Orloff

I agree all the way with you Wilma, most of my family were miners! Maggie when you say a "fair minded society" Maggie was heard to say after a long time in power that there is "no such thing as society in Great Britain". She was not wrong, she made sure it was gone ----- forever.

Keith, I'm just a little older than you (born 1951) but I remember buying my first ever 45 in a shop in Vulcan Place. It was by a pair of girls that sung under the name of The Caravelles, I had a crush on them.

The reason so called Labour did not undo it is that they were closet tories, all of them. (bar a couple of exceptions). Good grief, Blair was a member of the tory party when he was younger!!!!! No way was he and his cronies LEFT wing, only slightly left of Thatcher. I will not vent my true feelings about her death, I will just keep them to myself. (It gives me a nice warm glow!) I am at the moment and have been for a while, researching with the aim to write a book about the control of power (since the 2nd war) by politicians and companies and how the unions were "used" to destroy themselves. It is so sad that they couldn't see it. But having been on both sides of the fence as an employee and employer running my own engineering company it was so apparent!

Malc, are you related to the Robinson printing empire?

Where is that then Symp? Looks like we need a good model of rail management over here!

Maggie, Were you at Westridge with the likes of Kieth Barras, Ann Crosbie etc.? Because if you were you will know my sister Margaret, nickname Blossom I believe.

HPW, forgot to add that my Grandma moved to Ellsmere Gardens in 1955 after Granda died. Istill miss him. Don't get me started on Thatcher!

HPW, My grandad was Bob Hall, was at High Pit, then Bomersund for who he played footie, he had four kids. Tommy, Doreen (my mum), Bobby and Margeret. Bob died in 1955 when I was 4, his wife (my grandma) Gretta nee Clarke died in about 1962/3. Love your stories tho!

HPW, I gather from your profile you're a biker too, R. E. if I'm not mistaken, good on yah! West Terrace, that has to be at Stakeford. My maternal family are from East Terrace (No 30 to be precise) and I went to Stakeford school myself from '55 - '62. Symp, that was Helen Hurst for definite. Was Mary in our Geography class because I cant remember the taller girls name? Helen Hurst was very tiny probably only 5 foot tall.

Symp, Ford Castle No 1 piccie, front row far right is Helen Hurst, second row far right John Hancox. Row 3 6th from left Alan Henderson. Hope this helps.

Keef2, Des Reay lived in Poplar Grove on the corner across the road from me. We used to hang about together although he was a couple of years younger than me I'd known him since he was tiny. We used to kick about with Alan Henderson from further up the Grove and Alan Morris from Terrier Close, you may have known him Keef2!

Puddlers Row as I was told when I was young was a row of terraced cottages that were to the left of the Bank Top pub, demolished in the fifties I think. They were tied houses for the workers of the Iron Works at the bottom of Furnace Bank. Puddling was a job that iron workers did. I was chatting to a chap from Blyth about 6 years ago who is something to do with a history society in Blyth whose family (he said) owned Puddlers Row!!! As an aside he obtained a stack of photos that came from a local newspaper when it closed down, and was digitising them then. I bought a few prints of Blyth harbour from the fifties and sixties. If I can find his phone number I will ring him and see if he has any photos of the Row, or of Bedlington in general.

Thanks for that Malcom, now I know I'm not going mad!

I'm looking forward to the info johndawson mentioned about Hartford army camp, as I used to live there 60 years ago, when it was converted to living accomodation.

That piccie of Broadway House farm, in the background there is the walking dragline from the opencast mining, does anyone know anything about it? I thought it was called Big Geordie but all my searches drew a blank.

We used to do that too, never told parents tho, get a good hiding for that!! We also used to pee on cars on the new road below. (did I just say that!!!) I admitted to me mam (in the '90s ) that I used to do all that, she was horrified and said that if she had known it she would have slapped me. my wife was just looking over my shoulder readin what I was doing and said "on behalf of your Mum" with that she promptly smacked me on the back of my head!!!!!!..........If me mam were still alive, they would have got on like a house on fire.

We used to ride our "bogeys" as we called them down Furnace Bank, and if you were really brave, the Hairpin. It was after the "New" bridge had been put in though. Mind you some vehicles still used both hills, you were just careful, (or daft). It's just like Malcoms piece said!!

My Dad worked there as a mechanic in 1946 or 1947, don't know when he left, he was in his 30,s then so to find someone who knew what was there before is going to be very old. Mind you I've just dug out a book I've got called "Bedlingtonshire", compiled by Evan Martin and on page 97 there is a picture of Scotts iron foundry just off Front Street. It goes on to say that the building is still to be seen behind Elliots garage. This soft backed book was first printed in 1997. ISBN 0- 7524- 0784- 8. I hope this is of some help to you Rea. Did you used to live in Poplar Grove years ago?

Keith, It seems that a lot of my age group have moved away from the homeland. I went at 16 cos my parents did, but I doubt wether I would've if they hadn't, I consider them to be quite brave or desperate or a bit of both. Am I right in thinking that your cousin Helen took up nursing or is my memory playing tricks again! Going back to Muters pop, I can remember the rather excellent product, and if Wade had an orchard near Allgood Terrace, then I can remember scrumping on the way home from school!

Keith, The only Coulthard I remember is Gordon cos he was in my class also, 1962 onwards.

Hi Kieth, are you related to a Helen Scantlebury that went to Westridge School in the sixties? She was in my class. It is an unusual surname, which is why I asked.

Not living in the area any more, its sad to hear Elliots have gone. That piccy brought some memories back. Before I was born, my father worked there for a while, it was just after the war, while my parents were living in with my grandparents at Stakeford. Sorry for that, I do ramble on sometimes. They ought to plan something worthwhile for the site, but being planners the thoughts of beer parties and breweries spring to mind. They are the same all over this country.

Another famous violinist from the area was Kenneth Sillito, he went to Stakeford School, or so we were told by Grannie Green.Perhaps someone can confim this.

I think I have sent you a personal message (I'm new to this forum stuff). Will only know when I hear back from you. If you dont get one post on forum to let me kmow.

If you were at Westridge 62 to 67 then I will know you, but I believe you live abroad now.