Author Topic: Folly Road, Blyth  (Read 15115 times)

Offline fmitford

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Re: Folly Road, Blyth
« Reply #18 on: Wednesday 19 July 17 14:59 BST (UK) »
Hi All,

I've got a little bit more information about "The Folly" at Blyth. I did see somewhere on researching it, that "1897 map that the folly was likely under what is now 83 Stanley Street" - however, on examining the various maps, I would suggest that it was where 25 – 41 Park Road are.  I tried to attach images, but despite only totalling 860kb, the 2nd and 4th were rejected, so I have put them at: https://sites.google.com/site/williamsmithmariner/

the first is from Tithe Award, Plan  (31 Dec 1840) and shown on https://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/007160FS.htm for Blyth (with permission of the Diocese of Newcastle), I've identified it by a red arrow, it certainly appears to be buildings, [below].

The second image is Blyth Folly shown on the OS six-inch of England & Wales, surveyed 1859, published 1865; there was a windmill at the end of the ropery tract, and the circular item just below the words "Blyth Folly" was likely that;

The third shows Folly Road on the OS six-inch 1888-1913; [below]

and fourth I have overlaid with a red star where I think the folly was on a current plan.

The 1841 census shows several families living at the “Folly” being: CHEPPLE, SCOT, ADAMS, GARRET, BROWN GATIS and DUNN and they appear to be living in seven separate dwellings.

My interest in this was that the father of Capt William SMITH (c.1779-1847), Mariner, who discovered Antartic (almost by accident), his father, another William, is mentioned in Wallace’s History of Blyth, (1856) stated his (William Jnr's) father died, at the Folly, Blyth; "1824. August 10. Died at the Folly, aged 90, William SMITH, father of William SMITH the discoverer of New South Shetland."


Offline Bobs lass

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Re: Folly Road, Blyth
« Reply #19 on: Sunday 06 August 17 02:21 BST (UK) »
Some of my relatives lived at various homes in The Folly, over a 20 year period.
Here is a snippet from my profile on poor great-aunt Bridget (Mrs Stephen Cochrane) :- The family address was 4 Folly Wood Houses - the houses were called “wood” houses, because they were constructed of mahogany wood. However, the accommodation they provided was of a very poor quality, as shown In the  July 1891 report made to the Blyth Local Board by the newly appointed medical officer, Dr J Cromie. He described how there were
 “4 houses at the Wood Row, Blyth Folly, with 17 persons without either drains, privies, ashpits, or water taps, and that the roofs admitted the rain and were not fit to live in.”   
The rents were 3/6d a week and his recommendation was the houses should be closed at once. It was agreed by the committee that a notice should be served on the owner to “put the houses in a sanitary order” or they would be closed. The landlord agreed to the closure of the properties and the tenants were asked to move out: but in May 1892 legal action had to be taken to serve Stephen Cochrane with an eviction notice to quit one of the properties. (By then Stephen was a ship's fireman and away at sea for most of the time, but home often enough to father a child most years. I don't think he was unduly concerned  about the living conditions of his family.)

Offline grin1970

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Re: Folly Road, Blyth
« Reply #20 on: Thursday 10 June 21 15:15 BST (UK) »
The newspaper cutting below explains the origins of Folly Road. I don't know the date or the paper it came from. However it is in my great grandfather's scrapbook, and is likely from the 1930's. It also denotes that the builder of "Cuddy's Folly", from where Folly Road got its name, was his great grandfather. Hope this finally resolves the mystery.



https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqDQ0UHjCd-JnAssUT0Cq0Pn6f5B?e=7iNIUx


Offline grin1970

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Re: Folly Road, Blyth
« Reply #21 on: Thursday 10 June 21 15:25 BST (UK) »
And this is the painting of the row of houses referred to in the newspaper article


https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqDQ0UHjCd-JnAyvtHWmJsrvNDGu?e=lSzEu7


Offline TriciaK

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Re: Folly Road, Blyth
« Reply #22 on: Thursday 10 June 21 21:02 BST (UK) »
What a fascinating thread.  My Dad would have loved this, he was keen on Blyth and family history.  And especially naval history.
The only link I  have is that we lived a block away from Dinsdale house   in  my youth.
And his office was on Stanley St.
Knott - Northumberland; Yorkshire (?Bridlington.)
Fenwick, Johnston - Northumberland.
Dixon; Hutchinson - York.
Shaw - ? Glasgow

Offline Bobs lass

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Re: Folly Road, Blyth
« Reply #23 on: Friday 11 June 21 09:09 BST (UK) »
Thank you for posting the newspaper report, which refers to the mahogany houses in my previous post #19. Another snippet of evidence to add to the sad tale of the life of poor gt-aunt Bridget.

Offline Phodgetts

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Re: Folly Road, Blyth
« Reply #24 on: Saturday 12 June 21 15:58 BST (UK) »
Thank you for posting the information and images.

I can now place in my mind's eye exactly where the buildings were. I have two images, photos of a sketch and painting. I have no idea who now owns the pictures or where they are. I received the images I have from the late Michael Dixon, a regular poster and contributor on here. The pictures are of 'The Horse & Wagon' pub.  I used to think it faced onto the old Plessey Waggonway, but how wrong I was. The pub was off Plessey Road facing more or less southwest. As you can see in the sketch, beyond the pub was open fields and you can see the train in distance atop the embankment heading for the South Staith. My guess is the buildings in the distance are of the ropery that lead from Bath Terrace towards the old Cottage Hospital which stood close by the park entrance.

In the colour picture, the Plessey Road was just out of sight to the left, and on the other side of the road would have been the muddy slake which Crofton is now built upon. Amazing to think at very high tides, the Folly would have had its very own saltwater front.

Fascinating stuff. A real rural scene now lost to Victorian housing development. On that note if you re-examine the pencil sketch you can see rooftops and chimneys in the background. They would have been newly built Victorian houses 1- 23 Folly Road, now Park Road, because prior to them being built nothing stood behind The Horse & Wagon pub!

If you were to go stand in the entrance to Maughan Street, at the Crofton pit end, and looked across to the backs of what is now Park Road, you'd be looking right at the spot where the Horse & Wagon pub stood, at was called way back 'The Folly'.

Thanks again

;D
Northumberland; Johnson, Johnston, Dodds, Rutherford, Gray, Kennedy, Wilson, Sanderson, Davidson and other Border Marauders as they are discovered on this journey.
Berkshire; Knight, Bristor, Sharpe, Sharp, Ashley.
Suffolk / Essex; Perce, Pearce, Pearse, Pierce, Hayes.
Midlands; Hodgetts, Parker, Easthope.