Sunniside
Sunniside White Elephant School
By 1923 the number of children attending Marley Hill school was so great that it was decided to open a Temporary Infant School.
It is recorded in Marley Hill School Log Book:-
20th April 1923
Hannah Armstrong, Head Teacher, Lesley Cuthbert C.A. and Ethel Smith P.T. finish duty today and will commence on the 23rd at Sunnisice Temporary Council School. The Sunniside children have been transferred to the Temporary School, and the other children remain as an Infant class or in the Mixed Department.
Consequently the temporary school opened, with 62 children on roll, on April 23rd 1923 in the Sunniside Church Hall of St. Cuthbert's Church, Marley Hill, which was situated on Gateshead Road.
The hall, which had been built in 1914, was of pebbledash construction, consisting of a T-shaped hall with a stage. It was rented to Durham Authority at a 'pepper corn' rent of 1/- per annum. A temporary action to fulfil a need, which lasted 40 years!
In the beginning the school was heated by a coke stove, which appeared to have caused major problems. Many references are made to this.
7th December 1925
The temperature at 9 a.m.was 34º. The essential subjects were taken and the rest of the morning was spent in marching and exercises to warm the children. Mrs. Jobling sent over a large milk-can ful of cocoa. This we dispensed to the children who were exceedingly cold by 10.30 a.m.
23rd February 1931
A new boiler was installed.
Even in 1945 low temperatures forced the Head Teacher to close the school.
February 1962
At 9 o'clock the school was filled with smoke fumes. the boiler registered 90º and the temperature in school was 34º.
14th January 1963
School supplied with two oil heaters as water system was out of commission.
This building, being a church hall, was also used for various activities in the evening, namely Church Lad's Brigade, Youth club, Sunday School Meetings, etc. Several incidents of damage to equipment are recorded.
In 1955 an H.M.I. report reads:- (41 on roll)
"Recently various alerations have rendered the premises more suitable for school purposes. These have includede the paving of the playground, the repainting of the interior of the building in light colors, the installation of extra heating apparatus, the partitiioning of an alcove to form a staff room and the removal of material unconnected with the school, which has given better facilities for the storage of equipment. The two teaching spaces in the hall are separated by a curtain. There is a scullery for use with the school meals, which is prepared at a central kitchen (Burnopfield) and served in the hall to about 12 children each day. Cloakroom and sanitary provision are adequate in amount, but there is no constant supply of hot water to any of the pupils' washbasins.This is a very pleasant school in which the children rapidly acquire confidence and a keen interest in their work."
The school enjoyed a stable staff there being only three Head Teachers, during its lifetime. Namely:- Miss Hannah Armstrong 1923 - 1948, Miss Lesley Cuthbert 1949 - 1951, Miss
Mabel Davison 1951 - 1962. Finally Mrs.A Grant saw the school closed 31st May 1963 with only 15 pupils on roll.
What happened to the building afterwards? For a while it stood idle and then it was sold by the church on the 25th November 1965 to the Dumigan brothers. They tried to develop it but were refused planning permission. It was then sold to Mr. McClennan, a Heating Engineer, who used it as a depot/warehouse. It was burnt to the ground in a spectacular fire on 7th March 1975. Eventually Mr. H. Brown bought the site and built a bungalow 'High Trees' in 1984.
Why the 'White Elephant School'? Who knows? Perhaps it was because so many varied activites took place there, one being a "temproary" school.
Sunniside Shops
The main street through the centre of Sunniside is known as Front Street
This is where all the shops are situated.
Dewhurst Terrace (A)
This terrace was named after Mr. Dewhurst who was the Headmaster at Marley Hill School from 1895-1913
Approaching from Gateshead it is on the right hand side of Front Street, nearest to Marley Hill.
Possibly the main shop was 'the store'. This was the Sunniside Branch of Burnopfield Co-op, which was opened at No.1& No2. Dewhurst Terrace in 1911.
There were grocery, butchery and drapery departments with leisure facilities upstairs.
In 1921 the new premises were opened adjoining the top end of Dewhurst Terrace.
The Co-op closed in 1987 and the shop was eventually taken over by the Spar before being completely destroyed by fire on 12th. March 1992.
It was rebuilt as a supermarket with shops attached and opened by Coronation Celebrity Ken (Reg. Holdsworth) Morley on 16th. September 1993.
It is now a mini-supermarket opening late.
Sunniside Co-op, 1911.
Sunniside Spar shop,
formerly the Co-op,
after the fire in 1992.
Crowder's Chemist shop,
2000.
Post Office, 2000.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| No 1 Sunniside Chippy | Sunniside Co-op | |
| No 2 Rajdhoot Indian Takeaway | Sunniside Co-op | |
| No 3 Vacuum Repair Centre | Woodville Barbers | |
| Ladies Hairdressers | ||
| No 4 Orchard | Coffee Shop | |
| Amulree Coffee/Dress shop | ||
| Nearly New Shop | ||
| Co-op Butchers | ||
| No 9 Crowder Chemists | Off Licence & General Dealers | |
| Previous owners: Alma Kelly, Hopkins, Gelstones, Fishers, Lucas',Blackmores, Greys | ||
| No 12 Post Office - Paul Mein | Previous owner: Andy White 1960-1998. Opened as Post Office 1972 | |
| Tommy White, Newsagent/General Dealer 1952 - 1960 | ||
| William & Sydney Blackburn Drug Store 1929 | ||
| Harry Ord Drug Store 1921 | ||
| No 13 Chinese Take Away | Dunphy's Fish & Chips 1956-1983 | |
| James Shorten Fish & Chips | ||
| No 16 | Jack Mason Newsagent 1920s - 1952 | |
| No 18 Designer Curtains | Off Licence 1970 - 1993 | |
| Mrs. McAvoy Ladies Draper |
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
Sun Street (B)
This is situated on the right hand side of Front Street
from the junction with Sunniside Road, which leads to Whickham.
Hebe Hairdressers and
upstairs, Belle Naturelle
Beauty Salon, 2000.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| no 8 | George Wilkinson Dentist, rented room from Mrs.Bell 1930's | |
| No 10 Paul Johnson BDS Dentist since 1983 | ||
| No 12 Hebe Hairdressers | Bob Grieveson Barber | |
| No 12(Upstairs) Belle Naturelle, Beauty Salon | John Cadwallender let a room to Mr Dunn Barber |
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
The main road leading into Sunniside from Lobley Hill.
A hut, which belonged to Robert Boyd the cobbler, was erected opposite the Butcher's shop. Mr Boyd started his business in Prospect Terrace. He retired in 1961 when his son, Ernie, took over the business until he retired in 1986. The hut remained until 1993.
Chapel Stores, Mini
Supermarket, 2000.
The Sidegate Gallery, 2000.
| 2000 | Previous owners | |
| No 1 Sidegate Art Gallery | Tommy, Butcher | |
| Michael Furness, Butcher 1974 | ||
| John Reed, Butcher 1950's-1960's | ||
| Ned Reed, Butcher opened 1913. On Saturday afternoon he would go out with his horse and cart and sell people their Sunday joints. | ||
| No2 Chapel Stores, Mini Supermarket | 1960 Mr. Smith Post Office | |
| Margaret & Bob Middleton, General Dealers until 1960 | ||
| Mr & Mrs Ralph Bell, General Dealers early 1920's - late 1930's |
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
Alexander Terrace (D)
Situated on the left hand side of Front Street opposite Dewhurst Terrace.
Previously known as "Honeymoon Terrace" as most of the occupants were newly weds.
No.2 Owned by George Cook, a baker and confectioner. The bakery was in the yard behind the shop.
In 1928 Sarah Greenhill served in the shop and her husband, Walter, delivered bread and cakes in a horse drawn cart before using a Morris Oxford van.
Mrs. Greenhill was widowed in 1930 and she became Post-mistress until 1930 as well as running the bakery.
In 1932 Joe Hall ran the bakery and his son, Havelock, with his wife Louise took over. At Christmas, as a favour, they would cook turkeys for people who had small ovens.
This shop became Ramsey's Bakery in about the 1960's.
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
Granby Terrace (E)
Situated on the left hand side of Front Street, just past Sunniside Road, leading to Whickham.
The Beauty Box.
This is the site of the
first ladies' hairdressers
in Sunniside, 1945.
Pot Pourri, Gift Shop, 2000.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Travellers Rest | ||
| No2 Beauty Box | 1945 First Ladies Hairdressers in Sunniside | |
| Lottie Dillon's Fish & Chip Shop | ||
| No 4 Janet Maughan, Antiques | Fruit Cabin | |
| Florence's Baby Wear | ||
| Wet Fish Shop | ||
| Carr's General Dealer | ||
| No 6 Pot Pourri, Gift Shop | ||
| Early 1900's Post Office run by Walter Fenton. On his death his wife,Mary, ran it as a Grocery and Drapers as well. | ||
| No17 House | Kehoe sisters Milleners Shop |
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
Sunniside - Farming
Tait's farm, Sunniside.
Making butter
Milkmaid and helper
at Tait's farm.
Boy with goat
Country Scenes earlier in the century.
Francis Newman
A Boy on the Railway
Francis Newman
At the age of 15 I worked for British Railways as a Messenger Boy reporting to the main office, next to the Staiths at Dunston. I picked up all the mail and used to deliver to all signal boxes from Dunston to Blaydon, bringing mail back to Dunston, then picking up the mail for delivery up the line to Marley Hill. I used to hitch a lift on the coal trucks cable set up to Lobley Hill top.
I sometimes sat on the front with the Onsetter, the man responsible for detaching the cable. We jumped off as the set ran on to bump into the other empties. The empties ran up from Dunston to Lobley Hill, an engine took them along to Watergate where the cable took them up to Pennyfine. If my luck was in I hitched a lift all the way up on the empty sets and all the way back down on the full sets. An engine from Marley Hill pit brought the coal trucks down to the bank top at Pennyfine and took the empties back to the pit. The engine drivers often let me drive the engine up, through Pennyfine gates and into the pit. I used to enjoy blowing the hooter and if I helped the fireman throw coal onto the fire he sometimes made me a bacon sandwich, cooking the bacon on a shovel held above the coals.
I was sometimes out of luck and had to walk all the way up from Dunston to Marley Hill and back again. On route I used to help the railway workers fill the signal lamps with oil and climb up to replace them. I became quite an
expert hammering nails into the sleepers to keep the rails in.
It was a great job in good weather but horrendous in bad weather. We often trudged miles during the blizzards, fighting our way through giant snow drifts. We had to deliver and collect the mail regardless of the elements. Because of my route I knew every worker on the line, the Brakes-man who slowed the sets down with a huge wheel in his box, the Gate-keepers who opened and shut the road gates, the Signalmen , the Linesmen, the Guards. I have happy memories of the way they all treat me as a young lad, with great friendliness, good
humoured banter, and sharing their food with me. I must have been the best fed lad in Sunniside in the 1950`s, such a kind hearted lot of men.
In later years when I worked at Marley Hill pit on the screens filling the trucks with stone free coal I used to watch the trucks coming and going with a different perspective. I think I was the only one who knew exactly how the coal
reached the Staiths and onto the ships at Dunston. For a month or two I had worked as a switch lad on top of the Staiths guiding the trucks to the bays where the coal dropped into the chutes sliding down into the ship`s hold.
Again, when I think of the On/Off Setters sitting on the front of the sets moving at about 60m.p.h. with a hammer in their hand ready to knock the washer off the hawser at the top/bottom of the banks, I shudder to think that they wore no safety harness and could have met an instant but horrific death. Even when they detached the hawser they had to climb on the truck side and jump clear, often falling down, especially in icy weather.
Will Harrison's reflection of a job on the railway
Will Harrison-Reflections of a job on the Railway
I was born on the 28th. March 1904 in a pit house at High Row, Marley Hill. When the houses were being altered we were offered a house in the "hole" but my mother wouldn't go because her sister had lived there in one which had been washed away, so an exchange was made with Mr. Prinn and we moved into a house in Thirlaway Terrace, through the chapel opening. There were 6 of us :- mother father grandmother and 3 children all in a one -bedroomed house. (My sister used to say "how did we all get in? Where did we all sleep Will?" I said "I don't know, but we managed" )
I had a dangerous job on the incline. When I got the job my father was a pitman earning 38s.0d per week and my mother was having hard pickings. I was earning a lot less. When the job on the incline came up the boss came to me one day and asked why I had not sent in the application form. I said I had been applying but I hadn't heard anything. He said, I want your letter on the Monday morning. So I sent my application in and he came back at the weekend and told me I had the job. My wages went from 35s.0d. per week to £3.15s 0d. My mother was over the moon. I had that job from 1923 and I closed the line on the 7th. September 1962, I was the last brakesman, and Norman Christer was the Bank-rider.. They closed the old railway and that was the oldest railway in the world.
We used to get visits from the Ravensworths at the castle, the Lord and Lady Ravensworth. Lord Ravensworth often used to come over and have a ride up on the incline. He was a single lad, just a bit older than me and he often used to come across regular to ride on the incline and then at about half eleven you would hear the bell at the castle and that was his time to get away. He set away off home, there was no colliery there then, no Watergate there was just the wood at each side.
loved my job and I made a friend there, a little robin, I used to come in in the morning and open my lunch bag and feed him right away, I used to shout Dick! Dick! and he would come straight out of the trees in the wood on to my seat in the cabin and he would have his lunch and he would have his feed and he would just sit there,. He came regular for two years and then the next time he came he sat on the hard floor and he only had a stump as it had been frozen in the winter and I christened him Peg Leg.
An interesting story. I was a boy of 15 year old and you can imagine at 15 what size you were. And the tool vans, there was three engines and a large crane and the big van and the long fat wagon and they would go up to Tanfield and it took three engines to get them up the incline.
So one time they got them up the incline and I was a switch lad at the bottom of the bank and everybody went home and left me, a little lad, to look after this runaway switch which was supposed to run them into a field . They came down the incline and took the outside lane passed my Cabin where I was and passed my runaway switch onto the flat on towards the top of Lobley Hill . The switch was in the cabin, and I closed it down and fastened it down and went along and put chocks in the blades so that they kept shut. I was there till two lads come down from Sunniside to keep me company. The two lads liked the idea of being on the railway and I had already sanded the road and we were just waiting when the chap who minded the gates and signal box at Lobley Hill, come along and he said they were a long time coming. He said "have you heard anything?"
I said "no I have been phoning but I cannot get no word where they are" And it was about half past eight or nine o'clock at night . There was a lamp coming down the incline and some men walking. You could see where they were. When he came back he said, "ring the bell son, give them four rings on the bell." This was an electric bell in the cabin which rang at the top of the incline and when I rang, the driver, who was sitting on the step outside the cabin at the top, heard the bell ring, so he knew then that we were ready for him.
They set away to go down the incline. They got to about the Marquis. The Driver was Jenny Jackson's father and he reversed his engine and the lever flew back and hit him in the jaw and he fractured his jaw. The fireman got on the step to jump off but he dare not jump off because it was going that fast. So they were worried about what I was going to do with it a runaway train , But it went straight on passed the runaway switch so I was pleased when it went passed, I had saved the runaway train.
That railway was important to Sunniside and Street Gate it gave people a lot of jobs. Everybody had an interest in the railway. Holmeside Terrace was built by the Inspector. There was a cottage at the top of Alexandra Terrace The name of the cottage was Bracken House, and I can remember the two old people who lived in it. They had a family of two boys and they both were railway guards and a sister May Dobson. She was in the first world war as a Police Woman. I can remember the old man sitting outside the door of Bracken House when I used to come home from the Chapel.
There is no sign of the railway there now only the Tanfield Railway.
Will Harrison on his 90th birthday in 1994
Sadly Will Harrison died in 1998 aged 94 after what he described as a "marvellous life".
Tanfield Railway (The Bowes Incline)
Click On Map to View
Can you imagine the serenity of the countryside between Bowes Bridge and Lobley Hill being shattered by the noise of trucks clattering their way down through the fields, carrying their load of coal from the local mines of Marley Hill, Byermoor, Hobson, Dipton and Tanfield, on their way to the Staiths at
Dunston? A distance of some 7 miles.
This was the Bowes Incline, part of the Tanfield Railway which is the oldest railway in the world. Originally, in the 17th Century, coal was carried by horse-drawn wagons on wooden rails but by the 1950s a loco-hauled railway was in operation. From Bakers Head Bank, near Sunniside, the wagons were lowered down a self-acting incline with a gradient of 1:11. At the top were two kips, one on each side of a central track. The loaded wagons, with a Bank-rider on the back, travelled down the central track whilst coming up, the empty trucks with a Bank-rider riding on the front, were led alternatively to the left and right kips. There was a passing place near Frugal Bridge and then a single line to Watergate Colliery. The Brakes-man controlled the journeys from the Bank Cabin. Locomotives took over at the bottom of the incline and hauled the wagons to Lobley Hill where they were marshalled ready for the next incline.
.Brakesman Will Harrison
The line eventually closed on the 7th September 1962. The Bank-rider that day was Mr. Norman Christer and the Brakes-man was Mr. Will Harrison. Mr. Harrison had spent all his working life on the railway and he recorded some of his memories in 1997.
Farming
Introduction
Coal mining and heavy industry played a major part in the development of Whickham and the surrounding area, but agriculture also played its part. Much of the land above ground was given over to farming and market gardening. On the Ordnance Survey Map of 1897 there are many farms to be found. Today there are very few working farms and market gardens. There are still allotments to be found in the area.
Most of the farms in the area were owned by the Ravensworth or the Carr-Ellison Estates.
Coronation of Elizabeth The Second 1953
People joined together to celebrate the Coronation of the Queen. Unfortunatly on coronation day it rained so heavily that street parties were impossible. Noel Tate give the use of his new barn to the people of the council houses and Matty Lowdon gave the use of his garage to the residents of Beech Street and the surrounding area.
Sunniside Carnival 1930
Reports from Dr. Andrew Smith, Medical Officer of Health.
1900 Sanitary Requirements
1. All slaughter houses to be registered.
2. An isolation hospital should be erected as soon as possible.
1908 The main drainage scheme has been completed by the inclusion of Whaggs Lane, Cornmoor Road, Millfield Road, Sunniside and part of Marley Hill. It has now been decided to connect up the remainder of Marley Hill. Byermoor is still drained by open ditches.
Slaughter houses still remain unregistered but are subject to regular inspections.
District Nursing As I Remember It 40 Years Ago.(1961)
Whickham at this time was part of Durham County. My interview for the post of District Nurse was with the Medical Officer of Health and the Health Committee.
My appointment covered Byermoor, Marley Hill and Sunniside. At that period District Nurses worked in a specific geographical area and cared for the patients of all Doctor's in that area. Nurse Hill's area was Swalwell and Whickham; Nurse Robinson was responsible for Dunston.
I was supplied with a uniform, which consisted of a navy blue dress with a starched collar, white apron and storm cap. I wore black stockings and sturdy shoes as my mode of transport was by bus or my two feet. Each nurse was responsible for the laundering of her uniform. I was very lucky that my mother was one of the breed used to possticks and starching in the old fashioned way.
There were very specific teachings regarding uniform.
1. Apron must not touch the lining of coat, therefore it was pinned up.
2. In a patient's house the coat must be removed, folded with the lining inside and placed on clean paper. These actions were to prevent contamination.
I was supplied with a nursing bag. It was made of metal with a linen lining. This had to be washed and changed every week. It contained various surgical instruments, glass syringe with needles, douche can with tubing, funnel with rubber tubing, kidney dish, bowl, dressing towel, soap and nail brush and towel for use of nurse. This was a time when disposable equipment was not in use and it was quite a performance when a douche was ordered, remembering that all equipment had to be boiled and we used the patients' pans.
At this time requests for my services was by a phone call from a Doctor but more often by a message being left at Tommy White's newsagent shop in Sunniside where I called each morning.
I won't go into detail of the nursing procedures of that day but I would like to describe how injections were prepared. Hypodermic syringe with the barrel removed and two needles were put into a saucepan {supplied by the patient} covered with cold water and boiled for five minutes. After rinsing they were boiled again replaced in the nursing bag ready to go through the same procedure when needed again. Nurse always carried a jar of cotton wool swabs soaked in surgical spirit used for sterilising the skin.
Surgical dressings was quite a complicated procedure, apart from having to boil all instruments in the patient's home, dressings were prepared by the nurse. Gauze, cotton wool swabs and pads were placed in a clean tin and baked in an oven for one hour. This tin would then be left at the patient's house. It was very rare to have white dressings they always looked slightly sunburned. Luckily this was the time of open fires and disposing of soiled material was no problem.
As I said before my method of travel was either by bus or shanks pony. I'm amazed on looking back how much walking I did, especially in snowy weather when buses weren't running, walking to Byermoor wasn't much fun. I remember when doing relief work at Swalwell, it was a Sunday and in those days buses from Swalwell to Whickham were infrequent and I was more than grateful when Charley Kidd who was our local undertaker offered me a lift in his hearse (I would like to point out there was no coffin in at that time).
Life became much easier when I passed my driving test in 1963. I bought a beautiful pale blue MINI for £500. The money for this was provided in the shape of a loan from Durham County Council, which was repaid by a certain amount being deducted from my salary over the next five years.
Later on many changes were made. Boundaries were changed. Whickham became part of Gateshead so my employer changed. There were many more changes too numerous to mention. I know I will always remember the kindnesses and friends I made in my first district.My district covered Byermoor, Marley Hill and Sunniside.
Freda Spriggs, nee Grundy
Four Minute Warning by Don Scott.
During the 1960’s the ‘cold war’ was at its height, and the world, together with its political and military leaders, appeared on the brink of a disasterous armed confrontation.
An horrendous stand off existed in Europe between the communist eastern block states, and the ‘democratic’ western alliance resulting in world leaders playing off one another for marginal political and territorial gain. The massive amounts of military hardware and atomic weapons of mass destruction were trained head to head, threatening enormous devastation and loss of innocent lives.
Instructional memos, directives and amendments on how best to handle this situation, cascaded down the chain of command to the very basic level – to the ‘sharp end’ so to speak.
A particular example of the futility of political and military thinking was the ‘Four minute Warning’ procedure, which was rather like ‘Dad’s Army’ without it’s bite! And in particular how it applied to County Durham, Durham Constabulary and ultimately to PC Scott, who was the guardian of the peace at Sunniside, which in those dark threatened years was part of the police division of Whickham.
Verbal instructions, written memoranda and manuals of guidance percolated down the chain of command advising PC Scott of what to do, and when to do it, in the event of a nuclear attack on these isles.
Courses of instruction followed by further courses were implemented to ensure that PC Scott could fulfil his duties to Queen and Country should Sunniside be the target of an atomic attack from the communist block!!
The ‘Four minute warning’ was uppermost in the officer’s mind when an electronic transmitter was installed on the wall inside the small police office adjoining his home at Streetgate, Sunniside, together with a medium sized wooden crate containing a mobile siren. The documentation which accompanied these two items of equipment reminded PC Scott that, should he be advised to do so by a government warning broadcast over the radio and television from the B.B.C., this vital equipment so necessary for the defence of the realm, and Sunniside in particular, was to be taken into use immediately, once of course the officer had secured the starting handle to the siren!
The electronic wall transmitter, when switched on, would emit varying bleeping sounds dependent on the state of emergency perceived by central government. A constant bleeping merely indicated a state of readiness, followed by a Red Alert (imminent danger) and finally, the much feared Black Alert giving a warning that the Soviet Block was sending, by one means or another, an atomic explosive device which would be striking this area in the prescribed Four Minutes.
At this juncture, PC Scott, as well as countless other constables throughout the country, was expected to manually operate the mobile siren by turning the handle faster and faster in a clockwise direction, until a very loud wailing sound was being emitted, which was capable of being heard throughout Sunniside.
His next task was to climb onto his pedal cycle, and ride as quickly as he could around the village streets, blowing his whistle furiously!! This sounds more like a very early Margaret Rutherford British film comedy that a serious attempt to save civilization from extinction! The combination of the wailing siren and the sight of a by now somewhat red-faced constable riding furiously around the streets blowing his whistle, was assumed to indicate to all and sundry the impending disaster about to befall the village.
Unfortunately, to PC Scott’s knowledge, very few of the village people would be aware of the message being portrayed by PC Scott during these last Four Minutes of village life as they knew it. Consequently the sight ant sound of this spectacle unfolding before their very eyes, would only lead to the inevitable caustic comment and ridicule directed in the officer’s direction, not to mention the probable injuries PC Scott might suffer from packs of irate dogs which delight in attacking anyone in uniform, particularly if they happen upon a pedal cycle blowing a whistle!
Following numerous complaints from village constables throughout Durham Constabulary area and Whickham Division in particular, it soon became apparent that this aspect of Civil Defence in relation to the Four Minute Warning was totally inadequate.
To be fair to those in authority at this time of world tension, it must have been patently obvious to them that this warning of the approaching nuclear device and its arrival at Sunniside, presented the local population with insufficient time to take any form of defensive action. Nevertheless, they would be duty bound at the very least to try to give people some warning so that they could face together, as a family, the consequences of political and military blundering.
Buses
Venture Bus Company
After the 1914-18 war, a Mr. Harper and a Mr Lockey commenced a daily bus service between Shotley Bridge and Newcastle. The service was started with converted army lorries and was the beginning of the present route no.11. After a few years the business was acquired by two brothers-in-law, G.R Harrison and W. T. Richardson. They operated under the fleet name Venture. They chose this name, because of the four-in-hand "Venture" coach belonging to a local colliery proprietor Major Priestman who was pleased to have the name carried on by the new Venture Buses.
At the same time as Harper and Lockey were commencing operations after the 1914-18 war, the Reed Brothers of Sunniside were preparing to recommence carrying passengers by road, a business which had lapsed as a result of that war. There were five Reed brothers who before the war had carried on a motor repair garage business at Sunniside with private cars for hire and an agency for Overtime Farm Tractors. They started operating a service between Bensham Tramcar terminus and the villages of Whickham, Sunniside, Marley Hill and Burnopfield.
In April 1914 they took delivery of a new 28 seat Halley charabanc which had only a short spell in service before being commandeered by the government for war service in September of that year . The chassis only was taken and the Reeds had to dispose of the body at a greatly reduced price after the war.
With the advent of war, four of the brothers joined His Majesty's Forces.
New bus
The fifth brother took a job on munitions and so the business lapsed until early 1918. In 1919 the business was formed into a limited company Reed Brothers Limited. Early in 1930, Reed Brothers Limited and Venture Bus Service Limited agreed to operate their services jointly and to pool their receipts. They operated under the fleet name Venture and Reed Brothers.
Reed's 'new' bus
In the 30s the business grew with the acquisition of other smaller companies and new bus routes. These included, in 1930, J E Walker of Edmundbyers (The Pioneer Bus Service), JR and RB Parker and J Clydesdale, both of Chopwell, also in 1930, and Robson Brothers whose Consett-based operation was acquired in 1933, with their High Spen services (the Yellow Bus Service) being taken over in 1934, these two services being run under the name of Robson Brothers Ltd. Finally, the business of Mrs Annie Bessford of High Spen was bought out in 1934 and became part of Robson Brothers Ltd.. All these services - Reed Brothers, Venture, and Robsons were eventually put into a new limited company, The Venture Transport Company (Newcastle ) Limited in 1938. The common livery for all its buses was yellow and maroon.
The situation at the outbreak of the Second World War was a newly formed company with a varied fleet of vehicles. Fortunately 34 vehicles had been delivered between 1937 and 1939. Throughout the war years only two vehicles were taken into stock.
During this time vehicles were often required at short notice to operate on troop transport under direction from the government. Due to fuel rationing several routes were withdrawn or curtailed, including the moor land route between Shotley Bridge and Stanhope.
After the war the company again began to expand and benefit from the lucrative traffic, which was available to most bus operators in the early post war years. In common with most other bus operators, the company, by 1959, had felt the decline in passenger traffic, which had been steadily taking place since the middle 1950s. In order to make economies, particularly on the money losing rural services, one-man operation was introduced in 1959.
Northern bus ticket
The original Reed Brother Limited liveries were green and cream, and the fleet of Venture services were red, maroon and white. When the pooling arrangement was in force the vehicles were painted yellow and maroon. In 1959 cream was introduced in the livery. In 1967 the company's head office was in Consett and the main depot and workshops were in Blackhill. In 1969 the Venture fleet, which comprised 85 vehicles with a yellow, maroon and cream livery, was sold the Northern Bus Company.
Fare Table
Mr Robert Boyd
Robert Boyd and family moved to 5, Prospect Terrace in 1932. He built a wooden hut in his garden measuring 8ft by 10ft and continued his cobbling business there. Later, with help, he moved the hut in sections to his selected site opposite the Methodist Chapel, Sun Street. There it stayed. Robert retired in 1961 but son Ernie carried on the business. Ernie spent 56 years as a cobbler aided by Brother Jimmy who spent 30 years in the business.
Ernie carried out repairs for generations of some families and dealt with famous people like Lord Gort, Hughie Gallagher the footballer, Dr. Miller and Father Pickering of Byermoor. His little hut was bulging at the seams with shoes at all stages of repair, identified with chalk. He liked nothing better than a little chat! Ernie retired in 1986. The Burdon Park Luxury Housing Complex surrounded his little hut but there it remained until 1993 when he allowed it to be demolished so that an existing garden could be extended.
Sunniside Dates
1902 Building of Dewhurst Terrace and development of shops
1910 Sunniside Chapel opened
1911
Co-op opened
1914 Social Club opened in Rose Cottage. St Cuthbert's Church Hall built
1915 Sunniside Social Club started in an old cottage.
1918 New Social Club built. Rose Cottage became home of Club Steward
1919 The first stage of the present Social Club was started in Sunniside.
1921 Extension to Co-op to include Butchery, Grocery and Drapery with leisure facilities upstairs
1922 Infant School opened in St Cuthbert's Church Hall
1955 The concert room was enlarged in Sunniside Social Club.
1958 Social Club extension. Rose Cottage (Steward's House) demolished and replaced by Rose Villa.
1960 Sunniside Social Club finally completed.
1972 A bypass was proposed for Sunniside.
1987 Co-op closed
1992
Co-op building burnt down
1993 Cobbler's hut demolished
Michael Reed (nicknamed Mr. Venture)
Michael Reed, the son of Jack the only surviving Reed brother, was always interested in the business and as he got older was allowed to go to the shareholders meetings as his father's representative. He was not allowed to say anything but just to write everything down. Michael well remembers the day in 1969 when his father told him that he'd supported an approach from the Northern Bus Company to sell Venture Reed. He was very, very upset but it was a very good offer at a time when the future of Consett Iron Company, a major source of revenue, was in doubt.
Northern promised to retain the Venture name and livery, but this was discontinued a couple of years later and it seemed that the Venture had gone forever. In 1980, Michael was running a garage and car dealership when, he was visited by a member of the North East Bus Preservation Society. The subject turned to buses and of course Venture Buses and resulted in Michael becoming an N.E.B.P.S. member.
Shortly afterwards came the news that JPT 544, the sole complete survivor of 60 Daimler CVD 6 vehicles delivered to Venture from 1946 to 1948, had been found behind a London pub in a rather sorry state. Venture had converted this particular bus into a motor caravan for use by employees who took it on their holidays.
After wondering whether he really wanted a sick Daimler the vehicle was collected (on a low loader) by enthusiast Ted Heslop. The bus when it arrived was not a happy sight. Water had penetrated the roof and the interior was in a very poor state.
Time being at a premium he advertised for a coach-builder to come and do the work. The job centre sent over a Jack Farrel, a pattern maker by trade, which was not what he wanted but he said, " give me two weeks and I'll show you what I can do".
The result was that Jack was there for seven months and achieved fantastic results. The engine overhaul was done in house. Six years later l had realised half way through the project that the coach would have to pay for its self. He eventually acquired three more vehicles. The Daimler is very popular for weddings and other private hires. Michael or "Mr Venture", as he is nicknamed, has no plans to start bus services but his one ambition is to have a running day with all four surviving Venture vehicles operating from Consett to Newcastle.
The Traveller's Rest - Sunniside
Built in 1858 and originally named "The Greyhound Inn". In 1891 the pub was renamed and became "The Board". At this time George Stott was the licensee and he had previously been a butcher at Streetgate.
In 1894 the pub was renamed again and it became "The Travellers Rest". More recently it has been called "The Mean Fiddler" and at the present time it is called "The Fret'n Fiddler". Over the years the licensees have been too numerous to name and at the present time it is closed. This pub is one of the largest in the area and it has been rumoured that the overheads are astronomical!
The Potters Wheel - Sunniside
The Taylors' owned this property which was built by Harry Kindred in 1926. Part of the building was used as Taylor’s Refreshments and the rest as a dance hall in which were held weekly dances.
Then it was bought, by Seed and Sons and turned into a garage. Next Warriers bought it as a base for a Taxi Business. Later it became a garage again.
It then became the first night-club in The North-East of England, The Blue Parrot. On one occasion the cabaret act was Mandy Rice-Davies of Profumo fame. The club closed when night-clubs started opening up in Newcastle and other local towns.
Next it became a proprietary club, then a Chinese Restaurant. At present it is a very popular pub, The Potters Wheel. It opened, despite protests, in February 1973. (Five licensees in the area and the owner of an off licence objected to the application.) The Licencee was George Pritchard formerly Manager at the Towneley Arms, Rowlands Gill.
The premises had been bought by a wholesale potter, hence the name.
Note the price of a meal!
Sunniside Social Club
Sunniside Club was formed in 1914. The founder members took over Rose Cottage, a small building which stood on the edge of the lane. In 1915 the Club became affiliated to the Club and Institute Union.
In 1918 a new Club was built close to Rose Cottage. It was small but with improved facilities. The Club struggled financially during the years of the First World War and throughout the depression of the 1920s. By the end of the Second World War the building was in a deplorable state, the roof leaking, floors rotten, and the Club in a lot of debt.
After the Second World War members returning from military service and other members set to work to repair the Club. The Club's trading position improved and Rose Cottage was demolished in the late 1950s to allow the Club to expand.
Many changes have taken place over the years and the Club has played a very important part in the social life of the village for generations of people. In 1980 the main area of the Club was extended to its present size, the last extension being the Games Room which was completed in 1985. The Club interior is beautifully decorated and furnished. It is very comfortable and boasts many amenities.
Its close relationship with the Northern Clubs' Federation Brewery has been of great benefit to the members, with low prices, excellent products and a barrelage discount.
The success of Sunniside Social Club is owing to the work so freely given by the enthusiasts, who over the years have served on the Club committee. The Steward, Bar Staff and, of course, the members have also played their part.
Sunniside Methodist Church
The present chapel was built as a United Methodist Chapel at a cost of £1,210 and was opened on the 20th of August 1910. The Builder was Mr. William Hockey of Whickham and the Architect was Mr. Karl Spurgin, of Newcastle upon Tyne. It replaced the old chapel built in 1837 for the Methodist New Connexion. The old chapel became first a Sunday School for a large number of years, then it was used as a meeting place for various organisations.
In 1955 an electronic organ replaced the second hand organ, which was bought, for £275, and installed in 1922. This replaced the piano, used since 1910. In 1960 the Choir Vestry was enlarged, the cost being met from the sale of the old Chapel, to the Over 60's Club and a gift of £100 from Mrs S. Liddle. About the time of the First World War, the Douglas family, of Lingey Fine, had private pews at the Chapel, for which a quarterly subscription was paid.
Sunniside - The Potter's Wheel and Reed's Garage
The Taylor’s owned this property, which was built by Harry Kindred in 1926. It has had many uses. Part of the building was used as Taylor’s Refreshments and rest as a dance hall in which were held weekly dances. Then it was bought, by Reed and Sons and turned into a garage. Next Warriers bought it as a base for a Taxi Business.
At some point it again became dual purpose. Part of the building became the first night club in The Northeast of England, The Blue Parrot. On one occasion the cabaret act was Mandy Rice-Davies of Profumo fame. The club closed when nightclubs started opening up in Newcastle and other local towns.
Next it became a proprietary club then a Chinese Restaurant and is at present a very popular pub, the Potters Wheel, which was opened in 1973. The manager was George Pritchard formerly Manager at the Towneley Arms, Rowlands Gill. Alongside The Potters Wheel are Reeds Garage and Car Showroom.
Perhaps you can help us with more uses and dates.
Sunniside - Roxburgh Cottage
Hannah Lucas standing outside Roxburgh Cottage, Sunniside Road in the 20s.
Sunniside - Hole Lane
Hole Lane (the name comes from the Gellesfield Hole which was at the bottom of the lane), looking toward the Sunniside Road before the Leach Estate was built around 1975.
Sunniside Farm
An aerial view of the old Sunniside Farm, the farmhouse of which is still standing today. Kingsway ended at the farm gates but the gravel road continued on to Fellside Road.
Sunniside - Front Street
A photograph taken in about 1910, of Front Street (actual name, Dewhurst Terrace), Sunniside. The Methodist Chapel and the Sun Inn can both be seen.
Sunniside - Origin of Name
The name Sunniside originates from "Sunnandun" which means the 'Hill of Sunna' and his sons.
House bombed in Sunniside
May 12 1941 a German bomber dropped a stick of five bombs. One landed in the front garden of nos. 16-17 Fernville Ave. One of the occupants, George Shanks, was killed and Tom and Jeannie Ann Shanks were injured.
The roofs and windows of nearby houses were damaged and even as far as Elm Street some of the back doors were ripped open by the effects of the bomb blast.
The illustrations are of a Letter from District Valuer and a List of Clothing Destroyed.