When I started school my family lived at 29 Harvey Street, New Brancepeth, and this meant a daily walk to St. Josephs School at Ushaw Moor. On the way we parted company with my Dad as he took the road leading to the Pit Yard at New Brancepeth Colliery on his way to work. We walked down the Big Bank as it was then known and then over the road bridge over the beck as we called it or, to give it its correct title, the River Deerness. On under the two wooden railway bridges and once under the bridges we turned sharp right, through a gate and then up a path by the side of the railway embankment arriving at Ushaw Moor Railway Station. Emerging from the path you could see the whole of the field which was then known as the Show Field as this was the area where the Shows came annually for a week.
One morning I can vividly remember an RAF low loader wagon carrying the fuselage of a crashed aircraft standing parked on the field guarded by an armed member of the RAF. We stood looking at the scene for a couple of minutes and then resumed our journey up the back of Station Road to school. Our teachers in those days would have frowned on us for being late for any reason.
I am hoping that John Mc Garr, who I know reads this site can come up with an answer for me. Can he remember this incident or can he remember his Mam or Dad speaking of this incident. If my memory serves me right John lived in the gable end house nearest the Show Field in what I thiink was Middlefield Terrace which I think was demolished years ago. My query is was the aircraft German or an RAF plane. So please John can you put me right. I think it was German and must have been shot down. If so how did it arrive at the bottom of Ushaw Moor. Perhaps the driver of the lorry was an Ushaw Moor lad who called at home unofficially to see his family.
If you do read this John just to let you know that the Bushing Company on South Drive is no more. It has been demolished over the past month and there is only a large empty area where the factory stood for eighty years. I never knew you worked there until my next door neighbour, Michael George,mentioned your name a few years ago by which time you had left.
Brian Mc
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I lived with my grand parents at Bearpark during and after the war and also went to St. Josephs, Ushaw Moor. I recall when I was about 4 or 5 years old hearing the sound of aeroplane engines and machine guns and my brother and I were shoved in the cupboard under the stairs at Cook Avenue where we lived. When I queried this well after the war I was told the German aircraft had crashed somewhere near. Possibly the incident I recall may have some bearing on the above letter. My memories of the incident are vague but have stayed with me and my youger brother also has a vague recollection of the event. Would love to hear more. Mike Copple
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it is connected, but my great Aunt was married to a chap called Jimmy Whiteley who was a driver in the Army during WWII and lived at the bottom of Station Road. His wife was Mary Whiteley nee Cleary.
ReplyDeleteHeh Brian, John Mc Garr has replied to your post on Facebook PAGE.
ReplyDelete"Hi Brian, I do remember, what was for the local kids a big event, it was the nearest we actually came to the War. My memory is that it was apiece of the fuselage with a bit of the cockpit window still attached. I am certain that the BIG LADS broke pieces off the cockpit to make perspex rings. (can't remember any RAF guards, possibly the Bush Club was too handy for them). I think the plane was RAF for two reasons. First, if there had been German markings, the Swastika or German Cross, that would have really stuck in the memory: secondly, if I can remember it the event must have been late 1944 or 1945 and I don't think there were any German aircraft shot down in the North East that late in the War."
my mother tells me her grandparents lived at 35 harvey street (Swift family, her maiden name Watson)
ReplyDeleteshe has many memories of living in new brancepeth and bearpark area up to the early 1940's
She moved down south when she was 14ish.
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Thanks John for clearing that up for me. We passed this low loader before the Bush was open for the day so perhaps that is where the military personnel ended up. That was a very different world to the one we live in now.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to reply to the post from Graham. I remember my Dad was pals with a man named "Flashy" Swift. He was a lorry driver and I think he drove for Rowlands from New Brancepeth after he was demobbed at the end of the War. I am sure he lived at Esh Winning. I was born at 29 Harvey Street now long demolished.
ReplyDeleteBrian Mc.
That's my great uncle George Swift. Yes he lived at Esh Winning, his daughter still lives in Esh Winning.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Graham. The Deerness Valley was a hive of industry during the 40s/50s/60s. The whole area was working full blast but King Coal passed his heyday and now there is very little work in the area. Oil was the answer and look at the way we are dependent on oil and the price is shooting through the roof Brian Mc.
ReplyDelete