Canny lass

https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/52152 Shows that Bedlington Mechanics Institute was still active in 1921 when Joe Caine was president and unveiled the WWW1 memorial plaque, later salvaged from the Bedlington institute and presented to to Beamish Museum in 1979. There is a photo of this plaque on the Beamish site, which for some reason I am unable to access at the minute. However, here's a link to it on another site http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=6449 which shows that the plaque was comissioned by the Mechanics Institute.

I think we might be discussing the wrong Mechanics Institute in relation to the extension plans. I’ve had difficulty locating the Mechanics Institute, as depicted in the drawing, anywhere on the map of Bedlington. The Block Plan shown in the bottom right corner of the drawing doesn’t remotely resemble the area around the old Court House. If so were the case then "Front Row Cottages" would be in the main street and the "lime shed" would be the Sun Inn. Initially, I thought the plan for the extension may have been intended for the Mechanics Institute in the Market Place but this would have meant that the MI was in Muggers Neuk, rather than the Market Place for any extension to the west to be possible. Intrigued by the “footpath to station” in the Block Plan, I started looking at Bedlington Colliery A pit rather tha Bedlington Colliery Dr.Pit. The drawing makes no specification as to which Bedlington Colliery it refers. OS maps of the time always refer to both simply as "Bedlington Colliery. Bedlington Colliery A pit also had an Institute at that time. On this map from 1897 the institute is situated at the end and rear of Front Row (later South Row). It is found behind the gardens and outside toilets of those houses and there is an adjoining building at the rear of the institute - possibly the lime shed. The layout of all these five elements: houses (yellow), toilets (green) and gardens (red), institute (blue) and lime shed (pink) correspond to the block plan in the drawing. It’s also just a short walk to the station. The institute is still there on maps from 1924. It would appear, comparing the drawing of 1895 and the map of 1897 (revised from 1896) to the block Plan shown on the drawing, that the reading room has been added as two porches are clearly evident on both.

Found it! 1897 it's next to the Sun Inn:

... and it's not even Tuesday! I'm not getting the message on the picture. Is there a punch line following or am I thick?

... and, does anybody know anything about the "Lime Shed" to the rear of the building or the "footpath to station" shown bottom right?

I'm wondering if we have the right Mechanics Institute here? In 1860 the Bedlington Colliery Mechanics Institute was in the Market Place, a stones throw from the pit.

I agree wholeheartedly! The right hand side of Dene House is much earlier than the left which is why I said it may be an extension to an earlier building. It’s interesting to learn that the house had a stable. Could that have become the office block? That building, as can be seen from the photo has undergone several changes: The central, upstairs window has been removed and the two doors are a later addition as evidenced by the dividing upright and lintels, which seem to be much newer than the window lintels. It’s possible this has been an archway, wide enough for a carriage, leading to a small stable yard – possibly the walled area behind and to the side of the house with a single storey covered area on the side nearest the river, as shown in the first photo. It wasn’t uncommon to find married accommodation above the stables, which would explain the windows. I might add, that the advert you mention states that there are 80 years left on the lease, suggesting that the house is about 20 years old in 1757 (Leasehold is generally 99 years).

You are so good at this 'colouring in' thing! You should give classes.

Evans says that the photo shows some of the old ironworks "office" buildings and office accomodation seems like a reasonable description looking at its placement as can be seen on various maps. The building was adjacent to the main body of the Ironworks while Dene House was set back a little from the work area. Both may have been built about the same time and that could account for the architectural similarities. They don't appear on a map of the area dated 1828 but both appear on a map of the railway sidings from 1859 and on subsequent OS maps. Dene House marked in yellow and office accommodation marked in red: It may be an extension to an already existing building. Its proximity to the work area is shown more clearly in this map from 1869 ( but nothing seems to have changed) You can see it is only a few steps away from the work area and it's also worth noting that the main entrance to the building faces the Ironworks, not the bridge, so is presumably part of the Ironworks.

This weeks quiz: Ready, steady go! 1. From which language does the word ketchup come? 2. Of which country was Pakistan part until 1947? 3. Which high - jumper used his flop technique to win the high jump at the 1968 Olympics? 4. Kelts, alevins and grilse are all forms of what? 5. Which English girls name means ‘strange’ or ‘foreign’ in Greek? 6. In which sport can you find something named after Ulrich Salchow? 7. In the Tarzan novels who was known as Korak? 8. What is the capital of the Philipines? 9. Elvis Presley had three successive No 1 hits in the UK charts in 1961. Name one? 10. Which London monument was cast from the guns recovered from the wreck of the Royal George? 11. What was a bridewell? 12. Which unit of measurement was based on the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger? Bonus question for 10 points: The dividing line between genius and insane is a very fine one. On which side of the line do we find Donald Trump? I’ll bet you didn’t know …. Each day is longer than the previous one by 0.00000002 seconds, which works out to be 13 seconds each century.

Answers to last week's quiz: 1. Tom Jones 2. Santo Domingo 3. A female slave 4. Jane Seymour 5. Brazil 6. Lawn Tennis 7. Wren 8. David Jacobs 9. News Of The World 10. Cow 11. Palindrome 12. Chromium New, tougher, quiz tomorrow!

I suggest having a closer look at the census records JayDe. Maybe you'll recognise some of the other names at these addresses.

It's on its way! Have you got this one in your collection:

Another mystery solved!

Go on then, one good turn deserves another so I'll let you have another crack at that one. My generosity overwhelms me at times! Clue: Which Sunday newspaper first hit the streets of London in 1843?

Google can say whatever it likes!

Only 1 left now but I've just ordered it! Thanks!

Impressive collection! I'll have a look for the book on't net.

Nice and easy this week! 1. Who performed the theme song in the James Bond film Thunderball? 2. What is the capital of the Dominican Republic? 3. What is an odalisque? 4. Which of Henry VIII’s wives is buried alongside him at Windsor? 5. In which country does the Amazon river meet the sea? 6. Which sport was played by Peanut Louie? 7. Which bird has the scientific name Troglodytes Troglodytes? 8. Which David presented Juke Box Jury? 9. Which Sunday newspaper first hit the streets of London in 1843? 10. From which animal did Jenner develop his smallpox vaccine? 11. What name is given to words such as deed, minim, madam and rotavator? 12. What makes stainless steel stainless? I’ll bet you didn’t know …. An iceberg bigger than Belgium was seen in the southern Pacific Ocean in 1956.

Much better photo! Don't recognise any of those names. Is that book any good? Worth having in my collection?

It may be gone but it's still left a very bad smell ... coming from environmental health - who didn't offer any help! Same on them!

A bit late today, guys but better late than never! Answers to last week's quiz: 1. 20 - 21 2. A barrel 3. Queen Elizabeth I 4. Olivier Panis 5. Cleveland 6. Dinar 7. Sheffield 8. Michael Caine 9. A top hat 10. Alto 11. Pebbles 12. Red Cross New quiz tomorrow!

I have a photographed copy of this taken from a book ( I don't know which book), pages 85 - 106, by "John Edward Fitzgerald Black b. Netherton Colliery 9.2.1915 d. Bedlington 28.3.92". I've no idea where I got it from. Perhaps the typewritten is the original. That's definitely my family on page 3