James

Keith has pointed out that the date I gave for the demolition of the bandstand is incorrect.

Evan Martin's book "BEDLINGTON IRON & ENGINE WORKS 1736 - 1867" has some information at the end of the book that seems to indicate it was demolished in 1974. At the end of his book he he summarised the events that took place in the area following the closure of the Ironworks in 1867. The following information is taken directly from the book -

1906 - Last chimney (that of the engineworks) felled.

1936 - Old ironworks cottages near Bank Top demolished.

1959 - Remaining works building cleared, and park made with with impressive bandstand predominant.

1972 - Bandstand wrecked, park overgrown, water pools stagnant. A retreat for stray dogs and dumpers of old prams.

1974 - Bedlington Council has performed a cleaning up operation and "the seclusion and loveliness of the spot" has returned.

Unfortunately the quality of this photo of the "Seven Sisters" is poor but you should be able to see the bandstand behind the tree on the extreme left (the seventh sister!).

The photo taken from the "hairpin bend†with the Ha'penny Woods on the left and the Free Woods on the right. I believe that sometime in the late 1960's the "Seven Sisters†were cut down and the bandstand demolished.

The poem on the post card was written by Gladys Laws who lived in Bedlington and this particular poem was included in a book of her poetry called "Gems of the Heart†published in 1964.