Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

I expect, or should that be hope, the government will make sure it happens. The UK currently only has one Chinese-owned battery plant next to the Nissan factory in Sunderland, while 35 plants are planned or already under construction in the European Union

https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2023-02-04/australian-firm-chosen-as-preferred-bidder-for-british-volt?fbclid=IwAR2VyyICvntVc2xIIIQsORt2zqaBVvefaA493wb47ZAvRtrhIAldgCMWKs8

Thanks @Malcolm Robinson

@Malcolm Robinson do you know if the Barrington Colliery Institute name is Ok to be covered up or is there an East Bedlington council (I am assuming Barrington comes under East Bedlington Council) department that could be contacted to look into what @James has commented?

Welcome to the group @Patricia Wadsworth. The Barrington Colliery Institute building is still in use today. According to Stephen Martin, local guy who published many booklets on Bedlington and the surrounding towns, the Barrington glove Company was started in 1960. Can't find a date for when the Institute was built. Barrington colliery started in 1821 (according to the Durham Mining Museum site) but the first time I can find the building on one of the old Ordnance Survey maps is 1896. There is only one old image of the building that I can find and that is the one in Stephen Martin's booklet on the colliery. The only other images are from Google street view - 2009 - 2026 and 2020. I don't know if my Bedlington school mate, 1960-65, Vicky Robinson who also worked as a buyer for M&S did any business with the Barrington Glove company. The last Time I met up with Vicky was at a school reunion in 1989 and although that's not too many years ago I can't remember if Vicky was married and if she did do any business in the area. I'll put that down to the ale etc. that flowed throughout the reunion meeting. Sadly Vicky is no longer with us. The Gosforth Park Hotel, now the 'Grand' Gosforth Park Hotel, is still in business.

Cheers @SouthernGeordie - if anyone from any of the other groups names number 5 I will update your photo.

Info on your photo updated to include 'Apprentice of the Year' and based on the comments from the 'Friends of Bates Colliery' group - Kevin Hindhaugh's name removed from No 5. @SouthernGeordie - I am not asking you to name yourself but from the info you are giving us I'm guessing you are one of the apprentices in the photo

@SouthernGeordieFriends of bates Colliery Facebook Members don't think No is Kevin Hindhaugh :-

@SouthernGeordie - N0 5 thought to be Kevin Hindhuagh by dawn bell's husband (Ex Bates worker) and William French, Friends of Bates Colliery group thinks the lads were winners of the area safety quiz.

@SouthernGeordie - No 10 named by Les Walsh - Friends of Bates colliery group.

Surface Fitters & Blacksmiths - full house - No 18 named by Bill fellows on the Friends of Bates Colliery FB group.

No's 6,7,8,& 9 updated - names from the FB group members - Friends of Bates Colliery - Blyth remembered and memories & Cambois.

@SouthernGeordie - your list of names added to the photo. I will post on the Facebook groups and let you know if we get any more named.

@SouthernGeordie - can you name the eight apprentices, and I assume two trainers/management, or would you like me to share the photo with the Facebook groups, including - Friends of Bates Colliery - and see if any member can name any of them?

@SouthernGeordie - as your photo of the Surface workers and Blacksmiths was in a better condition (in my opinion) that the one from Stephen Tosney I have used yours to add the names onto. I like clarting, and attempting to repair, old photos so I have had a clart with yours. This is yours with some of the scratches removed :- and then slightly enhanced :- and then with the names + No 19 that you named above

As far as I can tell from all the times the 'whole' factory has had a mention on the local news it is linked to the fact that the site is using the old 'Blyth Power Station' site for the gigaplant factory offices and therefore Blyth always gets the credit. The news reporters and the film crew even stand in the Blyth Market Place to report on the factory. The BBC NE News reporter has said Cambois, at least twice, when they have actually been standing in the Cambois field where the plant was destined to be built.

I have seen the photo before - yours is in a better state -it had been posted on the Facebook group - Friends of Bates Colliery - by Stephen Tosney on the 7th Feb 2019 but it did have a bit of damage to it . We attempted to repair and got the names from HPW and the members of the Facebook group. This is the photo with the names :-

Before your time @HIGH PIT WILMA bur might have been a couple still there when you were there The phot and info were posted on the 'Friends of Bates Colliery' Facebook group by Eric Thompson :-