Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

9 hours ago, pat nee McIntyre said:

So is the building still standing? I live in London but maybe one day can get up there!

This is the Google Street View image 2024 but no idea how much the house would have changed since The Odfellows Arms was there

1 hour ago, pat nee McIntyre said:

Hi. I've found out that my grandma's uncle was John Maddison Hanson who ran Oddfellows Arms in Bedlington. She lived with him till she married.

@pat nee McIntyre a few years back a member, @Reedy, posted a list of pubs that his dad could remember and among the names was the Oddfellows Arms. he also had an old newspaper cutting .

In 2017 a member, @dunlinds, posted info of the pub :-   

                                   and  @Canny lass was doing some research in 2022 on something else but in her research she identfied where the Odfellows pub had been located = Front Street East. This is the old map she marked where the pub would have been :-

An old photo naming the Odfellows Arms was found but I can't recall who found it or where it was found. We joined the info from reedy, the old photo, and a Google street view of 2016 to show where it was though to be :-

@Gary Mills rather than post numerous comments into the Netgherton album(s) in the Gallery section I have created this entry in History Hollow for you.

Your question :- 

@pat nee McIntyre The only Robinson shop I can recall was the newsagent on Front Street East in the 1960's but no idea if that shop went back to the c1920s. There was an advert published in a 1947 St Cuthbert's Parish Magazine with Robinson's in :-

@Malcolm George Allan - No 23 - Muriel Cutter (now Gordon) has been contacted and she replied :-' I saw your post about Malcolm wanting to get in touch.  I do hope to attend  the get together on Sunday 14 September at 7.30 pm; I’ve put this in my diary.'

This info posted by @johndawsonjune1955 of this group and the Facebook group  Past Times History group :-

When the last Northumberland Miners Picnic was held in Bedlington in 1989 this program was on sale and Malcolm Robinson posted a copy within this group :-

@Malcolm George Allan there are a couple of albums, created by 'Blank' &  under the gallery/Historic Bedlington section.

Tese are direct links to the albums :-

The only photos with harold Wilson on that I have come across are these two that are said to be 1958 by the member of a Facebook group that posted them.

Passing the Market Place on the way to Atlee Park :-

This one looks like they are just passing the wall of St Cuthbert's church opposite the begingof front Street East :-

23 minutes ago, Malcolm George Allan said:

Hi Alan I am a bit rusty with my definitions as I am now retired but had some experience in Workers Co-operative sector. Have found out some interesting things. From the Community Right to Buy introduced as part of the Localism Act 2011.

There are 4 categories as follows.

Community Right to Buy.

Community Buy Out

Community Asset Transfer.

Community Right to bid.

That allows community groups to nominate land or buildings as "Assets of Community Value" that does not guarantee the community the right to buy but it does trigger a process where the Community gets first opportunity to bid when an asset is put up for sale

I have been reading about Bedlington Terriers and the problems they have as a Community Interest Company (CIC) with a company that wants the Bedlington Terriers to vacate the ground that has been part of the local football fabric for a very long time.

If the Bedlington Terriers could look at those 4 categories that I have displayed and they got some legal advice from a Co-operative Development Body in the region this could be of some assistance in their case of keeping Bedlington Terriers at their home ground for years to come.

I don't know if this would be helpful in anyway as there is a very pro-active councillor Malcolm I am not familiar with his surname so apologies for that but he might be interested in this Localism Act 2011 and the categories that could benefit the Bedlington Community in the future as a form of building up Community Assets.

I hope this is helpful information.

Yours in the Spirit of Co-operation.

Malcolm. 

Cheers @Malcolm George Allan

I would guess the very ative councilor you are thinking abouit is Malcolm Robinson who often posts info on the work the local council is doing, or not doing.

@Malcolm George Allan - whats a 'Community right to build'? 

I only know I have seen many comments on the online groups about a new swimming pool in Bedlington and I believe it has been discussed many times by the West Bedlington Council but never had the go ahead

In the 1950's we walked walked to Humford baths and it was 3d for the whole 8 hours Wilf kept it open

Back in 2016-17 we created a couple of Then & Now images :-

In the Gallery section of this group under Historic Bedlington there ia an album with images of Humford. This is a direct link to that album :- 

On 12/07/2025 at 14:30, Malcolm George Allan said:

Hi Alan would like to thank you for your assistance in my efforts in trying to locate past classmates and friends in the Bedlington and Wansbeck area now have had a few good responses also I would like to extend a invitation to you to attend the get together at the Red Lion in Bedlington time 7 pm on Sunday 14th September 2025.

Keep well. 

Thanks from Malcolm.

@Malcolm George Allan - I have replied to you via the private Message system. 

@Malcolm George Allan I screenshot the three replies you did for Margaret, Kevin & Trish and posted them next to each of their comments on the Bygone Bedlington group.

Only one reply up to now :-

but if anyone else responds on the Faceboo group I will update this post.

3 hours ago, Malcolm George Allan said:

Hi Bill Straughan I remember you we used to play on your farm you had a brother it would be great if you can make it Bill on Sunday 14th September 2025 at the Red Lion at 7pm as going to Morpeth then visit Bedlington on that Sunday as  I will be with my friend Diane from Ipswich, Pat Byrne now Trish Cook says she would come along with Janet Common, Mary Mathews or anybody else who wants to join this band of Merry Pranksters? Keep well Bill hope to see you in September. 

 

 

@Malcolm George Allan if you start the name of the member of this group you are replying to with an @ immediately followed by the persons name then their name will appear and if you select that the system  'Tags' the member you are responding to. eg @Bill Straughan

17 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

Hi Ken,and welcome to the forum!

Elliot's Farm was,in the fruiting season,the scene of many a generation of excited kids going to raid the Apples and Plums..especially in the late 40's/early to mid 50's post war austerity years..but even as late as into the late 70's,when my own Son's generation ,the local kids in the street..it was their place of adventure!

The farm was demolished some years ago when the EARTH BALANCE PROJECT was established on the site of the farm,some of the old original stone walling still stands as an unrecognised "memorial"!

The site has now altered once more with "THE SHED" ,and "THE TOBY HENDERSON TRUST",and other small projects quite well established,and is on the A1147 road at Bomarsund opposite a row of bungalows called Prospect Cottages.

Do you have any old photo's of the farm..it would be great to see if you have!!

Cheers Bill.

@HIGH PIT WILMA & @ken d is this it - Then 1938 & Now 2005:-

13 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

Hi HPW, It's been a while! What is a Blue card? I'd guess it's a seniors card for health or access benefits, (earned with 50+ years of toil) it's the same here, all governments departments either give you a telephone operator that can't speak English or keep passing you onto another department, all designed to make you give up trying! AND have gone paperless which doesn't help those seniors without telephones or computers... press 0 if you get this message..or 9 if you didn't.

@Vic PattersonBlue Badges are for disabled drivers to use when parking in the disabled car parking spaces and on yellow lines on main roads. 

Has to be renewed every 3 years

@Malcolm George Allan and this one from Trish Cook :-

1 hour ago, Bill Straughan said:

Im Bill Straughan lived on Hartford road, Lane Farm, Bedlington.  I'm on the back row of the picture. Also interested in your September get together. 

Photo with all names added :-

I will correct the spelling of your surname (No6) but at the moment the PC I use for adding info etc. to photos is out of action - should be repaired next week🤞

@Malcolm George Allan see above response from @Bill Straughan

Not a massive reesponse from the Bygone Bedlington members - just the following comments :-

2 hours ago, Malcolm George Allan said:

Hi Alan I am on Facebook will check out Bygone Bedlington also if you want to 'screenprint' my opening comment to Bygone Bedlington would appreciate that and I could see the results on this page. Thanks.

@Malcolm George Allan this screen shot posted on the Bygone bedlington FB group :-

@Malcolm George Allan - do youuse Facebook?

There is a facebook group - Bygone Bedlington with 6.7k members - that should have some ex Westridge pupils. If you naren't on Facebook would you like me to 'screenprint' your opening comment and I will post in on the Bygone Bedlington group and if there are any replies, worthy of passing on, I will screeprint them and post them on here for you to see

18 hours ago, Malcolm George Allan said:

Hi it's me again, just done some research as there was a photograph of the Westridge Class so here are the names.

Colin Ellis, John Anysley, Janet Read, Marion Laws, Carol Graves, Janet Nicholson, Esther Hartle, Barbara Potts, Janet Common, Mary Mathews, Irene Rickleton, Avril Prime, Maureen Purvis ,Pat Foreshaw, Harry Stapely I think he lives in Swansea in Wales now. Harry Standard, Alan Coultas, David Potts and apologies forgot Christian name Strawn he used to live on the farm on the Newcastle Road. So there you go thanks for photograph posted with most of the names apologies if I got any names wrong as it's a long time ago and we look so young.

So if anybody knows any of those named and they are still in the Bedlington area please contact this page and leave a message. Thank You Malcolm G Allan. 

@Malcolm George Allan welcome to the group. Unfortunately there are very few active members visiting this group. I am not an ex Westridge pupil but I do recognise a couple of the names you have listed but can't recall anyone your list active within this group. 

These are some of the names of members of this group who went to to Westridge and comment within the group - @HIGH PIT WILMA - @Canny lass -& @Symptoms

This is a drirect link to the estridge scool album created under the Gallery/Historic Bedligton section of this group :-

@Susan J-D - I also had a look thrrough the 1866 to 1920 ordenance Survey maps but coulldn't find a 'Home Farm' in the Netherton - Bedlington or Ashington areas.

What's the postcode, cos I can't see a current local Home Farm Estate, that you checked? 

On 21/06/2025 at 09:44, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@Susan J-D Home farm has had a mentio before within this group but indepth research. If you use the 'Search' facility (magnifying glass) and input - "Home Farm" (quotation marks a must) you will be returned two old topics where the phrase was used but the only mention of it's whereabouts is one comment saying it was on Netherton Lane.

I will have a look on the old maps and see if I can find anything and I will let you know one way or the other🤞. Have you looked at any old maps?

Should say ............... mention before within this group but NO indepth research

18 hours ago, Susan J-D said:

Hi I have just joined and was searching for Coney Garth Farm and Home Farm. I noticed this stream and the info on Coney Garth Farm my Great Grandfsther was apparently a dairy manager there. He lived at Home Farm and was down as Farm.Manager . I have pictures of my Granfather , my mother and Aunt as young girls . I just wondered if anyone had information about Home Farm and where it is I think it is a housing estate. Many thanks Susan

@Susan J-D Home farm has had a mentio before within this group but indepth research. If you use the 'Search' facility (magnifying glass) and input - "Home Farm" (quotation marks a must) you will be returned two old topics where the phrase was used but the only mention of it's whereabouts is one comment saying it was on Netherton Lane.

I will have a look on the old maps and see if I can find anything and I will let you know one way or the other🤞. Have you looked at any old maps?

Update for those who don't have facebook :-

https://www.northumberlandline.uk/post/bedlington-station-construction-update