Neesham's Brewery Shandy - Label

[caption id="attachment_4914" align="alignnone" width="498"] Neesham Shandy - Label[/caption]

 

NEESHAM'S SHANDY - MADE FROM LEMONADE & BEER

275ml   9 2/3 FL OZ

Old Maps - The Changing Village through the Ages

[caption id="attachment_4908" align="alignnone" width="595"] Surveyed_1857_Published_1861[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4909" align="alignnone" width="595"] Revised_1895_Published_1898[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4910" align="alignnone" width="595"] Revised_1915_Published_1923[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4907" align="alignnone" width="595"] Revised_1939_Published_1947[/caption]

Ushaw Moor Working Mens Club - Committee Members

[caption id="attachment_4904" align="alignnone" width="595"] Ushaw Moor WM Club Committee members[/caption]

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thompson

Thought this photograph of Ushaw Moor WM Club Committee members may raise a few memories. Front Row Left - ? Atkinson, Jimmy Gillon, Eb Shuker, Walter Elliott, Back Row Right - ? , My dad Alan Brown, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ? Gibb.

 

Comments from Ushaw Moor Facebook GROUP

• Geoff Metcalf I'm sure thats Bobby Gibb Back row first left


• Margaret Thompson Yes you are right


• Ron Turnbull front row billy atkinson


• Ron Turnbull back row ronnie ellliot

 

Members of Ushaw Moor Women's Institute - Christmas party (1960's)

[caption id="attachment_4901" align="alignnone" width="595"] Ushaw Moor Women's Institute_1960s[/caption]

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thomspon :

Members of Ushaw Moor Women's Institute, looks like their Christmas party (1960's). Elsie Clegg in the middle cutting the cake and a very young Lilly Sowerby (nee Grayson) back row first left. Lots of local faces to bring back memories.

 

Comments from Ushaw Moor Memories GROUP

• Paul Clough Great photo. My gran Bessie Ayre was good friends with Elsie Clegg. And spent quite a few holidays with Elsie. Thanks for sharing.


• Margaret Thompson Paul Clough I remember you gran Bessie Ayre she was a lovely person.


• Paul Clough Yes she was indeed. Sadly missed.

 

 

Members of Ushaw Moor Methodist Chapel around 1930's

[caption id="attachment_4898" align="alignnone" width="595"] Member of Ushaw Moor Methodist Chapel around 1930's[/caption]

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thompson :

Members of Ushaw Moor Methodist Chapel around 1930's

 

Comments from Ushaw Moor Memories GROUP

 

• Paul Clough Wonderful photo. Lots of faces to recognise.


• Michael Dickinson My grandma Emily Dickinson is probably on here somewhere. She used to attend chapel regularly and was buried from there when she died.

Opening Ceremony of St Luke's New Church Hall

[caption id="attachment_4895" align="alignnone" width="595"] Opening ceremony of St Luke's New Church Hall,[/caption]

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thompson :

Village people attending the opening ceremony of St Luke's New Church Hall, the old hut having being demolished. I am in this photo, I wonder if anyone remembers me.

Miners - 1950's - Anderson, Brown

[caption id="attachment_4892" align="alignnone" width="595"] Miners - 1950's - Anderson, Brown[/caption]

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thompson :

Many people may have seen this photograph in a certain publication, this is an original image, I can put names to three of the miners. Third from the left my uncle Oliver Anderson next to him his brother Fred Anderson, sixth miner is my dad Alan Brown, not sure who the others are (possibly 1950's)

 

Anderson's Grocery shop around 1935, Station Road

[caption id="attachment_4888" align="alignnone" width="595"] Andersons Grocery shop 1935[/caption]

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thomspon :

Anderson's Grocery shop around 1935 in Station Road. My mother Margaret and her sister Nancy standing at the entrance. The shop was situated next door to Arthur Lough's shoe shop. It was later passed on to my Aunt Rosie Smith and then to Mabel Luke and her husband Norman Lee. Mabel's mother and father owned Luke's fish and chip shop below the grocery shop.

 

Comments from Facebook Memories GROUP

• Paul Clough Another great shot. Not seen this one before


• Margaret Thompson I do not think there is another photo of this shop around this time, it has only ever been mentioned as a memory by Peter Howarth before.


• 
  
  Audrey Tidbury Cooper Staniland Lovely photo!. I guess my mother (nee Gladys Jolly} would have shopped there. She lived in Station House with her parents and i was born in 1935.

Concert of pupils attending Ushaw Moor School 1939

[caption id="attachment_4885" align="alignnone" width="595"] Concert of pupils attending Ushaw Moor School 1939[/caption]

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thompson :

1939 Concert of pupils attending Ushaw Moor School, Esh Road. I don't know many of the people in the image, maybe you do! Back Row first left is Agnes Alderson, my mother Margaret Anderson is front row second from the right.

Oldest Building in Ushaw Moor ?

Been asked by a member of the community, which is the oldest building in Ushaw Moor ?

Had thought it was the Flass, was a coaching station, but has the building been re-built ?

History group launches new publication on Deerness Valley

Places and People In and Around the Deerness Valley is the second publication by Hamsteels History Group, based on the Hamsteels Estate, in Esh Winning, near Durham.

This is a TEST POST

This is just a TEST Memories POST

Gran, Granda, Dad (David Meek), Aunty Elisabeth - Trafalgar Square 1947 - Submitted by David Meek

[caption id="attachment_4870" align="alignnone" width="509"] Gran, Granda, Dad (David Meek), Aunty ElisabethTrafalgar Square 1947 - Submitted by David Meek[/caption]

Gran, Granda, Dad (David Meek), Aunty ElisabethTrafalgar Square 1947 -  by David Meek

Kenneth Clegg with Dog Shandy - Submitted by David Meek

[caption id="attachment_4867" align="alignnone" width="456"] Kenneth Clegg with dog Shandy[/caption]

Keneth Clegg with my dads dog Shandy - David Meek

David Meek with Alfie Rothwell 1956 - Submitted by David Meek

[caption id="attachment_4862" align="alignnone" width="517"] David Meek 19 yrs old with Alfie Rothwell 1956[/caption]

Photo courtesy of David Meek - Sorry for quality of PHOTO, tried to re-touch as best I can. (Paul :)

 

David Meek with Kenneth Clegg Oakridge Road - Submitted by David Meek

[caption id="attachment_4859" align="alignnone" width="511"] David Meek with Kenneth Clegg Oakridge Road[/caption]

Photo courtesy of David Meek. Date Unknown

John Wigham, New Brancepeth Hotel And Scouts House Farm

In February 1875 a John Wigham was accidentally crushed to death by a steam thresher which he was assisting to move at Cockhouse Farm, Ushaw Moor. The name Wigham is fairly well established in the area: Ron Nightingale referred to a John Wigham on this site on 09/01/2013 and Olga Bradley recalled that particular Wigham as being a big lad. Ron's view was that Wigham was not such a big lad, although he conceded that he was bigger than him! I wonder whether the two John Wigham's in this piece are related - 50/50 I guess.

I recall the New Brancepeth Hotel of the 40s and 50s. In the 50s, if my memory serves me right, Ada Bainbridge [a relation of mine] was running it.  She did run it for a period. Much later she became a civil servant employed in London and it was during that period she became an innocent and injured victim of the Brixton Riots.

Back in the 1890s and 1900s the hotel was run by the Bewley family. Down the years their family tradition dictated that several of them were called Samuel. The landlord in 1891 was Samuel Bewley and his wife was called Mary. He died in early August 1900, at the age of 55. His son Robert Bewley took it over.

The hotel was positioned at the top of Unthank Terrace and the houses running down the hill from it were called Bewley Terrace. It's still there.

 In early July 1916 Miss Cairns, of Scouts House Farm Sleetburn, advertised for a country girl for the end of July. The girl had to be able to milk. So who might the girl have been?

WB

 

Ushaw Moor Historical Website - Ushaw Moor Viaduct - Help with DATE

CLICK FOR BIGGER IMAGE

PHOTO of Ushaw Moor Viaduct, was wondering if anyone could help with the date, maybe early 60's. Local Council housing can be seen, lots of "spotters" . maybe one of the last passenger trains ?

Thanks to Roy for information on this photo:-

Stephenson Locomotive Society (North West Area) / Manchester Locomotive Society West Durham Rail Tour

Comments from Facebook FAN PAGE


Alan Mason i remember walking across
· 14 February at 19:19

David Clarkson It had to be early 60's, I can remember playing there in 64 and the line had been closed for a couple of years. The station was also in ruins then.
· 14 February at 20:01

Bill Williamson, The Greyhound,The Plank And Beulah's Pub

The Morpeth Herald carried a report  on 22/02/1879 along the following lines.

William Williamson, as well as being a cinder drawer at Bearpark colliery,also trained greyhounds. He trained one for a Mr Sharp of Brancepeth and one day he took the dog to run in a trial at Brancepeth. Returning to Bearpark via Sleetburn he first called at Beulah's public- house and then continued on his journey. Anyone heard of that pub? I have not.

In order to get to Ushaw Moor and then Bearpark he had to cross the Deerness stream and the only crossing available consisted of a dangerous plank. There had been various meetings in the community to discuss how inadequate the plank was as a mode of crossing the stream. Mr Pearson, the manager at Sleetburn colliery, repeatedly brought the subject up at the local board but the problem was the cost of replacing the plank with a bridge.

Anyway, Mr Williamson was on the journey to Bearpark on what was a very dark and stormy night.The following morning the dog was found whining and Mr Williamson's dead body was then discovered not far away. It was supposed that he had missed his footing when negotiating the plank and fell into the beck which was a little flooded at the time. To make matters worse there there had been a strong current running. 

Brian Mcloughlin referred to a plank as far back as 2002 although I am not sure that it was the one described.

So, Mr Bill Williamson,that pub and that plank. Any thoughts?

WB

Whatever Happened....

I have the gist of what happened to the Ushaw Moor Modern pupils of form 4A 1959/60 vintage, thanks to a reunion in 2002; quite a few achieved associate professional or skilled status and many of them led fulfilling lives that are continuing!  In contrast the so called ‘lower’ forms are a virtual mystery to me. I believe there were three other ‘lower’ forms at the time i.e. B, C and D. Forms S were just setting out on a longer road to GCE so they are not part of my consideration.

In terms of career did any of the B, C and D pupils achieve distinction and or satisfaction in their lives? Of course it’s a minefield to define distinction and satisfaction is a personal matter, but I am positive that some of them could, and hopefully did, do well. Although they were largely written off at the time it seems clear to me that under the present educational system several current pupils, on a par with our form 4B, would progress to a university!   

WB

 

Tragic Events Unfolded

For a period of time Brodie Cochrane employed two gamekeepers named Bramley and Drury. I want to concentrate on Mr Bramley because I spotted in the Middlesbrough Daily Gazette, of November 1894, that a Mr George Bramley, a gamekeeper of Eshwood Terrace Sleetburn, had experienced a very sad and traumatic tragedy. His son and two daughters had been playing in the kitchen at Eshwood Terrace when the horrific event unfolded. The lad picked up a gun and began to show his sisters how his father carried the weapon. As he raised the gun it went off killing his thirteen year old sister Dora.

We can only imagine how that family felt, perhaps by reference to the love we have for our own children. I certainly worry about them. I have, for example, always been very careful to make sure that hot drinks were not left around that could burn or disfigure young loved ones. Of course what happened in Eshwood Terrace is of another order all together. Actually it affected me to read about it even though the actual event happened a very long time ago. At the time it caused a sensation in the valley.

No blame was attached to Mr Bramley. The gun had not been loaded but the young boy knew were the bullets were kept....

Different standards and regulations apply these days but certainly there is no point in judging the man harshly. He and his family were likely to have been emotionally broken.

But it would seem that the story did not end there. A Scottish newspaper reported, in July 1917, that a George Bramley of Sleetburn, formerly gamekeeper, shot his married daughter through the head with a sporting gun, killing her instantly. He then produced a revolver and took his own life. It seems likely to have been the same George Bramley but I cannot be entirely sure.

WB

 

From Sleetburn And With A Nervous Disposition? Look Away Now

At 4 am In early August 1871 a married pit man called James Robinson was found cut in two on the railway line about a quarter of a mile from Durham railway station. He was a lodger at Sleetburn at the time.

In 1877 a small boy called Hutchinson was admitted to Durham County Hospital having been run over on the railway line at Sleetburn Colliery. I am not sure of his fate.

In May 1885 the body of a newly born child was found at Sleetburn by some children. 

Something less serious - In 1887 the Durham County rugby authorities expelled Sleetburn Old Boys Club from the Union because some players and spectators had attacked the referee during the semi-final of the Durham Junior Cup at Sleetburn. Rugby at Sleetburn?

Mind you Ushaw Moor had its problems as well - Tommy Doyle, last seen [perfectly sober] at 10.30 pm in early May 1883, was found dead the following morning at the bottom of Ushaw Moor Colliery pit shaft.

WB

20,000!

Here is a bit more on that 1934 carnival. A local newspaper of the time reported that in early July of that year the Durham County Bench refused an application for the extension of licensed hours for the Ushaw Moor Carnival, which was due to take place on July 21st.  The application was made on behalf of Ushaw Moor Working Men's Club, Albion House WMC, Station Hotel and the Flass Inn.

They had hoped to open at 11am and close at 10pm. The report highlights that about 20,000 people were in the village for the previous year's carnival and that fifty pounds was distributed to old people of Ushaw Moor from carnival proceeds.

That's a bigger gate than several current Championship football teams! Perhaps it is also an indication of  stronger community ties.

Meanwhile New Brancepeth Cricket Club scored  110 runs against Ushaw Moor Cricket Club [Martin 34 not out]; the dismal response from the Moor was a disappointing 58 runs.

WB

Memories PHOTOS - by Patsy Hopkins - Broompark, St.Josephs, Ushaw Moor Seconday Modern

PHOTOS Posted on behalf of Patsy Hopkins - CLICK IMAGES FOR BIGGER PHOTO

[caption id="attachment_4618" align="alignnone" width="595"] This was taken in the Loves Hotel in Broompark, not sure when but certainly in the early fifties.
Pat Fehily is second from the left, Pat Neary is third from the right standing up, drinking.
I would be guessing if I gave other names - I think Mr Clark is on there and Mr Burlison.
Others will know I hope.
I have no idea why the photo was taken but the Loves was where all the men went and we kids used to go to the hatch that opened at the end of the bar and try to catch our dad's eye to get crisps bought for us. It usually worked.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4620" align="alignnone" width="595"] First Holy Communion service at St. Josephs, around the mid 50's.
left to right...Dennis Campbell, unknown, Bryan Fehily, Ronny Nightingale..[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4621" align="alignnone" width="595"] This was my class at the secondary modern school in Ushaw Moor, and was taken June 24th 1964.
the class had been bigger than this but I am guessing others left as soon as the exams were over while this group hung around a bit longer.
I think that in general we had been sorry to be leaving.. Those in this class was from several of the surrounding villages.
back row: Billy Jones, Ian Bailey, Kenny Rowlinson, Ian Maguire, Jim Grossert.
next row: ? ,?, David Hepburn, Andrew Rome, Trevor Nancarrow.
next row: Judith Rudge, Avril Storey, Kathleen Holmes, Joan Mountain, Patsy Fehily.
front row: Ann Stoddart, Elsa Fleming, Jean Thorpe, Carole Sewell, Marion Carr, Catherine Rowan, Marjorie Skillcorn.
others were Colin Gott, Keith Newman, Colin Hindmarsh, Derek Toase, Joan Cowan, Barbara Hutton, Rod Buchanan.
I dont know what happened to most of the class and sadly not all are still with us. However I do still talk to and see Ann Stoddart regularly.[/caption]

I hope those who check the Blog are interested to see these.

Patsy H.

A Brave Lad From A Big Family

Back in 1911 Joe Towns was a pit deputy at Ushaw Moor and twenty years into a marriage to Leadgate born Gertrude. They were living at 5 West Terrace, Ushaw Moor, with their nine children, namely:

Thomas Matthew [aged 19], Mary Agnes [18], Joseph Richard [16], Louisa [14], Aloysius [15], Robert Gerard [9], Annie [8], Lily Monica [6], and John [2].

By autumn 1915 Joseph Richard Towns was a Petty Officer and won the Distinguish Service Medal for gallantry and courageous conduct at Cape Helles, together with Petty Officer M Convery of Sherburn Colliery.

At midnight they crept to within 15 -20 yards of enemy trenches, which were filled with dead bodies but had  been evacuated by Turks. Towns and Convery removed the bodies and built a barricade of sandbags, despite heavy enemy firing. 

It seems to me that the two Petty Officers did not know what the situation was when they started on their way and were certainly very, very, brave in their determination to find out and do something about it!

A relative of mine, Joseph Hope of Ushaw Moor, was killed by machine gun fire at that time, and not far from that action, but was not involved in this particular incident.

WB

 

Passing of the Reverend Terence Towers

Passing of the Reverend Terence Towers

Published in the The Northern Echo on 23 January 14

TOWERS On January 20, peacefully in hospital, of Langley Park, Reverend Terence, aged 80 years, (former vicar of St. Lukes, Ushaw Moor, 1967 - 1993). Dearly beloved husband of Brenda, father of Amanda and Anthony. Friends please meet for service in All Saints Parish Church, Lanch-ester, on Thursday, January 30, at 11.15am., interment to follow in Langley Park Cemetery. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired to The British Heart Foun-dation.

Them Days In The Wild West

It all started so innocently in August 1869. Farmer Tommy Dawson applied to the Durham Sessions for permission to keep a 'house' situated at the 'four lane ends', near Ushaw College, to be called the Flass Inn. At about the same time George Scrafton applied in the same manner with regards to the New Brancepeth Hotel.

Let's move on to late October 1872. Tommy got his permission to be the inn- keeper at the Flass and we find him in that role complying with recently made legislation that required an earlier closing time.

 We can imagine the atmosphere in the pub that evening. Uninhibited miners would have been downing pints under candlelight. Tommy's wife Ann would have been helping her husband in a weary clock watching manner, with the hope that their several children had achieved sleep despite the ever increasing noise level in the pub.

At the appointed hour Tommy called time and the response was not good. Not good at all. A man called Wilson began to use violent language at being refused a drink and it escalated into threats. Understandably Tommy Dawson, having become alarmed at the prospect of a riot, took action.  Looking at it in 2014 his actions seems to have been a bit drastic. He fired a gun above the heads of full blown rioters but their response was to laugh and begin demolishing the pub. In the end two of the rioters were shot and others were hit as well. Many people simply ran away.

As for the Flass Inn it became a temporary wreck.

WB

The Very Same Politically Brave Gilbert Ayre?

Back in 1911 Gilbert and Elizabeth Ayre lived at 32 Jubilee Street, Sleetburn. With them were six little Ayres, namely: John [aged 10], Elsie [8], William [6], Robert [4], Elizabeth Ann [2] and Irene [1].

So, was the above Gilbert our hero? In early March 1914 summonses were taken out against 219 workers employed at Sleetburn pit. They were charged with having left their place of work on January 30th 1914. The men went to the court together singing:

'Every bodies doing it'

It caused quite a stir and many interested onlookers took notice of them. Damages to the amount of five shillings were claimed against each man and Gilbert Ayre was taken as the test case.

The prosecutor set out details of a fatal accident which had occurred in number three pit at Sleetburn; it was the men in number two pit that responded by walking out of the pit. The colliery owners alleged that they had no right to walk out.The defending solicitor called witnesses to show that there had been ten fatal accidents during the previous twenty five years and the pit had always lay idle after each incident. 

Eventually the magistrates decided in favour of  the men. Test case Gilbert had won.

Now I know that there is a very good article deep in the site about Gilbert Ayre and it has an accompanying photograph showing him as a cricket batsman. It seems to me that the article already on site is probably about a younger Gilbert Ayre but even if that is the case I imagine that both Gilberts are part of the same family.

I imagine that Cloughy and his family might have an interest in this post. 

WB

Sleetburn Gave Bearpark Some Grief

In the autumn of 1903 we find Bearpark United football team protesting against Sleetburn Athletic. The reason for the protest is not known but in any case because Bearpark had lodged its complaint beyond the time limit it had to pay Sleetburn Athletic two shillings and sixpence!

WB

Ushaw Moor And Its Housing In 1922 Plus Rev Welby Again

In 1922 A Durham And District Council report stated that the overcrowding was awful. New houses were urgently needed. One idea was for larger families to exchange housing with smaller ones.

Nearly eleven years later the village turned out before dawn for the wedding of Rev. J. H. Welby and Miss Jennie Brown. Jennie was the daughter of Mr and Mrs Thomas Brown of Rock Terrace, New Brancepeth.

Because there was so much interest in the wedding Vicar Welby placed an advert in a local paper advising that those that wished to attend would need to obtain permits from the church warden.

St. Luke's Church was already lit up at 5.30 a.m. and some villagers were already at the church.....

WB 

Baby Baby

The Ushaw Moor Carnival held in July 1934 had a lot going for it and much fun was had, not least by the proud parents of the following  prize winning kiddies:

                                                 First                  Second              Third   

Category 1 to 6 months           Thomas Crooks Dennis Coates  Edward Jackson

                6 to 12 months         Joshua Briggs    Daniel Kenny    Jack Hill

                12 to 18 months       Francis Hird       Lily Tomlinson   Sheila Parkin

                18  to 24 months       Gordon Mason  William Bailey    Ethel Carse

 

                                                       First                                     Second                                       Third

             Twins up to two years    Fred and Audrey Eden      George and Edward Rochford    Jean and Kenneth Seed

              Finally, probably not children

              A mile bicycle race       J Robinson                         A Faces [?]               G Laverick

Sheila Parkin has been mentioned on this site already.

 

WB

 

        

The word 'third' - which refers to the twins competition - is in the wrong place but it relates to Jean and Kenneth Seed. You probably worked that out. I wonder, has this little edit worked? Lists are frequently a problem.