Blyth History.

[peteloud]

Hi Folks,

Your recent postings are bringing back loads of memories.

Here is a map I cobbled together for reference.

I remember the remains of the old terraces, but they were well flattened by my days, 1950's.

Yeah, the timber yard was a favourite play-ground for us kids that lived along the Plessy Rd/Delaval Gardens backstreet. Another place is marked on the map as "Institute" between the park and the infant school. We called it either, Spuggies Hoos, or Spookies Hoos, I'm not sure which it was.

[peteloud]

Rob,

You say, "Later there was the Willow Tree", The Willow Tree was there in 1799, and probably a few years before that.

The book, History of Blyth, that I mentioned, records for June 7th, 1799,
". . . During a dreadful thunder storm which occurred on this day the electric fluid struck the house of Mr. Timothy Duxfield, farmer, opposite the “Willow Tree,” Newsham. Mrs. D. was killed; and her daughter Margaret was so much injured that she never regained her health, and died on the same day five years afterwards."

[Michael Dixon]

 The present Willow Tree was built in 1892, on the site of the original Willow Tree.

Michael

[Phodgetts]

Dreadful quality picture from an old cutting from an unknown newspaper. It is the original Willow Tree in Newsham. The remnants of the clipping state that the pub was demolished 1891 when a new pub was built on the site for a John Thompson. The pub sat alongside what was the Plessey Waggonway.

P

[Wilkinson]

I stand corrected on the date of the Willow Tree.
Rob

[pityackafromblyth]

Been absent from here for a few days, but have found the later additions very interesting with facts and memories.  From the 1937 map, which shows the colliery houses still standing, I see that the fields/allotments near St. Bede's Church have no houses upon them, so presumably at some stage after 1937 the council houses must have been built either just before the war, or during the war. I may be incorrect, but in the late 40s, if my memory is faultless, that estate seemed to be complete, and not in the process of being built or extended. I believe a lot of the employees at New Delaval lived in that estate.  I think one of the streets was 'Park Drive'. We sometimes camped within the old railway/bullring, at the start of the timber yard, and the miners going to and back from shift, would generally ask if we were alright.  We were always on the lookout for their carbide 'droppings.' Did anyone recall the Cubs meeting at the old lamphouse (?) near the colliery ? After the end of the meeting the cubs would make their way home crossing the colliery lines, then through the timber yard to get back to New Delaval and Newsham.  Health and Safety would have thrown a 1,000 wobblers today if they knew that kids of that age were walking through colliery workings.

[peteloud]

I don't remember the cubs being at the pit. I was in the 1st Blyth Cubs from around 1953-57, (approx), then they met at what was a Methodist Chapel at the top of Phoenix Street. By about 1956 we moved to the wooden hut at at St Bede's Church, (by which time I had reached the dizzy rank of Senior Sixer :-)

I remember pitmen walking past, with all their work clothes on, going to the pit.  They would have made great photographs, but that was before my photography days :-(

[peteloud]

I have just found another map that I have of Newsham. I need to stitch it together with others for area and make a more comprehensive map. I think it is from 1865, but I need to check that.

P.S. I have found that I stitched this and others together years ago and have a version that includes Blyth and Bedlington, but it is very big.

Since posting this message I have found a load of old maps of Blyth, which you all probably know about, at http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/Blyth_C14.htm#006714.
You have to excuse my jumping into the subject, but it's about 50 years since I left Blyth, so I'm a bit out of touch.

[peteloud]

Does anyone know who has a copy of the original of this photograph from 1894?  The image that I have is not such good quality. I have a much better scanner and better image processing skills than average and would like to try and get a digital image of improved quality.

On it is my Gt. Gt. Grandfather b.1826. I also have another photo, taken at the same time, with my Gt Grandfather and his brother on it That could do with improving too.

There are a couple of other professional photos of Blyth trimmers around, one captioned "from David Barlow's Collection", but the trimmers are not named. Has anyone seen them with names?