Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

@Joe Ridley - a member called @Reedy (no longer comments within this group) created a topic - Bebside Furnace 1940 - 1952 within History Hollow back in 2013. Within that topic were a few photos including one that showed the small building you are asking about and someone did ask if it was the Toll House. Reedy created the topic as his dad used to live in the area and he was documenting what he remembered so reedy asked his dad about that small building and this was his reply :- This is approximately where the two Toll Houses for the Ha'penny woods were situated :- There are a couple more photos that i will dig out and hopefully post later today.

Joe - quick answer is :- the small building - I will have to dig out the info that other people have posted. The Furnace Bridge was not a Toll bridge - Info on all the bridges on the river Blyth = https://www.bridgesonthetyne.co.uk/furnace.html On that site there is info on all the bridges over all the bridges in our area. The Ha'penny (half penny) Woods did have two Toll houses. One just past the Clock House, on the right of the photo you posted, and one at the entrance to the woods from just over the bridge at the bottom of the Bedlington Bank. I will dig out some photos.

No need to dig out your notes - I'm happy with your conclusion. Text updated but fro your work and conclusion, and the buildings on the 1922 map, I'm thinking John Dawson's Id of Fenwicks Yard could be wrong. Pitty I cant's make out that sign that the text is pointing to

The Seven Sisters and The Bandstand = my childhood. I was born 1948 and in the late 1950's spent days in the river next to the Bandstand. We were forever rebuilding a small dam across the river from the Free Woods side to the Bebside side where there was a wide slab of rack that was used to dive from but the dam was necessary to make the water deep enough to dive into.

@Canny lass - checking through the images that others have posted on various sites, and I have saved a copy, there is one photo that shows some buildings across the road from the Prince of Wales, and up a bit as in your map, and I have added a tag - Rennick's Yard as that is what @johndawsonjune1955 had commented when he posted the photo in 2015. From the census records could Rennick's Yard be linked to the Arcade?

They have been asked if any photos or info but no response at the moment

@Canny lass - Maureen & Kath say thankyou

@Canny lass - Thank you - info passed on to Maureen Quait (nee Halloran - ex Westridge pupil).

@Canny lass have yo ever seen any photos of The Arcade or does it feature on any maps? I can't find it named anywhere. There is a member, on the Bygone Bedlington FB group asking about it :-

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Never heard of a connection between Wood Sons & Muter's. Wood Sons buildings at the bottom of the Furnace bank and Muter's on Ravensworth Street.

- have a good one CL

Muter's Pop wagon - photo posted by Jeff Slaughter Snr. in 2014 on Bygone Bedlington FB group. No date or where the photo was taken was posted. As the metal railings dividing the path from the front garden are still there we assume it has to be pre WWII as all the metal railings around the council houses were removed to help the war effort.

It is CL - I have added some info to the photo

@Sloopy .Dog - in the 'Bedlington Colliery' topic you mentioned you were looking into the buisness and who owned them. rather than mix up the topics I have created this one and the following images give you two businesses, Muter's pop & James haulage, that used to be there. This photo of Muter Pop factory posted on the Bygone Bedlington FB group by John Krzyznowski. A member of this group - @Ovalteeny - used to work for T James in 1964

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Cheers James - updated my copy.

Cheers James - image updated. I'm assuming the Choppington 'A' & 'B' pits were right nest to each other. The DMM site only has the one entry but does say 'A' & 'B' pit