Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

20 hours ago, Maggie/915 said:

Good to know that our History is being noted .

Maybe a little note about why this name is being used would help.

Thanks Eggy.

Maggie - I have never found a load of info on The Puddler's connected to the Iron Works. There again I haven't really looked that far, just via Google! 

Never found a photo of the type of puddling furnace that was used at the Bedlington Ironworks.

From the info that is around 'the puddlers' were a breed of their own, and imported into many steel & railway production areas in England. As the old maps show the name Puddlers was used for roads, houses and a pub.

Extracts from a couple of www sites and and a concocted photo to follow :- 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedlington_Ironworks

Bedlington Ironworks, in Blyth Dene, Northumberland, England, operated between 1736 and 1867. It is most remembered as the place where wrought iron rails were invented by John Birkinshaw in 1820, which triggered the railway age, with their first major use being in the Stockton and Darlington Railway opened in 1825, about 45 miles (72 km) to the south. Blyth Dene, near Bedlington, was an idyllic location next to the River Blyth which had all the right ingredients for an ironworks at the time: there were nodules of ironstone in the coal laden banks of the river, there was plenty of wood for the traditional approach of charcoal making, water for driving the hammers, and the port of Blyth was only two miles downriver for shipping of the products. At the time, a Shropshire man, Abraham Darby had started a revolution in ironmaking by using coke instead of charcoal. The Bedlington ironworks originally consisted of two elements – a mill in Bebside and a furnace at Bedlington Mill

The ancient corn mill at Bedlington was taken over in 1759 by Malings & Co of Sunderland, who built a blast furnace for foundry work. However they did not do well. Later there was a forge driven by a huge water wheel and a puddling furnace which needed the coal that was all around.

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Bedlington_Ironworks

The dawn of the nineteenth century saw Hawks and Longridge still in command of the Bedlington Iron Works. The discoveries by Abraham Darby, the introduction of the puddling furnace and the rolling mills were all contemporary happenings of the early Bedlington iron workers. The "ironmen" of Bedlington undoubtedly established their trade well into the eighteenth century, by expanding business and spreading the name of the firm.

1855 The locomotive factory was closed down. The cost of transit was far too great, and competition was too much to contend with.

The Bedlington Coal Co purchased the iron works in 1865 and traded as Bedlington Iron Co. The intention was to manufacture iron mouldings for their own use and for outside sales. But little was made of it and the iron works were finally abandoned in 1867. Bedlington Coal Company did sell one possession of the Ironworks in 1867 and that was the famous wagon way, which went from Blyth to the Tyne Railway Company.

From Bedlington ‘time line’ http://www.sixtownships.org.uk/bedlington-time-line.html

1864 Dixon & Mounsey built twenty-one cottages named Puddlers Row

Rootsweb site  http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/NORTHUMBRIA/2005-06/1119510958 has one researcher giving this info :-

The terraced "cottages" that housed the "puddlers" from the Bedlington Iron Works were called Puddlers Lane, Row and Road.

Today they are Stead Lane and Jubilee Terrace. Today's "Bank Top Hotel" was once the Puddlers Arms.

To get "half" a view of the area, go to >communities.northumberland.gov.uk< choose "Bedlington", from left hand menu, click on "Ordnance Maps"

The 1st Edition 1860 6" map showing the town/village of Bedlington only shows a wee bit of Bedlington Station, and the Ironworks. See it at extreme right hand of map.

See Puddlers Row, running north from Furnace Bank to the Railway Station (Jubilee Terrace today.). The un-named road running west from Bank Top to Bedlington proper, was to become Stead Lane. Although the map does not make it clear, this lane was on the very edge of a gorge, running down to the River Blyth. At one time this was known as Puddlers Lane. Area is also to be seen on 2nd edition 6" map of 1897. Apity that map are focused on Bedlington, and not Bedlington Station.

And an extract from a newsletter on the http://www.eastbedlingtonpc.org.uk/ site by Councillor Allan Stewart :-

Councillor Allan Stewart, Chair of the Environment Working Group commented that “the Puddlers are now more accessible to parishioners with mobility problems allowing

them to enjoy the swathes of daffodils in the spring and the floral displays in summer”. He added “for those unfamiliar with the local name for the Stead Lane, a ‘Puddler’ was involved in the process of puddling which turned pig into wrought iron and has an  obvious connection with the former Iron Works nearby”.

And finally my image concoction - extracts from two old maps and although they do not join perfectly most of the relevant info is still there + current google aerial view of the new houses - Coquetdale, Steadlands Square, Tosson Close & the location of the two PUDDLERS DRIVE street signs :- 

No. 13 - Jim Routledge

On 1/2/2016 at 14:58, tonyg said:

this is the photo I mentioned

41 of the 44 children identified. Anyone know any of the last 3 to name?

Maggie  - another Top End Infant school photo . This one c1954 and posted on Bygone Bedlington by Valerie Orr and looking to name any of the children. 

Puddlers reincarnates itself! Driving through Bedlington today and decided to have a quick look at Coquetdale Place & Steadlands Square expecting all the new builds of where the aerie houses where to be complete. When I turned in at SteadlandsSquare/Wood Lane and then turned right expecting to pass Tosson Close was a street sign for PUDDLERS DRIVE.

As I don't posses a mobile device, for taking photos, I didn't get a picture.

Checked on the NCC web site and found :-

08/00413/FUL | Demolition of no 7 and 8 Tosson Close and the erection of 10no two storey dwellings and 2no three storey dwellings (amended plans received 02.02.2009) | Land On East Side Of Tosson Close U6550 Tosson Close/wood Lane Bedlington Northumberland
Full Address: 10 Puddlers Drive Bedlington Northumberland NE22 5GZ - Property Description: Puddlers Drive - Street: U6550 Coquetdale Place/tosson Close :-

https://publicaccess.northumberland.gov.uk/online-applications/propertyDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=L1ON3FQS03X0P

On 2/4/2016 at 19:57, Symptoms said:

There's still 1500 gas streetlamps being used in London, complete with a squad of  lamp-lighters who go around winding-up the clockwork timers.  There was an article in the beloved Guardian about it last year ... I tried to paste the link but failed (on my Android phone).  Just Google "gas streetlamps in London" to find the Guardian link.

 

More pictures in The Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2848038/The-magical-job-Britain-Enchanting-story-gas-street-lights-five-men-burning-just-did-Dickens-day.html

1 hour ago, Steve said:

I run a local computer shop, and as such I come across a lot of people wondering about upgrading to windows 10, although I have to say the vast majority who had windows 7 or windows 8 have already upgraded.

Asides from some early issues with windows 10 itself, overall the upgrade process has went smooth, with the extreme majority of software continuing to run absolutely fine.

During the first 30 days after upgrading to windows 10, you can 'roll back' your installation to how it was before the upgrade.

The FREE windows 10 upgrade is offered if your hardware is capable (although in some cases barely) and you have a qualifying version of windows currently installed on your machine. This free upgrade will be offered up until June or July of this year, so if you want it for free you still have 5 or 6 months to decide. Most people who have the horrible windows 8 will have upgraded already.

Some older hardware that was NOT supported in windows 7 or 8 might even work again in windows 10, although as the posts above suggest there is a possibility of the opposite occuring.

If there are problems with hardware or software, typically the upgrade will inform you of this and afterwards you may have a file on your desktop mentioning any removed software, and it will often include a link to the vendors site so you can *hopefully* upgrade to a windows 10 compatible version.

Do read carefully when you upgrade as there are options to KEEP your files and applications, as well as a 'clean' install. Most of you will want to keep your files at the very least.

If your machine is running slowly, or if you are having problems with malware, viruses, popups, crashes etc, I'd strongly advise you get the underlying problem rectified BEFORE you attempt to upgrade as this is one of the main issues we have been seeing that can cause problems.

As the yahoo article above mentions, there is indeed a fairly large download - those of you on a metered connection, or using mobile broadband (dongles with sim cards and such) might want to get it upgraded on a different connection. I've already had a couple of customers wondering about bigger bills due to this so it's definitely something to be aware of. You can of course switch off the 'recommended' update section of windows update, or if you're really worried, set it to notify you before it downloads anything.

Should anyone need advice, or if you are having problems, give me a shout or if you know where I am, give me a call or come see me

17 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

Sorry canny lass that my attempted sarcasm that was directed at Eggy offended you, I agree with you 100% I wasn't being serious. Just annoyed. 

 

Yep, I took it as sarcasm.

Oh to be sitting in a pub, relaxing over liquid and enjoyng company. Company where you can see, normally, from their mannerisms, how honest, truthful, funny and sarcastic they are and where they get the opportunity to fully explain, one their beliefs; two regardless of their beliefs what they think is reality and three what they do regardless of their believes and reality.

 My comment on HPW's comment "Meks ye wonder whaats atween these folks lugs,ti interfere wi Nature,doesn't it?" was also sarcasm as HPW had replied to me questioning why people feed wild animals (and house dogs) and then as the thread of the subject continues that comment was contradicted (in my mind) with ......interfere wi Nature, doesn't it.

There are many time I really hate the English language. There are too many words and most of the time ones words are interpreted differently to the meaning one was trying to give. I much prefer correctly worded questions where the answer is either YES or NO and until that simple answer is given the subsequent question has to wait it's turn.

My attempt at my simple explanation within what has sprung up is this topic is :-

Nature looks after it's animals.

Humans look after themselves and other humans.

I care about the world. I help humans. I even help animals BUT I don't have animals in my house.

Only animals that appeal to humans are give help by humans. There is a current animal that I would assume all humans would like wiped out, the mosquito spreading the Zika virus. Would humans feed the an injured mosquito?

Oh to be sitting in a pub! 

1 hour ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

Great stuff! from you ,Vic,and also Canny Lass , and Brian!

Vic,talking about culling the Wolves,reminds of a documentary I saw on telly [probably in the black and white days,cos I haven't watched telly for years...],and it was how they were starting to cull the Wolves,cos they were decimating the Moose population,somewhere in the U.S..

After a few years the Moose population exploded,and forests were being decimated by the Moose,as they feed on Lichens,which grow on the bark,so the bark was removed inadvertently,and the trees died off.

SO!,they had to re-introduce the Wolves back again,to control the Moose!

Noo,does that mek sense?

They did the same thing recently on the Shetland Islands,introducing hedgehogs,for a reason which I forget,then having to cull them cos they were decimating the ground-nesting birds population,by stealing the eggs from the nests.

Meks ye wonder whaats atween these folks lugs,ti interfere wi Nature,doesn't it?

I know, before lang rather than let the harsh winters assist nature, and force culling,  people will start leaving food out for wild animals and some will start creating shelters for them, probably called kennels or hooses! 

Quote from  http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/brc/mammalsurvey.htm - "As the ice receded following the last ice-age, some 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, Shetland was left isolated without any link to the Scottish mainland. As a consequence man has been responsible for introducing all Shetland’s terrestrial mammals to the islands, either deliberately or accidentally - even the Otter is likely to have been introduced, perhaps by the Vikings who may have realised the value of the pelts for clothing."

So if that's the case on Shetland then surely if all the terrestrial animals were culled, and the land returned to how nature created it, then there would be no complaints.

Google only drags back one link to The 'Blyth' Kitty Brewster Well and thats in an article on the http://www.sixtownships.org.uk/bedlington-ironworks-by-chris-bergen.html site.

It's about a six-seven page article - extract from the article where the well is mentioned :-

Examples of T-shirts using the above suggestions, without the copyright holders permission.

On the Bygone Bedlington Facebook site Bill Sharp posted:-

There will be an event at BGS in March 2016. I am in touch with Mansel Denis who is in touch with the school so when lets me know dates etc I will post it here in the group. The school plans to make it a memorable event and intend publicising it in the local area so you may know before me.

Posted in the sixtownships Facebbok site and might just be of interest to members on this site :-

Anne Bower posted -  I live in a small Township near Windsor Ontario. Every week we have a free newpaper delivered a bit like the News Post Leader but not covering as big an area This morning when I opened it there was an article entitled First World War Project Seeks 'Citizen Historians' and then goes on - A global project has been launched wich will research the lives and wartime service of 'Geordies' from the North East of England - in the armies of Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland and Canada. 
'Dominion Geordies in WW1 - funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council will seek to 'crowd source' research by recruiting volunteer researchers. The article is quite long but Information about the project can be found at -  http://dominiongeordiesinww1.co.uk/ .They are looking for people in the North East of England, Former Dominions and beyond. I thought some of the members of this group might be interested.

22 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

Heh heh!

Okay,Eggy,everybody ti tha aan!

Like aa say,aav had mair harm done ti me and my family,been personally attacked innocently waaking owa ti me hoose by a young lad twice my size,who hit the deck

unexpectedly,and  twice as hard as he tried ti hit me,been verbally abused and threatened to be "filled in" while minding me aan bizniz waakin me little dog,by so-called "Humans."...and aa just waant a quiet peaceful life!

Aam happier owa thi fields,or doon the woods,aav never drank in me life,so divvent gaan ti places where ya likely ti encounter any bother wi drunkies or druggies.

Confucious was a wise man?[PC here....or Woman!],but so is HPW,and MY motto is...."Ye get nae grief off birds and animals,it's people ye get grief off"

Let's agree ti differ eh Eggy?!

Thanks for contributing,it aal meks interesting reading for members!!

Cheers Marra!

[P.S.]A thowt ye must be Ex-pat somewheor,when ye mentioned Chipmunks and Prairie dogs!!

Ignorance is bliss!

Seems fair to me mate.

HPW - Seghill - cats dogs and Crufts Best of Breed, Bedlington Terrier 2014 all live in Seghill, but don't get in my house. I treat them all the same, cats, dogs, horses, goats, fleas, spiders, bees, Hedgehogs, earwigs, black Clocks, Daddy Long Legs etc. etc. etc - they all get shown the door. I would happily execute any animal owner, without trial, that mistreats their animals. But as Confucious would have said -  "One cannot herd with birds and beasts. If I am not to be a man among other men, then what am I to be?"  

12 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

Eggy,I completely agree with you,on the basis that we are talking about a fully grown old ewe,or a stag,or any other big wild animal...house them in appropriate shelter outside if needed,due to either injury or starvation.I have had a tame ewe jump in and out of our small tourer caravan,if you turned your back for a second,and mind....they are pretty "warm"!!,to be kind to the species,as are goats!Noo!!,would you have left the cardboard box and it's contents lying in the freezing cold,which Canny lass rescued,above,or would you see a baby hedgehog lying dying because it has somehow strayed from it's mother,maybe the victim of careless drivers who deliberately go for these poor things at night,which I have seen drivers do many a time.

I would have thought that anyone with a heart in them would help the defenceless creatures...but then,I am just soft as clarts and crackers as weel!!

 

I am softer than clarts, tears run down my cheeks when watching any creature trying to survive but I wouldn't have a pet, especially in the house.

Just because a wild animal appears to look at you for help would that animal think - must clean myself up before I allow the human race to help me, don't want to pass anything on to their babies eg.:- 

Disease                     Symptoms                                    Carrier

Plague typhus    Fever, skin rashes                              Flea, lice, chipmunk, prairie dog, squirrel

Lyme disease    Rash, fatigue, muscle and joint pain    Deer tick

etc. etc. etc.

2013 - tried selling a Cannon T50, bought 1988 for approx £250, on ebay, no joy. Posted on local Gumtree, and eventually managed to get £15 for the carrying case! Had to persuade the buyer to take the camera etc.to the camera club she was a member of and ask if anyone wanted any of it. It was either that or the bin!

1 hour ago, Canny lass said:

What won't we do for our four-legged friends, Vic!

Keep them outdoors seems reasonable. 

Be difficult to incorporate names like Gooch or Brown that would be recognized by the majority. Would think it had to include ' BedlingtonTerrier' (for XL wearers!).

5 hours ago, Bayardm said:

Thank you Eggy, your response seems quite likely however, in the photo the plot seems less than flat enough for footie, unless that was a later development.

The date I have seen with that photo is c1930 and I would agree that looks more like a farmers field with furrows ready for planting the tattie crop. Just remembered Ovalteeny's post in 'History Hollow/Whitley Memorial' topic :- "Hi Reedy, yes my Dad's Dad was Christopher Septimus Kidd (known to one and all as Sepp) and as well as being Chairman of Bedlington Mechanics (when they played their home games at Milne Park), I believe he was something like "The Colliery Engineer" for the Dr. Pit. He and the family lived in No. 1 Dr. Pit Cottages, right on the Pit Head so that he could be called upon at short notice, should there be any engineering issues to be solved."

There is a topic, dated 3rd August 2013, - 'History Hollow/Three Generations of Miners - where 'Reedy' writes about his dad (aged 84 in 2013) playing in goal for the Mechanics but can't see anything about where they played. Assuming his dad was at least 16 when he played it would be 1939-40 or later. 

On 1/23/2016 at 20:16, Bayardm said:

Is the car park suitable for development? Why has it never been built on before? Is it possible that this area of land was subject to   relatively shallow mining activity related to the drift mine, part of the Doctor Pit?

It was where Bedlington Mechanics had their football ground. Sure I had seen a posting about the owner (possibly Jimmy Milne!) and it was given to the people of Bedlington and can't be built on. With my memory, apart from Bedlington Mechanics playing there, that could be a load of bo******! 

On 2/27/2012 at 18:51, Orloff said:

On 1/13/2012 at 19:11, Symptoms said:

Micky wrote: "The picture symtoms posted is my old class at westridge, I,m standing behind him somewhere"

which one are you?

 

Hi sorry to butt in, those piccies of form 5 Westridge, I know most of them, it must have been taken between Sept '66 and May'67. I can name quite a few faces:- Helen Hurst, Paul Hewish, Alan Temple, Brian Corner, etc. Are most of those still with us as it was 45 years ago. As a new member I'm having a whale of a time remembering the past, for the good and bad times, wow do I feel old?

Orloff - Have you see the above photos with some of the names added into the photo? if you search for "West Ridge" there is a topic in :- 'Chat Central-Westridge Class Pictures From The 60,s'.

Canny Lass - update to the aerial photo + info - based on additional info bluebarby sent me.

I have not added the updated version into the Gallery yet. Unlike the old version of this site photos in the Gallery can't be deleted by members. When I have finsihed all the updates I will get Admin to delete the redundant photos from the album in :- Historic Bedlington - Netherton/Nedderton old photos 2.  

22 hours ago, John Fox (foxy) said:

Don't listen to  Symp  Brian, walk down Bedlington main street with any one of the above ............guess which puppy  will turn the most heads

9 hours ago, Eggy1948 said:

Using Google Chrome. There are times when returning to the comment, after a page up, what has been typed has remained but it does appear to depend on the amount that has been typed - as if a 'buffer area' still holding a limited (64 to 128) number of bytes (I still use the old terms). Most frustrating when a couple of full lines typed and that is lost. If I have a spare hour or so I will have a play and record my actions step by step. No problem using arrow keys when typing comments in any other forum - just the Gallery.     

Forgot to say I use a Desktop PC.

Just tested adding a comment for a photo within an 'album' and a bit more info gathered.

Within the Comment box - the up and the down arrows work as expected. The left and right arrows when used can result in the user being taken out of the Comment box and returned to the line of images - don't know tech term for the row of images, will refer to it as 'the strip'. This happens when you do not have the first or last image selected in the strip. So if you are typing a comment on a selected image say three in from the first and you use the left arrow key to go back through your text you are taken back to the strip and the image to the left of the one you were working on is now selected. Same happens if you use the right arrow BUT only if there is an image to go to. So if you are working on the first image only the right arrow throws you pot of the comment and if you are working on the last image in the strip only the left arrow throws you out of the comment box. 

If you only have one photo in the album you don't get the problem.

As for text - I can't repeat the loss of text when leaving the comment box. In this test the text was always there. Conclusion on the text - it was my frustration.