything for Bedlington, I hope today is the last time I have to have a go at the new bunch of councillors! The motion they put forward was badly constructed but there was one bit which I couldn’t contain myself about. If it had gone through then about 6 years of my time and efforts would be wasted with Bedlington losing millions of pound of funding. I couldn’t let that happen and so I had to say something: https://www.youtube.com/live/xi5sxPcTWWI?si=rWWEKF9yA76ksl0j&t=6171

Seems everyday there is a different attack..........and I am not attacking any other candidates but I am going to defend myself! I don’t normally respond to overtly ‘aggressive’ posts, that’s a one way route, but somehow I’m being accused of ‘hiding’ something about this Members Local Improvement Scheme funding? Not quite sure how seeing as I posted the FULL details of the scheme three weeks ago on 1st April on this page, a page that’s open to public access. I do try and keep my residents informed! So the funding is there, the list of things I’ve supported with it is there along with the costings. Even the cancelled projects are listed so I’m not quite sure what’s been hidden? Members get an allowance of up to £15K PA to ‘spend’ on small projects in their wards. I make sure every penny of mine is spent in the ward or very close to it, if there are things which benefit my residents. Just some very recent examples: First the small path I had been asked to get done opposite Hartford Hall. I had it priced up off NCC and it came back at over £30K. I put in the last of my MLIS funding, just over £10K, and Christine, Bedlington Central, agreed to put in £4K to make it happen. So for the £10K in my pot we got over £30k’s worth of work done. Second one, the QE11 Memorial Path and Garden of Remembrance at West Lea Cemetery. We weren’t getting anything so I badgered the Leader of NCC until he told me to design a scheme and they would consider it for funding out of the QE11 funding NCC had already agreed. I did and eventually got £24K out of them. Along with £1K donation from the Friends of West Lea Cemetery group I put in the rest out of this MLIS funding. So we got over £50Ks worth of work done there. I’ve also put in £5K into the café and toilets upgrades at Plessey Woods which is costing about £300K! So nothing hidden it’s all there in black and white but given the associated funding it unlocks I’m happy to use it for projects which can be ramped up with clear community benefits, some smaller projects like dropped kerbs and bollards to larger projects like the QE11 stuff. Even sharing costs with neighbouring ward councillors on projects with joint benefits makes sense to me.

Make a cup of tea, there's no way of explaining this quickly! This may throw a little light on the mystery! The enumerator for Bedlington, District 9 in the 1911 census, was one J W Gaskin. He appears to have been a man who took his work very seriously. Going above and beyond the call of duty in meticulously recording the statutory requirements: name, age, birthplace etc. of each person he recorded even a brief description of the building in which the residents lived. From these descriptions I think its now possible to identify the buildings at Bank Top – at least in 1911. @loopylou Yesterday you described the census for 1911 in the following manner. (I’ve taken the liberty of colour coding your text so that I can compare them to census records, photos and maps. Unfortunately I can't use coloured text here). You said: “No. 1 Craggs (missing, a shop? Uninhabited?) BLUE No. 2 Craggs Buildings (Weightman) BLUE No. 3 Craggs Buildings (Elliott) BLUE No. 4 Craggs Buildings (Kinghorn) BLUE following these are Old Puddlers Arms (Mawson) GREEN Old Puddlers Arms (Thain) GREEN Old Puddlers Arms (Cole) GREEN Old Puddlers Arms (Burrell) GREEN All of these addresses ”Old Puddlers Arms” have two rooms each, which equates with the eight rooms described in the auction. then confusingly Craggs Buildings (no number) (McMullen) RED No. 2 Craggs Buildings (Thompson) RED No. 3 Craggs Buildings (Hutchinson) RED No. 4 Craggs Buildings (Campbell) RED No. 5 Craggs Buildings (Hadaway) RED Craggs Buildings (no number) (Parker) RED These also had two rooms each. Then after follows River View. It would appear that No. 2/3/4 are duplicated, but I do not think that these are the same properties, rather that the end six properties later become No. 9-14 of Craggs.” Let's ompare that with what the enumerator says. The enumerator describes the buildings these people lived in as follows: P 10: Sch nrs. 217 – 219 “Craigs Buildings, 1 block of 4 cottages” (1 unoccupied therefore only 3 sch. Nrs.) BLUE P 10: Sch nrs. 220 – 223 “Old Puddler’s Arms, 1 block 4 dwelling houses” GREEN P 11: Sch nrs. 224 – 229 “Craigs Buildings 2nd block in flats, 6 dwelling houses” RED There after follows River View starting with “a semi-detached villa, a villa, 6 more semi-detached villas and then 1 block 7 cottages”. If we transfer that information to a map (this one from 1924 as it’s the nearest I have) it looks like this: Following on from the red marking of Craigs Buildings, 2nd block, I’ve marked the enumerator’s description of River View: semi detached villa (pink), villa (yellow) and 7 semi-detached villas (purple), 1 block of 7 cottages (orange). If we then transfer that information to the 1930s photo it looks like this: There are a couple of questions that arise: The unmarked space between the blue marking and the green marking has no immediate explanation from the enumerator. I would suggest that it could be one of the 3 houses, each with four rooms, described in the 1864 advert as these are “adjoined” to the Puddler’s Arms. If this is the case then it should be marked BLUE. Much depends on the location of the outer wall of the Puddler’s Arms – to the right of or to the left of the unmarked space? In total, the three cottages have 12 rooms. The advert dated 1869 includes 6 double cottages of 2 rooms each. This also gives a total 12 rooms, so these could be the 3 roomed cottages mentioned in 1864. An alternative explanation for the space would be that it was occupied by the 2-roomed cottage offered for sale with the Puddler’s Arms in 1869 as part of the same lot for sale in 1869. If this is the case then it should be marked GREEN. To me it seems that, at least in 1911, the large building contained not only the public house (to the right) but also 6 flats (to the left). I’ve said before that housing was at a premium due to the need for a greatly increased workforce in Bedlington. Perhaps the Puddler’s Arms originally occupied the whole of the building but renting out accommodation may have given the opportunity to provide a better income – for infinitely less effort.

I think this is how Craggs Buildings may have been numbered. It seems it was named this due to the former license holder of the Puddlers Arms being a J. W. Craggs. He had the pub in 1887 before dying in 1889, aged 43. No. 1 started where the Bank Top is now, and continued down to No. 13/14 next to River View. No. 1 - 4 are the cottages that separated the Puddlers from Bank Top Hotel. The 1881 census lists an address “Clark’s Cottages” inbetween “Liddle’s Cottages” (Liddle’s Yard) and “Puddler’s Arms”. I think it’s likely Clark’s Cottages referred to No. 1-4. A former landlord of the Puddlers was Henry Clark. No. 5 - 8, an auction piece on 22 Oct 1864 (Newcastle Daily Chronicle) lists the Puddler’s Arms as having “eight large rooms”. Possibly that the Puddler’s was split into four two-room flats. No. 9 - 14, the same auction piece lists the Puddlers Arms as having “three houses, with four rooms each, adjoining the above.” I believe these were split into the six two-room apartments of No. 9 - 14, as a later auction piece on 27 Feb 1869 (Newcastle Daily Journal) now describes the attached property to Puddler’s Arms as “six double cottages”. Photo with the door numbers included.

@Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) I think the bungalow you reference as River View in the older picture is actually the second one in, number 2? Maps has a no 1 River View which nearly lines up with a corner house in Tomlea Avenue . But the current end house (2) is a bit further down. I assume a few got demolished over the years.

Then and Now

Not that my memory is brilliant these days but I do recall Joe Rooney mentioning the fire when he posted a comment about his older broter :-

I don’t know if there are photos of Cragg’s Buildings out there, but there were some in the papers in 1943 after it was on fire. (No. 5, 6, 7 and 8).

Sorry about that! I started to doubt myself but now I can say that my posts were correct. You have got it right Eggy. Doctors Row in the first photo and Old Gate Row in the second photo. The building which "looks as if it is being demolished" is in fact the old gate house from which the street above got its name. There used to be five families living in that at one time.

Here it is, arrowed in red.

@loopylou compilation of images - Google steet view 2023 - Market Place photo c1930 & @Canny lass's map extractb :-

The closure order for burials at St Cuthberts was as late as 1983. There are some very old gravestones so it might be worth investigating further.

Thank you so much for the information Netherton isn’t far from Bedlington perhaps the families knew each other. I believe my grandmother had bedding in the drawers, but China in the top. Now the China it’s still there and the drawers are full of family documents and correspondence from 1906 until 1960 . I am trying to upload it onto my iPad. It is taking me ages as I get so caught up reading stuff that it my progress is dead slow stop. I have all the furniture that belonged to my grandparents apart from their beds. I just love it. And I am sure that your family press was just as beautiful.

That is a PRESS - and a very beautiful one if I may say so. There was one in my childhood home as well, though not quite as elegant as yours. Do you know that they were originally intended to store linen, bed clothes, curtains and such. My mother told me that it was one of her 'jobs' as a youngster (and many other young girls too) to make small pleats in the tapes on pillow cases (used to close them) using the edge of a knife. All of these pillow cases would be placed on the shelves with the pleated tapes hanging outwards. When the family had guests they wanted to impress the doors of the press would be left open. I don't know if this was just something done in Netherton Colliery or if it was a general thing in the north east or even England as a whole.

This will be long! Make a cuppa and get your feet up! The Gibson family research has had to wait while I've been without specs. The six weeks I was told would be needed before getting new specs after my ops turned into three months. I had the temporary specs only ta few days before I got a bleed inside my eye, another op and an inflammation that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy! However, the Gibson family didn't have i easy either - read on! I left the widowed Henry Gibson in 1881, then aged about 67 years, living in the family home on Front Street east in Bedlington. He is still head of the family and the ironmongery business. Also resident are his two sons Philip Hedley Gibson, aged 34 and as yet unmarried, and William James Gibson, aged 26, who has with him his wife of eight months. She is Sarah (nee Mostyn), born to Edward Mostyn and his wife Anne in Flintshire, Wales, but the family moved to St Helens, Lancashire a few years after her birth and it is in St Helens the marriage took place. Sarah seems to have been a gifted child and was studying to become a teacher at the age of 17. Both brothers, having branched out into the world of banking, give their occupation as “Ironmonger & bank agent” but William James has the addition “nail & chain manufacturer”. The company is now calling itself “Gibson Bros & Co.” The “& Co” bit consists of – or at least includes - the husband of their sister, Jane Elizabeth, whom I mentioned earlier when she married engine wright John Archbold in 1863. Just when the partnership was formed is difficult to say but I can say with certainty that it ended in 1883 when, according to a notice in The Commercial Gazette 24 May 1883, the partnership was dissolved due to debts by William James Gibson and Philip Hedley Gibson to John Archbold. Thereafter, the Gibson family, father Henry and the two brothers, continue to run both businesses and despite being owed money, John Archbold doesn’t seem to have done too badly. On his death in 1897 he leaves to his family £2 871 – worth about a half million today (2025). The dissolution of the partnership is not the only misfortune to be suffered by the Gibsons around that time. William had married in 1880 and now it was the turn of older brother Philip Hedley. Like his brother, Philip Hedley does not marry a local girl but takes his bride, farmer’s daughter Jane Brookes, from Salop (Shropshire). They marry September 27, 1882 in the parish church of High Ercall, Salop. The marriage is, unfortunately, not to be a long one for Jane’s death is registered in the 2nd quarter of the following year. They were married for less than one year and as Jane’s death is registered in the Morpeth registration district it’s fair to assume that she had moved north to Bedlington with her husband. By 1891 we can see big changes in the family. Henry, the father, is now 77 years old and still working but the roles of father and son have now reversed. Philip Hedley, 44 year-old, is now the head of the household and his father, 77 year old Henry, is his assistant in the ironmongery business. Bank House must seem very empty now with only Philip Hedley, widowed, and his father living there together with a live-in general domestic servant. However, as I mentioned earlier, sister Mary Ellen and three of her children return to live at Bank House for a while before her death in 1901. William and his wife Sarah had, prior to 1891, moved to a home of their own, which brings me back to a photograph, posted by @johndawsonjune1955 which appeared in his first post in this topic: John Dawson could date the photo to 1888 and raised the question of where it might have been taken. @Maggie/915 thought it might have been taken at Vulcan Place, in Bedlington. I am now inclined to agree with her as it is in Vulcan Place, a few doors down from the Northumberland Arms, that William James and his family are living in 1891. At that time the couple have five children: Mary 8, Edward Mostyn 7, William Henry 5, Lilian 4 and James 9 months. If the photo is dated 1888 then the child in the photo could be the eldest child, Mary, who would then be about 5 years old, and the woman behind her could be her mother, Sarah. I’d then hazard a guess that one of the two men behind Sarah could be her husband, William James Gibson and the other may be his brother, Philip Hedley Gibson. Just a thought! The clothing of the three persons, 2 male and 1 female, to the right of the group suggests that they are workers and the tell-tale soot above the door behind them suggests to me that this could even be a nailer’s workshop. Could this have been to the rear of the buildings in Vulcan Place? The woman and child look as if they've just stepped out of the house for a minute, rather than being on a visit away from home. The man in the middle is, however, a mystery. Following the death of their 80 year-old father Henry in 1902, the brothers continue to run the business. Philip Hedley continues to live in Bank House on Front Street East and if the following photo is from 1910, as stated by Cympil (Gibson house is first on the left), then it must be Philip who is responsible for the neo-classic details, of which some still remain, on the building, and the new entrance (now blocked up) into the banking agent’s premises. Philip doesn’t marry again and has no children to take on the business after him when he dies shortly after his father, in 1906. Strangely, while Philip Hedley’s death occurs in Bedlington, his address is given as Newcastle on Tyne. He didn’t do too badly either, leaving £1 395 - worth about £216,761 today (2025). William James, on the other hand, has plenty of children and it’s to them I’ll look to see what happens the ironmongery and nailing business. A bit more research to do yet but it’s a fair bit easier now that I’ve finally got my specs! Watch this space!

Just looking through some family stuff and thought I would share it with other members

That picture of the Platform Ticket brought back fond memories. Back in the 60s loads of us lads used to go to the Mayfair in Newcastle to see bands ... we'd get the United bus from the Red Lion to the Haymarket. Trouble was the last bus back from the Toon would have been maybe 10 or 11pm, so no transport back when the show ended at 1 am approx. The only solution was to go to the Central Station and catch the 3am London to Edinburgh Mail Train which stopped at the Toon and Morpeth. We'd then walk from Morpeth to Bedders. The trouble was you couldn't wait in the Central Station as the British Transport cops used to throw you out unless you had a ticket. We weren't going to buy one for the full travel cost to Morpeth but always got a Platform Ticket out the machine (I think it might have cost 2d), waited in the station, then got on the train ... no ticket checks that time of night ... we did this for years.

PS Your great grandfather was still at the same address in Bedlington in 1914, before moving to Walker, Newcastle. His business appears in Kelly's Directory of that year.

Would that men more Haggis - Neeps & Tatties