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Everything posted by HIGH PIT WILMA
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Ian Bell - Funeral arrangements
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Christopher Doyle's topic in Talk of the Town
Great pics Foxy,thanks for sharing them with us. Thanks Web and Merc. It all still seems surreal. -
Ian Bell - Funeral arrangements
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Christopher Doyle's topic in Talk of the Town
Today,one and a half years since my near fatal car crash,and never having been on my new bike,which I bought from Ian Bell [just weeks before my crash],I had my first ride-out.Little did I dream that my first ride-out would be packed in between 500 other bikers,male and female,and following Ian's funeral cortege. I will never forget this day,till the day I die. Ian Bell was the most amiable,jovial,genuine fella that ever walked this planet.....a reet canny bloke who was well-respected,and is going to be missed for a long time by everybody who knew him. I am proud of all the people around the North-East,including Bedlington of course,who stood for more than an hour,[some would have been there a few hours],in pouring rain,to pay tribute to Ian,and show condolence and respect to his Family. Sitting waiting,in turn,to pull out on the road,to join the cortege,was one of the saddest,yet uplifting,days I have ever had. The noise of engines was deafening,and so loud that I couldn't hear my own little beast,which I daren't rev too hard as it is not run in,but I gave it some for Ian! For those who couldn't attend,the sound of applause,followed by the revving of engines,came down the street from Ian's shop,as his coffin came to rest for a minute,like an audio version of a Mexican wave at a football match....it was so emotional,that tears ran as hard as the rain....no kid,and no pussyfooting...fact! The turn-out reminded me of the days in the 1960's,when Bedlington street was lined with people who came for the annual Miners' Picnic,without the bands and the shows. I feel humbled,and privileged , to have been there today to see Ian,while still trying to take it in that we won't see him again. My heart goes out to Ian's Family. Rest in peace.Ian bell. -
Ian Bell Killed in IOM TT race
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to easyhostmedia's topic in Public Notices & Announcements
Yes,Webtrekker,good point,when I took flowers and cards for Ian's Family and the shop Staff,I was impressed by the tributes which were laid,and reading the cards made me well-up,gud and proper. Has there been any funeral details been released yet? -
Ian Bell Motorcycles
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to John Fox (foxy)'s topic in The Bedlingtonshire Consumer
Hi Chris! If a ride-by in Honour of Ian does happen,please post details here,so I can be there. It would be a fitting tribute to a smashing jovial,well-liked and respected lad,who will be sadly missed. I still can't take it in yet,my heart goes out to his Wife and Family. -
Ian Bell Motorcycles
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to John Fox (foxy)'s topic in The Bedlingtonshire Consumer
So sad to have to post this,after Ian's terrible accident at the 2016 TT on the I.O.M. R.I.P IAN BELL. -
I was absolutely stunned and devastated when I got a message from my Brother- in -law at nearly midnight on Friday night,breaking this sad news about canny Ian. I still cannot take it in. My heart and deepest sympathy go out to his Wife and Family,all his staff,and the racing team. He was a true Gentleman,with a great sense of humour,and the ability to make you feel important enough to stop whatever he was doing,to come and have a crack with you. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. I have already paid tribute to him in another posting started by Easyhostmedia,before I saw this one,but I repeat my words with sincerety,and from the bottom of my heart. When I am well enough to have a ride-out,[not fully recovered after last year's crash],I will be thinking of him....his name is on my rear number plate,hopefully for a long time to come. R.I.P. IAN BELL.
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Ian Bell Killed in IOM TT race
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to easyhostmedia's topic in Public Notices & Announcements
Thanks Easyhostmedia for starting this fitting tribute to the canniest fella you would ever wish to meet. I am now wondering where the rest of Bedlington are? -
Ian Bell Killed in IOM TT race
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to easyhostmedia's topic in Public Notices & Announcements
I was devastated to receive a message from my Brother in law,which broke the news about Ian and Carl's terrible accident. It was nearly midnight on Friday night when I got the news,and just couldn't believe what I was reading. My heart goes out to Trudi,and thier family,[first and foremost],Ron and the lads in the shop,and all the team at the track,who will all be broken-hearted. A true Gentleman,well-liked by everybody,and always ready to stop what he was doing,[in the shop],to come over for a bit canny crack. Ian and Ron,together,made you feel like you were the only customer in the shop. Ian will be sadly missed by all who knew him. R.I.P. IAN BELL. -
Grade 11 listed in West Bedlington
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Malcolm Robinson's topic in History Hollow
Hi Maggie!,I took photo's of the first one in your set,[the skull etc..],when my Girl-Friend,[now my Wife of 50 years next year!!]...gave me my first camera,a Halina 35X [35mm],in the year 1963-ish! Between then and now,I can see how much that headstone has weathered,and deteriorated. It was always going to be old,[1790..I think],but it was definately in better condition then...there wasn't as much pollution,acid rain etc,in the years before! We kids used to look at these stones and wondered why on earth somebody would want a skull and [what we were told!], were "Werewolves" at each side [!],put on thier Headstone!,I later learned that the figures were ,in fact, Gargoyles![to keep evil spirits away from the deceased!] If I can find them,I will post them,only for comparison! -
Canny lass,where it says.."Colliery heap-keepers and Heap-lads"...., For the benefit of those who might not know owt aboot pitwark,it wasn't referring to the actual pit heap...as in "spoil-heap"....... The "Heap" was an abbreviation for "Heap-stead",which were the surface buildings surrounding the shaft itself. All activity was centred around the "Heap",from the full coal tubs being pushed out of the cage, by empty ones going into the cage. The full tubs went into the tipplers,which turned them upside down,and in so doing,emptied their load onto a shaker-chute,which fed the coal onto the screening conveyor belts. The tipplers and screens were on two levels,and the person in charge of the whole of the surface area,including timber-yard,washery,etc,was called the "Keeker". The heap-lads were obviously the lads who worked on the "Heap",under the charge of the "Keeker".[at least up in our pits,i.e.,it may have been different down south,where lots of mining terms were different to ours.] Just a thought! Great bit of research you did! I have memories of playing in the half-demolished terraced houses down Glebe road,after being at the Saturday afternoon matinee,no security barriers around the derelict buildings,it was a case of Friday night 5-0pm finish for the demolishers,doon tools,and away for a pint!......walls and floors left just hanging!![a great place for kids to play!]....probably around 1954-5..ish? [give or take a year or two!]
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Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
"The evil that men do lives after them....." Not a truer word written....ever! Auld Willie knew summik we didn't knaa....lukking back on British History!! -
Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
It's me as usual man!.....not thier falt......!!!!! Trubble is,Eggy,aa write like a taak...gaan roond the toon ti get ti Bedltn.....![MTH..!] Apologies to all! .....and I am an honourable man....! -
Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
Spot on,Webtrekker! We learned the "I" before "E" bit also,Canny Lass,but not the last bit ...."Neighbour and Weigh"....mind,wor English lessons didn't gaan inti sum of these levels that you and others are quoting!....never heard of a "Paradigm" ....for example......or a pnuemanic...or whatever it was..A wuz gud at the level of English we were taught.[ mind....ye wadn't think se'...!] -
Heh heh! I thought my last post was topical...didn't realise it was on page one! Nivvor mind,on this subject I always had old cars,[not bangers..just old!],and did all my own repairs and maintenance,from1969 till just a few years ago when ill-health stopped all that! A few times, sometimes in the Scottish highlands away from civilisation, I had to crack an egg into the radiator,in the days when they were mounted at the front,with a direct access filler cap. Rev the engine very gently,and in ten seconds......hard- poached egg blocking the hole....as well as the rest of that section of matrix!! That's what Radweld did also,blocked your system! Thowt nowt of hoying the cylinder heed off and de-coking the top-end....new valve-springs and seals,polish the ports,grind the valves in with a wood dowel and a rubber sucker.......set the twin S.U.'s with a length of rubber hose ti ya ear,and the other end in the carb venturi......ssssssssssssssssssssssss!! Aye,a canna see me battery noo,nivvor mind me engine! Redex was a penny a "Shot",so you got a couple of gallons,and a couple of shots....cud nivvor afford a full tank of juice in them days![Ford Anglia 105E 1961.....but aa got it in 1968..needed new wings and door pillars welding!] The Vauxhall Signum that was written off last year in the hit and run-stolen car-cloned number plates,was 13 years old and still pretty immaculate,all the exposed inner sections were like new![they were ripped away like paper,due to the force of the impact..] Different tale to the Vauxhalls of the 60's!!
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Curling tongs used to be heated on the fireplace !! Maggie,the Hurricane Annual pic takes me back! Just the pic,not the book!,as a kid,I was obsessed with drawing helicopters exactly as seen here.... I have old archive material from my childhood days,remnants of sketch pads,with exactly this type of image,drawn by me....circa 1954-0n! It was either a chopper or a speedboat that I sketched...always! My first house was an old colliery house,with wall sockets wired from the lighting circuit,with white twin 12 volt shotfiring cable from the pit! I found out by innocently plugging a dimplex oil-filled radiator into our bedroom wall socket....guess what happened!....[around 1970-ish].
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Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
Orloff,it's clear that it didn't sink in to my brain what you have said about "Their"...!!! I still wrote "Their's" !....cos we say "Oh.it's their's"....don't we?...or should we not?! Thinking about my Teachers treating me as an adult,and part of the production,and technical team,at 14yrs old,makes me think....would that happen nowadays? Ye see,in them days,I had Mr Johnson,[War-time radio officer R.A.F.],Mr Hemming,[Headmaster,and ex-R.A.F. Met. Officer,stationed on the Shetland Islands during the war],Mr Dodds at the Whitley,[ex-Army War-time soldier],Mr Davidson[Ditto],Danny Douglas,[ex -Army P.T.instructor war-time ],among some I cannot bring to mind.... ....oh!....shame on me!....Matty Hall,famous old Matty,[ex-Army soldier and boxing champion..and good singer to boot!] NOO!,when ye have experiences from teachers like that passed on ti ye during lessons,and after school-time,in my case,it helps ti bring ye ti maturity quicker! They were all past equivalents of H.P.W.,with all thier stories,of which I was keen to learn from! B.B., sad to hear aboot Rocky passing away,I knew him all my life,he was a Millfielder,and a funny character! R.I.P. Rocky Thornton. -
Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
Hi Orloff! Thanks for that,but that isn't the problem,I was just about top for English and grammar,and know my Apostrophe's.....it's always got me when I write "Their's" .....or "Thier's"......it's the placing of the "i"...and "e"...it's the same when I write "Teusday",one minute it's "eu",and the next minute I am writing "ue"! Take notice of any of my long ramblings! I can spell words like "Antidisestablishmentarianism"...fast ,verbally,and straight off the cuff,but.."Tuesday"......!!!!!nivvor mind! ,as lang as aal these canny folk on here understand,it's not the end of the EU....[OH NO!!...Definately NOT intended!] Eggy,B.B. agrees that no1 is Ted Smout..known him all my life,but just thought it could have been a lookalike! Error on no5....SHOULD read "Micky Lucas"..[not Lewis]....he was the Son of the desk Sargeant at Bedlington Top-end Police Station,in the 1950's,[a real nice smashing-natured lad who was 6ft when he was 14 yrs old!]. He was the Soothsayer in the first production.[and a bloody good actor as well!] I was the worst actor that ever disgraced the stage..[a better guitarist in later life but I digress!],my role in this production was one that neither the cast nor the audience ever knew of. I was still in the Hall at ten o' clock at night most nights,along with Mr Johnson,Mr Marley,and ,Mr Freeman,as one of the technical team,wiring high voltage multi-connector plugs,wiring up lighting rig patch-leads,giving opinions,and being accepted as part of the team,as well as being called "Bill"...and not by my surname,as you were in class!! Mr Johnson sent everything over to me during Science class lessons,that the girls used to bring down from the cookery and domestic science classes,that needed electrical repairs doing,like irons,etc That was my enjoyment at school! -
Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
Heh heh! Cheers BB!,that's a big chinkaplonka! A was a bit hackley there,cos when a came oot thi pits,a worked wi yungings in factories who had nivvor done a hard days work in tha lives,and when they started wi thi yakka stuff....a had ti .....quiet them doon a bit.cos it wasn't banter...it was slaaver!![even a shop-floor forman tried it on,he was a toonie,and a quietened him doon an aal,he tuk thi huff for a a day or two,then we were aal reet after that.] As a said,me skins like bell metal,nowt,and a mean nowt,offends me personally,but a respect aal the aad ones..[and a lot of young ones] who died doon the pits, including close friends..... Friendly banter is wat kept us gaanin doon the stinking black holes we worked in,comradeship second to none! Just ti clear a point up,a was thinking t'otha neet,oot wi Little Black Jess,[me partner in crime!],aboot Choppington High Pit,the Power Loading Agreement wasn't in place,when aa worked there,they were still on piecework-bargain systems,where the men put in tenders for cutting,drilling ,hand-filling,stonework,etc. Ye wud gaan inti the pit-baths on a Friday afternoon,and see the coalfiller's spokesman,laying oot piles of pound-notes in little heaps,in a line!! They wud be laying oot each of thier marra's pay,from the bulk payment they collected from the pay-office. Can ye imagine that happening noo?! Aa was on a contract system at eighteen years aad,nearly nineteen,humping heavy-section steel girders in to the the whole pit,every roadway,along with the lad who nicknamed me Wilma,[Kieth Cooney...deceased..R.I.P. Kieth..which will be difficult as lang as HPW is knocking aboot.....nivvor a day gaans by withoot ye being taaked aboot,in the aad days!] Back ti Westridge,a saw Derek Wales at the weekend,in Rothbury,with he's Wife,also an old neighbour/friend,who a haven't seen virtually since we both left school,in 1959. It was a pleasure on both sides to see each other again,as we were brought up together from the infant school days,and played together. I mentioned the discussion we are having here,and he said straight out he started in 1956!...and his Wife spoke up also in agreement,cos she started a year or two later,but they grew up together also in my neighbourhood,and remembered clearly,when he left the Whitley!! Until I can access my school reports and other documents,which have been boxed up since moving here in 2000,in the dark loft,alang wi the xmas tree stuff and countless other items of stuff stored there!!!......aam thinking we'll hae ti put it on hold! A think aav even got the programme booklet for Julius Caesar in there as well,that wud be interesting ti lay hands on,wi the full cast on,and names aav forgotten! A said before, that Lynne Hayes played Portia,but after brain-searching,it came to that it was Calpurnia that she played,cos a can see her noo,plain as day,telling Caesar how ,in her bad dream,that.."Ghosts did shriek and squeal about the night..".etc etc. Bobby Cross had the hairs on us other cast members' heads,prickling on the back of our necks,and he had a very rousing standing ovation,rightly deserved,he was better than the Marlon Brando clip which I have seen on u-tube,and which,to me,was pretty bland and his eyes display the fact he is reading off a script-prompter!! I'm referring to his assassination,and burial speeches in particular,he made the audience sit up and take notice,when he screamed out...."Cry HAVOC!..and let slip the dogs of war....."....etc. It was funny,later on,when he was shotfirer in "The Stars Look Down",on the telly,the men had told the Pit-owner that there was water in old workings that they were driving towards,and he ignored their warnings. Bobby fired the shots and a disaster happened...they were all killed,in a roof fall,and inrush of water! His Dad was an Overman at Choppington High Pit,at the time,in the early 1960's,and I always used to be asking how Bobby was getting on. The day after that episode,I saw old Bobby,down the pit,and remarked how good Bobby had acted his part. Old Bobby,replied..."Aa divvent knaa aboot that,cos he fired one bliddy shot and closed the bliddy place!!!" Old Bob's kindly facial expression,as he said it,had me creasing up!! I heard later that young Bobby had went into Journalism,which had been his ambition from aboot 11,or 12 years old,when Mr Davidson quizzed all the class individually,what ambitions they had. I wanted to be a radio engineer,[before we all had telly's],but when it came to our final exams in 1959,HPW was near the top for all the important subjects,English,Technical drawing,Metalwork,....and rock bottom with Maths!! The results were pinned up in the Vestibule,[.....vestibule.....wat's wrang wi bliddy "corridor"?........fancy bliddy nyems..!],anywheh,Hpw had 4% ,no kid!![which gave the bullying gang a reet hoot,with mair bullying in the following days till thi day I left!] I had jumped from long division at the Whitley,to Algebra,Logarithms,simple and compound interest,at Westridge,with such a wide gap,it was impossible for me to catch up. No maths,No radio engineer's job![even though radio engineers generally never use maths!,that's what test gear is for!] So i went doon thi pit! Incidentally,I wasn't "chosen" to go into Upper Remove,me and other friends went in voluntarily,after requesting with Mr Hemming. He took me around all my class teachers,and they all gave me a glowing reference ,so into the Remove I went...halfway through a term syllabus,I didn't half make life difficult for myself!! The only reason I did that,was because the Remove classes had unlimited access to the school library,with two free periods a week from lessons,called "Private study periods". Books on Electronics were hard to get at the Station library,but they had a whack of modern[then!]books which I used to borrow constantl;y,and use my private study periods to bury my head in amongst ECC3,EL84'S,and 12ax7 valve specifications,as well as Short-wave radio circuit diagrams,formulae etc.... What a reason to subject yasell ti torture,bullying,homework,.....etc....etc!! Aye,a was a bit clivvor,on thi one hand,and mighty stupid,on thi other....live and learn eh?!! Maggie,aam sorry a didn't reply to your supporting comments straight away,thanks a lot as always!! BB,any of your escapades or memories wud be well appreciated!! Can ye remember the Dairy farm owa thi road from the school? We watched the whole herd of coos slowly making their way up to be milked,every day,at the same time,in a lang slow line!! Watched one coo give birth beside the road,owa from thi school main gate,one day,caught short,cos they normally kept well away from society,when giving birth,usually at the bottom of the field,in the corner.,but aal the otha coos stood thickly aroond the mother in labour,protecting her and keeping her and the caaf warm.[caaf=calf!]......Mighty powerful is Mother Nature! [on a closing note...I have always had a problem with "Their's"...or is it....."Thier's"?] -
Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
HI BB! Thanks for your comments,though I don't see the need to degenerate the discussion by using derogatory terms for the miners[pit-yakka's],who kept the country going through it's worst periods in British history. No offence to me personally cos I have skin like bell-metal!! Anyway,Julius Caesar above,was the second edition....so to speak! We did that in 1958,with Trevor Hale as Brutus,Len Thompson as Cassius,Me as Publius..[with two lines!],Bob Cross as Mark Antony,Lynn Hayes as Portia,Micky Lucas as the Soothsayer...["Beware the Ides of March...."].....and still racking my brain....!!!! Mr Marley was pulling his hair oot,trying ti get HPW [Publius],to use proppa English for my two lines!! ....as the soothsayer approaches Caesar.....my line was...."Sirrah.....give place"....[forcefull...slightly middle-to-upward inflection....] My version......."Sirraa.....give plaaace.."..[typical northumbrian downward threatening inflection!!....not what Mr Marley wanted!!] "Good morrow,Caesar".........[happy bright greeting!] HPW..."Gud morra Ceeza"!!!!!! [dull moronic tone ....being forced ti dae summik a didn't want ti dae!] Mr Marley just had to live wi it,the audience nivvor tuk nae notice of it anyway! Micky Lucas is number 5 above,Derek Goodall is number 3,and a cud be wrang,but number 1 is the spit of Ted Smout,who's Dad had the first bookie's in Bedlington and was an instructor in the training gallery at Bedlington A pit. It wud be the second time for Bob Cross and Micky Lucas,on this photo;Isobel Clough and Me played together as little bairns,and I later worked beside her Dad at Choppington High Pit. Sandra Short was in my class all the way from the infant school at the Market Place in Bedlington. Aal the kids in Middle Remove bar Geoff Cross,and Tom Logan,Rocky Thornton,are unknown to me,as I left in 1959. -
I second that one Maggie....let's hope....!!
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Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
Ah! NOO! ,wa getting sumwheor! Ye see,aa started when Westridge school opened its doors for the very first day,full stop!......in 1956,after the four weeks school holidays! When ye left school,in 1961,aa was alriddy daeing a man's job,for a man's full pay,doon Choppington High Pit,and had been for two years![nowt proud ti be bragging aboot,just a plain simple true fact!] Thi first pitman who was ever in charge of me for the statutory 20-day period of close personal supervision just happened to be a canny fella caaled Pat..[Patrick] Purcell....who was the Father of one of my Upper Remove classmates,a lovely lass caaled........Pat Purcell! She was a clever lass,and I think she stayed on for her GCE exams..leaving in 1960. Noo a nivvor wanted ti dae this but aam gaana hev ti ti prove me integrity,against all those who must think aa divvent knaa hoo owld I am,and wat day a started a new school! So here we go! Classmates in the remove class..[first the bullying gang who were also good athletes and sportsmen],Trevor Hale,gangleader!,Ian Cambell,Jimmy Scott,Billy Brown,[me Hollymount Square neighbour and friend],......then....Eddie Hedley..[nice lad!],Mickey Lucas,[Seargant Lucas's Son],[gud mate!],Derek McGregor,[ditto],Barry [?]........ ...then me ex-Whitley School mates.....Bob Cross..[brilliant actor and student,had a part as a Shotfirer in a coalmine in a weekly drama called "The Stars Look Down",on TYNE-TEES Television,...his Father was an Overman down Choppington High Pit!],Dennis Green..[his Dad was Engineer in charge of Bedlington A pit],Martin Nicholson,,Myself....[a mr nobody!], a big ginger lad called Len Thompson,[a real nice lad!],.....I think,[may be mistaken mind!],that Councillor Alan Stewart,was also there,[he was in my old infants and Whitley Memorial classes all through school life!].Noo,the lasses were...Pat Purcell,Isobel Bowman,Rosemary Oliver,Lynne Hayes,Joan Hogg,Joan Henderson,Lorna Barker,Joan Holdsworth,........to mention a few,not forgetting my class teacher Mr Marley. Can you never remember one solitary lad who always went into the science Lab at every breaktime,to mess about with old valve pre-war radio sets,and electronic stuff?..that was me!......any stuff from the domestic science classes that needed repairing,such clothes irons,and also the stage multi-plugs etc,for drama productions,all came to me during my science lessons with Mr Johnson,he would tell the girls or whoever,to "take it across to Bill and he will fix it..".......I was about 14 yrs old at the time,and Mr Johnson put his full trust in my skills with Electricity and electronic stuff![and I wish he was still here to bear me out!] One day,when the Grand National ,[or some big Horse race] was on the radio,I was in the science lab during break,as usual,when Trevor Hale and he's gang...[!!!!!!] came and threatened to fill me in if I didn't let them in to the lab,[door was locked by me,on Mr Johnson's orders],cos they wanted me to fix up a radio I was building with Mr Johnson's help.[to listen to the big race,as they had bets on........!] I had to submit,cos they were gonna smash the glass to get in. They came in,I got the radio tuned in,[this was an experimental project...open chassis-valves-high voltages!..and speaker just lying open on the bench.].....and just because his horse lost,Trevor went mental and picked up a big screwdriver,and rammed it repeatedly through the paper cone of the speaker,destroying it completely. When Mr Johnson came back from the common room,after dinner break,and saw the speaker,he asked me wat had happened. I remember being ashamed for saying that I didn't know,cos he had trusted leaving the key in the door for me to lock when he was out. He asked if I had let anyone in and of course I pleaded ignorant.After that,Mr Johnson wouldn't allow me to stay in the lab without his presence,and he was always still very amiable with me,like old mates once the soldering iron was on and we were building projects. I think he knew I was taking the rap for someone else,and as all the years went by,I hoped some day that I would see him,and have a good old man to man with him again..about old times,but sadly,never got the chance. Trev,if you ever come on here ,be a man,give an apology,and let's have a laugh at how stupid we all were when we young! R.I.P. Frank Johnson..my mentor in electronics. Noo,I was nearly top for English,Technical Drawing,Science,Metalwork,Music,.....but bottom,and I mean BOTTOM!,,for Mathematics...with just 4% in the final year exams,so I left in 1959,and went straight down the Pit....following all my Family heritage.["Number Dyslexia" I called it.....just couldn't grasp Logarithms!] The first day at Westridge lasted about an hour,with Mr Hemming telling us [all 500 pupils],that we were being sent home,because the Stationer's had renaged on thier contract,and we had no books,no pens ,no art materials,no registers,......nothing! So we started properly the next day,and just wandered about the whole place to familiarise ourselves with the School's layout. Were you there that day,Barby?.....of course you weren't,cos this was in 1956!!.......NOW!,can we put the matter to bed! Cheers Marra! Let's not forget that buildings and big infrastructure projects,like town relief roads etc,open far in advance of the "Official" opening date,and I think that's how there is a bit confusion about Westridge...but definitaley 1956! -
Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
Hi Blue Barby! The school Headmaster,and Mr Platts,[Nothumberland Schools Governer] as well as Mr Freeman,[maths],Mr Johnson,[science],all tried for an hour,in the Headmaster's office,to persuade me to stay on for the extra year,to take G.C.E.'S ,but I was adamant not to,and so left at fifteen,and went down the pit!...that was in 1959. I was an electronics whizzkid,at 14 yrs,but bottom for Maths,which was a compulsory subject,so I left. Plus,a certain element of my class,one of whom was the Northumberland champion Runner [T.H],verbally bullied me for a year or two,and I told no-one...not a soul! Only my classmates knew and they used to encourage me to ignore the lot of the bullies,who,incidentally,were cowards when on thier own!! One of them was a good cricketer,at 14yrs old,[batsman],and I often see the same name in the sports page of the Leader,and wonder if it is his Son who is on the team....[I. CAMBELL] SO after all that,I was pleased to see the back of Westridge,the day I left,in the summer of 1959! I am wondering how you left in 1961,after staying on the extra year? Got me puzzled....typo? Heh heh!,I often wonder how everybody got on in life,and if the bullies had kids who were bullied themselves,what they would be saying to them! -
Heh heh! Thanks Maggie! I try !
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Bedlington Village School, Church Lane - old phot
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
Number two is the spit of who I think is Morgan Dawson.[Had a younger Brother called Ronnie ] went to the Whitley Memorial School after the Infants School,as we all did. -
Westridge - End of term class photos
HIGH PIT WILMA replied to Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)'s topic in History Hollow
Noo,thas summik funny happening wi this,cos aa didn't put any different font in,and it was okay when a proof-read it!! Same thing happened t'otha neet,me greet lang story had half of it crossed through with continuous lines! Is it my Laptop,or a glitch on the site ?