Blyth, Cowpen, Windmill Inn

[Michael Dixon]

Just adding snippets... to that area once called Kit Kat Corner.

 The Sidney family, lords of the manor, part of the Sidney family, Earls of Leicester, first
lived in a house that later became the pub ( my father's local) the Sidney Arms.

These northern Sidneys had converted to Catholicism and allowed Mass to be said in a part of their home, as the Catholicsof the area, had no church in which to worship.

 Sidneys had Cowpen Hall built and forked out to build a church ( St Cuthbert's ) on Cowpen Lane ( now Cowpen Road) in 1841.  It was alleged that a tunnel connected Cowpen Hall to St Cuthbert's , running behind the Windmill, to allow the Sidneys easy access to their private pews, adjacent to the altar.

But more into my era, 1950s et seq, the feature of that corner at Kings Arms, was a strange fish & chips mobile van, covered I think in aluminium. This bit the dust when a house on Cowpen Road was turned into F&C shop.

Then I played for the Bebside Gordons in 1960s, a resurrected local football club, which used Cowpen Hall, by then Cowpen Club, as it's HQ. Cowpen Club became popular not just for drink, bingo, billiards, and Sunday afternoon strippers,  but for catering for weddings, christenings and funerals.
The club was like a community centre for Cowpen Estate and environs

Michael

[winshipstreetlad]

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I think that the Land Lord of the Sydney Arms was called Watty Allen when I used to have a pint there (1960's )and I am sure that it a Vaux Pub. You don't see any of them now !! 
I don't get over to Blyth very often nowadays as both my parents died at the start of 2000. Plus the price of fuel makes it a bit costly these days....
I seem to remember that Cowpen club burnt down??/

   

[Michael Dixon]

 WSLad,

  I think you are right about landlord Watty Allen but not on the Vaux bit.

 The Sidney pub sign was the coat of arms of the Sidney family.
Next to it was the cavalier character, logo for McEwans ales ( based on the iconic painting of the Laughing Cavalier) My father and my brother loved their pints of McEwans "scotch". ( Ugghh ! ) But no Samson or Double Maxim available in the 60s.

 Michael

[winshipstreetlad]

     MICHAEL
You are right about the Vaux/ McEwans I remember the cavalier. I used to play the piano A in the lounge on the odd night. Some other lads used to bring their guitars and we had some good times.
 I was mates with an Arthur William Dixon from Hortondale Grove when I went to Bebside jnrs 1954 But he was killed in a car crash near Scotch Corner approx 1976. He was an apprentice blacksmith with the NCB then he went in the the Royal Navy1962ish. Any relation???
My teacher was Eddie Howes he came from Newsham and he loved to use the cain .I think Tommy Lytoliss was the headmaster never remember doing much work at that school.
 My Aunty had the Kitty Bruster Pub ,  In the Late 50's early 60's   
I live over in Carlisle  now ( 22years ) I moved out of Blyth in 1964      WSL

[Michael Dixon]

 WSL.

 My father, Jim Dixon ( now deceased) was born in Haltwhistle in a Dixon family from Brampton.  When the drift coal mines of the Haltwhistle failed there was scheme to bring the miners to the pits of Blyth and Bedlington area, sometime in the 1920/30s. They came to Bebside Furnace. Father stayed and married my mother, the rest is history lol. His father settled back in Carlisle, London Road and Harraby.

 In 1951, when I was 10,  we were rehoused from the defunct Bebside colliery to Cowpen Estate (Weardale Ave). Been about 100 yards from his front door, the Sidney Arms became his local. If I remember correctly the Sidney was big on music. I think they had some sort of singing group, called the Jolly Boys. Or was that the name of the Buffalo Lodge that the Sidney supported ?

 My father's Dixon family had no relations in Northumberland.

 He worked most of his working life at Bedlington "A" Pit. And continued
working there even when we were rehoused near to Blyth pits. He must have like it !

 Michael

[winshipstreetlad]

Micheal   Haltwhistle is a place I used to visit on a regular basis around 1959/63 as I used to go out with lass from Blyth who had grandparents and other relations there. I usedtogo fishing in the Tipel and out at a farm called Moscow and Farglow farm out past the Roman camp near the quarry.
Top fishing area and up the west Tyne. loverly area and some great memories.
My grand parents lived in Teesdale Place so not so far from your parents they were rehoused from Newsham 1951/2 ish. and my parents lived in Wharfdale Grove for a short period around 1960s.
WSL..
 

[winshipstreetlad]

Michael just remembered Wharfedale Gardens (Not Grove.). I was away Travelling around europe by then and spent about 4 years working my way around different countries then returned and joined the RAF... more happy times WSL

[cowpenexile]

Just picking up the thread re Windmill Inn and Cowpen Rd. Born and bred in the Newtoon Had a paper round at Browns newsagents that was up from the Mill just before the Kings early 60s. Remember going to church garden fete at Yorkies farm and going on the pedal boats must have been mid 50s. That was on Yorkys lake, the pond was over the fields towards Cowpen Row. ALAN YOUNG if its the same one was a really good mate of mine lived on Cowpen rd after his marriage broke up.From the Newtoon Geordie Gregory Shorty Hall and my dad Tolly were all local characters, My dad was a bookies runner for a Blyth bookie and the copper who lived in the police house after Jack Turnbull PC Whitehall
spent his life trying to nab him .He used to stand and take his bets at the top of Beecher St. Remember watching Bebside Gordons on the football pitch adjacent to the church probably aginst Blyth Town Boys Club the team my dad used to help run   

[blythian]

Just picking up the thread re Windmill Inn and Cowpen Rd. Born and bred in the Newtoon Had a paper round at Browns newsagents that was up from the Mill just before the Kings early 60s. Remember going to church garden fete at Yorkies farm and going on the pedal boats must have been mid 50s. That was on Yorkys lake, the pond was over the fields towards Cowpen Row. ALAN YOUNG if its the same one was a really good mate of mine lived on Cowpen rd after his marriage broke up.From the Newtoon Geordie Gregory Shorty Hall and my dad Tolly were all local characters, My dad was a bookies runner for a Blyth bookie and the copper who lived in the police house after Jack Turnbull PC Whitehall
spent his life trying to nab him .He used to stand and take his bets at the top of Beecher St. Remember watching Bebside Gordons on the football pitch adjacent to the church probably against Blyth Town Boys Club the team my dad used to help run   

If i am on the right track here, that Alan Young is my grandad, married and lived on on Beecher St and when the marriage ended he moved next to what is Scaramanga's today with my step-gran
.

All my Dad's side grew up on Beecher St pretty much from when my Gt granx2 was married.
 From my Gran i knew of PC Turnbull and the tip on the playing fields and not to use tin bath's as a boat on the Blyth... She always talked of Yorkies Farm but i could never place it till now ironically i work at the Briardale Centre built behind St Cuthberts and backs onto Nidderdale .

I'm surprised the bus route still call's this area New Town.