HIGH PIT WILMA

A forgot ti taak aboot the blacklocks and their eggs which a found in different places when a pulled aad door frames oot,and especially the triplex range,coal oven......it was a breeding haven for the little buggers! Too late noo,aam jiggered,need ti gaa ti kip...leave it for anotha neet,unless anybody can also relate stories aboot them! Bob Bethwaite Jr comes ti mind at thi Bedltn Aad pit,in the mid -1960's] [That's me reminder for next time!]

Lone Ranger,are ye still gaanin' strang yit?...been a lang time hearing from ye! A think one of the pics at thi top reminds me of Norman Smeaton,but mind........1971 was a lang time ago!!![a cud be reet or wrang!] Canny Lass,a divvent knaa if a telt thi story elsewhere on thi site,but aal tell it anywheh! When a was alang wi Dougie Moore,at Netherton,in 1971,daeing me Deputy's three weeks training,[which was part of a 16 week course,],we were sitting at the Deputy's Kist,getting wa baits. Dougie proceeded ti tell me aboot another old-timer Deputy,who worked in this district where we were,and sat at the same kist,getting he's bait,many years before us were. One night,in the night shift,[5-0pm start-not to be confused with "Fore-shift"....which was a 12-0 midnight start..],this aad Deputy was getting he's bait,on he's own,in a long black dark roadway,as they are underground! Something caught he's eye in the distant darkness,and he could make out a pinprick of light,[Carbide lamps in those days!],which steadily got nearer,as the minutes passed. He carried on writing his Mines and Quarries Act 1954 "General Inspection" report on the state of his district,as to safety,production progress etc,when a movement caught his eye again. Looking up from his report book,he saw a figure of a very old Miner walk past,unseeing,and unmoved,just sauntering slowly outbye,with an unlit clay pipe in his mouth,and an old-fashioned cloth cap and muffler on,typical dress of the real old miners...1800's style. When he related to others what he had seen ,later on,he found out that a few other men had seen him frequently,and even had an affectionate nickname for the old fella!...but each one hadn't said owt in case others thought they were nuts![so to speak!] Have you or Maggie ever heard that story before? Be interesting to find out who the old fella was,and if it was on record,maybe he suffered a fatal accident,or died in the pit while working during his shift.

Templars....?!........maybe....eh Sym?!!.......

Sym,ya probably sitting on a Scottish Mansion somewhere.....Laird Sym!! My Mother told me before she passed on,that my 5x Grandfather was a Scottish Laird.no more details to be found on that one. Maybe that's why I have been pulled to Scotland all my adult life,firstly for my Honeymoon in 1967,then forever more,every year,three times a year,until my Wife's ill-health meant we could no longer travel so far. Even Wooler,every weekend up the Cheviots with our tourer,for over 20 years,walking them thar hills from sometimes 5-am [sun-up],till 11-0pm..[sun down]!! Ye canna imagine a scene of so much blood and death in so small an area,I've been there many many times,and often wondered what could be found with a good metal detector! We used ti love watching the old bus towing GGG's marra's up owa the top of the Yeavering Bell,and breaking away wi a characteristic drop in revs,and a roll to Port!!! Did I get that yin reet or hev a med an A.....e o' mesen? It wudna hae been ye,GGG ....wud it?....spoiling the tranquility of a Sunday afternoon..!! We went from 1977-ish on,then withoot the van,just for a day noo and then,up ti thi present time.

Whey a nivvor knew that James! Live and larn. A lived in Bedlington from aboot 1947 till a got married in 1967,and nivvor twigged aboot thi cooncil motto. Mebbe cos aal a was interested in was larning the guitar,tuk nea interest in nowt else but aal things connected wi thi space race......oh!...and the Clangers and Metal Mickey....mind a was still a kid! Queer motto ti hae an iron cross on it eh?[ ner.....it's not the George cross...it's a bliddy Jarmin one!]

Hi Haffy! Ashington was a different kettle of fish! Whereas Bedlington hooses were little hovels med nice by proud miner's wives,in thi aad days,the raas and raas of hooses in Ashington were better built,and still stand yit as the high end of Ashington bears testament. Portia,Katherine ,and aal thi rest of thi lasses nyems in one part,aal thi nyems of trees in another part,hundreds of hooses,still as gud as ever,cos they were built wi better bricks etc.Mostly aal private noo,and sum luvly hooses amang them,when yi gaan doon them streets. Me Mutha was born in Pont street,[thi Ferguson family,Billy thi buck,George,John,Matt,Lily,Nancy,and Jean,who was me Mutha,a think Granda Ferguson was also John senior,but not too sure aboot that.] There was also a young Alfie who died aboot 18 months old,and he wud have been the last in this large family,in the old days....me Mutha was 95 when she died a few years ago.Matt was also 95 when he passed on,so aam wondering if yi knew any of the family. A knaa at one time,there were 5000 miners in Ashington village,cos thi pit was five pits in one. Me Grandma McDonald,passed on many years ago,was working in one of the shafts when the shaft was being sunk. Coal-owner-days when bairns,including lassies were employed in inhuman conditions for up to 18-hour shifts...as young as six years old..underground. Me Grandma told me that after the sinkers had drilled and fired the sinking shots,the lassies used ti hae ti load the "Kibble" [ a basket],wi aal the loosened stones,and clean the ground for the next drilling operations. The men would have ti rest,cos tha was nae powered drillers in them days,it was aal brute force hand drilling...very slow hard work,but they did it. Me Mutha used ti tell me stories aboot hoo there were tub rails doon every street,and the miner wud lead he's pony doon the street fetching pit tubs wi thi miners' hoose coal.he used ti tip thi tubs oot on their side ti empty thi tub next ti each hoose,and me Mutha had ti use a big pan shuul ti hoy thi coal oot thi tubs,and help the guy ti put thi tubs back on thi way..[thi rails],ready ti gaan back ti be loaded up for the next run. She was only 14 years aad,then she went into"Service",looking after rich peoples hooses and mekking meals and deaing hoosewark.and god knaas wat else,when yi trace history back aboot wat happened in them days ti young lassies![mostly Jewish folks in them days,at tynemooth,Then doon ti London.] Can ye add ti any of this history,Haffy,a mean on a porsinal level,or even substantiate any of me comments,cos it's mostly wat a was telt by the aad folk when a was a bairn.[ me Grandma was aroond in thi late 1800's,so nowt unusual aboot her daeing pitwark.] Me Mutha,as well as loads of aad miners,used ti tell in detail,who the midnight shuveller used ti cum doon thi streets wi his horse and cart,ti clean oot aal thi aad netties,["ashpits" they caaled thim!!]....wat a job! Eeh,a cud gaan on and on![heh heh!.... a dae!]

Nae disrespect,Threegee,but for the dumb pitmen amangst us,or,those like me who are musically orientated,and ignorant of modern art......wat thi hell is it aal aboot?!!!! Explanations wud be seriously welcomed,aa dinna mind showing me ignorance,as lang that definition is in the context of the Oxford English Dictionary![NOT the common "Geordie" meaning!]

Reminds me of the Northern Rock scandal!!

Belated Birthday wishes Pete! Not lang oot o' hospital,and trying ti catch up on everything,but struggling!! Anywheh,hope ye had a gud'un!

Great footage! When Choppington High Pit was scheduled to close in 1966,I was transferred away in late -1965 to Bedlington A pit. I was marra'd up with a canny lad from the nearby Bomarsund Pit which also closed at the same time. As we got to be very close marra's oot the pit as well as in the pit,he told me one day how his Dad died when he was a very young kid,I don't think he even knew his Dad,he was so young. His Dad had worked at Bolckow's ship-breaker's yard,and was fatally injured when he was hit directly by the iron ball which they dropped from the height of the crane jib,to pound the upper structures of the ship they were breaking up. This footage shows exactly how complacent everyone was...standing next to all the action nonchalantly,cranes throwing massive sections around , the ball sending shrapnel and asbestos and other materials everywhere!! Fatalities just waiting to happen! We miners were aware of the dangers,and did our best to respect them,and take actions to help reduce injuries etc. ......Well,most of us did,except for the odd one or two...and you always get at least one....in any employment! It was a pity the footage was pixellating very badly,but at least I got the jist. I was thinking how strange it might have been if one of those men standing watching the iron ball crashing down,happened to be my Marra's Dad.

Whey yi bugga!! Canny Lass,sorry aam a bit late in catching up,been helping ti keep the N.H.S.staff employed,while fighting off the devil's bloody crew!! Hope ye had a really nice one,and hope aam aroond on time next year!! Cheers!

Hi Eggy! Thanks for yor advice on the Three Wheats,it's a lovely little place. Seems like ye have had experience of that footpath,which was great when they laid it for Princess Sophie's visit, a year or two back,it was as smooth as a babby's bum! But it seems like they hoyed a pailfull of tar here and there and rolled it oot ti a quarter of an inch before gritting it!![the frost soon discovered that aan aal!] AA got me Wife a new Scooter for her Birthday,last year,with sprung suspension aal aroond,[still a car boot scooter..not a big road one..],and even wi thi springs...it shudders through her spine,resulting in severe pain in her back,and more drugs to try and relieve it. But ye hae ti get oot and aboot,regardless!! A canna thank ye enough for wat ye achieved wi me pics!! Cheers Eggy!

Hi James! Great pic of old Bates..."Before Modernisation"! I know what you mean!,but I canna help but think how modern this was,compared to other pits where investment was virtually nil,other than a wagon load of wood pit props and planks,a tramload of relatively small section arched girders,and a roll or two of rubber conveyor belting noo and again! At Choppington High Pit,the men on the screens had to lift all the props off the belt that came out with the coal,[they were only 2'-3" or less in length!....very low seam] They were sent down to the timber yard to dry out,cos they were water-logged and clarty,and heavy!,then they were sent back down to be re-used![re-cycling before the term was coined!] Even severely twisted and bent arched girders were straightened as best as the 'Smithy cud! One day,as a 15 year-old timberyard laddie,new to the pit from the training gallery,my supervisory timber yard man took me over to the Blacksmith's Shops,with a handfull of arched girder plates each..[about a dozen in total.] We watched the 'Smithy put the plates one at a time,into the jaws of a steam press,without heating them...stone cold steel. As he piled the pressure on,up to 75 tons,the plates bent like tin,a fraction of an inch each time,till he restored the slight curvature,which would allow the plates to be re-used in an arched girder,to hold two legs together.. All went well the first half dozen times,then the next one seemed to require a bit more steam! Nearly 100 tons,then with no warning,there was a crack like a cannon shot,and the plate broke in two,sending the remains flying at the speed of a gun bullet,bouncing and ricocheting all over the huge workshops. Sparks were flying for a second or two as the bits struck the girder-framed structure of the building,and men dived for cover,while I was mesmerised by this activity! Miraculously,no -one was hit at all,but only by the Grace of God,so to speak. Noo,looking at this manset,it reminds me of the lack of health and safety of the early days!![inspectors in latter years would have a fit seeing this!!] It looks like this was the carriage for the deputies,obviously a posed pic,going off the abundance of walking,and shotfiring stemming sticks. Great to have this added to the site! Cheers James! [nice one about the B.u.d.c also!]

In 1971, as part of my Pit Deputy training course,I had to spend three weeks down Netherton Pit. I was under the charge of Dougie Moore,a great friendly character,and Norman Smeaton,an older fella,serious natured,but also very friendly,and easy to get on with. Bob Cowell was the Safety Officer,and was also a canny lad,he did me one big gud turn,at the time,which I never forgot,so Bob,if ye ever come on here tek note,a kept me promise!! Peter Laird was the Undermanager,who a never cared for much,because of his dogmatic condescending attitude...dizzy wi power....we used ti say!! Sorry Pete!! Matty Smith,another Deputy at Netherton pit,for donkey's years,eventually became my Brother's Father-in-law! I'd played wi Matty's Son and Daughter from 5 years old,when they moved to Hollymount Square,in the very early 1950's,never dreaming that many years later,My Brother would marry his Daughter,and I would be walking around underground,at Netherton pit also a young Deputy,chatting to Matty,my next door neighbour! Life is strange sometimes!

Heh heh!A bit late.....again!, but a pitmatic phrase came into me heed the otha day........."Aye,ye'll bump thi set if ye keep gannin wi ya buck"!!.....or...."Aye,thi poor bugga bumped thi set when he met hor,aa reet"...! It's another way of saying..." Aye, ye backed a losser there hinny"!....or.."Gaan on a bit mair wi ya cheek,and aal thrash ye Son"! A keep racking me aad brains for mair of them.....it's hard work!

Hi folks!,am a bit late of catching up,but it seems we are from a slight generation gap,as most of these names are new to me! The Chivers family a refer to,lived aside the Beattie road cut from Hollymount Square,didn't live there very lang and shifted. As a said before,my family knew every single family that lived in the 66 houses,and when aa was young,could name them starting at no 1,with Sid Newman,and so on. But as time goes by,folk move on,and nothing stays the same! Strangely enough,aa knew a Jimmy Chivers when a worked at Choppington High Pit,in the early '60s,never saw him for aboot 40 years,and just before a moved ti where a aam noo,he became my new next door neighbour!! It was strange seeing him as an adult,from a lang-haired kid in the sixties...dinna knaa if he is any relation ti Les Chivers. I worked with the Mullarkey's from Millfield,and Hollymount Square,[around opposite Hollymount Terrace...that side of the square],two Brothers,older than me by a long way,canny fellas ti work with.[remember aa was only in me early twenties in them days!...at Bedlington A pit in the mid-1960's ]

Hi Eggy,would "Unsung Heroes of the Industrial Revolution" ,be out of place? These guys were "Hewing" solid coal,down,from the seam,using only a pick,sheer brute strength,and stamina,and a shovel to load the pit tubs....no drills or explosives,or coal-cutting machines!...it was a soul-destroying job which they faced with no other option,to enable warships,aeroplanes,tanks etc to be built,and to provide power,gas,and not least,warm fires at home,which everybody took for granted. They should be remembered nationally,as thier efforts shaped our world and society. A canna think of owt mair fitting,Eggy,that's from the bottom of me heart,hoo a feel aboot me ancestors and the early coal industry,we had it bad,they had it as legal slavery. Many thanks again!

Er!,just to clarify,by "Modernising",that refers to knocking the old ootside "Netty" [toilet!] and "Coal-hoose" doon,and extending the existing kitchen and bathroom doon the yard to provide a nice bathroom suite,at last!! A tuk photo's of the ootside netty,afore we pulled it doon,if a can find them,a shud post them up here!![complete wi the obligatory hurricane lamp ti help the pipes oot in the winter!]

Hi Haffy!!!!! Welcome to the best forums on the planet! As a young miner with a family of one 2-year-old Son,back in 1970,and having lived in post-war newly -built houses both at home,and later with my Mother-in-law,in Bedlington,it came as a huge culture-shock to acquire my first property! This was a three bedroom,[huge!] terraced house in Stakeford,on the main road,in a street called West Terrace, Bomarsund. It had stood empty for over a year,was a filthy hovel of a place,totally neglected by the N.C.B.,who owned the property,and had to be stripped totally,to re-decorate,after repairing huge areas of [early 1900's] horse-hair and lime plaster,which dropped off each time you went to pull wallpaper off.[not to mention sliding sash draughty,rattly windows,and an antiquated ootside toilet..[[netty!]],which used ti freeze up in the bad winters we used to have back then!]. It had a huge "Triplex" range fireplace,[ coal oven..] and Adams cast iron fireplaces upstairs in the bedrooms. I spent a lot of time replacing all the windows with modern ones which I made myself,at my own cost,and all the doors and frames also.[I had to work loads of weekend shifts to pay for this work] Each time the Coal Board Plasterer's came to repair the walls,the boss wud come over with his little bit of chalk,and mark off a square yard,maybe even two,if you were lucky....talk about being tight!! I had to learn to plaster and brickie,so I could do repairs to my own standards.[mind,I wasn't alone,several of my neighbours had to do the same thing,so we helped each other out where we could.] I repeatedly wrote to the N.C.B Chairmen,in succession,and even Maggie Thatcher,requesting the right to buy the property,on the grounds that the N.C.B were neglecting the property,so if I could buy it,I would go ahead and modernise it. I received nice replies from everybody,even 10 Downing Street!,saying that they were held by ancient long-standing agreements with the Unions,which dictated that the houses were to be kept for families of miners in the future.....[as I said before...nobody wanted them at the finish!...cos they were hovels!] However,in 1984,Thatcher gave the N.C.B. orders to sell the properties it owned,not just houses,but farms and open land as well. So I was the first to accept and buy my house,which,after 14 years of hard slog,working till the middle of the night,as well as a hard shift underground,I had turned into a very well-presented home,which I was proud of.[no thanks to the N.C.B.] Some of my neighbours thought I was crackers,saying they weren't worth buying,as they made their way across the road to go to the "Roughton" club,on a Saturday night!! Once folk saw my house being modernised,they all,one by one,followed suit!! My builder,a relative of my Wife's family,was in the street for over five years doing one house after the other,sometimes a few at a time! SO,in a nutshell,the older pit houses,like those in Bedlington Doctor Pit,and Bedlington A pit [at the "Station"],were demolished,and those such as in Bomarsund,and many other pit villages,were bought by the tenants,where possible,and those that were not purchased outright, were taken over by trusts,formed from Union,and council members,to run and maintain,and also to take over the letting side of things. This remains to this day. Lang-winded reply,but nowt unusual coming from H.P.W.!! [a just like ti paint a clear picture of a situation wherever I can!!] Cheers,Haffie,hope aav med ye happy!

Hi Maggie! Many thanks for your kind greetings!Aam aboot getting back ti normal again,been a rough ride,but aam a fighter when it comes ti illnesses!! Cheers! Hi Eggy!....Can a just say yi are daeing a magnificent job wi me Bates Album! A just hope a lot of folk will appreciate your efforts and see how bad a job we miners had..,and also learn about mining by referencing them. A divven't knaa hoo me story above has been crossed through as many lines,aa haven't done owt wrang!!![it happened once before!]. Adam,if ye are in there,show your aad chep wat Eggy's tasking owa!!

I just realised that there is one thing of interest in my Bates' pic,which Eggy has kindly posted here for us all to refer to,and that is the machine on the right of the pic,where hoses lead from the machine and actually into the coal seam. For those who might not know,the machine is a "Cementation" pump. Holes were drilled into the coal seam,and liquid cement slurry,which was quick-setting,was pumped under very high pressure,into the holes in the coal,therefore grouting and sealing any breaks in the strata which would cause inrushes of Methane,or other noxious gases,or water,which could be lethal to us,as we were very near to breaking through a 36-feet thick Blue Whinstone Dyke,[Igneous Intrusion]. By virtue of the fact that the Whinstone was molten rock,200 million years ago,when it first forced it's way through the strata,by brute force,and extreme temperatures and pressures,it figures that a lot of damage to the surrounding strata occurred,including burning of the coal seam,to cinder coal,on either side of the seam. So that was the purpose of the grouting pump. Last year,My Wife and Myself were walking LBJ,[well my Wife was driving her mobility scooter!],along the riverside walk at Rothbury. Heading along the path,away from the town centre,towards Thropton,about a quarter of a mile,I heard a very familiar sound. Wndy drillers?....out here?....as we got up the source of the noises,it became clear that they were impact percussive drill-rigs,only they were hydraulic,and not compressed-air[windy] drills. Apparently,the substrate beneath the road had began showing signs of movement,and so these contractors were drilling hundreds of very long holes into the strata all the way from the level of the road,down to the level of the path,maybe a difference in height of about 40 feet or so. They had huge "Cementation" pumps similar to that on my pic,and one lad had the sole responsibility of keeping the pump tanks filled with the cement slurry mix. He was constantly humping big bags of cement powder,from the stack,across to the pumps,and then filling the tanks with water.Upon requests from his Marra's,he switched the pumps supply hoses on and off as each hole was filled up. I had a quick chat with him,had a laugh when I told him I was doing this over thirty years ago,and left him to his job. A few weeks went by,and when we walked along again,there was no trace of them ever having been there!...ground landscaped,trees planted,all so-so!! It was the first time I had witnessed Cementation being used anywhere other than down a mine!!....Ignorance is bliss!!

Sym,I have been very fortunate,to have had good assistance and help whenever needed,from Family members,and good Neighbours. Our youngest Son has been looking to excercise LBJ,before going to work in the morning,and at night,and Brother-in-law and Neighbour walked her when My Son couldn't make it. My eldest Son came up from London,and has nursed me,fed me and my Wife,and LBJ,oh!,not forgetting Percy the Gull,who,although he CAN feed himself,always comes and knocks his beak on the glass door to tell you he wants a tin of Sardines,or his more usual dogmeat!!![especially during the frosty days when there is nothing natural for him to find..]. There's more to looking after a wild bird than meets the eye!! He has to have his bathwater changed daily or he won't get in,and bathing is a necessity for his health,especially during the moult,which he is going through as we speak.[ He also needs company,and proves this by coming and settling down after feeding,bathing,and preening,next to us,when we sit out in the garden,or he comes into the conservatory,and plonks down like a little duck!!] So,although I have been through a very rough time,I am forever grateful to all those who came to me and my Wife during our period of need!

Hi Eggy,do you mean to include all the postings on here regarding mining,in with my pics?,surely you will be google-eyed daeing that! I will leave it wi ye to dae wat's quickest and best for the forum,Eggy,if that's o.k. with ye,Marra!! Thanks again!

Hey Eggy,and Andy,because of the fact that I was led to believe that Flickr is just about dead,and not many folk even know about it,[from personal experience when I am out and about cracking on wi folks!],I had thought,if it was possible,to move everything to this site,where we are all in tune!! Maybe a full album,dedicated so that it would be easy to locate by mining-interested members. As far as titling goes,maybe...."High Pit Wilma's Bates' Pit Album",including a full credit to Russel Hogg for enabling me to capture the Pit Surface photo's,without whom it would never have happened. I wouldn't want you to exhaust yourself if this was going to take an excessive amount of your time!! I was just thinking that whenever questions crop up about mining,it would be a handy reference album! I have no idea about the in's and oot's of doing all this,and what's involved,so I am very grateful for your interest and assistance! I am thinking the Flickr ones would remain there just the same and you could copy them,is that correct? Thanks a million, Guys!! P.S. when I took these pics,I also went all around the screening plant,the blending plant and even into the Winding engine house,which wound the cages...then got home to discover I had lost the full roll of 36 exposures on a 35mm film,somewhere around the premises.....SOMEBODY ,somewhere,is bound to have had that film and developed it!!! ...if only I had been more careful!

Whey ye bugga! That's aal fascinating stuff ti me! A had a marra doon the pit in 1965-6 ish,he was transferred ti Bedlington A pit,from Bomasund pit,at the same time as a was transferred from Choppington high pit,ti Bedltn aad pit,and we ended up as close marra's for years after. We both played guitar,so knocked aroond oot thi pit as weel as in the pit. Noo!,one day a went aroond ti his hoose for the first time,and a was gob-smacked at the model pit tubs and rails,Coal-shearers,haulers,gearboxes etc,steam engines...that he had made ,both from imagination,and blueprints.[at a later date,as his hobby progressed] This was a 21 year old lad who had been daeing this for years,wi nae formal training whatsoever,purely from interest. He started off by making model tubs,cut from thin sheet steel,obtained from the tins what the conveyor belt comb fasteners came in,and which were just thrown away doon the pit ti rust. He took some tins oot thi pit, ti mek the models,and one day a sour-faced Overman,who was badly liked by the whole pit workforce,saw him,asked what he was taking the tins for,and when he said he made models from the flattened out tins,the overman took the tins from him and using a pick,proceeded to smash the tins to bits putting loads of holes through them for pure childish spite..[this was when my marra was still at the Bomar pit.] He warned my marra that if he took any more tins oot thi pit he wud be fined and sacked for stealing NCB property. Sorry but I seemed to have drifted off-topic...as usual!