Canny lass

I may have found it! Having nothing better to do on a sunny day like today I've gone through all 741 pages of the 1911 census for Bedlington, District 2. It started in Netherton Colliery (where I was surprised not to find a Plessey Street but a "2nd Second Street") before moving on to Bedlington and the Mason's Arms Inn. It then took me for a walk up the High Street (as it was called than), down Glebe Road, up and down a great number of side streets and in and out of many yards before arriving at Glebe ROW (not road). This row has been up for discussion before so we know it was on the right hand side of Glebe ROAD heading towards Choppington. The Arcade seems to have been tucked in between Tankerville Yard and Oliver's buildings and had only 7 dwellings. The Arcade may have been a name given to it by the residents as all use this name when filling in the census form. However, the enumerator himself simply calls it "Glebe Row". The census took me on a return journey, from the boundary with Choppington via Glebe Road , along Ridge terrace and back, then down Hartford Road, calling in on all side streets, vicarages and police stations (where there were two prisoners) on the way. It continued as far as the Manse before heading off back down the High Street again to The Sun Inn where it somehow headed off towards Hartford bridge and my journey ended. What a lovely day out! It gave a very different picture from the Bedlington we know today, in terms of housing, work and social conditions. On the one hand we have Hartford House with 32 rooms, inhabited by the mother and one son of the Burdon family together with eight staff (butler included). On the other hand we have the Old Hall, where families of 5 and 6 persons - plus 2 lodgers - are living in 1-2 rooms, or a house in Catholic Row where a mother and her 4 children share their two rooms (one of which is the kitchen) with no less than 3 coalmining lodgers! They must have slept in shifts! There was a diverse array of occupations outside of mining in Bedlington 1911. Everything from bookmakers to candlemakers, scavengers (working for the UDC), hawkers - one of them at the ripe old age of 84 years - and "colliery heap-keepers" who had "heap-lads" to help them. The mind boggles! I met one "chauffeur" on my journey, umpteen stable hands, a farm bailiff, several foresters and a couple of gamekeepers. It must have been very rural in those days. Even more surprising was the number of people living in Bedlington who weren't born anywhere in the vicinity. Among its inhabitants in 1911, almost every county in England and Scotland were represented. It must have been a popular place.

What a shame! Thanks for trying, Maggie.

I'm doubtful that's right BB. It refers to a residence - 3, The Arcade, Glebe Road Bedlington. One of my relatives gives this as his residence in 1938. I also pasted the same info as you into Google and only came up with health centres on Glebe Road and Sanderson's Arcade, Morpeth. Can you post a link to what you found?

My own cat thinks she is human. I can put up with that. It's her thinking that she's related to royalty that I have difficulties with.

Fraid not! The adress is clearly stated as Bedlington. 1938 isn't so long ago. There may be somebody who remembers it.

Does anybody know where 'The Arcade, Glebe Road, Bedlington' was located? It appears on a document from 1938.

That would be great! I'm particularly interested in the Hedley gravestone - my mother's side of the family.

Of course you can never predict how many are going to turn up. They are not going to book a table when they've got 'the staff' so well trained.

Surely it must depend on which coin it is - one euro or one pound! There is also a chance that their pockets are empty if they're sitting in the club all day. (Saving the red ink for Christmas).

I'm impressed too! The best mine can do is knock on the window when she want's to be let in. I would think that was a sign of intelligence if she didn't have a cat flap.

That's more like it!

Happy birthday from me too, Adam. Where are you hiding yourself these days?

Let's keep this out of the sandpit guys. It's not becoming of either of you.

Thanks BB! I'm sure I'll be using that often.

Thanks Vic!

Here's another question for our coal-mining experts. On his death certificate in 1963, the occupation of a deceased mining relative is stated as "Datal Worker (below) Coal Mining".Does anybody know what is meant by 'Datal Worker?

Sorry Webtrekker! it wasn't a comment on the content, more on the presentation of it. I did in fact watch the video (how else would I know that he was telling us about secrecy)? Until I watched that video I thought TTIP was something PG put into small packets for me to pour boiling water on.

How can he/she talk about things being done in secrecy while wearing a mask himself?

What do you mean "just"! It's a lot of work and effort you're putting into it and it's very much appreciated.

I don't know about anybody else but I personally think that Eggy is well worth a round of applause for all the fantastic work he's doing with these photos! Get your hands together!

Excellent!

Consider your knuckles well and truly rapped young man!

Bit late in the day but just noticed this. Happy birthday!

Wow! I'm impressed that we have so many. A few photos of the gravestones would be appreciated if anybody has the time.