Canny lass

Couldn't agree with you more, HPW! We had a similar situation here in Sweden in September when the equivalent of UKIP became the third largest party in the house. Holding the balance of Power they knocked the proposed budget on the head. Chaos ensued and they were literally frozen out by the other parties. Talk about democracy! We ended up without a government for a while and a new election had to be planned for this Spring. It resolved itself, however with the leader of the party being put on the sick due to mental ill Health and the other parties working across boundaries to keep the 'unwanteds' out of Power. This is what they call politics! Thank God I don't have a vote here!

Could that be him who's holding Court and passing judgement on UKIP advertising? We'll find out in May if UKIP get in. There'll probably be vengence wreaked upon us with plagues and swarms of locusts.

As I see it, it's all about long term planning. Bedlington is never going to be a hub of industry. Would we really want that? However, it's got great potential as a commuter Town. Let's make it attractive enogh to make people want to live there or at least spend their liesure time (and Money) there. OK, if all that's said is true then the infrastructure , at the minute, is possibly not the best but it can be worked on. Once you've got sufficient people living there things like bus services and schools tend to follow in their Wake. It may even become attractive, and viable, for Investors such as Tesco. The real investment, however, is in the following generations of Bedlingtonians and that's where Projects such as Bedlington in Bloom are doing such a great job. Anything we ex-pats can do Malcolm? Seeds? fund a flower bed?, Adopt a tree? Plant a shrub? Buy a terrier bench? Get your thinking caps on guys!!

Fascinating Reading! Thanks Eggy.

The Bedlington in Bloom Project is fantastic! It show visitors, even those just passing through on a bus, and of course the local Residents that all hope is not lost. It also shows just what can be done when a small Group of enthusiasts sacrifice their leisure time instead of sitting around complaining about the present situation and what might have been if events had taken a different path. The Bedlington in Bloom Project has some very interesting and desirable effects. It's getting Young residents involved in their Community, instilling pride in the appearance of their Town, giving them areas to be proud of because they've helped to create those areas by planting trees and flowers which will be available for their Children - the next generation of Bedlingtonians - to see and be proud of. If that's not rejuvenation I don't know what is!

Hi Carolyn! I've no answer to your question about memorials but welcome to the forum.

Britain is not alone with the problem of decreasing standards in state education. Here in Scandinavia educational standards have fallen to extremely low levels. I understand from friends and colleagues in Spain that a similar situation has arisen there. The problem, here, is that all Children are deemed to be equal and should therefore leave school eligible for University studies. A wonderful sentiment indeed. Hpwever, while I agree whole heartedly that all Children are equal, I have great difficulty in beleiving that all Children are able to leave school eligible for University studies - at least not within the same time span - and I have even greater difficulty in believing that all forms of employment require University studies. The needs of the individual are simply not being met by the present state system. I have encountered, prpfessionally, many Children, sent to me for extra lessons in core subjects (maths, Swedish, English and sociology), These Children have completed their basic, state education and have been accepted for 2-3 year Courses of further education leading to University studies or to a professional qualification enabling them to take a job as an electrician, a mechanic, a hairdresser or a chef or even sit in the check out at the local supermarket. They have been accepted for this education despite the fact that they have not yet successfully completed their basic education in one of - and sometimes ALL of - the four core subjects. The Powers that be seem to Believe that these Children, with the help of a few extra lessons during the first year of their advanced studies, should be able to.complete their basic education while persuing further educational Courses. The work load for these Children is abominable! I have seen Children who have a 50 hour working week with school work! Psychologically they feel terrible, they lack the ability to concentrate and have no motivation. They know themselves that they have bitten off more than they can chew. They are weighed down by the burden of studies which they know in their hearts they are not capable of completeing successfully. The saddest fact is, however, that many do complete them successfully. Somebody gives them a piece of paper which says they are eligible for University studies. How can this happen? It happens because the educational bar has been set so low that nobody can go beneath it. In the academic sphere the problem continues. The bar is lowered again to make way for all the eligibles, who would not make the grade if the bar was left at the correct height. Why? Because universities need Money for research and research Money is proportioned according to the number of graduates passing through the academic portals every year. Further education is of course voluntary but the pressure from society, to persue it is very strong indeed. No further education - no job. The whole system need a good overhaul. Why should a Young man with a burning ambition to be a mechanic need to be eligible for University in maths and English? He'll learn what he needs of both by doing the job because there he will be motivated and the Learning will be relevant to what he's doing. Why does a Young women manning the check out at the supermarket need to be eligible for University at all? There are far too many Young adults suffering through 2-3 year Courses of further education just because it's the done thing and what society expects of them.

My sentiments exactly, Mercuryg! As with so many other things, there's no Point in wallowing in what it was or might have been. Concentrate on what it can be instead. There's plenty of go-ahead people with good ideas in Bedlington - not least here on this site!

Tragic for the workers but at least the site will not tied up anymore. Maybe something can be done with the Place now.

I don't hear anybody - male or female - complaining about all the male nudity that surrounds us. What's the difference between a bare breasted P3 girl and a bare breasted hunk of male with bulging 'muscles', the type of man that adorns advertising spaces the World over, the type of man that adorns public Buildings the World over, the type of man that adorns parks and gardens the World over, the type of man thet adorns glossy Magazines the World over? ´No I don't hear anybody complaining about them - well, not unless you Count the popes who've put fig leaves on all the dangly bits throughout the Vatican City. (Well Worth a visit never the less girls). I'll have to stop here. I'm getting all hot and bothered!!!

Good Picture threegee. Redhouse farm estate is to the left and the old miner's cottages are on the other side of the then main road opposite Redhouse farm estate. If you stand in the middle of the green looking out towards the estate entrance (disappearing top right in your Picture), these tree semi's, numbers 80-85, do look as though they are in a straight row.

Apologies! I made a mistake with my house numbers. The semi on Foxy's photo are numbers 84 and 85. That's the house to the right on Christopher's view. I was counting in the wrong direction.

Eggy, that photo is taken at the other end of the green, showing the entrance to the cul-de-sac. The houses in the cul-de-sac are parallel to each other. Maybe I was a bit misleading when I mentioned parallel.previously. Christopher's Picture is spot on. These houses face the green and behind them. facing the main Bedlington/Netherton road road is Another row of houses. They aren't really parallel except for the first two which are back to back with adjoining gardens. I used to play in that garden as a Child.

I'm pretty sure it's West Lea..These are the houses numbered somewhere between 60 and 70. There are houses that run parallel to and behind them - the houses that face the main road. These are two-bedroomed houses and there is no window above the door. That area is the stairwell above which is a built in cupboard/wardrobe accessible from the front bedroom. Some people have made it into a shower. The original windows on some of the houses were slightly bowed giving a large window sill in the sitting area. These were all removed and replaced though I can't for the Life of me put a date on it. The workmen sold the old metal frames complete with glazing for a few quid to those who wanted them. I'm not sure just how legal that was! My brother had a couple of greenhouses made from these windowframes. A very large one on the allotments behind Rothsay Terrace and a smaller one in the back garden at West Lea. I Think the man on the left holding a Child by the hand could be one of the Lumsdens.

If I'm right then those windows built a Lovely greenhouse in my brother's allotment!

I also Think this could be West Lea. Paul Mann would know.

I Heard that as well, Pilgrim. "It was never about dismantling the coal industry, that was only a bi-Product, it was about dismantling the Power of the NUM. And as far as Scargill is concerned, it was never about miners jobs, it was about beating Thatcher". Well said, Willy.J. There you have it in a nut-Shell!

I can see where your coming from but it's more likely to be Celtic.

If my memory serves me well it wasn't only a piece of coal that was carried over the threshold by the first-foot. In Netherton it was coal, salt and a silver coin, representing Health wealth and happiness. These were often left outside the door by the home owner for the first-foot to pick up on the way in. I also remember the feverish activity of getting the first-foot arranged a few Days Before they were needed. Some were more popular than others and booked up well in advance. On no account could it be a woman. As Paul said, it should ideally be a bloke and preferably one who was tall dark and handsome. On that note, does anybody know when the tradition of first-footing started? I ask because I recently had occasion to research the Word 'handsome' and found that one of it's meanings, now obsolete, was 'easily handled'. Tall, dark and easily handled - now there's something to Think about!

I just haven't had time to get around to this thread Maggie. What with Christmas and poorly in-laws I've had my hands full (and not Always with a glass). Hope you're not thinking of invoking any of the above 'laws'. In Place names 'law' usually means 'hill', from the Anglo Saxon Word hlaw meaning a hill with a burial ground on top. Don't want you invoking any of those! I promise I'll get round to looking at Ad Gefrin as soon as I can. First guess is Celtic or Brittonic. Definitely not Latin.

Thank you for your good wishes. I have to admit it could have been better. We have been without Telephone and electricity since Sunday morning. Fortunately the bar relies on neither ( we have plenty of ice outside). Telephone back on now and electricity promised tomorrow.

Chaos with Internet here as well. One Company in particular being 'attacked' - as it's described on the news. Someone, somewhere is bombarding the Company with data and the system cannot cope. All sorts of strange things happening - and not just because of the sherry!! Don't worry about the upside down images. Just be thankful you're not getting underlinings, crossings out and capital letters floating about all over the Place.

These two are the right way up, Maggie. Somebody must be putting water in the sherry!

Because - either Maggie is posting these pics upside down OR I'm seeing them upside down. I'd like to know which.

Maggie, One of us has to get off the sherry!