Blyth History.

[Cowpen Quay Exile]

I seem to remember  that a Col Henry John Sweeney was featured on This is your Life when Eamon Andrews was the host . After a distinguished career in The Pioneer Corps he was at one time in  "charge" at the Battersea Home . Could this be the same man ?

[blythian]

I seem to remember  that a Col Henry John Sweeney was featured on This is your Life when Eamon Andrews was the host . After a distinguished career in The Pioneer Corps he was at one time in  "charge" at the Battersea Home . Could this be the same man ?

According to Wikipedia, it seems so

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1310157/Colonel-Henry-Tod-Sweeney.html] Telegraph Obituary

[pityackafromblyth]

Blyth/NE pits - under the sea.  I know that they were prone to flooding, and that the pits had pumping machines. New Deleval Pit had their pit ponds filled with water pumped up from below- the ponds were a pale yellow colour.  I do not know about other pits in the Blyth area, apart from Crofton Pit where Dad worked.  He was an electrician, and when the pumps stopped working it was his job to go and rectify the fault with his "marra". They had to walk out to the coal face which was affected, sometimes a mile or so.  As a youngster in the early 50s I can remember seeing his boiler suit/overalls having wet and mud stains sometimes up to his lower chest.  His comment, in those days was,"Ay,the hewers and those earn their money when digging the coal out;but when things go wrong we are sent down to sort out the s**t.
The question is : where was the Crofton water pumped to, because as far I am aware, there were no pit ponds in the Crofton Pit area/Road area of Blyth.

[TriciaK]

The coalminer's job must have been one of the most dangerous in the country. My Dad was involved in holding inquests (he hated it, so sad) and kept a scrap book of newspaper reports of deaths down the pit etc. I've still got it somewhere.
So what with mining and going to sea and even ship-building it's a wonder there wasn't a shortage of men in the area.

[pityackafromblyth]

TriciaK, Just seen your latest post.  Re the inquests, a workmate with Dad was injured underground [at Crofton Pit]where his lower abdomen was cut open quite badly.  Dad covered the exposed intestines with a towel or something, and they managed to get the injured electrician up and away to hospital.  Fortunately he survived, but Dad feared the worst, and the only thing he was worried about was having to give evidence at an inquest. !!!

[pityackafromblyth]

Today, on BBC North East News it showed a service held at Blyth beach re the 9 soldiers who were drowned in the bay. on 24th August, 1917.  Some had returned from the Somme.  They were from Birmingham and had never seen the sea before.  I think the tragedy is mentioned here in the Blyth History section.  A fuller coverage of the service is to be shown on the North East news this evening.

[TriciaK]

That's a sad story, pityacka - never heard of it before.. But we were warned only  to swim "between the piers". To avoid the dangerous currents. (not that we always took notice.  )

[pityackafromblyth]

I found details of the service and names of the drowned soldiers on the BBC website. The majority of them were 18-19 years old.  They were from the Warwickshire Regiment, which relates to Birmingham.According to the BBC news, they were at Blyth on a training 'programme'or whatever the correct terminology is; and when they finished the exercise they were allowed to go into the water.Apparently, the tide was low when they went into the water, and that was the sole problem.From what I have gathered, seen, and learned from other things on the web - Blyth bay, when the water is low, can be very treacherous.  I almost found out at about 14 years of age with a friend, and we just managed to wade ashore near the sewage pipes, with the incoming tide up to our chin and lips.

[TriciaK]

Some reports of coastal dangers from tidal surge in Jan. this year:
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-east-tidal-surge-live-12448913
One refers to someone at Cambois.
Are tidal surges becoming more frequent?