Marie Stopes

Yes I agree that this is not an undiluted memory of Ushaw Moor but in the absence of posts from others I thought you might be interested in the influence of Marie Stopes in the 1920s and well beyond. Afterall it reminds us of the mentality of the time. Our people of the 1920s - how was it for them?

 Although she was very actively interested in many things: writing poetry, the Women's Freedom League, eugenics and much more, it is her work in the field of birth control and sexuality that is best remembered. She received the accolade "woman of the millennium" from the Guardian newspaper readers in 1999. In the early part of the 20th century, regardless of class, there was much inequality between sexes and also ignorance regarding how men and women should relate to each other. Learning from her own failed relationships Marie Stopes began to use her impressive intellect and available resources to quickly, and courageously, seize her opportunity to help makes women's lives more bearable and less unequal in relation to men.

Birth control facilities would have developed and improved without her; Margaret Sanger, and others, were active in that field, but Marie Stopes got a timely grip on the issue. She did much to explain her point of view: often the atmosphere was electric with expectancy in the few moments prior to her speaking at meetings. She went on to expand facilities to such an extent that the movement that she created is now world wide.

What were some of the likely influences that led Marie Stopes to get involved in family planning and the writing of a book called Married Love? Well there were many:

[1] Women had shown their mettle during WW1 and were beginning to win the argument regarding their rights

[2] D H Lawrence was writing sex driven novels and Marie Stopes'  book [Married Love] had the merit of good timing. During the war women were were mixing more with men and obviously after the war there were more men in circulation in the UK than during it. Ignorance was prevalent in this melting pot.

[3]She was an educated middle class woman setting out women's entitlement and opportunity for married fulfilment

[4] It was a time when some women thought that a kiss could cause pregnancy. There were many distressing family situations largely caused by a total lack of contraception

[5] Once she had married Humphrey Verdon Roe she had access to  the considerable financial backing that would finance her family planning clinics. He had seen the squalid conditions in the Manchester slums and had seen the great burden on women of having large families.

[6] Her mother, an impassioned feminist, and her father, a distinquished scientist, were highly intelligent and articulate; by being around them Marie had a head start in developing the ability to articulate her thoughts and wishes.

I am aware that we are before the 'watershed' so the article is restrained by that!   

WB

Is There Anyone Out There?

You can take that headline two ways; am I writing about the Universe or the memories section of the Ushaw Moor Community site?  Maybe I am writing about both.

WB

Durham Amateur Football Trust [DAFT] Update

It is holding an under 14's football tournament at Crook Town's football ground [Millfield] on July 18th and 19th. Four teams representing Bishop Auckland, Crook Town, Willington and West Auckland are playing over the two days for a cup and medals. Bringing the past to life!

Why not support the youngsters! Why not joint DAFT?

You can get to the DAFT site on Google by using the general search Daft Durham Football [or some such - it's easy] Contact details are on that site.

WB

The Lights Went Out For An Ushaw Moor Lad

Last year I debated Christianity with a Church of England  group and they acknowledged how brave I was to do that. A wonderful meal was provided, within a garden setting,  prior to the discussion. It all went fine until I found that it was so dark I could no longer read my notes. I suppose it could be said that the debate ended 2-2; I was satisfied with that because it was about five against one on away soil!  The Christians were courteous but not impressed with my view, as far as I could tell. I think it important to say at the outset that if anyone is offended by this post they should not be. It is still a free country with free speech. I have not been abusive nor have I shown any disrespect.   It is a genuine memory, and who knows, it might spark some life into the site.

The Notes 

I recently listened to Professor Richard Dawkins exploring religion with the Bishop of Oxford and it was such a friendly and intelligent meeting of minds. They clearly like and respect each other. That has inspired me to make a short personal statement regarding religion to friends that I equally like and respect!

 There might or might not be a Christian God, however there remains so much that science needs to investigate regarding our world and it is quite likely that humanity will never fully understand the origin of our planet. Having said all that, I put my money on there being no Christian God.

  If there is a Christian God she/he/it must be hugely more intelligent than us and if that is the case - who made God and who made the God that made God? The more I think about that the more I find it difficult to have faith. Maybe there was a Christian God - but he is now dead.

 The evidence for a God that frequently responds to Christian prayer is thin. The Christian Church seems to acknowledge that problem by saying something like ‘the response might be later, when you least expect it’ I find that vague, unsatisfactory and mainly untested.

 The world is in an almighty mess – the majority of people, including children, are in dire poverty – much of it life threatening and much of it not their fault. The Christian God’s silence regarding his creation is woeful. A recent retort to that amounted to ‘concentrate on our country when analyzing God’s creation!’ I will not do that because it would distort an accurate world view.

 If God created the world it took him ages to arrange for human existence to begin; before that, for millions and millions of years, it was blood, tooth and claw for animals – what a wretched  and terrifying situation for them! In fact for most creatures on the planet that remains the same. Some Christians explain the delay in introducing humans by saying that it was a requirement to enable humanity to get started. I think it relegates the importance of humans, just a bit. We are new kids on a block that was built ages ago.  

 Why does the Christian God put so much emphasis on faith? We have discussed this [I said] several times but it is so important to me. I believe that faith is urged despite a dearth of tested and reliable evidence. Some Christians seem to think that having strong faith is a wonderful virtue in itself;  it isn’t if it is achieved by creating lots of backburners for so many awkward questions that threaten their beliefs.  

 I get the impression that some Christians simply cannot understand when people, who have made a lot of effort, cannot accept Christianity. I find that lack of understanding remarkable.

  Much of my professional experience has required reading around a subject or problem, testing the evidence, analyzing, making a decision and having my findings examined by peer groups - yet with the Christian religion we are actively encouraged to stick to the bible, sermons, and guidance from Lay Readers. With the greatest of respect that is not fully reading around the subject.

 I could continue but suffice to say there are far too many Christian back burners that dump rigorous intelligent enquiry.

WB

Memories Of My Waist? Plus Joseph Brough

There is a thought provoking paragaph in today's 'The Independent' newspaper written by Janet Street-Porter. It refers to waists. To paraphrase: she feels that a lot of rubbish is written about women on diets and considers it an  issue hijacked by women. She points out that it is difficut for middle-aged men to regain their youthful waists to the point that they are embarrassed to seek assistance. She applauds Stephen Fry for cutting out bread, potatoes etc. and feels that more men should start walking. 

I agree with the writer. Incidentally the Independent is my favourite newspaper and am glad to be reminded of my need to make healthy moves to get some weight off. To those already slim and sexy men - congratulations!

Recently I referred to the Brough's store that operated in Station Road. You will probably be aware of the picture of the store on site, taken in 1914, and the fact that I was not sure whether the owner  was called Brough or Broughs. I always felt that it was probably Brough and I am right. The influence of Joseph Brough is still felt today! There is a Joseph Brough Charitable Trust Fund [unless it has very recently disbanded] and is administered through the Community Foundation - serving Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. The fund was established in 1940 and helps projects in Northumberland and Durham, with a special interest in Methodist causes. So it is reasonable to assume that he was a Methodist. Seemingly he was a man keen to help those in need as far as he could. Does anyone know more about him, or have memories of the store to add to those already on site?

WB

Some Early Edwardians In East Street

Included:

George Metcalf

William Henderson

Francis Proctor

William Payne

William Dent

Joseph Steel

Do you recognise any of them?

WB

Sums It Up

My memory's not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory is not as sharp as it used to be.

 

WB [supplied by a friend]

Like Tinsel On The Christmas Tree

I spoke to my aunt Doreen earlier today. The main purpose of the call was to see how she was but in passing I threw a few names at her; would she recognise such names as: Nora Jackson, Jacky Watson, Billy Nattrass, Barbara Shuker, Angela Wilson, George Graham, Phyllis Mountain, Ruby Watson, Noreen Dixon and Dorothy Elliot? Well the short answer is no, apart from Barbara Shuker. Barbara is mentioned briefly elsewhere on site and there is a photograph of a Ruby on site - same one?

Doreen could recall Joan Thompson as well as people called Clark and Rothwell - all of whom lived opposite her, that is over the road from the pit. She also recalled a lady called Milly Mountain as living opposite the Working Men's club in Station Road - possibly in Ushaw Villas. She could also, just about, remember a Brough's employee called Jackson. Was the person who owned that store called Brough or Broughs? I never know where to put the apostrophe when writing the name. Obviously I have guessed the name was Brough!

In passing, Doreen mentioned that she had recently spoken to Maureen Peel in a local store. I was in the same class as Maureen;  she was like tinsel on the Christmas tree, that is, a lovely girl - not noisy but certainly an attentive scholar. That reference to tinsel is not meant to be a sexist comment - in the manner of a Victorian gentleman treating a women as decorative chattel! I would not describe Edith Smith as tinsel but she was also a lovely girl and a very good scholar. Yes Edith, Pauline Newman and Maureen were good scholars. Edith and Pauline were full of chatter, chatter and more chatter. They were smashing girls - once seen and heard, never forgotten!   

As it stands at the moment I have three articles planned for the site - one for each of October, November and December. So between now and October it would be nice to have a brand new 'author' on site.  Just think, a nice new shiny site for your imaginative articles or musings about Ushaw Moor. Have a laugh or shed a tear - bring it on for all to hear. Groan.

WB

The Football Fixtures Are Out Tomorrow

First sight of the new season's fixtures is an exciting moment for many football fans. For Newcastle fans it will not involve trips to Arsenal or Liverpool but it will resume the Newcastle v Derby rivalry.

In the 30s and 40s a visit from Derby brought excitement and packed crowds. From time to time Sammy Crooks from Bearpark could be seen tormenting a Newcastle full back on behalf of the Rams.

Going further back to 1923/4 saw a memorable Cup battle between these two teams. They played each other in a Cup tie that amounted to 420 minutes of pulsating football and no less than twenty [20] goals. The first match involved a 2-2 draw at the old Baseball Ground and was not too bad a result for Second Division Derby against First Division opposition.

Almost 28,000 fans enjoyed a game that saw Derby come back from being 2-0 down. It was good old Harry Storer that got the late equaliser for Derby [88th minute]. I say good old Harry Storer because he was the Derby manager during the middle 50s and although known to be strong on discipline he had a heart of gold. He was a football man through and through.

The replay at St James' Park on 06/02/1924 attracted 50,393 into the stadium. Again Newcastle took a two goal lead but again the Magpies were thwarted, this time by the ever dangerous Derby left winger Murphy. Again Derby got their equaliser in the 88th minute! Derby had taken the game to Newcastle in a second half of grand Derby football. Extra time came and went - 2-2!

The third match was played at Bolton and this time it was Newcasle United that came back from the dead - so to speak! They pulled level with only seconds remaining of extra time. In this tie Derby had produced the better football but felt let down by the referee.

The fourth tie was at St James' Park and although Derby went two up they lost 5-3 despite a performance full of pride and no lack of skill. Unlucky Derby of the Second Division had shown Newcastle up for most of the 420 minutes, but it was not to be.

Newcastle went on to win the cup, beating Aston Villa in the final.    

WB

Has Blogging Gone Out Of Fashion?

The memories site has gone very quiet. Is it because of the holiday season? Did our usual writers make the collective mistake of all being on the same scenic coach tour in the Alps at a time when the driver was having a bad day? A very, very, bad day. Perhaps the nursing home Internet facilities used  by our writers have failed, or worse, been withdrawn because of inappropriate use. 

The last few weeks on the memories section have been like a Sunday in the 50s. In those days cars were less frequent and their drivers almost always well behaved. If you did not have a driving licence you might have bought a Wall's ice cream, in that shop sixty yards further down from the Ushaw Moor Workingmen's  Club,  before stopping at the beck for a chat and a cigarette. Ofcourse you might have been doing anything.

 If you were a youngish parent you might have been expressing, very passionately, your love for your other half while your existing offspring could be found at Sunday School.

The older parents might have been drinking Camp coffee, or worse, eating jelly or tinned  orange segments.

From where did Vicar Welby get his sermons? Can anyone remember any of his key messages? Love one another would have done the business, although loving your neighbour might have been problematic for some.

Perhaps some of you were on a coach tour to the Spanish City at Whitley Bay.  If it was late in the year you might have been on your way to Sunderland Illuminations. Anyone have any recollections of those events? 

WB

Grumpy Man Returns [You Can Always Ignore Him]

There was a time when we could go into the garden and do some weeding safe in the knowledge that whatever the government of the day did it would be tinkering at the edges. No longer. Historians will make a meal of the period 2008 to goodness knows when. We have a  financial industry in moral meltdown, thanks to a small minority of people, and a gaggle of MPs' believing that they are worth more than 63,000 grand per year. Let me have another look at their job description. 

James Lawton, of the Independent newspaper, has an article today headlined "Cricket should not be fun - Twenty20 has stripped it of intrigue and brutality" James -  Twenty20 aint cricket. 

An archbishop considers Atheists not fully human. Would you like to reconsider archbishop? 

Are you into the "Yesterday" programme? It is a gem of a TV station although sometimes I cannot help feeling that it takes up too much of my time. It spends a lot of time contemplating Hitler and his rise to power. Bearing in mind the recent European election results, and the state of the world, can you see an emerging parallel?

I sometimes wish I was back in 1968; the year of "Hey Jude' and the Beatles. The year of Budgie the chattering hairdresser and Sheila the gentle smiler. I am sure that Sheila has put me right to the back of her mind or perhaps, understandably, flushed me down the metaphorical loo deep in the heart of her brain. And I am not referring to my half sister. 

Ah well you can't go back.  

WB

They Lived At Number 8

Going back over a hundred years we find that Billy Chilton was living at 8 Cockhouse Lane with his wife Hannah. Meanwhile Isaac Wallace and his wife Rachael were at 8 Broom Lane Terrace.

Tommy Morris and his wife Jane  spent sometime at 8 Ladysmith Terrace whereas Tommy and Mary Carling were at 8 East Terrace.

Do you recognise any of these names?

WB

Pigeons

One or two people have expressed an interest in learning more about pigeons. There are several good sites on the web; for starters I recommend History of Pigeons!. The way I get to the site is by using Google worldwide net i.e. not merely searching the UK part of it. So using a general search - history of pigeons! - you see it third from the top - just click on it. Pigeons are interesting and so are those people that race them. I could not resist that last comment. 

WB

Heimlich Maneuver

If you have taken a close interest in this site you may well realise there have been two reported incidents of choking. One involved my half brother. Many of you will have heard of the Heimlich Maneuver. With something as important as this it is not for me, as an unqualified person, to discuss the method or offer advice;  I am merely giving it a mention. Anyone interested in this topic should consider consulting appropriate medical authorities regarding when and how to use it.

WB

Jack Joyce And Aneurin Bevan

The 65th annual Durham Miners' Gala took place on July the 24th 1948. The speakers were arranged on two platforms. Platform one included the likes of Rt. Hon. Sir Harley Shawcross, KC., MP. [Attorney General], Rt. Hon. Sir Stafford Cripps, KC., MP, and Sam Watson the General Secretary of the Durham Miners' Association.

On platform two, amongst others, could be found Mr Arthur L  Horner, General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, the Rt. Hon. Aneurin Bevan MP. Minister of Health, and Mr John Joyce [our Jack].

So Ushaw Moor's own - well documented on this site, was rubbing shoulders with Aneurin Bevan. Bevan was a miner's son and born in 1897. He left school at the age of 13 and started at the local pit. It was during the strike of 1926 that Bevan became one of the leaders of the South Wales miners. He was appointed Minister of Health just after WW2  and had the responsibility of  establishing the NHS. He died on 06/07/1960.

WB

Some Miners Were Cowboys At Heart?

Back in the 50s Arthur Hodgson and Tommy Carse were avid readers of cowboy books. Arthur was often reading the tales late into the night. I recall titles that went something like " Trouble at Redrock" or "Incident at Pawnee River". I guess it was a relief from pitwork. Incidentally Tommy's son is a notable footballer for Ushaw Moor CC.

Some of the names that come straight to mind when cowboys are mentioned are: Roy Rogers [1912-1998], Gene Autry [died about three months after Roy Rogers [1998 was a bad year for cowboy lovers], Tex Ritter [1905-1974], Hopalong Cassidy [1895-1972], and Lash La Rue [1917-1996].

I never realised until recently that one of Gene Autry's hits was : "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and it is said that Lash La Rue trained Harrison Ford to use the bull whip.

WB

No Neil I Did Not Cry!

Neil Davies rang me up a couple of days ago. It was my first conversation with him since 1960. He was the lad that hatched a plot with Burnsey [Alan Burn] to get me out during an informal game of cricket. Having refused to accept an lbw decision [I was too far down the pitch - it was drifting to leg] from them they pretended to have me caught by wicket keeper Neil D. It was my bat so I went home. All the way to 42 Whitehouse Court. I did not cry Neil.

On a serious note how much can I say? It is not for me to say where Neil lives but I can say the following:

If he were to support his local football team he could get a season ticket for about 90 pounds.

His team were in the Football League a few seasons ago and hope to get back to it fairly soon.

It is not a brief journey from his home to the Derby County ground but on the other hand he would not be tired and frazzled on arrival at the ground.

Answers on a post card or via the comment button.

WB

Did Many People Lead Better Lives Because Of WW1?

Few people experienced an improvement in their lives as a direct result of war; weaponry, in isolation, achieved little more than death, or injury, or relief for those spared its lethal intent. However a case can be put that that many people experienced an improvement in their lives as a result of one or more of the social, economic, and political repercussions of war; assessing its magnitude is not straightforward and needs to be assessed in the longer term, in the light of considerable opportunity costs, with an eye on what might have been had war not occurred and by acknowledging the many restrictions on personal freedom represented by the Defence of the Realm Act.

It can be argued that the majority of people within the Home Front were able to take advantage, sooner or later, of one or more of the repercussions of war stated above and thus feel that they were living better lives. Three of the predominant groups [with some overlap] for consideration are: the workforce in general, young children, and women who gained the vote.

During World War One the law of supply and demand began to favour a large number of workers. The absence of many young men at war abroad, together with the restructuring of the economy onto a war footing, provided many new and often lucrative employment opportunities. Much existing heavy industry was stimulated by the need for war materials. The main gainers in this changed market brought about by war were the unskilled workers; on average their wages more than trebled during the period 1914-1918. The skilled workers were not far behind; most of them found that their wages had more than doubled.

Behind such wage increases there was much social, economic and political aggravation.  Most members of the working class were aware that labour shortages, and the urgent desire of the Government to ensure that war work progressed speedily, put them in an advantageous position. Trade unions were aware of it. There was a growing feeling within this class that its home conditions, and general standard of living, were very inferior to those of ‘superiors’.  They wanted, and largely got, improved wages; the weapon used to achieve it was strike action; there were a huge number of strikes and mandays lost as a result.

13 And 14 Whitehouse Lane - One Night in 1891

13 - Christopher Kirby and his wife Dorothy. At that time they had four sons living with them: Henry, William, Edward and Robert. Two daughters residing there were: Jane and Hannah.

14- John Taylor and his wife Mary. John's brother in law, William was staying there as was John's nephew Robert.

John and Mary had five daughters living with them at this time: Alice, Margaret, Rosehannah, Mary and Jane. As for sons they had George and William.

So at number 13 there were eight people and at number 14 there were eleven!

Interestingly the only person listed in this post  born in Ushaw Moor was Robert Kirby.

WB