Barton Lad

As well as doing proggie mats, my mother used to all the knitting for every one. The first task was to create a ball of wool from a yarn of wool. Being the youngest it was my job to sit STILL with this yarn of wool, which was stretched out between my two arms, whilst my mother unwound the wool into the ball. After about 4 yarns my arms were aching, the only thing to keep me going was listing to !*!@# Barton special agent on the wireless. Those were the days.

Thanks for the confirmation, Did the dogs race around, a round track, similar to say Brough Park. Or was dog race in a straight line.

Does anyone have any information, regarding a "private" concrete road which runs off the Choppington Station to Bedlington road, just south of the Choppington station to Netherton. (I think the road is still there) I was told this was first a dirt track, but was later laid with concrete. The road was used by lorries, I think there was land fill tip near Netherton, but this maybe wrong. The miners from Choppington and Barrington, also used this road walk to Netherton pit. I also remember seeing whippet racing at Netherton. I seem to recall the track was oval (bit like a proper dog track), which is very usual. Generally whippet racing is all is straight line.

I appreciate this photo has already being posted, but it reminded me of a "clippie shop" at Choppington Station. The shop was on the right side going up the bank. I think the shops on the left, were a barber's, fish & chip shop and a grocer. On the corner was the Railway tavern, with the Lord Clyde on the opposite side. I understand the clippie shop was run by a young lady from Barrington called Peggy. The clippie shop was where people took the old clothes to sell and Peggy washed and cut the clothes into clippies to re-sell for the proggy mats. Proggy mats were hard wearing rugs made out of clippies (rags), which were poked through a canvas/sacking. There was always a proggy mat in the kitchen, which was laid onto top of oilcloth. This was really lino; I have no idea why the word oilcloth was used. Does anyone remember the clippie shop at Choppington and also any stories with regards to clippie mats? PS: The milk for Barrington was delivered by the Scotland Gate Co-op, via horse and cart. It must have been quite a task going down and up that bank in the winter.

I think the station closed to passenger trains after the war, but was open for special trains, such as the Morpeth Picnic day specials. There was also a train on New Year's Day to Morpeth, which had the train connection to Edinburgh for the professional sprint handicap at Powerhall. Professional running was very a popular sport in Choppington, which held its own sprint handicap with bookies etc. Joe Ball, Blyth won one year and went on to win Powerhall which was the Mecca for running in those days. I seem also to recall the station being used as a collection point for the baskets, which contained the racing pigeon. The baskets were transported by rail to far off places. I think the pigeon guys used to meet in the Lord Clyde.

Oddly enough there was a Parker, two brothers, Rex and Donny who live in Double Row. I think Rex played cricket, maybe at Bedlington.

Thanks for the photo, which was taken from the other side. Stone Row, which you can see in both photo's was knocked down in the 1950's. The houses were very basic. A "ladder" was used to climbed into the loft where the beds were. It is also interesting to note there were some sky lids on some of the roofs in Stone Row. It must have been quite dark on the houses without these sky lids. Behind Stone Row was Barton Pit pond.

Ronnie, My mistake. There was a Barker who lived somewher in the middle of Alexander row, which everyone called High Row. There was a brother and sister. Billy, who now lives at Rotherham. Isabel who lives somewhere at Guide Post. I hope that helps.

Ronnie Routledges buildings were next to Barrington school. They ran parallel with the Barton road and were split into two sections. In the middle of section was a "cut", where a path lead across to Red Row. Also in the middle was an off licence shop, which was run by Todd. Todd used to travel into the village on his horse and cart flogging the drink. The small shop also used to sell sweets, which the local childred used to buy on there way and from school. Behind the buildings, I guess about 500 yds was a land filled tip, which no doubt caused smells when the wind was in the wrong direction.

Hi Ronnie, I seem to recall a "Parker" living at Barrington ?

The Bedlington Terrier dog is very popular in the USA, with its own web site(www.bedlingtonamerica.com). Therefore I guess most americans would have heard of Bedlington via the breed of the dog, but not really knowing much about the place. You never know Bedlington could become a tourist attraction, but maybe not !!!

Hi, just discovered this photograph which was taken about 1950. The train was a miners Picnic day special, which was travelling to Morpeth. The station, which is now all gone, was at the top of the bank.(opposite direction to the speed camera of course) The track is also now a single track. The building on the left was definately the ticket office, whilst I think the building on the right belong to the railway, maybe the station master. I suspect these buildings were there when the photo below was taken.

Someone has kindly given me this photo of Barrington Pit. Not to sure of the year, but you can quite clearly see Stone Row and Bedlington Station Pit heap in the back ground. Barrington Pit.pdf

I understand that alledged murder was named Cracket, who actually moved out of the cottage before the body was found. It was only after the missing lady's brother reported her missing that the police started investigating. It must have been quite a shock to the new tennants to find a murdered body in thier garden. There were two Cracket families living at Barringto at that time, but they were NOT related.

I understand the murdered lady had a brother, surname Alison who lived at the top of office row. {Alison was involved in training the pit ponies}. The brother reported his sister missing, when he had not seen her for a while. The husband of the missing lady used to sing just a rose in a garden of weeds, which was a popular song at that time. So that seems to confirm with the post above. Someone living at Routledge buildings spotted someone digging in the garden and that how they found the body. I am not sure if anyone was ever convicted of this crime. Is Rose Cottage that building, which stands back from the road and was at the end of Routledge Buildings.

Does anyone have any information with regards to a murder that was committed in Barrington approximately around 1948. I understand the husband murdered his wife and buried her body in the garden. They lived in Rose Cottage, which was located near Barrington School. On a slightly different topic this book "The Alarming Accidents" , maybe of some interest. www.newcastle.gov.uk/tbp.nsf/BookSearchCMS/06FF9BE339C3BC6A8025744A003E210E The book provides stories of engraved glasses, which remembers mining, other accidents and also happier events in the North East England. For example a glass was engraved for "The man who broke the Bank at Blyth"

I assumed that the training of the pit ponies was all done at Barrington for all the Northumberland pits, but I guess this was wrong. It would appear that each pit had there own training section, such as Choppington

Does any one remember or being told about where the NCB used to train their pit ponies at Barrington, before they were sent down the pits. Was this the only one training centre? The location was at the end of Office Row, where there was a door way through a high brick wall, which led into centre. There were two large houses and the stables for the ponies. The back of the houses backed onto the football field, which we used to call the Park. We used to call the training area the Galloway track. The ponies used to pull the tubs around the track. The manager I remember was Cook, who had two sons and a daughter. Before Cook was a person called Taylor? I can vaguely remember Mr Cook, with all the proper riding gear, riding down every week to the Station to collect the wages. If anyone has a photo of this location it would very much appreciated

I used to go the Wooden School and during our cross country runs (1956/57) we used to run towards Havelock, then down to the river Blyth. Run along a path next to the river,I am sure we passed a slaugher house along this path. At that time the road bridge was not built, but the new road was contructed. We used to run back up to the wooden school along the new road.

Hi, I hope this class photo has attached OK. Taken 1950's. Does any one know the names ?