Malvin's Close, Cowpen

[jora]

I have been searching online for a photograph of Malvin's Close, but have come up with nothing except a sketch which appears in the Northumberland County History.

I am particularly interested in the time it was used as the offices of the Cowpen Coal Company.

Any help by the Blyth experts would be very welcome.

[Phodgetts]

I have checked the pictures I have of Blyth but none give a clear view of the house, and the aerial shots I have only really show a wooded area around where the house was 1930 - 33. This one will be difficult to get images of.

The old house as far as I am aware still stands.

Philip

[Pete E]

I understand Malvins close house has been demolished. I published a photo awhile ago and some chatters thought it may have been taken outside Malvins close house. Don't know if it was but here's the link  http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,335181.msg2148181.html#msg2148181

[jora]

Thank you all for your help.

I have looked on Google maps but there is not a very clear view which might help.

The photograph is attached. I believe it was taken in the early 1900s.

[Phodgetts]

Brief overview of Malvin's Close.

A William Mavin (Malvin?) 'acquired' a farm in Cowpen from a Cuthbert Hedley of Morpeth in August of 1569.

A dividing up of Cowpen took place in 1619.

Sir Ralph Delaval, East Division tenant of Malvin's Close 66 acres

Lewis Widdrington, Middle Division tenant of Malvin's Close 19 acres pasture

Edmund Hannay bought Malvin's Close 1764

William Hannay (Edmund's grandfather originally from Kelso)

Edmund Hannay died 26 February 1800 aged 73

The house passed down his family line till eventually

Edmund Hannay Watts SOLD Malvin's Close in 1873 to the Cowpen & North Seaton Coal Co. later the Cowpen Coal Co.

Only one property within the grounds of the Malvin's Close plot still exists and that is the house next to the 'E' of Close on the 1898 map. That is brick built and looks to be very old. Cowpen Hall was described by Warburton in 1715 as a "handsome seat, built with brick". So I am beginning to doubt that your stone built house in the photo is Malvin's Close.

P

[jora]

Thank you for all the information - it is much appreciated.

The family of two of the children in the photo lived at Malvin's Close for many years up to the 1920s, but the children and their parents lived in Delaval Terrace, later in Quality Row in Cambois. I thought there might be a remote chance that Malvin's Close was the location.

I think it will just have to go down as unidentified. I wish they had written something on the back of the picture!
 

[Pete E]

Good info Phil; so the football pitches are laid over a brick works. What was actually at the spot where Aldi now is I know there was council offices but was there an old house, my childhood memories tell me old house, trees, scary at night and it was Malvin's close; not right with name of house is my memory confused?
Jora, have you got the children in the 1901, 1911 census' could they give a clue to location?

[dolly dimples]

Re the Malvins House. As a child I always saw this house as a Grand  looking property,
  The photo of the house does not look as good as the house always looked in reality.
    It was always kept in pristine condition. I am 76 and do not believe this to be that of Malvins House, which as Fremund said was demolished a few years back.  It was a nursing home before it finally it stood empty for a number of years.    Dolly 

[Phodgetts]

Re ALDI and what was there in the past. On the 1898 Blyth map there was a settling pond of some sort probably associated with the Cowpen 'A' pit, and open fields. By 1922 there was a 'yard' there along with some allotments. When exactly they appeared I don't know. On the 1937 map the yard is referred to as the Corporation Yard.

As a boy growing up the 1970s my father worked for Blyth Borough Council. He worked in various departments across Blyth, one of them being housing in the depot at that yard. The yard contained a weigh bridge (I used to love watching the lorries being checked)  and the general stores for Blyth Housing. All the equipment the crews needed for repairing the housing stock at that time were stored at that yard. During the school holidays on a number of occasions I went to the yard with my dad. The gritting wagons, refuse wagons and various other vehicles and vans were parked up there over night. One of the jobs I loved to do was in the joiners shop. They had me sweep all the wood shavings into the centre of the floor where there was a large 'drain' which had an extractor come vacuum attached to it. The shavings were sucked up into a big storage tank that was outside. I convinced myself as a boy that it was where they got the shavings for the vomit biscuit tins in schools! An endless supply for sure. My family left Blyth in March of '81, so what happened to the council depot after that time I have no idea, excepting of course that there is now a small shopping center there. Oh, there never was a large house built on the site of the depot, it was always a commercial yard.

I also remember on the opposite side of the road there being a secondhand car dealership. The owner for a time had a 1970s blue Corvette Stingray and his wife crashed it and was killed. Not sure of the facts. You know how with time the memory can play tricks with oneself, so don't quote me on it. I'd need to go read newspapers of the day to reacquaint myself with the proper facts. The building is still there and now looks to be a private house.

Yes, the football fields are partially built on the old brick works along with Cowley Place and Edendale Avenue.

P