Hamsteels Colliery Inn, Co Durham

[Elliven]

This is really excellent stuff!  It reflects the area, its social life, sporting life and even criminal activity.  Also the sad human side - death of a landlord and disposal of his furniture.  It also explains what I thought was a building name Marley's House referring to the pub.  I had originally thought this was a building name but the first item explains it was the actual pub.  I did not know that Marley was the landlord.  There are several licensees named too, and that is helpful.  Thank you very much!

[Jool]

I'm pleased the information was helpful.  I have posted below the article referring to John Cockerill's death as it gives a lot more information about him.

[Elliven]

Thank you,

Thanks for the copy of the article about John Cockerill.  That really fleshes him out as a man and will make the story that bit more interesting.  I wonder too about Mrs J Snaith as Mr J Snaith was the owner and landlord of pubs in Lanchester and Leadgate at the same time.  And the story of the forged half crown made me laugh - to think it was worth forging coins.  As they say, all human life is there.

[Jool]

I wonder too about Mrs J Snaith as Mr J Snaith was the owner and landlord of pubs in Lanchester and Leadgate at the same time.

As you thought,  Mrs J. Snaith is the widow of Mr. J. Snaith

There is a report on 17th Aug 1900 of the death of 48 year old Mr. John Snaith of the Blue Bell Hotel, Lanchester. It states he formerly kept the Queen Victoria Hotel and the Coach & Horses Hotel, Leadgate.  He left a widow and family.

There is another report on 23rd May 1902 referring to Mrs. Jessie Snaith, landlady of the Blue Bell Hotel, Lanchester. 

The 1901 census shows Jessie Snaith, widow, Innkeeper at the Blue Bell Inn, Lanchester.
In 1911 she is at the Hamsteels New Inn, Quebec.

[Elliven]

I wasn't sure, but it is not the most common of names, the timing was right and the distance was not too far - so it seemed a possibility.  Incidentally, John Snaith had the Midas touch and he would have become a very rich man if he had lived.  Unfortunately he liked his own product too much and died of cirrhosis of the liver.  His gt gt granddaughter gave me that information.

Did you happen to notice what the penalty was for passing the fake half crown?  It's not important - just idle curiosity!

[Jool]

Did you happen to notice what the penalty was for passing the fake half crown?  It's not important - just idle curiosity!

The newspaper article only mentioned that he was committed to the Quarter Sessions, he was noted as age 16.  I looked him up in the Quarter Sessions and he was sentenced to 1 week in Durham prison, he was actually only 14 years old and a pitman.

[Elliven]

Thank you very much.  Your contribution to my knowledge is phenomenal and it gives me even more grounds for research!

[Comet88]

Hi Elliven.
I'm writing a social history piece about my great grandfather's cousin, Susan Clifford. She was born near Derby in January 1888 as her parents' fifth child, but her mother died following the birth and Susan was given up for adoption.

According to the 1901 census, she was living with her her adoptive parents, John and Harriet Varley, at 8 Marley's Houses, just to the west of Quebec and Hamsteels Colliery. John was a coal hewer, and worked either at the Hamsteels mine or at Cornsay Colliery a little further west.

It seems that, by 1904, they had moved up to the South Shields area, where 16-year-old Susan's illegitimate son was born - probably in Jarrow where they were living in 1911. The father may have been a Cornsay or Hamsteels miner, if he was not a Jarrow shipyard worker.

I am looking for period illustrations of their time around Quebec, and found your image of the Hamsteels Colliery Inn. May I have your permission to use it? How would you like me to credit you in the image caption?

I hope you can help and look forward to hearing from you.

[Elliven]

Yes, you can use it.  The photo is probably out of copyright now and I was given it many years ago to illustrate a paper on local pubs.  As long as you don't claim copyright, I can't see anyone complaining about it.