johndawsonjune1955

The Daniel Gooche born at the Kings Arms may not be acurate as there is historic records that say it was behind the Sun Inn

we can add to the time line the history of the Bedlington Terrier and Henry Coates the vicar and the Gardners Arms

There is a great deal that can be added, like the German bomber crash and the bodies being kept at Keenlyside paint shop.

The German bomber crash at West Sleekburn

What happened during the 1984-85 miners strike

The closure of the Collieries, modern history easy to put together

Co=operative movement. There is a bit in to get it going for you

Queens Silver jubilee and the street parties can be added

The first loco to leave Kings Cross, London was built at Bedlington. And many more pieces can be added

The miners picnics can be added, but to start the 1866, the very first has been added to prompt users

Oh and Bill Ward can be added as he was a great photographer for Bedlington and sadly he has just died, 27th of April i think. But what a legacy with photographs he left.

There is so much more.

If your stuck just let me know and i can get some members on it too to help.

Here is the Bedlington Time Line for Malcolm.

Malcolm i put in a good bit for you. Take out and add what you need.

Its a guide to help you.

Maybe Forum users can add more to it and we can have an even better one.

You can add in more on World War years. Like the spitfire collection and a lot more

Put some humour in too, like Joe Steel

The 1984 - 85 miners strike can be added too

Just look its interesting as i say and many hours put into this with assists by members of the group.

However, heres what i have done for now.

1069 The monks carrying the remains of Saint Cuthbert from Holy Island rest for a night at Bedlington & erect a a chapel dedicated to him

1150 The Normans were great builders, and the oldest portions of Saint Cuthbert's church date from about 1150. They are the chancel arch, the south wall of the nave with the small round window behind the pulpit, and the south doorway into the chapel.

1209 In April two Royal visitors come to Bedlington. King John summoned William, King of Scotland, to meet him in Newcastle. Actually, however, the first interview between the two monarchs took place at Bedlington. The negotiations were continued at Norham, in North Northumberland. Without any satisfactory result, King John called again at Bedlington.

1213 King John also visited Bedlington on January 25th and 26th

1216 King John stayed at Bedlington on January 9th and 10th, in connection with the expedition he launched against his rebellious barons in the North-country. The story, in brief, of the expedition, is that many of these barons had offended King John because of doing homage to the King of Scotland at Felton, near Alnwick. Impede King John's progress, the barons carried out what we now know as the "scorched earth†policy, by setting fire to their villages and corn. In retaliation, King John destroyed with fire and sword the towns and villages that lay in his way, including Morpeth, Mitford, Alnwick, and Wark.

This was his last visit to Bedlington, for King John died in the following October, at Newark.

1590 Weaving became a booming business in Bedlingtonshire

1602 Bedlington Corn Mill established on the Bedlington side of the Dene

1736 William Thomlinson signs lease for Bedlington Iron Works. Approx 50 acres of land

1737 William Thomlinson dies

1743 Saint Cuthbert's Church had sashed windows installed

1757 In May, Malings & Company from Sunderland took over Bedlington Iron Works when they bought it at auction

1767 Bedlington had a brewery situated behind the Kings Arms "The Grapesâ€

1782 Iron Works were bought by Hawks & Longridge

1782 The Market Cross is erected on its present site

1790 Bedlington Corn Mill incorporated into the Bedlington Iron Works

1799 Builders erected Millhouse Farm with stone quarried nearby

1801 The population in Bedlington was 789

1809 Bedlington Iron Works sold to Gordon & Biddulph of London

1810 There was about a dozen weaving establishments in Bedlington, and one of these, owned by a Mr. Graham, kept five men employed.

1811 Hartford House was designed and building began

1814 Bedlington Iron Works made many parts for Stephensons first locomotive Blucher

1814 The Gibson family began their nailing business in Bedlington

1815 The Gooch family arrived to reside in Bedlington, They were related to Michael Longridge (cousins)

1816 Daniel Gooch was born in the Kings Arms known locally as "The Grapesâ€

1816 Joseph Ainsley of Bedlington was a mason by trade purchased a dog named "Peacham" from a William Coxon of Rothbury.

1818 Ainsley bred "Peacham" with Christopher Dixon's "Phoebe" from Longhorsely.

1818 They kept a pup and named it "Piper" & it was sold to a James Anderson of Longhorsely. The dog was liver in colour

1818 A shaft from a Saxon cross was discovered in Saint Cuthbert's church yard

1819 John Birkinshaw invents malleable iron rails and lays them between the Engine Pit, near Choppington to the Iron Works

1820 J Howe of Alnwick went to visit a friend in Bedlington and brought with him a terrier bitch named "Phoebe" that belonged to Andrew Riddell of Longframlington and left it with Edward Coates at the vicarage. The bitch was a gift as Coates had a keen interest in dogs. The bitch was then referred to as "Coate's Phoebe" by the people of Bedlington

1820 John Birkinshaw patents his malleable iron rails

1821 The population in Bedlington was 1862

1821 Longridge built a school for his workers children in the "Free Woodâ€

1821 George Stephenson proposes the use of Birkinshaws malleable rails for the Stockton to Darlington Railway

1821 Petries's Mill built at the top of the Bedlington Bank

1822 Bedlington Iron Company receive huge contract for Birkinshaws malleable iron rails by George Stephenson

1823 Longridge, George & Robert Stephenson & Edward Pease formed locomotive works at Forth Street, Newcastle upon Tyne

1825 Coates decides to experiment a little further with the breed and mates "Coate's Phoebe" with Anderson's "Piper" So we have a bit inbreeding here

The litter consisted of, after their owners who got them, "Ainsley's Ranter" of Gateshead, "Coate's Peacham" "Weatherburn's Phoebe" , "Hoy's Rocky" & "Fish's Crib".

They went on further over the years and this is how we got our beloved Bedlington Terrier

1829 William Hare of Burke & Hare fame came to Bedlington in February. He was recognised and the people of Bedlington chased him out of Bedlington by throwing stones as he ran.

1832 Chartism begins in the Bedlington area

1832 Daniel Gooch at the age of 21, becomes the engineer for the Great Western Railway

1834 Demesne Farm begins. Farming began by the Abbs family

1837 The first meeting of the Bedlington Coal Company takes place at Durham

1837 Locomotive factory established at Bedlington Iron Works AND Longridge produced his first locomotive " Michael Longridgeâ€

for use on the Stanhope and Tyne Railway

1838 Chartism had huge support and the biggest rallies ever seen in the UK was held on the Town Moor at Newcastle upon Tyne

1838 Bedlington "A†Colliery began sinking the shaft. Known as the "Auld Pitâ€

1839 Daniel Gooch designs the North Star engine. This became the model for all broad gauge engine to follow

1839 Seventeen locomotives were built at the locomotive factory at Bedlington

1839 Chartism ceased in Bedlington

1839 The Blyth & Bedlington Literary Supplement was produced at the Dene a monthly edition

1839 Bells Place was built at the east end of Bedlington

1840 Longridge established the Barring "Henry†Colliery

1840 Michael Longridge refuses a knighthood

1840 Bedlington has a place in postal history as it has the earliest known recorded usage of an adhesive stamp to prepay postage. The Penny Black officially came into service on May, 6th, 1840. However someone sent a letter from London under a "Mulready†wrapper to a Mr. Blenkinsop of Bedlington four days earlier. This then made the letter the earliest known in the United Kingdom. Together with this, the Mulready wrapper was not officially valid until the same day as the Penny Black. The Mr. Blenkinsop the letter was sent to, was an engineer at the Bedlington Ironworks, and what makes the letter more intriguing is that he had died nine years earlier.

The stamp and wrapper were worth up to half a million pounds in 1991. How much today ?. With Mr. Blenkinsop not being alive when the letter was sent, it was forwarded to his family who lived in Carlisle, bearing a May, 4th, 1840 Morpeth postmark, probably adding more value to it.

1841 The population in Bedlington was 2023

1841 The steamship Bedlington was built in 1841 by T D Marshall of South Shields for the Bedlington Coal Company

1842 Longridge gave evidence at the Children's Employment Commission

1845 Michael Longridge refuses his second knighthood

1846 The founder of the Gibson family of nailers died and his wife Ann took over the running of it

1847 Blyth Building Society opened its first branch in Bedlington

1849 Cholera outbreak at Bedlington

1850 Bedlington Coal Company complete the building of the wooden viaduct over the River Blyth in June

1851 Michael Longridge provided an exhibit for the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace

1851 In April the "Auld Reekie" steamer from Leigh arrived in Blyth to tow the "Bedlington" to Leith as her career was over for the coal company.

1851 The population in Bedlington was 5101

1851 Daniel Gooch was awarded a gold medal at the great exhibition

1853 Michael Longridge leaves the Locomotive Works

1853 New owners of Bedlington Iron Works is James Spence

1854 March 19th the Bedlington was sunk nine days before the outbreak of war betwwen Britain and Russia. the location being near Ismail on the Danube

1854 Bedlington "D†Colliery began sinking the shaft. Known as "Doctor Pitâ€

1854 William Carr begins Bedlington's first newsagents in January. It was situated on Front Street east

1855 Bedlington Locomotive Factory was closed down

1855 James Spence sold his stock in a ten day sale at Bedlington Iron Works and the works were left derelict for six years

1855 Sinking of the Doctor Pit shaft completed

1855 John Middleton becomes the first manager of the Doctor Pit

1855 The first miners cottages were built near the Doctor Pit "Cross Rowâ€

1858 Michael Longridge dies at Hollymount Hall, Bedlington

1858 Bedlington's first post office had a telegraph system installed. It was situated in the Baptist Yard

1860 Thomas Burt marries his cousin, Mary Weatherburn at St Cuthbert's Church on January 1st.

1861 Capper, Mounsey & Dixon acquire the Bedlington Iron Works

1861 The population in Bedlington was 8328. This was mainly due to the expansion of coal mining

1861 Co-operative Society begins in June at Bedlington

1862 Bedlingtonshire Health Board came into existence & Dr James Trotter was a member

1864 Daniel Gooch resigns as engineer of the Great Western Railway to concentrate on telegraph communications to America

1864 Dixon & Mounsey built twenty-one cottages named Puddlers Row

1865 Capper, Mounsey & Dixon leave the Bedlington Iron Works

1865 Bedlington Coal Company purchase the works and trade as Bedlington Iron Company

1865 Daniel Gooch enters Parliament where he served for twenty years

1865 A donation 0f £800 was given by Mrs Sidney of Cowpen, Blyth towards the cost of the Catholic School at Bedlington. It cost just over £1100

1866 Daniel Gooch successfully completes the first transatlantic cable message

1866 An attempt to control sewage disposal began with a sewer laid down Newcastle Road to Browns Farm field

1866 Daniel Gooch was made a Baronet

1866 The first Miners Picnic was held at Polly's Folly at the north end of Shankhouse. Miners from Bedlington & other areas attended

1867 The Bedlington Iron Company folds

1867 The first candle-makers, William Barnes of Blyth, set up at eastern side of the Clayton Estate what was known as Moor Lane

1868 Ann Gibson, of the nailing family died. James Gibson then took over the business

1870 Shiney Row was built by the Bedlington Coal Company

1871 Saint Cuthbert's Church bell was damaged & replaced

1872 Stoker's Buildings were completed in Bedlington

1872 A schoolhouse was erected in a corner of the churchyard of Saint Cuthbert's

1873 All colliery houses of the Bedlington Coal Company had privies & ash-pits installed across the lane from the houses

1874 Vulcan Place School was built. Funding came from the church & Bedlington Coal Company

1874 Doctor Terrace was built by the Bedlington Coal Company

1876 The Bedlingtonshire Health Board completed its fresh water scheme for the area

1876 Gas works were installed at the Doctor Pit

1876 Bedlington Brick Manufacturing Company established

1877 Gas lighting was introduced to the streets of Bedlington

1880 The Salvation Army is established in Bedlington at the top of Hartford Road

1881 The Bedlington Police Station was opened at the west end of Bedlington

1882 The Baptist Chapel was adding a new storey when a cache of seventeenth century, gold and silver coins was found in the roof of the old chapel.

1883 William Barnes, candle-maker sold out to John Muter of Bedlington

1883 John Muter began manufacturing mineral waters at Sleekburn

1885 Daniel Gooch leaves Parliament

1886 Vulcan Place School was enlarged

1886 New South Row was built by the Bedlington Coal Company

1887 Miners strike lasting seventeen weeks

1889 Daniel Gooch dies in October. He had designed over 340 locomotives during his career

1891 Bedlington gets its YMCA situated at Sleekburn

1892 The Co-operative Society purchased the Hollymount Estate in Bedlington in January

1893 The Primitive Methodist Church was built at Front Street West. It cost £1500

1896 Vulcan Place Schools was again enlarged & renamed the Whitley Memorial School

1898 Graham & Bestford's Dene Candlework's established

1894 Co-operative Society begins its greengrocery business in Bedlington

1899 Dr James Trotter dies & a memorial to him set up in Front Street West

1900 The Doctor Pit became the highest producer of coal in Bedlington

1902 A new chimney & screens were erected at the Doctor Pit because of the increased productivity of coal

1902 The Red Lion public house was demolished and rebuilt

1902 The Locke Hall is opened in Bedlington

1903 The Blue Bell public house was demolished and rebuilt. It was an old coaching inn

1905 Phillip Hedley Gibson took over the running of the nailing business in Bedlington

1905 Saint John's Church was built at Sleekburn

1906 In August Miss Swann was found murdered at Hirst Head Farm, Bedlington

1906 North Terrace, Bedlington completed

1908 The first boys scouts troop was formed in Bedlington by William Hall with their HQ in a wooden hut at Vulcan Place

1908 Bedlington Council School, Junior Department was opened in June

1909 The Doctor Pit completed the sinking of a new shaft "The Johnâ€

1910 Saint John's Church at Sleekburn was extended. A vicarage and church hall were added

1911 The Palace, a cinema & music hall was opened at Sleekburn

1912 The Prince of Wales cinema was built on Glebe Road

1912 Melrose Villas completed

1912 Melrose Terrace completed

1912 Saint Cuthbert's Church gallery was removed and in it's place a new aisle was built, with a memorial window.

1913 In April of this year a triple murder occurred at the Sun Inn. Two police officers and a civilian lost their lives after being shot

1913 Bedlington Council School, Infant Department was opened

1914 Sleekburn Division of the Saint John Ambulance Brigade is formed

1915 A German zeppelin dropped bombs in a farmers field on the border of Bedlington & Choppington

1917 During February, in the Bedlington Churchyard, there was a number of old residents who made it their duty to pay their last tribute of respect to an old lady who was associated with Bedlington and it's once famed iron industry. That lady was Miss Mary France Longridge, who died at her home in Cheshire aged 93 years. She was a daughter of Michael Longridge, who once owned the Bedlington Iron Works.

1921 Miners Strike & soup kitchens were set up

1922 The Doctor Pit had new winding gear installed and was fully electrified on the surface and underground

1923 In October the three Orange brothers Joseph, Robert & William, wanted to provide a service between Bedlington & Sleekburn Station & purchased 14 seat Model T bus reg number 'NL6214'.

1924 In May they applied for a licence to do this

1924 They took delivery of another bus, a 20 seater Lancia reg number 'NL6845'

1926 They began to pick up passengers from the Haymarket, Newcastle for Bedlington in July

1926 The General Strike

1926 The very last sword dance took place at Bedlington on Christmas Day

1926 Dr John Brown comes to Bedlington

1927 Orange brothers bought another bus a Gilford Model reg number CN2956

1927 September saw the Orange brothers pioneer the London to Newcastle bus service for £1 per head

1928 Saw the brothers running night services to London and they opened an office at Kings Cross

1930 The brothers began a service from Newcastle to Edinburgh and Glasgow in July

1930 Later that year the brothers moved their office from Bedlington to the Haymarket at Newcastle

1931 Bedlington Coal Company pits got their first brass band. They were from Barrington Colliery after its closure

1932 The Colliery Welfare Fund offered to install pit head baths, but the men refused after holding a ballot

1933 Orange Brothers employed over 100 staff and had 35 coaches

1933 Later in the year they decided to fly the very first air service between Newcastle and London. The "North Mail" had the headline "London to Newcastle in 3 hours" The paper went on to say that Joseph Orange arrived at Cramlington Aerodrome with his sister in a six seater Havilland Dragon similar to the two he intends to use to link London with Teeside and Tyneside. This service was run from Whitemare Pool, a flying field near Sunderland to Stag Lane aerodrome london and the fare would have been £5. They failed to find the capital and the route was begun by a competitor, Railway Air Services instead.

1934 United Automobile Services bought them out. Finally Orange Brothers faded into transport history

1934 Stone coffin unearthed at Millfield housing site Bedlington. It was Anglo Saxon with adult female human remains inside

1937 It was decided by the management to build the pit head baths at the Doctor Pit and they officially opened them

1938 Coal was mostly machine cut at the Doctor Pit

1939 World War Two broke out

1940 The Doctor Pit opened its canteen for the workers

1943 A new drift to develop the main coal from around the shaft at the Doctor Pit was completed

1944 Britain's best kept secrets, were training guerrilla 'Auxiliary Units' in a coastal strip thirty miles deep in readiness to harass the Nazi war machine when it landed on our beaches. Many men from Bedlington were secretly enlisted. There captain was actor Anthony Quayle. Their hideout, an underground chamber with six months rations and ammunition, was in Hartford Woods near Bedlington, Northumberland and they met in secret at an empty house in Shankhouse, Cramlington, Northumberland. Secrecy was all important and each cell was not known by name to any other cell just in case of interrogation or collaboration

1947 All coal mines were Nationalised on January 1st

1947 May 5th, was a historical occasion in the miners life. It was a battle in which union officials had long fought for, and finally won the introduction of the five-day week.

1947 More babies were born in Bedlington than in any other part of the North-East. During the quarter which ended June, births numbered 117, a bigger figure than those for Ashington, Blyth and Seaton Valley.

1947 Also recorded by the Registrar-General that Bedlington was a healthy place to live. Forty-one persons died there during the same period, compared with Ashington's 76, Blyth's 79 and Seaton Valley's 42.

1947 Bedlington had a population of 27210

1950 Bill Brewis, was the lightweight pitman of Bedlington "A†Pit, in June. He beat the record set by Joe Craddock, Minister of Fuel propaganda films, by hand filling one ton of coal every six minutes in one shift

1953 Queen Elizabeth II is crowned & many people out & about in Bedlington watched it through the window of the Rediffusion Shop

1954 In January Mr Carr, Newsagents celebrated 100 years as a newsagent in Bedlington

1956 Joe Steel, Bedlington's champion eater was at it again. The then 42 year old munched his way through a 4 1/2 Ib steak and kidney pie about 1 foot in diameter and 3 1/2 inches deep in 17 1/2 minutes. to break another record and gain another championship by beating 24 year old Ted Stoddard of Ashington. The event was held in the Howard Arms, Bedlington on Monday August 6th

1957 North Terrace, Bedlington gets tarmac road.

1959 It was late in the year when the Old Hall & Pele Tower were demolished in Bedlington. The Pele tower was Norman

1960 Millhouse Farm sold to the Knox brothers .

1961 The Knox brothers decided to use the stone from the demolished Millhouse Farm to prepare the foundations of the road and houses. Because some of the houses stood on the quarry site it means that the stone had been returned to it's original place after 160 years. During the demolishing of the farm there were some interesting finds. It was the custom in days gone by for the builders to place new coins in the walls and roofs of their constructions. In the old farm, six George III pennies dating 1799 to 1803, were found

1967 March saw the Doctor Pit cease production

1968 Bedlington had its first nightspot when the Club Domino at Sleekburn opened its doors in March

1971 Bedlington "A†Pit closes. Known as the "Auld Pitâ€

1971 The new round-a-bout and Glebe Road alterations have been completed

1975 The Doctor Pit site was finally cleared

1977 Bedlington's Ex-Servicemen's Club was destroyed by a gas blast. Windows from around the area were completely blown out

1977 In May, Bedlington's Mechanics Institute began a new life as Bedlington Community Centre. Opened by Councillor Jim Haig

1984 The year long miners strike began

1985 The miners strike finally ended

1996 Dr John Brown MBE dies

His partner in the Factory was Don Hutton

Don Hutton lived in Stakeford.

He sold the factory i think in the late 1980s ?

I will have another look around and see if i can find them.

you should see them ok unless the undergrowth is up above them ?

The website has been updated.

Local transport is in the Forum.

The archives now have a vast ammount of murder stories.

Archives has Newbiggin-by-the-sea pics and the story of "The Gale"

Have a look and enjoy

http://www.sixtownships.org.uk

Go along towards the old Choppington Brickworks there in the dykeside

If you have probs i will ask our Kevin to show you as he knows where they are too.

Have a look under the Willow Bridge, lots of history there just look carefully and you will find.

I went down there today could not see the sign or the Pit tub where are they/when did you last see them?

Go along towards the old Choppington Brickworks there in the dykeside

Edina, built at Bedlington by Longridge and Company for Stephenson.

So when did the loco work finally end. Longridge died in 1856 ?

But the works were sold a good few years after, but did the new owners continue building ?

John Dixon and Mouncey ?

If Longridge had taken his Knighthood in 1840 or 1845 when offered it, he may well have given Bedlington the history it deserved with the Ironworks.

I believe that Stephenson turned a knighthood down and Longridge did likewise. I may be wrong, but that is what i was to believe.

A nice painting of the Ironworks.

M Longridge lived here, but still had a house he rented at Willow Bridge, Choppington.

Rails built at bedlington ironworks.

These are at the Stockton and Darlington Railway museam.

my sister worked there and my mothers next door neighbour was the man who maintained the machines.

Just super. Well done. Cracking work and the younger kids involved too. Superb , look forward to more

Some interesting history on the above posts.

The Thomas Longridge facts are so interesting with the daughter Anna and the marriage to John Gooche of Bedlington.

Its a good account for our heritage when we delve into families connected to Bedlington , the ironworks and the railways.

Thomas Longridge (c.1751-1803), variously described as a merchant of Sunderland, an ironmaster of Newcastle, or of Gateshead

1751 Born

1770s Thomas Longridge formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, William Hawks, which became William Hawks (Snr) and Co. They acquired a plating forge at Beamish in 1779, additional smithing shops at Ouseburn in 1780, a forge at Lumley in the mid-80s, and slitting and rolling mills on the River Blyth in the 1790s [1].

1782 The brothers-in-law took over the Bedlington Ironworks on the River Blyth.

1792 Hawks and Longridge built a rolling mill at Bedlington

1801 Thomas Longridge, merchant, Westgate St, Newcastle-upon-Tyne [2]

1803 Thomas died

1805 Thomas's daughter, Anna, married John Gooch of Bedlington; their oldest son continued the Longridge name, Thomas Longridge Gooch; another son was Daniel Gooch (1816-1889).

1809 Hawks sold the Bedlington Works to Gordon and Biddulph from London, who appointed Thomas' nephew, Michael Longridge, to run it.

John Birkinshaw

John Birkinshaw (c1781-c1845) of the Bedlington Ironworks

c1781 Born

1809 October 10th. Married Ann Cass (1789- )the daughter of John and Ann Cass, at St John's, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

1811 November 11th. Birth of son John Cass Birkinshaw at Bedlington

c1817 Birth of son Henry Birkinshaw at Bedlington

c1820 Birth of son George Peter Birkenshaw at Bedlington

c1822 Birth of son William Birkinshaw at Bedlington

c1824 Birth of daughter Emma A. at Bedlington

c1826 Birth of son Edward Birkinshaw at Bedlington

c1829 Birth of son Richard

c1834 Birth of daughter Mary J. S. at Bedlington

John Birkinshaw was a 19th Century railway engineer from Bedlington Iron Works, County Durham noted for his invention of wrought iron rails in 1820.

Up till this point, rail systems had used either wooden rails, which were totally incapable of supporting steam engines, or cast iron rails typically only 3 feet in length. These cast iron rails, developed by William Jessop and others, only allowed very low speeds and broke easily and although steam locomotives had been tested as early as 1804 by Richard Trevithick, these experiments had not been economically successful.

John Birkinshaw's 1820 patent for rolling wrought-iron rails in 15ft lengths was a vital breakthrough for the infant railway system. Wrought iron was able to withstand the moving load of a locomotive and train unlike cast iron, used for rails up till now, which was brittle and fractured all too easily

Birkinshaw's wrought iron rails were taken up by George Stephenson in 1821 for the proposed Stockton and Darlington Railway, despite the fact that Stephenson already held the rights to the best cast iron product and it was this railway that effectively launched the rail era.

1841 Living at Lewisham, Kent (age 60), Independent. With his wife Ann (age 50) and their children Emma (age 17), Edward (age 15), Richard (age 12) and Mary (age 8).

Heres a little something i come across for you lot to enjoy when i was browsing the Ashington Colliery magazines from mega years ago.

From my records of Ashington Colliery canteen gossip I extract this example of the miners spontaneous wit.

Two men were having a friendly argument about football, a perennial bait-time topic. One of them remarked : "Whey man, ye hev nee brains†Whereupon his pal retorted: " Whaat d'ya knaa aboot brains ? Whey lad if all yor brains wor dynamite an' sumbody put a leet to it, it waddent blaa yor cap off !â€

Curious enough miners can make devastating observations like this about each other and still remain firm friends. In other circles there would be sulks.

At the time the pits were working irregular and there was some hardship in the town, but in fair weather or foul the pitman never loses his sense of humour.

Men were talking in the canteen about how fine it was when the pits worked a full week. One cheerful soul said: "Whey ay, wor lass hes ivr'ything in pawn, an', by lad, Aa hope shes able te get the puddin cloots oot!!

Then there was the counter-lad who managed the romantic part of his life by careful reference to the state of his finances, which in those days were always uncertain and precarious among young miners.

He was asked: "Are ye gannin' wi the syem lass ?†and he replied, "Ay, Aa'm gan wi' hor this week, but Aa'll hev te differ wi' hor on Saturday.†Pressed for an exclamation he replied blandly: "Whey man, it's hor borthday this weekend.â€

And the men behind the counter were keen business men. One of them admitted that when a customer asked for something to cure his heartburn he sold him a packet of chewing gum, then sold him a packet of cigarettes to bring on the heartbun again.

Also told in the canteen was the story of the friendly workman who met two shifters coming away from the coal face, and gave them a cheery "Good-morning gentleman.†They were astonished, and one, looking at the other asked "Did ye heor whaat he called us, Jack ?†Replied Jack, "Ay, Aa did, but Aa think he hesn't seen ye!â€

Ashington is not far from the Border beyond which men and women are reputed to be ultra-careful with the pennies. A canteen customer revealed the "canny†streak in him by expressing concern over the fact that although he did not take sugar in his tea he paid as much per cup as those who took the beverage sweetened.

He presented the canteen staff with a problem when he firmly demanded that each portion of sugar he did not get in his tea be wrapped up for him in a piece of paper so that he could take it home.

In the best regulated undertakings there are mishaps. A man asked at the counter for a ham sandwich, adding, " And divvent put the dish cloot in this time.†The canteen manager observed thoughtfully: "So that's were it went!â€

i am an ex miner and we all know what she did to the miners, families, and communities, and the knock on effect it had on other industries too.

turned one against the other when some trickled back to work.

i stayed out till the end tho, but those that trickled back to work before the end of the strike gave all they could to breaking point and i hold nothing against them and never have done to be truthful.

the strike was held at the wrong time and other collieries should have supported the strike as soon as whith their brothers then things would not have turned out as they did.

But as for Thatcher still that Lady aint for turning now, she off. however, she did one good thing for me and many others in the right to buying your council home.

Its wierd really, her death on the day the Tory posh boys and girls introduced this new scheme that began today to hit the disabled as part of their welfare reforms.

Her death has overshadowed the publicity on this new cruel and thoughtless new scheme.

Hopefully we will hear more on how it is hitting the disabled and see the Tory posh boys and girls are nothing but punishing people for being in this position. They should be ashamed.

However, thats my thoughts and hopefull in the near future it will be welcome back LABOUR and they will put thing right, we'll hopefully to some extent.

By Maggie Thatcher, sorry, but i won't miss you as many others won't.

a pic for you too.

a pic for you too.

oh and another interesting point.

cycles, and the famous millne raleigh

and scotts cycles , i believe, at the rear of the sun inn they were. very famous too.

early transport

interesting points indeed these Maggie.

That abouth the steam engine holding the fence up at the swann, choppington, what malcolm was on about, just gives an example of what lays beneatrh bedlingtonshires earth.

willoughby broke the steam engines up there. i wonder what else is hidden.

talking abouth bedlingtonshire we have had some of the best pioneers in history when it comes to the railways.

you mention a good deal of other valuable points too. all interesting and true.

but if we look more within our shire of the past, choppington had some of the greats too.

Thomas Burt worked at the local colliery.

thomas glassey was the first primeminister of queensland in australia.

we have the oldest pit lodge too in choppington colliery.

barrington had some inventors too.

cambois has a fantastic history, oh, and an invation took part there too.

i feel the need to write something on it too

lets get our area noticed more. i think we can if malcolm could get funding.

and as of the time team or others like that, there is barry mead. btw barry is doing a talk on bedlington ironworks next month.

i will ask mark where and the time as it slips my mind.

very interesting, we never know who will be there, but it could bring interesting people to listen to the talk and what can develop one never knows.

keep the good work up everyone, we are doing well on here with our heritage topic.