Canny lass

I'm sure you've all got better things to do now with covid restrictions being reduced but here, it's Friday, it's freezing cold and it'll be dark in half an hour so we're having a quiz tonight. No doubt accompanied by a bottle of something tasty and warming together with some nibbly bits (no, that's not a euphemism!). Feel welcome to join in. Usual rules apply and answers next Thursday: 1. What does the name ‘Spam’ (meat - not computer) stand for? 2. Who was the World Darts Champion 5 times between 1980 and 1986? 3. By what other name is a Dublin Bay Prawn known? 4. Who said “The lion and the calf shall lie down together, but the calf won’t get much sleep”? 5. Which member of the royal family married Marina of Greece? 6. When politician Roy Hattersley failed, for the third time, to appear on ‘Have I got news for you’ his chair was occupied by what? 7. Which ex-England footballer is the father of a television weather forecaster? 8. What is the cube of 3? 9. Which animal has the scientific name Capra hircus? 10. How many British pounds in a hundred weight (cwt)? 11. Which parasitic plant was sacred to the Druids? 12. In a game of poker which is the best hand: flush, straight run or three of a kind? I’ll bet you didn’t know …. Elizabeth Taylor never threw away any of her clothes.

Thanks Eggy! I'd started to wonder if The Traveller's rest and The Sir Colin Campbell maybe weren't the same pub. That proves beyond a doubt that they were!

Ex-pats, how about planting a tree? Of course, we'd have to get Malcolm to do the digging - or at least delegate it to someone.

Yes, it certainly wasn't hard to have a pub crawl way back then! I think many pubs in those days were named by the landlord rather than the brewery as is often the case today so it seems reasonable that the landlord would choose something familiar, to him in general and to his prospective clients in particular.

On the contrary - I've no memory of there being a Traveller's Rest in the area. Clearly my youth was not as misspent as I believed it to be. This Sir Colin Campbell beer house is a mystery. Clearly it was named so at some point between 1858-9, when the area was surveyed, and 1866 when the map was published. The 1871 census also gives the name as The Traveller's Rest and this is presumably the correct name. However, the 1871 census shows it as being occupied by a Scottish couple - James and Elizabeth Miller – both born in Scotland – aged 29 and 24 rears respectively. They have a daughter aged 4 years who was born in Bedlington. This suggests that they have lived in the area since about 1866 and could possibly have changed (or at least attempted to change) the name to The Sir Colin Campbell should they have taken over the pub around the time of map's publication. I've now completed my reading on Sir Colin Campbell, his life and times and now draw the conclusion that he himself had no connections with the shire. However, looking around the Choppington, Guidepost, Scotland Gate area 1861 - 71 it does appear to be heavily populated wth residents of Scottish origins - more so than Bedlington. It seems to me likely that the name, The Sir Colin Campbell, (and possibly the name The Lord Clyde) may have been a tribute to the man by his fellow Scotsmen. A question: Does anybody have any idea how far Whinny Hill Farm is from The Traveller's Rest? I've never been any good at judging distances but 27 chains is about 1/3 of a mile. Would that fit the bill? @lilbill15 you n Max have any idea from your walks? Anybody regularly drive that way?

I’m still looking for a connection between Sir Colin Campbell and Bedlington. Today I had a look at the 1861 census for Bedlington, District 8 which is described by the enumerator as comprising: “Whinny Hill, a farm house and two cottages an off farm planted by Mr Robt. Swann Bedlington, Scotland Gate, being one row of Double two stories houses & a few Back Cottages there is two Publick Houses. A few trades man shops & houses the private dwellings being mostly all occupied by coal miners. Choppington Colliery, is just a new one? The miners cottages are close adjoining and comprises one row (Cross Row) of Double houses these houses have two rooms on the ground floor & two sleeping rooms, or garrets above there are other four Rows of single Cottages being all nearly two storey Houses, that is one room, one garret, one pantry, one Ash pit & privy & one Garden. Peas Bush is an old sort of a place being formerly an off onstead for Choppington farm but now occupied by Choppington Colliery”. Here is the 1866 map again but this time covering the whole of that area: Following the enumerator’s route, it’s not difficult to identify The Sir Colin Campbell beer house in the enumerator’s book for 1861. As he says, “There are two Publick Houses” in his district and, as his enumeration route starts at Whinny Hill Farm and works its way to Peas Bush, the first must be the Choppington Inn and the second must be The Sir Colin Campbell. Looking for it in the enumerator’s book I was hoping to find the residents with a good old Scottish name who had proudly named there beer house after a fellow Scot. I was disappointed. In 1861 the building is a public house called the Traveller’s Rest. The innkeeper , named Elliot, was born in Cawsey Park, Northumberland and his wife in Hartley. However, they do seem to have some Scottish connection having a 14 yo daughter who was born in Scotland. The OS map, published 1866 was based on surveys done 1858 to 1859. so it’s possible it was renamed after the survey but before Sir Colin Campbell was raised to the peerage in 1859. The name Scotland Gate has had many explanations over the years and no one really knows its origins. My wanderings in the area, via the census of 1861 caused me to think of yet another. At that time, the area we know as Scotland Gate today has no name on the map, but we can see that it is basically one long street fronting the main road between Whinny Hill Farm and Choppington Colliery. ‘Gate’ in place names, often originates from the Old Norse gatu/gata meaning street. Looking at the census today, I was surprised to see the number of people born in Scotland who are living there. I counted 25 people in 15 families. Could Scotland Gate simply refer, locally, to a street where many Scots lived?

Very stylish gentleman. It would be nice to think that he had some connection to the shire.

Forget that, Eggy. I've just found both of them on the same map from 1866:

Same here! Started researching The Sir Colin Campbell. This is described in The Northumberland Name Book as a Beer House: "An ordinary new house licensed for the sale of ale and porter" an is situated "27 chains S of Whinny Hill Farm". This seems, to me, a rather 'modest' sort of establishment to be having such a 'high-fallutin' name - 'The Sir Colin Campbel'. The gentleman in question, Colin Campbell (1792 – 1863), was a Scottish born, British soldier, who attained the rank of Field Marshall and now lies buried in no less than the centre isle of Westminster Abbey. He had 50 years of service and was distinguished for his efforts in both the peninsula wars and the pacification of India. His services in the latter earned him the title ‘Baron Clyde of Clydesdale’ also known as ‘Lord Clyde’. What, if any, his connection to the Shire of Bedlington is/was I haven’t been able to ascertain. Could this humble beer-house be the fore-runner of the Lord Clyde at Choppington that later became The Swan? Eggy, what’s the earliest map you’ve seen The Lord Clyde on?

@lilbill15 Mystery solved. Ninette is advertised in the booklet that Eggy just added to the gallery. You'll find it on page 2.

4 days!!

I had my first tentative rummage today! It's wonderful! Here are some of the places that cropped up: Cadger's Highway Gravy Hill Cow Gut Pancake Well and my all time favourite - Shinny Gripe Lug. ... and, did anyone know of any of the following drinking eastablishments in the shire: The Brown Bear Inn (Beer House) The Prince of Wales The Lord Byron Inn The Sir Colin Campbell (Beer House) Can't wait to start researching.

@lilbill15 The jam-making has given way to wine making. Elderberries are looking good and I've just made a batch of mead from the mountain of tomatoes needing to be taken care of before they become over-ripe. It sounds strange but it's really very good (and very easy to make). I've just read about Puce Bush in the Name Book. If anything remains of it, you should find it "About 10 chains SW of Choppington Colliery". Looking forward to the photos.

.... and an even more belated happy Birthday from me! Hope the day was good to you.

That's an excellent information source! handy tool to have in the research tool-box. Haven't had time to have a good rummage through the site yet but looking forward to doing so during the coming week.

What a pity I don't live nearer! I hope that @lilbill15 can give us a short written account of the walk.

No, no, no! You must never give in! Yes, it's very possible your G nan dropped initials - or even whole names. It's also possible that someone else was doing the 'dropping'. In the case of census records the original household form was transcribed into the enumeration book and these don't always match. The book has been further transcribed to digital format by companies like Ancestry and again, they don't always match. People didn't always give their regitered name and simply wrote down the names in every day use and lastly the birth reister birth certificates) doesn't always match the baptismal register. Forms didn't always have room for all names and the writer sometimes abbreviated to an initial or simply missed out a name. Going back a hundred years or so, parents waited much longer to baptise their children than they do today so many had time to think and the baby got an extra name at the baptism which doesn't appear on the birth certificate, So, you need to think of all those possibilities, variations, additions and transcribing errors when you research. When I first looked at your query regarding Margaret Alice Walker I couldn't find anybody with that name: I only found Margaret Jane Walker or Alice Jane Walker with that birth year and birth place. Margaret Alice Jane showed up first in baptismal records and marriage records for the appropriate year and place. So it's possible your G nan got an extra baptismal name. Two of them had parents named Henry and Dorothy (but two completely different couples) and one of them had parents named Michael and Mary J. I chose to follow one of the henrys because of the Blyth connection. I can't say with certainty if Elijah on the marriage certificate is from Haltwhistle. Even the marriage certificate wouldn't give that information - only his residence at the time of the marriage. However, it would give the name of Margaret Alice J's father which would solve the query of her parents. Myself I'm 95% certain that it is the same Elijah because so many other things fit in. Had he simply been called Elijah Smith I wouldn't be sure but how many Elijah 'Wilkinson' Smiths married a much younger girl named Margaret AJ Walker in that registration district in the early 1920s? I can't find any. Likewise, I am 95% certain that it is the same Margaret A J living with James Waldock in 1939. Two questions: Do you know if Margaret Alice and Elijah had any children? There are some interesting Smith births (mother's maiden name Walker) in the early 20s. Margaret Alice's twin girls - did they have the surname Smith (as Margaret doesn't seem to have married Mr Waldock) Divorce, way back, then was relatively new (1858, first divorce law) and an expensive luxury affordable only to the rich. So people chose to go their own way and "live over the brush" with someone else. I'm not sure, but I also think that it was only men who could apply for a divorce. Some, almost certainly refrained deliberately to prevent their estranged wife from re-marrying. You hint that shame or scandal may have been involved. It needn't necessarily be so. Perhaps Elijah wasn't kind and Margaret left him. Whatever the case may have been, I think your G nan must have been a very strong woman. It can't have been easy remaining in Bedlington with all the wagging tongues. Her early life was either exciting or tragic and it's up to you to get to the bottom of the mystery. If I can be of any help feel free to ask.

Apologies! This info can't be correct. Madge is only 5 yo so must have been born in 1906 rather than 1896. back to the drawing board.

Update. it was also Margaret A J who married Elijah Wilkinson Smith in the second quarter of 1922.

That’s interesting!! Margaret Alice Jane’s father was Henry Walker – born in Newsham (a district of Blyth). Shelley Crescent is in this area. 1881 Henry aged 18 is living in Shiney Row Bedlington with his parents and 8 siblings. The family seems to have moved frequently with children being born in Bedlington, Barrington, and Newsham before returning to Bedlington where the last six were born. 1891 Henry. Now 28 yo and married, is living in Dr Terrace (the next street), Bedlington at the home of his wife’s parents. This is only a stone’s throw from the boundary with Choppington where Margaret AJ was christened. However, at that time he had only one child, Mary aged 3 months. In 1901 Henry and Dorothy are living in Glebe Row, Bedlington just yards away from Doctor Terrace. They now have 3 daughters: Henrietta , Mary and Annie. Living in are two of the Dixon Family, Charles (24 yo) and Edward (21 yo) - Dorothy’s brothers. (NB: Henry has now become” Henry J”) 1911 The family have moved from the Bedlington area and are living in Newburn in the western part of Newcastle. (Henry, who himself has filled in the census form, now calls himself Harry). Two of their six children are dead. Still living at home are: Mary (20 yo, single, born Bedlington), Henry jr. (9 yo, born Bedlington) and Madge (5 yo, born Bedlington). So, the family seems to have been in the Bedlington are until at least 1896 and I believe that Madge (a common short-form for Margaret) may well be your Great nan. It’s not uncommon in census returns for parents to write the name they commonly use for their child rather than the registered/baptismal name. My grandfather was called Francis but is always recorded as Frank in census records - because that's what his parents called him. You can see here that Henry Walker does the same thing. It might be worth having a look at this family. Do any of the names I've mentioned ring any bells? Is there any history of the family moving away from Northumberland?

@Paul Billanie This may be of some help: 1911 Census James Waldock (Occupation: Bill Poster, general) born abt.1874, married with 5 of 6 children still living (4th is Thomas aged 6) and his wife Susannah living at Cars Back Buildings, Scotland Gate. 1939 James Waldock (Billposter, light work), born, more specifically, 04 SEP 1873, is now widowed, aged abt. 66 years. Also resident is Margaret A J Smith, born 22 JAN 1897, (now 42 and therefore 24 years younger than James). Margaret’s civil status is given as ‘married’ and occupation as "umpaid housekeeper" a title usually applied to wives. They are living at Victoria Terrace, Bedlington (number difficult to read but situated between 77½ and 78 which seems impossible to me). There is one other person registered here but that record is closed. However, being listed last suggests that it is a child or a boarder. The latter seems unlikely in view of my next findings. The 1939 register also records another family Waldock living at 77½ : John Waldock, born 17 OCT 1901 (miner, underground shift work – heavy), his wife Margaret J Waldock born 18 JUN 1905 and one child Lena Waldock (later married Cavoner), born 04 JAN 1935 (year uncertain) now at school. There is one other person registered possibly a child, possibly a boarder but that record is also closed. As there is no house or dwelling between 77½ and 78 I think it’s fair to assume that James and Margaret Alice are living in at 77½ Victoria Terrace. The present occupier, John born 1901 could well be James’ son – aged 9 years on the 1911 census which would agree with the d.o.b given in 1939. I hope this is of some help. If you would like the documentation from which I've taken this info let me know and I will send it in a personal message, or, with your permission, publish it here.

Vicious little beggars! ... and not always so 'little'. I've seen them almost 3 cm long. Here's a true story: The local name for horse flies here is "klägg" (pronounced 'clegg'). In my first job here the boss asked me to nip down to the corner bakery and by a dozen buns for the afternoon coffee break. I asked if he wanted any particular sort. Imagine my surprise when he answered "just get anything with klägg in it or on it". I wandered off to the bakery agog with anticipation expecting to be introduced to some new scandinavian delicacy and in my mind I was imagining something akin to sweet mincemeat. The bakery staff had a good laugh when I asked for buns with anything made from kläggs. I learned a new word: klägg also meant 'something sticky' like, jam, cream or soft icing. Compare the lovely geordie word 'claggy'. I think it may have come with the vikings.

Too many years have gone by to be able to recognise anything but I'm sure that must be the bridge (but not the original). There was only the one crossing that I knew of. There weren't any trees as such, just hawthorn hedges skirting the fields, and the grass was only up to my knees. Mind you, my legs were a lot shorter then!

Just wondering how it will be with parking spaces for people arriving at the station by car? Or am I out of date, are there already good parking facilities in the area?