Alison Wilson (nee Turner)

Hi, my name is Alison Wilson (nee Turner). I was born in Ushaw Moor in 1964 at 68 Broom Crescent. My father has very recently died and I am eager to learn/know more about my Fathers life in the communitty.I know that my Father hailed from 9 Cochrane Terrace, Ushaw Moor. My mother I think was from New Brancepath(nee Deighton). Can anybody please help me? Thank-you, Alison.

Coggins/Bee and the 1905 School Football Team

Hi Ushaw Moor!

My great uncle Richard L. Coggins married (Annie) Laura Bee in the late autumn of 1910. Laura was born in Ushaw Moor the late autumn of 1885, the niece of Elizabeth Stephenson.  In1901, she was 15, and a general domestic servant, living at Esh, St Michael, Ushaw Moor. Richard was a school master and his first assignment was probably in Ushaw Moor. The attached photo shows the Ushaw Moor C. School Football Team of 1905 with I believe my great Uncle Robert seated in the centre. I hope others in Ushaw Moor will recognize their ancestors and relatives in the picture and if anybody can  tell me what the C. means before School ( is it County?) and has any information on my Great Uncle or the relatives of Annie Laura Bee, I would love to hear from them. Thanks very much from a snowy Canada.

Bryan Cook

BARBARA DOWSON

Top left brian maughan---alan briggs---aiden keenan ---peter heatley--micheal mahony---micheal martin. middle row left mr murray---andrew henderson--elizabeth jennings--lorretta mc quillan--barbara alderton (me)--kathleen ward--billy davis--mrs joyce. bottom row left beryl stewert--brenda hirst--millie quigley--brenda ackley--pauline gillon--anne halpin--pauline ryans taken about 1957.

Barbara Dowson

Soccer Gleghorn's Finest Day?

Back in 1949 and 1950 Ushaw Moor's football team was both professional and highly successful. According to the 1950 Durham Benevolent Bowl Final's official programme the right winger for Ushaw Moor was called Gleghorn - surely it has to be our 'Soccer' and no less! Answers on a post card or more realistically the comment button.

The game was played at the Brewery Ground Spennymoor, kick off 3.15 pm - but no date given - presumably April or May. Ushaw Moor's opponents were the mighty Bishop Auckland.

Teams: Ushaw Moor: Smith, Ross, Sharp, Wood, Waterson, Caine, Gleghorn, Finlay, McKenzie, Blacklock, Richmond.  Bishop Auckland: Storey, Coxon, Farrer, Harburn, Davison, Nimmins,Major, Hardisty, McIlvenny, Taylor, Riley. Referee Mr J Rand of Easington.

The programme notes are very interesting - as follows- unedited:

Once again Spennymoor United Ground is honoured by being allowed the Benevolent Bowl Final Tie. A new Bowl finalist takes the field to-day and who knows what new history may be added to the Competition. Ushaw Moor deserve the honour of being in the final. They have defeated Murton [home] Harlepools United Reserves and Eppleton C.W. [away] to reach the final stage and to defeat three North Eastern League sides is no mean achievement. Ushaw Moor is in the hands of a very capable Secretary, Mr G. Winter and much credit goes to him and his hard working Committee. Here is the power of Ushaw Moor. They have lost only 8 games out of 117  played during the last two seasons. They have lost one Cup-tie this past season, to Stockton in the County Challenge Cup. Four trophies adorn their Headquarters, the Central League Cup, The County Hospital Cup, The Sacriston Aged Miners' Cup and the Ushaw Moor Aged Miners' Cup. The latter they have won four years in succession. They tie at the head of the Durham Central League with Trimdon Grange and altogether we can appreciate what a successful season they have had. Should they win to-day it would be a fitting end to a glorious season. It will be noted that a number of ex-Spennymoor United players are in the Ushaw Moor side and this may depict a happy association and understanding between the two clubs. Ex-Moorites in the formation of this powerful minor professional side are Smith, Wood, Caine and Gleghorn.

We need not dwell upon the history of the Bishop Auckland Club. The fame of this year's Amateur Cup Finalists is known to almost every football fan throughout the land and Durham County is rightly proud to have sent to Wembley two teams whose display in this last final of the Amateur Cup will rank as one of the best ever.

Bishop Auckland Pen Pictures:

W J Storey - Durham County player and has two Amateur International Trials. Previously with Sunderland. J Coxon- Represented Northumberland in County matches and previously assisted Darlington. LT Farrer Played for England against Luxenbourg in 1947. A native of Barnet he joined Bishop Auckland whilst stationed North in the services. A member of the side against Barnet in the 1947 Amateur Cup Final at Chelsea. W N Harburn- Joined the Club from South Bank last season. Developed by Bishop Auckland as a wing half and is playing at the top of his form. R Davison- The only miner in the side and the only player without representative honours. Previously with Crook and Shildon. J Nimmins- Previously with Spennymoor. Gained his Cap this season. J L Major- Represents East Riding in the Northern Counties Championship. Gained an International cap against France. J R E Hardisty- Has gained every possible honour in amateur football, except an FA Amateur Cup winner's medal. Has captained England many times and was the Captain of the British Olympic Soccer side in 1948.  H J McIlveney- Son of a former Newcastle player. Formed a firm friendship with Hardisty during representative and Olympic matches. Has played regularly in Bradford's league side. J W R Taylor Capped for County Durham. Assisted Leytonstone last season and has been a member of the Crystal Palace side. JR Riley- A regular soldier stationed at Catterick, he has assisted Darlington's Third Division side this season. Plays regularly for Northern Command and Army representative sides.

Result - Bishop Auckland 3 Ushaw Moor 1

You can see from the pen pictures that Ushaw Moor were playing a fine side but they were not a bad side themselves!

I must thank Mr Keith Belton of the Durham Amateur Football Trust for supplying me with the information - thank you Keith.

One of Ushaw Moor's Fallen

37 Years old Richard Hope [a winding engineman at Ushaw Moor colliery] and his wife 39 years old Rachael, welcomed their son Joseph into the world of 1893. They already had three children, George [14] John Thomas [8] and William [6]. Daughter Lavinia was destined to arrive four years later. Their home was 2 Temperance Terrace and today the Post Office adjoins it.

I possess two photographs of a very young Joseph and he looks both thoughtful and serious in both of them. In one he poses as a soldier and wears an authentic looking soldier’s cap and badge. He holds a toy rifle by his side.

Time moves on and in very early 1915 he joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry – Portsmouth Battalion.

British troops, including Joseph, began their invasion of the Turkish peninsular at Gallipoli on 25/04/1915. They settled in around Cape Helles and were deployed to assist the New Zealand and Australian soldiers that were already there.

The Gallipoli campaign was fought by Commonwealth soldiers and French forces with a goal of forcing Turkey out of the war. The plan was to break the deadlock of the Western Front in Belgium and France. It was hoped that success would open up a supply route to Russia.

On 02/05/1915 the Marines had been held in reserve for an attack by the Anzac forces; their plan was to capture high ground near Pope’s Hill on the following day. At about 2.30am, Joseph and his colleagues were ordered forward – but they did not realize that the Anzac attack had already failed – that troops were falling back. Joseph, the brave and lovely lad from Ushaw Moor, barely out of his teens, was part of a charge up Razor-Back Hill. It was there that they met the withering Turkish machine guns; Joseph was one of the many killed and in addition many were injured.

Charles Bean in his book - The Story of Anzac - indicated that many of those marines were raw, untrained and barely 18 years of age. Joseph was not much older than them. Some had but a few weeks of training; mostly only a few months.

The poet Rupert Brooke’s poem - The Soldier - seems so apt and the first few lines provide what I wish to say:

‘If I should die, think only this of me;

That there’s some corner of a foreign field

That is forever England’.

Wilf Bell

What Your Money Used To Be Worth In 1959

By reference to take home wage packets we can see how things have changed:

7 pounds then is like receiving 112 pounds and 91 pence now

10 pounds then is like receiving 161 pounds and 30 pence now

16 pounds then is like receiving 258 pounds and 08 pence now

If you were left a thousands pounds in a will by your Aunty Ada  in 1959

It is like being left 16,130 pounds now.

Reference thisismoney.co.uk/historic-inflation-calculator

Wilf Bell

John Thomas Hope

‘Tot’ Hope 1934

In September 1934 The Durham County Advertiser and the Durham Chronicle printed a report of John Thomas Hope’s funeral under the headlines ‘Well Known Sportsman – Funeral of Mr J T  Hope at Ushaw Moor’ This article is typed from a photocopy that has  one or two words that are difficult to establish but here is ‘99%’ of what was reported:

Many mourners attended the funeral at Ushaw Moor Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon of Mr John Thomas Hope, aged 50, of Temperance Terrace, Ushaw Moor. Mr Hope has lived in the village all his life, and was employed at Ushaw Moor Colliery for the past 36 years. For over 17 years he was a chargeman and deputy at the colliery. In former days he captained both Ushaw Moor cricket and football teams, and he was also a successful sprinter. He was at one time treasurer of the Ushaw Moor Workingmen’s Club. He is survived by a widow and one daughter.

A service was conducted in St Luke’s Church, Ushaw Moor, by the Rev. J. H. P. Welby, after which the large cortege, headed by the Ushaw Moor Miners’ Lodge banner and officials, proceeded to the cemetery, where the last rites were performed. The chief mourners were: Mrs R Hope [daughter], Mr and Mrs Wood [brother in law and sister], Doncaster; Mr and Mrs G Hope [brother and sister in law], Tynemouth; Mr W Hope [brother], Durham; Mr and Mrs R Hope, New Brancepeth; Mrs Parker, Middlesborough; Mr and Mrs W Hope, Thornley; Mr J Hope, Ushaw Moor; Mrs J Knox, Ushaw Moor; Mrs Hodgson, Spennymoor; Mr Harper, Cornsay; Mrs Smith , Catchgate; Mrs Finegan, South Moor; Mrs Martin and Mrs Maddison, Sunderland; Mrs Frances, Quebec; Mrs E Smith, Sherburn; Mr Bell, Pity Me; Mr and Mrs J Wallhead, South Moor, Mr and Mrs P George, South Moor; Mrs Walker, Annfield Plain; Mrs Hobson and Mr Palmer, Greencroft; Mrs Stoddart, Mr B Palmer; Mr James Graham, Annfield Plain; Mr and Mrs J Smith, Mr and Ms Mecalfe, Mr J [or L ?} Stewart, Mr and Mrs F[?]ennick, Mr Lewis, Mr and Mrs J  W….? and Mr Russell. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr R W Alderson of Ushaw Moor.

‘Tot’ had scratched his thumb on an iron nail whilst working underground and died of septicemia several days later when in the Royal Victoria Infirmary at Newcastle.

Wilf Bell

Working Mens Club and Empire

I lived in Ushaw Moor for the first 30 years of my life and I have always missed it since moving away. I see they have demolished the club and the old Empire or Winnings, and have built new houses all over the place, did the Bush shut down as well if so the Flass must be the only pub left open; it seems as if all the old places in Ushaw Moor have to be knocked down and new houses built, did they build houses on the "rec" behind the club as well, I know things change and things don't stop the same but to me they have spoiled Ushaw Moor, they will be building on the allotments next if the powers to be get there own way. Did they build on the old Institute, used to have some good times in there playing snooker in the 60s never mind I could go on but I still have my memories of the old working class pit village that it used to be.

Thanks

Harry Oughton

Ray Jolly

Hello, am wondering if you can help me please am after some information regarding Ushaw moor as my Grandad, Ray Jolly, working there when he was a boy. He is 76 now and would like some information about some people who worked there and some pictures. If you could help me I would be most grateful if you could reply to

sarahelainejolly@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you very much this is the closest link to what i was looking for.

Melvyn Gray Ushaw Moor in 1938

I wonder if anyone can help at all? My father was born in Ushaw Moor in 1938 and lived there till he was a teenager in High View, I think it was called. His name's Melvyn Gray and he was the only child of Bill and Peggy Gray. His best friend was George, but I don't know his surname.

My sister and I are organising a bit of a birthday do for him as he reaches 70 this year and we'd love to have something from Ushaw Moor from the time he lived there, even if it's only a memory from someone or a photo of the village at the time. He and my mum live near Durham, so they're not a million miles away, but my dad's memories of UM are all of his childhood and it would be great to do something related to that for this milestone birthday.

Any help posted on here would be much appreciated!

Thanks, Rachel Green.

Ayres and Graces in Jubilee Street, New Brancepeth 1901

Grace Naisbitt

Aged 36, lived at 31 Jubilee Street with her mum and dad [George [58] and Elizabeth [56]. Also there were Grace’s brother Joseph [31] sister Mary Ann [34] and sister Elizabeth [20].

Grace Reddon

Aged 34, lived at 8 Jubilee Street with her husband George[30] and their children Jane [5] John [3] and Richard [2].

Robert Ayre

Aged 27, lived at 14 Jubilee Street with his wife Annie [27] and their son William [4]

There were other Grace's around e.g. Grace Fairless - aged 3 months and living with dad Thomas [38] and mother Mary Ann [34] at 47 Eshwood Street. Siblings were: Elizabeth [8] George Naisbett Fairless [13] and Aaron [10].

Wilf Bell

My Ancestors the Vasey's

On the 1891 census My  ancestors the Vasey's were living at 22 Cockhouse lane, on the 1901 census they were living at 31 Dale st. When my Grt Grandad married in 1909 he was living at 343 Broompark. I remember my Grandad who was born in 1911 saying his dad was one of 13 children and looking at my findings he was right.

I wonder if there are any vasey's still living in Ushaw Moor today.

Regards Edward Vasey.

Yet Another 'Coach Tour'

'Coach Tour' sounds a bit more interesting that a timeline don't you think? I hope that some of the names dropped are of interest to both family history enthusiasts and residents in general.

Here we go:

1905 George Bertram Joslin of Ushaw Moor died on 13/01/1905. He had served as a porter at Durham Railway Station for many years.

1921 Ushaw Moor Colliery employed about 870 workers at this time.

1932 Several local men attended the funeral of Mr William Browell Charlton, a distinguished chairman of the Durham Mining Board. The local men were:

W Shellett,  A Tindale and F Pattison [all three from New Brancepeth and representing the Colliery Enginemen’s Association], G Hume from New Brancepeth [representing the Durham Winding Enginemen’s Association], Mr J Shield [Ushaw Moor] and Mr J H Paul of Bearpark. I wonder whether Mr Shield was a member of the family that was living at 26 Front Street, Browney in 1901.

1950 Ushaw Moor Colliery employed about 340 workers at any given time during this year whereas at New Brancepeth Colliery the figure was about 470 [under the managership of Mr G Watson].

1952 Wilf Bell did not win the New Brancepeth Primary School 50 yard dash. He was winning but stopped at what he thought was the finishing line [it wasn’t]. Who won it then?

1955 A local MP brought to Parliament’s attention the need for a post box to be sited on the new housing estate at Bearpark.

1957 Many elderly residents of Ushaw Moor are already familiar with the name Jack Joyce – one gentleman of that name had his portrait on the Ushaw Moor banner and another was a local historian living in Whitehouse Lane, albeit I believe with the surname Joice. Now we have another Joyce: Mr Anthony Joyce, of Wardley. He moved from Ushaw Moor in 1911 and went on to give excellent service as secretary and treasurer of the Follonsby Miners’ Lodge.   Like Jack Joyce of Ushaw Moor he had the privilege of having his portrait painted on a colliery banner.

1958 A local MP informed Parliament that the parents of pupils taking the Northern Counties School Certificate had to pay exam administration fees whereas the parents of pupils taking GCE did not.

1973 An Ushaw Moor lad, John George March, scored 64 for Durham County against Northumberland.

1974 Cllr. L Dodds was appointed chairman of Brandon and Byshottles Council – the following year Cllr. J H Turner held the same position. Both were local to Ushaw Moor.

1991 Colin Albone [born in Ushaw Moor in 1954] shared in a partnership of 291 with Dennison Thomas to assist South Moor to compile 357 for 4 wickets against Seaton Burn in the Tyneside Senior League. It can be said that Colin was very much the one that got away as far as Ushaw Moor are concerned.

2006 Shaun Ellis of New Brancepeth Primary School won a prize in a schools’ painting competition.

2008 Capitalism is tottering but you can still buy a pint and fish and chips in Ushaw Moor.

re Joe West

I am looking for any information that anyone may have of my dad JOE WEST.    I was born when my Mum and Dad lived in 21 Arthur Street, Ushaw Moor.

I don't have a lot of information about him he passed away when I was 9 years old.  Which will be about 1965.

I do believe he was a Football Referee and he worked on United Buses at the time.

Before moving to Ushaw Moor he  went away to war in the 40s and he got injured in Burma.  I believe he spent a long time in hospital and didn't come home with the rest of the troops.  His then wife (don't know her name) didn't wait for him (perhaps she thought he was dead I am just guessing here - as he didn't come home) and went off with another man.

I have e mailed you because of some of the stories on your web site,  I must admit it has brought back a lot of memories. many thanx to Wilf Bell for that.

Someone must remember him or even have a picture of him.

John G West

Two Florence Nightingales living in Ushaw Moor in 1901

Florence Nightingale Number1

The younger Florence, aged 9 and born in Waterhouses, was part of the Nightingale family that occupied both 2 and 3 West Street Ushaw Moor.

Her father was John Nightingale a 42 year old colliery Undermanager; born in Northumberland he had gained his manager’s certificate on 26/02/1893. His managerial experience included overseeing the ‘Busty’ which would be abandoned 43 years later – well after his involvement!

Florence’s mother was 35 year old Sarah who was born in St. John’s Chapel in Durham.

Florence had a lot of siblings: Alice [born in Waterhouses], Edith [b Esh], James W [b Waterhouses], Margaret [b Ushaw Moor], Mary J [b Waterhouses] and Phillis [bWaterhouses].

Sarah Ellen McGurk and Family

Having previously given a brief mention to an Ushaw Moor girl, Sarah Ellen McGurk, in an earlier article I recently found myself sitting next to her daughter, Mrs Margaret Parks, at a University of the Third Age social history meeting about 265 miles south of Ushaw Moor! Margaret gave me the go ahead to write some brief notes about her family - as follows:

Sarah Ellen McGurk was born in Lanchester on 18th October 1900 and shortly afterwards lived at 10 South Street, Ushaw Moor, with her parents John and Margaret.

Her dad was born in Durham and worked as a local colliery coke drawer. Essentially he removed coke from the coke-oven by means of a tool that resembled a long handled shovel.

Sarah had a brother called Edward [seven years older than her] and a brother called Michael who was four years older. Michael, who was only about 5ft tall at the time and worked at the colliery as a pit pony boy. One day at the colliery his pony would not proceed any further – it then jumped and reared; as a result Michael’s leg was broken and he walked with a limp for the rest of his life. Much later he went to live with his niece Margaret Parks [see first paragraph] in Tottenham, North London. Margaret remembers him because of the amount of snuff he used!

Sarah had a sister, Mary Ann, as well as the brothers mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Mary Ann is not mentioned in the 1901 census so it is likely that she was born a little later - although it is just possible that she was staying at an address other than 9 South Street at the time of the Census.

It is known that Sarah’s mother, who was born in Bishop Auckland, used to bake cakes and hold coffee mornings to raise money to go towards the building of the Ushaw Moor Catholic School.

When Sarah left school she spent sometime working at the Ushaw College laundry.

Sarah died on 19/02/1972.

Now for some further notes supplied by Margaret Parks that might mean something to residents or ex residents of Ushaw Moor:

“The Griffin family included cousins of my mother Sarah Ellen McGurk.

The Keenan family [nee McNab] looked after the McGurk youngsters when their mother died. The Keenans settled in Brandon at 19 Commercial Street.

There were also relations living at New Brancepeth’’.

I will finish with a bit of information about the McGurk’s immediate neighbours in South Street during 1901:

9 South Street - Mr George Young [blacksmith] and his wife Mary. Their daughter Amy worked as a barmaid.

11 South Street – Mr Michael Collingwood [aged 24] coal miner and preacher born in Byers Green. Also his wife Hannah [aged 25] born at the Boyne [I suppose Langley Moor!]

Wilf Bell

Some Florence Girls from Sleetburn

Florence was a very popular name in Victorian times and there were lots of them in Sleetburn. Examples of the surnames of some of them, which might trigger memories, are as follows:

Beattie  living at 31 Harvey St. [Parents Isaac and Hannah]

Brown                Colliery View  [James and Elizabeth Jane]

Brownlow   [both mother and daughter called Florence] - Planting Row

Calvert                33 Harvey St. [William and Isabella]

Dixon                  15 Jubilee St.  [Joseph and Isabella]

Eggleston            48 Eshwood St. [Augustus and Mary Ann]

Wilf Bell

An Ushaw Moor Lad's Experience in the Cumberland Coalfield 2/2

I managed to wake up[4.45 am] in time to make my way to Lowca Colliery for a 6am start in my new job as weighman. It turned out to be an incredibly monotonous job. I was required to keep a paper record of the weight of all the individual coal tubs that past by my little cabin, by reference to a big scale, and then total them for submission to the Colliery Manager’s Clerk. I did that for twelve hours a day, five days a week [excluding breaks for lunch]. The money was good but the job was way beneath the potential of any human being. I respected a man called Pat – he had lost the sight of one eye, probably in a mining accident.  Part of his job was to ensure that the coal tubs, which were freshly drawn from underground, got to me from the pit top without coming off the rails - and he did it in a very vigorous and efficient manner.  I remember another strongly built lad who appeared quite fresh in the morning but always took on a gaunt and haunted look by late afternoon. I sometimes spotted him in the street after work; with the benefit of a shower and smart clean clothing he looked almost a different person. Even in 1964 ‘screen lasses’ were employed at the pit to extract metals and stone from coal. They got tired and dirty but again I admired the fact that they put so much effort in for such low wages.

On the 7th of April 1964 I got out of bed at 4.45 am - Groundhog Day – I guess that you have seen the film - and eventually got to the bus stop to wait for the Lowca Colliery works bus. Two policemen approached me and one of them said to me “good morning sir, may I ask you what you are doing at a bus stop at quarter past five in the morning?” I replied that I was waiting for a bus. He expressed surprise and said ‘waiting for a bus – at this time – what is the number of the bus sir?” I explained that being a works bus, with Lowca Colliery as its destination, it did not have a number. He looked at his colleague – thanked me – and they both walked on. When I got home I told my mother about the incident and she replied that a man, John Alan West, had been brutally murdered, in his home, at about 4am. His house was not much more than thirty yards from the bus stop I used to wait for the bus. What had happened was that Peter Anthony Allen and his wife, together with their lodger Gwynne Owen Evans, had travelled from Preston to Seaton that morning. While Mrs Allen stayed in the car [thinking that the men were seeking a loan from Mr West] they went into his house and stabbed and battered him to death.  They stole two bank books and a watch. Evans left his raincoat behind and within it was a medallion - which was inscribed with his name!  Needless to say they were soon arrested and charged with Capital murder. They pleaded not guilty but the jury took only three hours to find them both guilty. They were hanged a few months later. It is notable that no further judicial hangings have taken place in the United Kingdom.  So I had been interviewed in a murder enquiry!

An Ushaw Moor lad's experience in the Cumberland Coalfield 1 of 2

Less than a year after leaving secondary school I moved with my parents to live in Seaton, near Workington, Cumberland. I was destined to live there for seven years. The name Workington is not very inspirational – perhaps one notch above Grimethorpe - and for me it has a tone to match much of my experience there. Those seven years were meant to be character forming, memorable and fun mixed with a bit of teenage angst and uncertainty.  I experienced all of that but the positive aspects were in such pitifully small doses that they hardly compensated for the remaining big blocks of my time -which were filled with inertia and progressively mind dulling experiences.

I suppose I could have paraphrased the above by describing my time in Workington during the 60s as ‘mostly excreta’ [forgive my too rounded edges].  I did not have much going for me - what with a basically caring stepfather, whom by that time had a job that gave him little time to care, and an equally caring mother who had, with a degree of personal justification, despaired of life long before moving toWorkington.

I found myself living in an avenue about a hundred yards from a road that, by turning left, lead to Workington - which was about a mile away. We lived two doors from Keith Burkinshaw, who later became well known for his management of Tottenham Hotspur, and one door from Dave Carr the ex Darlington forward. They were both plying their trade for Workington Football Club.

The Dreaded Nought

Over recent years quite a few contributors to this site have explained why they think it is useful to look back. However having talked to others it is clear that some of them do not agree with chewing over past deeds and events. Overall a ‘live for today philosophy’ tends to prevail in our society - and it has something going for it. People adhering to such a philosophy are right to think that the past is dead, other than in the head. However to live in the present, in an intelligent and rounded way, we need some understanding of the past in order to make sense of some of our current experiences.

We do not need to understand the past to appreciate the intoxicating perfume of the Wall Flower, or the beauty of the setting Sun, but we do need some understanding of it to fully relate to our friends, acquaintances, and loved ones in the present.

One aspect of this excellent site – which makes me a little despondent - is the big 0, zero, comment of late for most articles. There was a time when comments arrived in good numbers – but not any more. I can understand that the early rush of several people’s articles, which mostly reflected direct experiences, would attract comment; it is just a little sad that because some of my recent articles have been historical perspective, or descriptions, they appear to be less attractive to readers - and therefore fail to bring comment in their wake. Surely the dreaded 0 is not always justified. What do you think?

Wilf Bell

Mark Hudson - Year in a Mining Village

Now and again we have the opportunity to do something a bit different on the memories site and this is one such occasion. I admire the work of author Mark Hudson and hold the opinion that his work can be compared favourably with that of Laurie Lee – of ‘Cider with Rosie' fame. The subjects for treatment are different but Mark Hudson’s powers of expression are brilliant. I have explained once before on site that Mr Hudson has a connection with Ushaw Moor and that gives me all the more satisfaction when introducing a brief example of his fine work – his description of the Miners’ Gala - as follows:

Every year, on the second Saturday in July, the greater part of the population of that part of the world – up to a million people – would crowd up to the walls of the great cathedral, cramming the aisles so that it was impossible to move, for the service of the Durham Miners’ Gala – the so called Big Meeting. The bands of the three collieries at which most men had been killed during the course of the year would play as they marched into the cathedral – the booming of the bass drum, pounding with a funereal slowness, heard first in the distance, becoming louder and louder, then as it entered the cathedral, the droning and the grinding of the bass, swelling and filling the cavernous interior. Then the banners, draped in black, were carried up the aisle and placed on the high alter.

Up to the 1960s, Durham Big Meeting was bigger than Christmas. On that day, the most hardened capitalist could breath the atmosphere of socialism, could become giddy, drinking it from the very air. Early, early in the morning, the people of the city could hear a faint wheezing and a sighing carried on the still air of a high summer’s morning – the sound of the bands marching towards Durham – not plaintiff and heartfelt, as they played into the cathedral, but booming and crashing, triumphant and majestic along the country lanes. Then, all of a sudden, they were descending along their different routes into the centre of the city, and the air would be filled with the delirious cacophony of two hundred bands, each playing a different tune. The shops would all be boarded –up against the crushing and the pressing of the hundreds and thousands of onlookers crowded along the route. Down they marched towards the racecourse where the speeches would be held, past the County Hotel where the speakers – the most eminent socialist politicians of the day – and the union leaders, stood watching from the balcony, everyone smiling and waving in the great, reverberating bowl of sound. And over their heads swayed the great banners of the lodges, with their messages of hope: ‘Unity is strength’, ‘All men are brethren’, ‘The Future is in your hands!’ – the lodge officials marched solemnly before the banners, behind them the work – hardened faces of the miners in their cloth caps and blue serge suits, evincing a flinty - eyed pride on their annual day of glory.

Copyright Mark Hudson 1994

This extract was reproduced with the kind permission of Mark Hudson, from his book – Coming Back Brockens A Year in a Mining Village. The book was first published in the United Kingdom by Jonathan Cape of Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London.



Submitted by Wilf Bell

The Cochrane Family

It was Alexander Brodie Cochrane that obtained the right to mine for coal at Sleetburn although it was Lord Boyne of Brancepeth Castle who held the Royalties. Cochrane had his somewhat grand home, Eshwood Hall, built not far from what he hoped would be a very profitable colliery. He was part of an influential and financially successful family; they owned iron works at Ormesby and were socially ambitious. Actually it can be said that they were more or less ‘up and arrived’ rather than ‘up and coming’.

Sleetburn’s excellent coking coal supplied the Cochrane’s iron works at Ormesby. By the eve of the First World War the colliery had become a large complex, with brickworks and a plant to crush a valuable mineral called brytes.

The Cochrane approach to managing his workers and villagers had clearly been the product of some considerable thought. I imagine that he was mindful of the fact that a trawl through the Durham County newspapers of the time indicated a significant amount of lawlessness and violence in local mining communities - which to a large extent was fed by alcohol and despair. For some miners the alcohol temporarily brushed aside the big physical demands of coal mining. The despair may well have been caused, to some extent, by the sight of too many mangled or impaired bodies, the experience of periodical unemployment and the demand for deference. Perhaps such a social climate encouraged Cochrane to build Sleetburn as two separate villages, one for pitmen called the ‘lowside’ and another for colliery officials and craftsmen. Fields separated the two classes of workers and in effect social control and sanctions prevailed. If one of his officials or craftsmen stepped out of line they risked being moved to the lowside – or even worse - sacked and blackballed.

St. Josephs Infants 1951

This is a picture of the infants at St Joseph's taken in 1951. My mother, Isabel Gallagher is fourth from right in the middle row but can only name a few others.

Judith Vincent

The 3rd Marquis of Londonderry

Most of you will be aware of him. Perhaps you looked up at his monument [a big man on a big horse] as a child during the Durham Miners’ Gala – with a sense of awe and a little fright. I did. Perhaps you still look at the monument as you go by during your shopping in Durham City.

Of course the monument is in the Market Place, Durham City. It was commissioned by his wife, Lady Londonderry and unveiled on 02/12/1861. The monument almost didn’t end up in the Market Place. Seaham Harbour, Sunderland and Palace Green, Durham were alternatives that had received consideration. Certainly some businessmen were unhappy with its position. They felt that it prevented free passage to the markets and they were worried about a potential loss to business.

So what do we know about him? Some of you may well know quite a bit but for those who do not he was born in Dublin in 1788 and educated at Eton [hardly comparable to Ushaw Moor Secondary Modern in terms of prestige}. He showed great courage under fire when serving the Duke of Wellington. That surely demands respect. He married an Irish woman – Francis Ann Vane- Tempest; she was an heiress to large properties in both Durham and Ireland. As we know, people of that social position tended to consolidate their position by means of marriage.

Londonderry subsequently bought property in Durham including a Seaham Estate and several pits. What did the people of Durham think of him? He was regarded by many as being a ruthless colliery owner. I imagine that he might have put Chaytor [Ushaw Moor] and Cochrane [Sleetburn – I love to use that old name for New Brancepeth] in the shade for the reputation of being ruthless. He opposed trade unions and was regarded as someone who adopted a hostile position - if he did not his way in the world of pits. It is safe to assess that his reputation in Durham is mixed, shall we say, during a moment of generosity.

We have to be careful in assessing such people as events of the long gone past can be distorted by the passing of so much time. Some more research is needed!

Wilf Bell

Welcome

Hi welcome to Ushaw Moor Memories BLOG, on Wordpress.

At the moment the original Memories BLOG is still in use at > -- www.ushawmoormemories.blog.com

I have had formatting problems at BLOG.com and have set this up at Wordpress with the idea of moving here permanently in the future.

Paul :)