Keith Scantlebury

you could be right (have I said that ?)

you could be right

Exactly, but as I have said before "Nostalgia is not what it used to be " is it ?

That letter was written a few weeks ago before the baskets were put up and the raised beds and planters were planted in the Station. However, the planters on the grass at St Johns were short lived. The primroses that were in them were nicked and the scroats who nicked them were trying to sell them door to door, they were only there about 2 days. I spoke to the parish councillor responsible for them and he says that they would now probably be moved somewhere else as he believed in an "abuse it, then lose it" policy. Personally, I agree with him, some people just love spoiling things for others. The grass at the Bank Top ?, apparrently this is a "grow wild area" as we learned on Wednesday night. It is a load of tosh because who would actually want to use those seats in such an area. An e-mail that I sent on Monday was passed on to the head of maintenance and the grass arround the seats (only) was cut on Tuesday. Prior to cutting it, you could hardly see the seats before the grass was cut. Also it was pointed out by a county councillor that it was hard to believe that even a grow wild area would be allowed to impede the footpath and the road. Then, predictably, the weather was blamed. One councillor actually defended having long grass because she believed it "would soak up all the rain".

Vic, you may be on about a different Oliver, as I said there were loads of them, That photo was taken about '67 / '68, so he couldn't been at the power station then. ( Times were hard I suppose, he could have done a night shift then school through the day, !!!! )

His sister, Sandra Oliver was in my class and his brother Keith Oliver was a year or two older. That was a big family, lived on Cornwell Crescent (I think) something like 16 kids. Remember a story that their dad was babysitting one night and a couple of kids whent missing in the street and people were out looking for them, obviously very worried. It turned out that Mr. Oliver had put the kids to bed, including a couple of extra ones by mistake. Dunno if thats true, but it should be, ha ha.

Knew them both when I was there Charlie. I was in the year above this though, ( all photo's would have been destroyed to protect the innocent ). Alison Short lived on Allgood terrace did'nt she ? I would never recognise them now ?

youv've lost me now !!!! bah !!

That lassie sitting in front of Bob Lee and the skinny lass on the same row in the green dress are doing my head in. Their names just wont come.

The motor club once had a bbq down there and had a group using the bandstand.

Darn , could have sworn it was you. Obviously my memory isnot as good as yours. The only one that I definately recognise 100% is my brother (sticking out on the right in the grey jumper). That was your class though, wasn't it ?

You might remember the music box etc. Keith, but can you remember this. Bottom left?

You've been on the Vera Lynn again, haven't ya ? I knew you would ammount to nothing when you were at the Whitley. Everybody knows that, used this way, the sequencer has to be operated manually, HUH!! Be a good boy and put the London Dry back in the cupboard out of reach.

As I told you on fb Col, if free beer is on offer I will polish the was board now, I know Malcolm has already re-clacked his spoons

Might have something to to with a certain e-mail. Cutting arround the seats is a start , but not enough

Not read through it properly yet Adam . Dry stone walling, Blacksmithing and Hedge Laying . 3 cracking trades. To lay a hedge properly is one helluva a skill and if done properly as with dry stone walling, will out last a fence by generations. Good money can be earned by those skilled in both of these trades. The skills of a good blacksmith will always be appreciated (not to be confused with a farrier). Could even make some new gates ..................

Nope,..... that is only a fault with the newer models

(Sucks in loudly between clenched teeth !!) There is no easy way to say this Canny Lass , the foo foo valve is completely fluffed up. De fluff the fluffed up valves by throwing the lap top in a bath of luke warm soapy water. If this does not work, ring your insurance company and tell them the dog did it. Iknow this is right because someone who whent to some of Malcolms free computer lessons told me.

I whent to Marton Boarding School at Whitegate, near to Northwich and Winsford. (not a million miles from Oulton park, we were well within earshot on race days) . It was a boarding school mainly for those from farming families in Northumberland and for those who were interested in going into farming. Kids from other backgrounds were also considered, but there was an interview process and an entry exam to get in, there was only 150 pupils in the school. There was a "sister school" at Haydon Bridge and the headmasters were brothers.

Chrysler ?

Q.) Who is responsible for the vadalism / criminal damage of the picnic tables A.) Those who did it ....... simple as that. Most of us can remember the murder of James !*!@# . (an extreme example, I know) . When Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were caught some people were taken aback by their ages , 10 / 11 . We heard people saying they were just kids themselves, dont be too harsh on them. Well, I'm sorry but when I was 10 years old, I knew right from wrong and I am sure all of you reading this did as well. I was in a slightly different situation to most kids in Bedlington because at the age of 11 I was at Boarding School in Cheshire until I was 15. Even so,when I was home on holidays, if my parents whent out on a Saturday night we were properly looked after, we didnt run the streets wrecking other peoples property, why?, we knew it was wrong. When they are caught, the Parents should be fined and made to pay for the damage. If they are good and responsible parents, they will "take it on the chin", pay up and then they will undoubtedly find a way to punish their kids and make them pay, hopefully they will not do it again. If the parents are those who like to go out on a night and let their kids run wild while they are in the club, the effect could be the same. If they were forced to cough up their beer money to pay for their kid's damage, I am pretty sure the message will get through to the kids ,one way or another, hopefully they will not do it again. Then there are the parents who could not give a damn. They will get a pittance of fine (usually because they are on benefits and up to the neck in debt), because it is all they can afford. They will be alowed to pay it on the drip at a couple of quid a week. Somehow, some of them, ( and I say SOME of them , not all people on benefits are bad people) will still manage to go to the club and get hammered every weekend leaving their kids to run wild, paying for someone to look after them would only deplete their beer and baccy money. Back to square one. The thing is, whoever did this, KNEW it was wrong to do it. If they are juveniles, the parents should be taken to book and be made to pay, but doing this will only work if the kids are utimately held responsible for their actions and in turn, made to pay (one way or another) so hopefuly the message gets through and they have a bit more respect for other peoples property. I have got to say, I was no Angel ( first time in trouble I was locked up for fighting when I was 17) and I have been dragged in front of the magistrate to explain myself a few times since then , but, marriage and kids of my own soon brought me back down with a bang. When I whent through this phase, I was working and had to pay my own fines. I knew I was wrong in doing those things , (never thieving or damaging property though).

Oh Aye, all sorts down there, climate change you see. Dont tell anybody though, cos he gets a bit embarrassed, that was no orang-utan, you have just caught your first sight of Malcolm.

Watched them film that doon the woods in March.

Do you want me to start building some stocks Symptoms

Blyth had the first one in 1867 ( flitted between there Newcastle and Tynemouth) till it whent to Morpeth in 1930. It then whent to Bedlington in 1952. So the answer to you question is 1952 Beddie