Isabella Pit - Blyth

[Ronin56]

I have a number of relatives (Stanleys) who are shown in censuses as living in West Row but my grandfather and great grandmother are shown as living at the same number in New Row. Was there a time when the names were changed?

[Gen List Lass]

Hello Ronin

Isabella pit otherwise known as Cowpen colliery, see:

http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/i001.htm

http://northumberlandpast.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-blyth-isabella-pit-early-days.html


Doesn't look as though streets are named on the map but Alan Godfrey maps might have a better map of Cowpen.

Gen in NBL England

[Ruskie]

It is possible that they moved and may be just a coincidence that the house numbers were the same.

If I were you I would have a look again at the family on each census. If you look at the neighbours, and around the nearby streets, writing names down as you go, you will be following the enumerator's route and get a feel for the layout of the area.

This way you can compare the New Row and West Row locations to see if they are similar or not. You can also check oldmaps.co.uk to try to locate the streets on maps that correspond date wise with the censuses.

A simpler way is to go to the first page of each census where there will be a description of the enumerator's route which may, or should, mention the names of the streets. So if you see both New Row and West Row on the same census you will know that your family moved.

Looking at the names, it seems possible that New Row was a later addition simply due to it's name.

Sorry that's a bit long winded, but hope it helps. 

[TriciaK]

I had a friend, family name Proctor, who lived "doon the 'Bella." But can't remember her address.
Good luck with your search.

[blythian]

Looks like a coincidence with house numbers Ronin

West Row, Middle Row, East Row then New Row, with South row running along the bottom Image taken from a map on www.keystothepast.info [edit] 1938 - 1950 historical map [edit2] Is the black line running through the middle of Middle Rown and East Row a railway/waggon way? I'm sure one of the sets of pit rows round blyth had them...

[Ronin56]

Thanks Blythian, that's pretty definitive isn't it. They must have been happy with No. 13 which was where i was born (New Row). Lucky for some I say! I don't know about the track between Middle Row and East Row. My parents moved South to my father's county of Wiltshire when I was about 2 and although we visited grandparents throughout my childhood it was always the back of the house that we used and never ventured far. I do remember the allotments across the road though. I have very fond memories of that house.

On another tack, I see your genealogical interests include Parkers in Northumberland. I have Parker connections in my tree, my great-great aunt Elizabeth Stanley married James Parker in 1872. Although he was born in Lancashire, they married in Featherstone, Yorkshire. Judging by children's birth dates they moved to Blyth between 1880 and 1881 and returned to Featherstone sometime between 1883 and 1887. Ring any bells?

[dolly dimples]

  I used to live in the Isabella Colliery from 1968 , as did my sister,we lived in the West Row, my brother lived in the New Row. then there was Middle row, and South Row, where my daughter had her first home.  and East Row..  Oh happy days !

Cant say that I remember any Stanleys tho' but my better half knew of a "Tonka" Stanley who lived in the New Row! My brother who lived in New Row sadly is no longer with us, he probably knew him well.
Thanks to GenList for that very sad memorium of miners killed at that pit. My Father worked at the Isabella Colliery when first married, and apparently he used to come home each night so ill that he could not eat his dinner until after his  "bath" and a sleep, as he said the air down that mine was so foul.
 My own husband was working with a miner who was killed when we first married , he took a long while to get over that !     
                               Dolly

[blythian]

I haven't looked at the Parkers in detail yet, but i know mine are from Tyneside/Hexham areas Have to dig deeper to see if there is a link

[Phodgetts]

A view of the rows taken from the pit heap in the 1960s, New Row being farthest away from the camera.

P