Jammy

1. On what date does Halloween fall? October 31st 2. In which Scottish town was James Watt born? Greenock 3. How many metres in a mile? 1,600 4. In which Dickens novel does Thomas Gradgrind of Coketown appaer? 5. Spanish flu, 1918-1920, claimed 50 million lives. Where did it start? France 6. In which year was the Apple iphone launched? 2006 7. Which Harrod’s boss became Chairman of Fulham FC? Mohamed Al Fayed 8. Who said, after winning the Grand National, “Sex is an anti-climax after that”? Lester Piggot 9. By what name is polytetrafluoroethylene better known? PTFE Teflon 10. What was the name of the raft which Thor Heyerdahl used to sail from Peru in 1947? 11. Which country invaded Kuwait in 1990? Iraq 12. Which British cathedral has three spires? Canterbury

There was a part time driver called Tom. I think he was a Raisbeck and a full time butcher who worked at the butcher shop at the market place(Hay?). I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. There was a driver Jimmy who may also have been a Raisbeck as well. One of the drivers had a glass or faulty eye. I travelled from Doyles shop to the West End school everyday from the age of 5 until 11. It was 2d and never changed. If I got the United bus after school to the Bank Top it was 2 and a half pence. There is/was a little lass that lived opposite Anne's Pantry who was a daughter of one of the Raisbeck drivers.

That's as good as I can do. I wouldn't make the pub quiz team.

I was a cub from 1954 at the age of 5 until I left as a Queens scout at the age of 17 when those things that wear skirts became more interesting! During my time there the building went from a wooden hut to a brick building with the work beginning around 1964-5. The building was built by Phillipson builders who were based behind Bridge Terrace at the station. The plumbing and heating works were carried out by Henderson Plumbers who had their yard behind Jubilee Terrace. A gas boiler was installed with radiators throughout. Much better than the paraffin fuelled portable heaters with a circular wick that were used. A ladies toilet was added and a new kitchen complete with running hot water. I cannot remember the name of the electrical company at this time but may have had a shop where Sonia's is now. An electrician called Brian Metcalf may have worked on the building. I think the new building was built down to a price. The workmanship was good but the bricks used were not the best or near the best though all other materials were good quality. Money for the new building was raised via jumble sales, beetle drives, bob-a-job, raffles, carol singing at xmas and any other way possible. The only 'ghostly noises' I can think of were creaking sounds in the wooden hut when the wind blew hard. Perhaps others felt differently but I'm like eggy as regards the paranormal and I'm not frightened in the dark. That branch of the scouts was officially designated The 1st Bedlington Station, 15th Bedlingtonshire troop. Blue and yellow neckerchief's were worn as part of the uniform. Walter Gregg was chairman or president. Here's a story. On one of the weekly Friday evening meetings in the wooden hut one of the those portable paraffin heaters suddenly flared up with flames going up 3ft. One of the scouts(no names, no pack drill) grabbed a bucket of water and threw it on the heater. This is , of course, absolutely the wrong thing to do. The flame immediately went from 3ft up to the ceiling and turned along the ceiling in every direction. The ceiling was painted with gloss paint so very quickly the hall filled with black acrid choking smoke. The scouts were soon evacuating though the windows as well as the main door. The scout master grabbed a fire extinguisher and bravely got the flames under control. I don't know how he managed to withstand the conditions. The whole place stunk for months. One of the sign boards on the outside wall indicates it is still a cub/scout meeting place so must be a shared venue. My time spent in either building brings back happy memories.

1. What was the profession of Sheila Vogel Coupe? 2. What is the chemical symbol for arsenic? AS 3. In which street did the Fire of London start? Baker street 4. Which drummer with The Who was renowned for dumping Rolls Royces in swimming pools? Keith Moon 5. What is the proper name of the funny bone? 6. In the TV series The Likely Lads what was Bob’s girlfriend called? Thelma 7. Which former Chilean dictator was arrested at a west London clinic in October 1998? 8. What is the name of the box in which a ship’s compass is stored? 9. What is a Honey Locust? A tree 10. What was the Queen Elizabeth’s sister ship? Queen Mary 11. How many stomachs have 3 cows and 4 horses? 16 12. Which year did the terror attack on World trade Centre take place? 2001 I’ll bet you didn’t know …. Ducks only lay eggs in the morning. -------- Most birds do this.

Shortly after I got the grilling from the policeman I pressed button 'B' but that didn't bring any coppers! I knew the telephone box was opposite No.20. There was a good space to walk in-between the shop and the phone box.

I cannot remember another wool shop or another barbers at the oval shops as indicated. If you look at the earlier black and white photo of the west block, No.13 seems to have a manikin in the window and a curtain hanging from the door -- to afford some privacy? Could that shop have been a draper? No.11 does look like a chemist and No.12 looks like a barbers. I cannot see any clues what No. 14 was from the window display. There appears to be a part glass half screen running across the back of the window. Something to also provide some privacy? There seems to be some confusion where the various shops were. I think that arises because the shops changed hands many times. I'm trying to list them as they were when they first opened or my first recollection in 1954 when I was 5yrs old. No one has mentioned the red telephone box. I remember one evening while waiting for a girlfriend the phone in the box rang. I ignored it the first time then 5 mins later it rang again so answered it. It was the police trying to contact the local bobby on his beat. I got a right grilling on the phone. I was asked why was I there and what was I doing. What was my name and where did I live. The copper suggested I was a LONG WAY from home. He obviously didn't know the area because I lived in Tomlea Ave. It rang a short while later but left it alone. Never did see that local bobby. Memory tester. Outside which shop was the telephone box?

Tonight I emailed Kramers, Mrs Brown son-in-law, 91yrs young John, and he said the doctors was in the corner no.30 and Kramers was no.29. He also said Binks the chemist was there before he moved to the top end. A logical place to have a chemist with a doctor close by. My guess is the chemist was in the west block I've asked him to think of any other shops that were there. Yes, Charlottes the hairdresser. I knew it was a ladies name. Soulsby fits in between Wake and Lewin. I've just noticed you have a chemist listed. Lol. Jammy

@Jammy - also added the image to the Facebook group, Bygone Bedlington, and I have worked my way through the many comments (40+ to date) and along with yours added some names. Naturally there will be some wrong - going back 55 - 65 years to name the occupants in the late 50's to early 60's is going to throw up some conflicts, and it already has. One of the problems with naming the shops is they changed occupiers now and again. I'm trying to name them as I knew them in the 50's. I'm struggling to name anymore. Dobson may have been in number 19 but I don't know if or when. I need a bolt out of the blue! Canny Lass Brilliantine is a name I've not heard for probably 60yrs. Yes that's what Mr Goodsell used. Probably cheaper than Brylcreme and he may have bought it by the half gallon and decanted into his metal container.

Eggy, I remember the following from about 1955 to 1962 (when I was aged 13yrs). The numbers below are taken from the numbered google map you provided. No.30 is Kramers wool shop. Beadnells was a double fronted shop so don't know if it was 2 shops converted to one or whether it was built double fronted. There wasn't a dividing wall between the 2 halves of the shop. It's number is 29. So either 26 or 25 was Wakes pie shop. The next shop along from Wakes was the hairdresser whose name was a ladies name like Sheilas, I believe. I will know the name once I hear it. I don't remember where the docs or the chiropodist was. Perhaps the hairdresser became a chiropodist at a later date. Warnes were no.1 as Ovalteeny say's. No's 2 to 6 are correct. It's Goodsell the barber. He didn't use Brycreme on his customers. It was a liquid from a silver coloured metal bottle with a narrow neck that he shook onto his hands and rubbed in. It set quite hard. I'll have a think about the other shops and come back.

Yes I sat with a hank of wool between my hands several times. My mother also had wool 'put away'. I thought about Mr Goodsell with his Brylcremed hair after I posted. When I was younger it was a short back and sides then the fashion changed and I went for a crew cut followed by a Mohican but I didn't have shaved sides, only the cockerels crest. There was a lass called Liz(Elizabeth) Butcher and parents(I think) who lived in one of the flats in the block that was pulled down. You lived closer than me eggy so you have more chance than me with other names. I noticed doors in the middle of the front of the block on the old photos. Perhaps that was a front entrance.

After looking through this old posting I think I can add something. The barber was called Goodsell and drove a 2 tone Sunbeam Rapier which was like a Hillman Minx but had more chrome and extra bits inside for the driver to play with. It had a radio which was a rare thing in those days. Mr Goodsell may have lived Gosforth way. My mother Amy was a driver for Wakes and then Soulsbys delivering pies and pasties to various places including Guide Post in an A35 van which was either blue or green. I'm sure she was working there when big Dez ????? began working there. Wakes had a shop at Newbiggin but I'm not sure if they opened that after leaving the oval. Kramers was a wool shop at first and had a Mrs Brown there serving people. She lived in Elenbell Ave. I think she was working several days a week but not all the time so perhaps Mrs Kramer put some time in. Beadnells shop was full of stuff piled up all over. I don't know how he found owt but knew what he had in the shop. I remember Swans at the west end of the west block of shops. There were flats above the shops belonging to the council and the ones I visited were accessed from the rear lane. There were garages at the bottom of that lane and my dad kept his car in one of them.They were small flats and as far as I know none of the shop people lived in them. I believe the shops were all rented from the council. Jammy