Matthew Bell/ Salkeld/Woolsington Hall

[rjth79]

Yep, thats was us moving in !!! Bill of sale should have been made to the Smith family. I was born and grew up in Australia, but as a boy, many times during my summer school holidays, I came to the Hall to work with my family on the farm with the sheep and cattle. I wish I did have pictures because I have very fond memories or the place, As a child the only picture I remember seeing was 1 on my grandfathers bedroom wall when it was covered in snow !!!
It was the most fantastic house and surrounding buildings etc and the best part was the gardens, the wall which surrounded it had the hot water pipes in it so that it kept awat frost and provided a 'warmer' environmant for the plants to grow in, I assume it would keep frost away aswell.
Its such a shame to read about all the propsed developments etc as government have knocked them all back, but it has meant that the entire place has gon eto ruin, the house has been boarded up, the garedns hardly exsist anymore as they are over grown etc and not much remains of the rest of the farm buildings.
Moderator Comment: details removed to protect privacy.

[valbt]

Very interested to see Woolsington Hall reference.   I am related to the Smith family who moved into the Hall in 1929.   They were called Dorothy and Sydney Smith and had 2 children
Moderator Comment: Names of living people removed to protect their privacy.  Please use the personal message system.  New posters need 3 posts before they can use it.
Sorry to do this on your first post!   Welcome and I hope you get lots of help from us.   Just avoid mentioning living people!
Andrea

[lindjemp]

Many thanks for replying!

 I have the newspaper cutting of the auction of Woolsington Hall - the Mrs Watson nee Bell was my great grandmother Margaret Ellen who married her cousin Claude Henry Watson who was the Woolsington Estate manager. They lived at Sunniside Farm.

Richard Hutchinson contacted me regarding some of his memories of the Hall which were very descriptive.

I have a few photos of my great grandmother if you are interested - would love to hear more about her!

cheers

Linda

[rjth79]

Hi all,
Well, i'll try and get this right and is to the best of my knowledge of my family tree.
, Ralph Hutchinson and his brother Frank.
Ralph was married to Elsie Sheppard - Turner ( she and the great artist 'Turner' are cousins !! ), and had my father Frank II.
Frank, who was killed accidently during WW2, was married to Joan, who since remarried but ad a son with Frank.
Both Ralph and Frank were born in Newcastle in I think around 1912 to Thomas and Wilhelmona.
Frank is buried in a Commonwealth War Grave in St. Andrew's and Jesmond, he was a Flight Sargent in 15 P Advanced Flying RAF. He was killed when his student crashed the areoplane.
How are you related, we will be on the same tree just a different branch.
 its great to see the interest on here, Woolsington Hall is a good place to errr, place to place memories, once you had been there, you never forgot it
Richard
Moderator Comment:Names of living people removed.  Please use the personal message system to exchange such information.   

[lindjemp]

Could you tell me the names of the Watsons who still live at Sunniside?

[rjth79]

Hi Linda,
I sent you an email
Rich

[valbt]

Two parts to this reply - I think that the Miss Bell who married her cousin Claude had a son called Godfrey who was an author.   The owneers of Sunniside now have no connection with the Watson family.
Re the Hutchinson family connection with Woolsington - love to know more and am most interested in the info re Frank and Ralph.  When you came over from Australia where did you stay?   And when did your family live at the Hall?
The good news is that the house is in reasonable order structurally inside now and maybe the grand plans for it will eventually happen!.

[valbt]

Richard - my name is Valerie!   V. interesting info from you and all confusing...I have been talking to my 2nd cousin who now lives near Stocksfield  re the Leatherland family ie Diana's side.   Harry and Elizabeth Leatherland lived at Darras Hall in a house called Habeth and D was brought up there.   Mrs L had a sister known as Aunt Mina (Minor?) who has a son Ralph.  Ralph married Elsie who ?was Australian.   Are these your parents?   Who is your Aunt who knows re this - v. intriguing!
I am related through my maternal grandmother who was Dorothy Smiths sister - maiden name was Raine.  So the late Bill, who died at the end of last year was my 2nd cousin.   I knew the house well as I had my 21st birthday party there and was later married from there.   Played tennis there and altogether had a lot of fun.   Maybe all this is already telling you what you know - if so, apologies!   Yours Valerie.

[rjth79]

Hi Valerie,
Ok so i'll try and say it so it makes sense,
I think the relationship is on the Leatherland side. Elizabeth and Wilhelmina ( Mina ) were sisters, and hwnce Mina was Diana's aunt. Now, Mina married Thomas Hutchinson ( they are my great grand parents ) They had 2 children, Frank and Ralph, Frank married Joan and Ralph married Elsie ( who are my grandparents). Joan and Elsie went to school together in Australia !
 So then, Frank was killed during the war but had a son a year previous to his death who is Ronald. Ralph and Elsie had 3 children including my father Frank ( named after Ralph's brother, so he 2 Franks make it confusing haha) This Frank is my father.
So as it works out, I think you have the same relationship to Bill and my father, which is second cousin, going on, Bill and Diana are cousins to Ralph and Elsie. I do remember my father teloing me he was second cousin to Bill and Diana's children.
You may or may not be aware, but I am pretty certain that Harry and Elizabeth are buried in The St Andrew's and Jesmond cemetry aswell, right next to Ralph's brother Frank !!!!
I visited the plots Jan 2008, the anniversary or Frank's death. Harry and Elizabeth are on the left hand side of Frank's Commonwealth War grave Sec. B. Cons. Grave 143.
From what I am told by one of Bill and Diana's children, a 3rd family member is buried with Harry and Elizabeth in the same plot but there is no mention on the headstone.
I think we have nutted it out, and so for our relationship, I am your newphew, either twice or thrice removed.
Cool !!
Rich