HIGH PIT WILMA

Eh,Canny Lass!.....YMCA! My Wife and me...[a knaa!...."I" ...!],held wor wedding reception there in 1967!....ganna be a haaf-century next yeor!![duzzint time fly?!....... ...."Tempus Fugit" !!] A canna help wondering hoo many youngin's will stand the test of time nooadays!....digressin' again!

Brilliant Eggy!! Clears summik wats puzzled me for owa 50 years!...wat model of P.A. they were using!!....at last! It's a Burns London "Orbital Stage One" P.A.....a just cudn't remember from back then![cos my pic is fuzzy also!] Your pic is from the same photoshoot,but they printed the one I have,[the first one above],probably cos all the lads are giving a big smile ! The Olympics would choose the name of the drumkit they were using,[a Premier Olympic kit],cos my marra on drums had the same kit,as did thousands of other young hard-up group drummers,it being the bottom budget line of kits made by Premier drum company,at the time. It was common to name your group after an amplifier company or other instrument manufacturer.[we did that with a german made amplifier..the first one we had ever seen,cos it was brought from Germany by wor bass-player's Brother,and naebody we ever knew or played alongside,had ever seen or heard of this company!!] Micky Powers' name rings a bell,a think my older Brother knew a lad wi that name...definately Powers,but not so sure of the first name,did Micky work at the Auld pit at Bedlington Station,in the mid-late 'fifties? The pics bring back loads of happy memories! Thanks Eggy! P.S. Notice hoo Phil is holding a bass pattern on the top pic,and cuddling the neck on the bottom pic.it would have been interesting ti knaa hoo many pics were taken,mebbe showing more of the gear,as well as the lads!! P.P.S...Phil has the horse-brasses on his guitar strap,following a trend started,as far as we knew,at the time,by Joe Brown and he's Bruvvers. Later on,Robin used the same type of broad leather strap wi brasses on,and aa still have mine tucked away in me studio...nivvor seen it for a year or two!!

Heh heh! Like a sed.....fantastic times,mind,a kind of think that the lighting plank was a bit after we were gannin,cos a did almost every club,Village hall,and small venues like YMCA-type of places,owa three and a haaf years,and naebody had thought of lighting then,not even proper P.A.systems in the working mens clubs,they used ti have a Phillips or Linear type amplifier in a metal-grilled chassis,showing heavy mains transformers,valves glowing etc,on a shelf high up,alang wi one speaker cabinet also up in a corner of the room,wi nae regard ti the accoustics of the place ,as lang as ivry bugga cud hear "two little ducks.. 22"....etc![or the "Star-torn o' thi neet" ....on thi "Go as you please" neets!] When we started,we had little eight-watt amplifiers,[ aboot 12-inches high x 10 inches wide!]....and the old-timer pitmen audience who were used to Dickie Valentine type music,used ti shout "Ya aal reet but a bit too loud"! Gotta go.....be back later!

Heh heh!! "Tippler"! I luv it Canny Lass!!..educashun's a wonderful thing,but it's great when ye can get a gud laugh at a misrepresentation...not being derogatory,just a gud laugh! The only reason a posted it was cos most folk wud think it referred ti the actual pit slag-heap....who else wud anybody knaa different if they weren't from mining stock?!

Heh heh! I have the original press cutting from the Evening Chronicle,which I carried in my wallet for about 30 -0dd years until I realised it was gonna get dog-eared,so I keep it in my archives now. Before Graham Bell's Dad passed away,and upon hearing of Graham's passing,I rang the Editor of the News Post Leader,to see if Graham had any Family member's who might appreciate this Photo. The Editor passed my enquiry to a family friend,and through this connection,I was able to get a copy of this pic to Graham's Dad,who was a resident in a nursing home in Blyth. I went personally to meet Mr Bell, and ,being a complete stranger,he welcomed me into his room,sat me beside his bed,and told me to open a drawer in his cabinet,asking me to take an album out and bring it over to him. He was absoloutely delighted to see this pic,which he didn't know existed,and asked me to place it in the album,[which his Daughter had compiled with all the family pics they had],saying his Daughter would mount it properly in the album. I stayed with him for a couple of hours,and he related some of his experiences with his involvement in the Blyth Operatic Society,and stories about young Graham,pictured here,who went on to tour with the 1960's Rock Opera "Tommy",which was led by "The Who"...[Kieth Moon and friends]. He was a fascinating, really friendly,affectionate fella,was Graham's Dad,and I felt it was a priviledge to have met him and made him a happy Man,before he passed away,it seemed not long after that meeting. This pic was taken not long before the group won the "Northern Echo" newspaper competition,as the best group in the north-east.["Group"!....not "Band",as they are referred to nooadays!]....approximately 1964. Graham,lead vocalist,did the Rolling Stones songs,complete with "Moothie"..[Harmonica...or "Blues Harp"],as gud as Mick Jagger,at the time,and he was only aboot 16 years old then. Aal thi lads in the rival groups,used ti say he was destined for stardom,he was that gud,but there is one point that I would like to make. When they first started up,as aal thi other groups did,in the early 60's,they were gud,but just as gud overall,as any of the other groups.,cos,like the rest of us,they cudn't afford professional gear,and so used small amps,relatively budget guitars etc,and no P.A.system. When Alan McKay,took them on,to manage them,he signed for £1200 of gear,as shown in this pic,[Robin proudly holding his new Burns "Marvin" guitar,designed by Hank Marvin and Burn's London owner..Jim Burns..],and overnight they were transformed into a Pro-quality group,with an excellent P.A.system and echo-effects units.[ £1200 was like a quarter-million pounds nooadays!!...] Just proof that the purists at the time,who used ti have this idea that ye didn't need expensive gear ti soond gud,were not completely educated in the musical instrument field!! I defy anybody ti cum ti my hoose and mek my 1959 Rossetti Lucky 7 guitar,[£7-10 shillings !!....6 months ti pay for at 5-shillings a week!!],soond like a Fender Stratocaster!![or the Marvin wat Robin has!] When they were just trying ti form a group,Phil Bryant [Bass player] and some of the others came ti my hoose ti ask if a wud join them,cos Phil and me were marra's at the training gallery for the pit in 1959,and he knew a cud play aal the Shadows and aal thi other instrumental groups' numbers,which were chart hits.[Ventures,Tornadoes,Duane Eddy,Bert Weedon.....etc]...in later years of course,cos this would have been aboot 1962-3....ish. When a said a was staying loyal ti my group,That's when Robin came alang,and he was gud also. Funny hoo things cum aroond,cos in 1985-ish,My oldest Son,who was 17 yrs old at the time,got into a "Band"...,[as they were noo caaled!],and WHO was the Lead Guitarist and Keyboard-player?...!...Robin Hadaway! .....AGAIN! In the 60's,The Avengers and my group used ti play 50-50 at the Clayton Ballroom,on Saturday nights,occasionally,they were great times! Noo!,Eggy,only for curiosity,aam wondering hoo ye came across this 52 years old pic from the Chronicle,cos a didn't think many folk would have cut it oot thi paper llke aa did and kept it for posterity?[aa was aalwis thi historian and archivist in my group,a used ti ask every club Secretary or doorman,it a cud tek the posters oot of the glass cabinet at thi club entrance,and if nae bugga was there ti ask,a just tuk thi buggaa's oot anywheh,and aav still got aal them yet,and noo there'll not be a quarter of them clubs left in existence....aa bet!!] Aye,the Reay Hall,and Locke Hall,and the Clayton,not forgetting Jimmy Milne's cafe on a Sunday afternoon,when a gud group used ti play,they were fantastic times!!

Canna mind,Canny Lass,aal a knaa is,ye had ti write so fast that it was aal scribble,personal shorthand and abbreviations,and sumtimes ye cudn't read it yasel!!crazy or wat?! Canna bring ti mind the maps,were ye in his class from 1956-9?,cos they were my years,and mebbe they were done after aa left scyuul![regardless of the long-drawn dispute a bit back!]

Sincere apologies ti ye, Vic,to Doreen and Maureen AND Rita,for the confusion in my senile brain....I've had that pic for years,and always thought I had the lasses placed correctly! That's a luvly pic o' "wor" Doreen!!!! Eggy,AA was thinking last neet on the same lines as ye!..a just checked the gallery and ye dun a fine job!

Eh,aav put this quote in the wrang place!Nivvor mind,it's done noo! Vic!,aav got a vivid memory of Rita Wheallans picking a fight wi me,a divvent knaa why,cos a was a quiet shy bairn,Doreen should back me up on that!] A canna mind wat it was aboot,but at five yrs aad,a had this little lassie screaming and trying ti hit me!aal me life,even doon the pit,a had people tekking the mick and trying ti bully me,a think it was cos a was a gud soft-natured lad,and a waak-owa for a bully...till a larn't ti turn like a lion and gaan for tha throats!!!that scared bullies off big-time,but a cudn't dae that when a was a young kid,a was timid.

Thanks very much me Canny Lass! Ye've restored me sanity!....aav been oot wi LBJ, waakies,and gannin owa and owa in me head and thinking,could I be mistaken?[and I would apologise profusely if I was,and shut me gob!],but I just know that in ,1958,my class of upper remove,there were no prefects!there was no head boy in my class,that position was taken by David Lees,as aforementioned. 1958 Was a very significant year for me. In February,that year,Buddy Holly was killed along with Richie Valens,and Thi Big Bopper,in a plane crash,in really bad weather,which devastated myself and all his true fans.We had no telly or radio,and I got the news off Pete Smith ,my neighbour and friend,as he caught me up at the vestibule entrance,late for school,but he stopped me to break the news after hurrying to catch up with me. School didn't matter to me that day,I couldn't beleive such a terrible thing had happened. Mr Johnson,Science teacher ,used to stay at school with me till after ten o' clock nearly every night,clarting on wi old radios,and building short-wave valve radios. We put the play on,"Julius Caesar",under Mr Marley's Direction,and I stayed at school till late helping Mr Johnson with all the lighting rig cables that had to be wired up by hand...[Poly-pole couplings with a load of internal cores,and which took a lot of time to do.]..at 14 yrs old,I was trusted by Mr Johnson to carry out lots of electrical repairs on various appliances. A very close classmate and marra at home,borrowed a gorgeous green "Osmiroid 65" Fountain Pen,which had been a prize from the "Meccano Club" magazine,and had a lot of sentimental value,never returned it to this day,and he is now deceased. I was bullied every day by certain people in my class,and never told a soul,I just put up with it,till one day in Metalwork,when Mr Epsley was out of the room,one lad kept on and on at me,goading me,till my docile self lost control,and I gave this lad an old fashioned bunch of fives straight in his ribs!...just then Mr Epsley walked into the room,as I was going to thrash this kid,and we both turned our backs to the bench and said nowt. To his credit,he never reported me or said a word to anyone,so,being as diplomatic as I can!!!!!!,I think the lad in this pic ,if he had been a prefect,in 1958,would have had me in front of Mr Hemming,for the strap!!

Canny Lass I think you are right,but this pic wasn't taken in 1958!! In 1958 we were 14 years old!,do these young lads and lasses look like 14 year olds?! No,Len Thompson,Bobby Cross,Ian Campbell,Micky Lucas,and Eddie Hedley, were all in my class,and in 1958,none of them were Prefects!....nor was there a 14 club! No disrespect ,and just for correctness,it couldn't have been any earlier than after the 1959 summer holidays,and I would still suggest 1960! I have good personal reasons for disagreeing with 1958! If I was to disclose what's going through my mind,it would only lower the tone of a fine discussion,as it involves one person on the photo,who,in later life,I often wonder if actions in youth ever cross thier mind!![and if they do remember,it would be great if an apology and admittance were to come forth,cos I would certainly appreciate it!!] The above comments are not directed to Canny Lass!,but in response to Allana's comments!!

Er,Vic,21 is Rita Wheallans without a Doubt,my two little friends and neighbours [Doreen Dagless and Maureen Dean],are nos 36 and 37 respectfully,with Rosemary Oliver sitting next to them on the right. Alan Wilkinson is not on the photo,I sat next to him from day one,right through to Westridge,and went to his house after school,then away doon the woods! Even as a kid,he always had his hair plastered with vaseline,[or butter!],crows wing and side parting,and combed it constantly!![check oot the Whitley School Football team Photo's wi Matty Hall on,that 's Alan wi the craa's wing,just as he always did!!] I canna mind the other lassies names Vic!

Eeeh!...ye hae me beat theor noo!,Canny Lass,me lasting vivid memories are of Mr Abrahart storming back and forth alang the class floor,waving his arms aboot and tekking on the Characters of hoo-ivvor the history subject was aboot....he wud be giving us dictation,which we had ti copy as fast as he was raving and ranting,and ye cudn't haad the pen for laffin!!....sumtimes he wud hae me sick in me stomach,if lessons were just after dinner,wi joggling aal owa thi place!! He was a big miss when he left ti gaa ti West Moor.But a canna mind o' any map-paintings on thi waals..! Another great teacher was Mrs Nicholson..one day she asked if anybody played any instruments.When Alan Spowart,and Alan Stewart,[noo Councillor Stewart!],said they were learning the guitar,she asked them ti bring their instruments in next week and we'll hae a sing-song! So they did!,and a little lad,[smashing natured lad],caaled "Dicka",[for Dixon...forget his first name!],went in front of the class and proceeded ti entertain the class for a full hour,singing aal the chart hits of the time..[1958-ish]"Story of my life" [Michael Holliday],"He's got the whole world ,in His Hands"...[ Mike Holliday again?...not sure!],"Catch a falling star"..[Perry Como ].....and so on....non-stop,and he was putting on aal the actions of a pop star!!.....oh!..and he did Lonnie Donegegan tracks as weel,that's one lesson that stuck in my mind,and it was the two Alan's who were instrumental...[ugh!!!],in giving me the drive and inspiration to want to learn guitar,but I cudn't afford one,nor could my Mother,when I was 14 yrs old,it was finally Hank Marvin [with "Apache" in the charts],that finally put the seal on my determination. But aye,Happy memories,gie me a warm feeling when a start reminiscing![sure sign of aad age approaching!]

Hi Eggy! Two dates here!....and not 1959 unless it was taken after the summer holidays and two thirds of the class had left school! It seems I was mistaken about Nos 9,13,and 17,and apologise for that although I would have staked my aad age pension on 13 being Lorna,and 17 being Lillian... The likenesses are remarkable,my Wife even thought 17 was Lillian Moore,sadly now deceased..R.I.P Lillian. Here is a list of my class in 1959,those that I remember,up to the end of term and the time to leave school at 15 yrs of age...which I did...among others! Billy Brown , Trevor Hale ,Jimmy Scott, Ian Campbell,Eddie Hedley,Micky Lucas,Derek McGregor,Dennis Green,Bobby Cross,Len Thompson,Ted Smout,Billy Allison,Martin Nicholson,Barry [?][nicknamed "Barf"..smashing lad!],Derek Goodall,Lorna Barker,Pat Purcell,Lynne Hayes,Barbara Thornton,Isobel Bowman,Joan Henderson,Lilian Moore,Rosemary Oliver,I think Joan Hogg was in as well,and a red-headed girl called Sheila Miller?. If we could get a pic from the end of that term,showing all these ,now that wud please the hell out of me! Dennis Green went on to be a chief of the Police in Scotland years ago. I often wonder how all the others faired,some I do know,but the majority I don't. I do know Billy Allison went doon a dark wet hole,and craaled aroond in darkness like a Mole!

Heh heh! Canny Lass,can ye imagine Mr Abrahart,at Westridge,[History],subsituting his lecture on Disraeli and and the Peel reform laws[1850...odd!] etc....for HPW'S "Thesis on Mining........"! "Now,class,turn to the chapter on "" Baits and Sh..fl..s ""...",.......mind , a bet he'd hae bother quieting them aal doon!! Reminds me of one single moment in Mr Marley's class,when he was lecturing us in his very stern, authourative manner.....when a lad caaled Billy Broon,who was one of my Hollymount Square friends,had been fidgeting in his seat..... Oot of the blue,Mr Marley raised his voice loud,and shouted...." Brown,will you sit still,you are fidgeting about like a constipated pig..."[quote!] The class fell aboot laughing,but only for a nanosecond!!....Mr Marley yelled..."Quiet"!......and it was like switching off a light!! Nobody,not even the "big boy bullies squad",dare utter a sound!....nobody messed with Mr Marley!....and he was a smashing teacher....loads of Patience,if ye had a problem,like Mr Freeman..irreplaceable fellas!

Aa canna figure oot hoo they arranged the remove classes,cos haaf my mates,[lads and lasses] are in middle remove,when they were in my class from the infants school!! Yet some were brainier than me and I was in the upper remove,was it ti dae wi birth dates or wat? Can anybody tell me please!

Aa canna figure oot hoo they arranged the remove classes,cos haaf my mates,[lads and lasses] are in middle remove,when they were in my class from the infants school!! Yet some were brainier than me and I was in the upper remove,was it ti dae wi birth dates or wat? Can anybody tell me please!

Hi Eggy! I don't go on Facebook or any other place except Flickr,so why not label me as Hpw,and post it wherever,without any names and see who comes up with what...does that make any sense to you...I'm thinking of the other pupils,but some are already named on the Westridge pics above! I've always been wary of Facebook from horror stories from other folks![is that an unjustified way of thinking?!] I really would be chuffed if we cud get all the pupils named for my own sanity!!....racking and racking me dumb brains! Just about 9 oot o' ten of these kids were my friends and next door neighbours at Hollymount Square,Millfield,Beatty Road,"The Parky Gang"..[from owa the park aside the Whitley School],and we went from class to class all the way through school actually sitting next to the same friend,and until recently,I used to be able to recall who sat where right across the class,but since that crash a year and a haaf ago,and noo on drrrruuuuuuggggssss[!],for me pains,a think my memory is being compromised artificially! Thanks a lot for all the gud work ye dae Eggy!! Much appreciated! Yes to Bedlington Village School album![ I didn't know there was one!]

This was taken at the Bedlington Village Infants School which has just recently been demolished,in 1950 Class 2. That's HPW [with the dimples!] top left,then Jim Hardy,[who has full credit for asking the "LEADER" press editor to print it in the free press paper,a few years ago]. Next to Jim,is Jackie Hindmarsh,[3rd top left],then Tom Logan,Martin Nicholson..[think],Joe Hale,Brian Redpath,Tommy Hindmarsh,Tommy Tyler[think!],?,Norman Furness,Brian Richmond..[think],?, Middle row....[L]..Alan Spowart,?,Jimmy Russell,Joan Henderson.[think],Ian Darling,?,Ronnie Leyland,Rita Wheallans,Raymond Barrat,?,Bobby Cross,Joan Bell..[think],?,Davy Kane. Bottom row: Lorna Barker,?,?,Margaret Thackeray,?,Lillian Moore,?,Doreen Dagless,Maureen Dean,Rosemary Oliver,?,Sandra Short. Three holding the Class board:?,Ted Smout, Eddie Simpson. 42 Pupils all well-behaved and under control at all times!...even on Nature Walks right down the black path to the Furnace Bank and back on summer and autumn days![with one teacher!]...and none of us "hyper". Some have never changed in appearance,and are instantly recogniseable! Alan Wilkinson should have been on this pic but wasn't for some reason.

Heh heh!....Spot on Lass! ....after you prompting me,I have a clearer memory of Davy Lees [Head Boy] and this lass,who as you suggest was Head Girl.[they were a year older than those in our class ] She was a bonny lass,but a canna mind her name.[glaaky me thinking she was a teacher,cos she resembles my memory of Mrs Nicholson,who was a lovely teacher],[music]. Davy was so well-liked as Head Boy,a real inspiration to all the pupils,that Mr Epsley made a brass trophy,and chromed it in the metalwork class,cos he showed us in the class how it was done using Acid and other elements [Chromium Dioxide? ....] in a big chroming bath. He engraved it with the title..."The Lees Trophy" and it was awarded to the House which gained the most house points each month. Anybody remember it sitting on the little trophy shelves adjacent to each house shield? [I was in Bamburgh..never got the trophy that I can ever remember...it was always Dunstanburgh or sum other house!] Some of the class have changed going into adulthood,that it's getting ti be a puzzle recognising them again after so long! Would that be Davy Lees sitting next to the Head Girl,but I thought He left for college before I left...?..[I have a different picture of what I thought he looked like in my mind!] George Mitcheson doesn't ring a bell Canny Lass. No 13 .....Bobby Cross....?...hmm,he was in my class from 5 yrs old infants ,Whitley,and Westridge School,and was a bloody good actor!![I worked with his Dad..Bobby Senior.. who was an Overman at Choppington High Pit,a real nice fella,just like young Bobby ].....and I was so sure this was Ted Smout who was also in my class all my school life,so much of a resemblance, but after prompting....again! ..and scrutinising,and also referring to my class pic aged 5 yrs at the infants,with reflection,Ted had very fair hair,and Bobby was dark haired. I have to agree it,s Bob![it's aaful wat aad-age does ti ya brain sumtimes! Eggy,please re-name No 16 as Head Girl,till you have her name. Many thanks for bringing back lots of other memories by seeing me old mates,Len ,Eddie,Micky,and Lorna...[she was also in my class all my school life,and a lovely lass all the way through till I left school.]