Crofton Poor House

[c-side]

I've spent a very interesting afternoon at Woodhorn - fruitless but interesting!

There is no obvious reference in the index to the Ridley papers so I decided to look at the leases for South Blyth 1816 - 1823.  All were for the original settlement and show the emergence of a community.  Leases for an Epsom Salts Manufactury, Brewery Malting, a Blockmakers shop and a chapel for the Calvanistic Dissenters as well as dwellings and sundry shops.  Nothing whatsoever for anything outside that area.

I'll ask around my contacts at local history society next week but those I have already spoken to have never heard of the place.

Other than that I'm giving up until after Christmas - they tell me it's almost here!

Christine

[c-side]

Oops, meant to mention that I also looked at the Tithe map for Cowpen township - no potential building to be seen

C

[Michael Dixon]

 C-,

 I have read (somewhere in last week- can't remember where ! ) that Earsdon's township  of Hartley also had a poorhouse.

No dont worry, this is not another commission for you lol.

Michael

[c-side]

I can't recall ever seeing a reference to that before - and Earsdon parish records used to be my constant companion!

It doesn't seem to have formed part of Tynemouth Union that I've read.

I'm pleased it's not another commission  but if I see anything about it I'll take notes!

C

[Michael Dixon]

 c-

 Have you seen the chunk of info about Northumberland's Workhouses
( within the Northumberland section of GenUKI) ?

 In the Tynemouth section it lists the 31 Townships that comprised the Tynemouth Union... including Blyth South, Newsham, and Hartley and the others. Also lists the Relieving Officers for each "district" of the Union
( Earsdon was most northerly district)

m

[c-side]

I think that's where I discovered that Cowpen was also included in Tynemouth Union.

Genuki is usually my first stop if I need to know anything about Northumberland or Durham - the other counties are not so well set up.

C

[c-side]

Better late than never!

I was talking to a local historian a couple of days ago who says that he was told Crofton Poor House was in one of the buildings behind the Masons Arms.

Christine

[Michael Dixon]

Christine,

 I am still "after" the Crofton Poor House, although it has been on my backburner- until today, when at Woodhorn CRO, I bumped into a Blyth acquaintence- a bit older than me, who can remember the building- wooden he says- on Coomassie Rd/Plessey Road, adjacent to Masons Arms and close to where Crofton Working Men's Social Club was !

Michael

[c-side]

That ties in, more or less, with what I was told last week.

I don't remember it but even if it was still there when I was young I doubt if I'd have known what it was.

Coincidentally 30 years ago I lived on that section of Plessey Road between Coomassie Road and Union Street!

Christine