Whickham
Fellside
Fellside Road runs southwest from Whickham towards Burnopfield, descending the hill to Whickham Golf Club and climbing again to the Woodman's Arms from where it winds along the side of the hill to reach Burnopfield at the Pack Horse pub.
Looking southwest towards
the Woodman's Arms at
the top of the hill.
The road commands extensive views over the Derwent Valley to the north and west and passes two farms, the Fellside and the Byermoor. Clockburn Lane runs down from the golf club to the River Derwent and the Derwent Walk. This is an old road which continued up the north side of the Derwent valley to the River Tyne at Newburn. Another track, Woodhouse Lane runs down to Swalwell and another towards Old Hollinside and Snipes Dene Wood.
Clockburn Lane from Winlaton Mill
under the Derwent Valley Railway bridge.
In the 1950s open-cast mining took place at Cut Thorn on the north side of Fellside Road. Gibside Hall and Estate lies to the north.
View of Gibside Estate
Whickham Past and Present - A Walk Through the Village
Whickham Past and Present:
A Walk Through the Village
View Sample (10.00mins - WMV)
This sample is taken from the Whickham, Past and Present - A Walk Through the Village DVD produced by Whickham U3A Sight and Sound in 2005. The Camcorder, Web Wanderers and Drama U3A groups were also involved in its production.
Copies of the DVD priced at £5.50 incl UK postage (please email for worldwide rates) can be obtained from Noel Adamson. Email us for details on info@webwanderers.org
Memories of Front Street School 1949-1962
Alex Johnson recalls memories of teaching at Front Street School 1949-1962.
Read by Alex Johnson
Available on: A Miscellany of Twentieth Century Memories from the old Whickham Urban District: Part Two.
Listen to the Podcast (28MB download)
Libraries
No record of when a library service to Dunston or Whickham started but they were among the first communities to have libraries.
Dunston Library was situated in Brompton House and was a small divisional library from where Whickham, Swalwell, Sunniside and Marley Hill were served. The staff were all based in Dunston and would work in various locations. Most of the smaller communities, including Whickham, had collections of books delivered by vans and left in village halls and staffed for a few hours every week.
Whickham Library had a number of different premises, including a room in The Hermitage and a shop in Front Street, but in February 1968 they moved into a purpose built building in Chase Park. As the community of Whickham grew with the building of new housing estates the management of the sub libraries was transferred from Dunston to Whickham. This became a divisional library.
The population continued to increase and when the shopping centre in St. Mary's Green was planned, a new library was included. This opened on 26th September 1975 and is still well used but is once again proving too small.
Whickham Library is now open 49 hours per week and issues 176,000 items per year. It has approx. 9,000 members and a stock of 25,000 books.
The population of Dunston declined and the old building in Brompton House became totally unsuitable and past repair - at one time the chimney fell through the roof - so a decision was made to include the library in a new Activities Centre which opened on 17th July 1986.
Swalwell Library
The library was in the old Claxton's Hall behind Holy Trinity church. It was closed in the 1950s and Blaydon or Whickham were then the nearest County Durham libraries.
Claxton's Hall
The libraries were part of the Durham County Library Service but now are run by Gateshead Council.
Whickham Football Club
The club was formed in 1944 under the name of Axwell Park Colliery Welfare, although they were colloquially termed the "Home Guard Team"! In the early days they played in the Derwent Valley League, before switching to the Northern Combination and, in 1974, to the Wearside League. Whickham enjoyed quite a degree of success at this level before joining the Northern League Second Division in 1988.
It was in 1981 that Whickham had their finest hour, going all the way to the Twin Towers in the final of the FA Vase, after a titanic struggle, to overcome Windsor & Eton at the penultimate stage. An estimated 5,000 fans followed Whickham to Wembley . Willenhall, a Midlands Club, awaited Whickham on the big day, but there were problems. Paul Allon, who had notched the crucial injury- time winner in the semi, suffered injury before the Final and had to be content with a place on the bench. Ironically, this made room for lan Diamond, who had suffered the same fate whilst with Blue Star in 1978.
The Final began horribly, with Willenhall going 2-0 up in the opening ten minutes. The task of winning the Vase appeared to be a forlorn one, but the gloom was partially dispelled when fullback Alan Scott quickly halved the deficit. Then, an accidental collision with Cawthra led to the Willenhall goalkeeper being stretchered off. Was the tide turning?
Twelve minutes into the second half, and Whickham were level, thanks to Ronnie Williamson. 2-2 it was, and 2-2 it stayed till the 90-minute mark. Who could dig that bit deeper, and find the extra reserves of strength needed to lift the trophy? The answer was supplied in the dying seconds of the first half of extra-time. Billy Cawthra broke away and launched a potent shot which, though blocked, ricocheted off a hapless Willenhall defender into the net. 3-2, and the FA Vase was heading back to Whickham!
It is a bit difficult for Whickham to prosper when they live so closely under the shadow of Newcastle United. Urban clubs rarely benefit from the same degree of community spirit that village clubs can sometimes- but not always- draw upon.
Club Honours
FA Vase Winners 1980/81
FA Vase Semi-finalists 1978/79
Wearside League Cup Winners 1986/87
Wearside League Winners 1977/78
Northern Combination Winners 1969/70, 1972/3, 1973/4
Northern Combination League Cup Winners 1960/1, 1973/4
Northern League Div 2 Champions 1994/5
Vaux Challenge Cup Winners 1986/7
Record attendance : 3,165 v Windsor & Eton (Vase semi-final 1981)
Whickham Cricket Club
The club was founded in 1860, the second in Durham, and it has played on the Glebe field since its inception. Since that time the only gaps in the record of games occurred during the two world wars of the 20th century.
In 1906 the Derwent Valley League was formed and Whickham won the championship in their second season.
1920 Whickham was in the North Durham Senior League where they played until the commencement of World War 2.
After the war they played in the Northern Combination League, which they won in 1947. This is popularly known as the Compton/Edrich season.
1950 saw them in the North West Durham League. This was a strong league but in 1985 they won it and left to join the Tyneside Senior League.
Today the emphasis of the club is on youth and teams for Under 13, Under 15, Under 18 as well as the First XI and Second XI are coached, encouraged and have full fixture lists. The Club continues to enjoy the great family loyalty, which it has always received.
A glimpse of the family names over the decades is fascinating. These include the doctors Andy and Eddy Smith, their cousin Wilkie Willis, the Rectors, the Scout Master T. Heron, the farmer Mr. Rutter, Muncaster, Taylor, Buckton, Maughan, Laybourne, Proud, Pyle, Handy, Baty, Rose, Oloman, Archer, Athol Campbell, Carr-Ellison, Cheeseman, and later the Ashleys.
Early Days
Finance was always a problem and apart from a yearly subscription of 6 shillings, other methods of raising money had to be introduced. Raffles(always a good source of income) and an annual dance,which was very popular, was well attended in pre TV days. Al this, plus the sterling work of the Ladies kept the finances of the club in the black. .
The Durham County Education committee hired the field for £6 each year, and held the local schools' sports day there. Front Street School paid £3 to hold its Sports Day. The 2 tennis courts, situated near the score-board, paid £2 each year. In 1936 the Club paid £7.10 shillings to rent the field. As the name Glebe suggests, this field has always been part of the Church land.
Machinery was shared or hired with other cricket clubs. There is a record of borrowing a mower from Blaydon Cricket Club.
Later Days
In 1974 the Council built a fine club- house on the Glebe field. It is shared by footballers and cricketers equally and has excellent facilities.
There are 5 representatives from each sport on the General Committee.150 people may be seated in the lounge bar. The central situation of the Glebe has provided a good base for club activities.
In 1979 one of the best scoreboards in the county was installed. Underneath, the equipment and machinery is stored.
In 1983, the undulations, a relic of medieval strip- farming, which had caused untold trouble to generations of fielders, were removed when the field was finally levelled. In the same year permanent seating was installed and the ground was enclosed in 2-metre fencing. There is an excellent car park adjoining the ground. The cricket club seems set for a bright future.
Whickham Cricket Memories
Often cricket pleasure games took place on Cooks Field, West Street Whickham. This site, now occupied by houses, was a field shorn of grass with an uneven surface, very rough rubble and clay which had baked hard during the years.
Large stones formed the wicket, bats were made out of any timber such as floor boards, railings, or old furniture, usually lasting one hour, sometimes less.
One evening a party went to Taylor's plantation on Fellside Road, and felled a young oak tree 7inches. in diameter. Two pieces 4feet. long were cut, branches and waste were left. Some handy man produced two well-made bats whose weight was treble the weight of a normal bat.
Wooden balls were turned on a lathe by Alfie Elliot, trying all species of seasoned wood without much success, finally he gave up. When the Hoppings came to the Church Green, lads retrieved wooden balls which went astray from the coco-nut shies, which soon ran out.
A whip-round gathered in halfpennies and pennies. Two volunteers walked to Newcastle and purchased a cork ball, which proved a success.
About 20-30 participated in these games. One afternoon burly Tom Taylor seized these bats, gave a threatening talk in abusive language, then threw the bats down. Vandalism was curbed by his action, no more trees were cut.
Cricket during the Miners Strike 1926
During the miners' strike of 1926, lads and men had a keen interest in sport. As the summer months were approaching the Australian cricket team were touring this country. Five of our youths thought it a good idea to attend a Test Match, the nearest one being held at Leeds.
Our first thought was the cash. We began to prepare weeks before the date of the match. We needed 2/6d. Entrance and at least another 2/- for sundries such as programme, pop, parkings etc.
The day came to prepare to leave. Our mothers packed a large bait, enough to last two days. It consisted of a granny loaf, half a stotty loaf with jam on and finally into the haversack went a pint enamel pot.
We left Whickham 10 o'clock at night on bikes, with a small paraffin lamp on one bike, down Lobley Hill, along the Coach Road, Birtley, Chester-le Street, Darlington, etc. We had to travel through towns and villages as there were no by-passes in those days. Almost all these towns and villages had a fountain or horse-trough which provided us with drinks.
Arriving at Headingly, Leeds, 6am, we parked our bikes in a back yard for 3d. T Then we joined the queue sitting on the pavement in bright sunshine.
Gates opened 9am. In we all went sitting on wooden planks without backrests, excitement among the crowd as the game started.
Australia batted first, however first ball bowled had Bardsley caught behind for a duck. It was great and gave England a confident start.
Luck deserted England when Australian Mc.Cartney scored a century before lunch, and during the afternoon another century by Andrews. We, as spectators, became bored, tired, drowsy, and really browned off, sitting in the sun all day.
Match over 6pm. We collected our bikes and soon left Roundhay Park behind. At 7pm., about 5 miles out of Leeds on a lonely main road we pitched our tent on a grass verge and called it a day.
7am. Next day, all refreshed, we had an uneventful ride home.
Gives you some idea of the hard and strenuous days, although very interesting. I do not suppose this trip would have been thought of had it not been for the miners' strike.
The Five Cyclists were John Copeland, George Copeland, Kit Heron ,Edward Proud and Charles Lambert.
The Regal, Whickham
In 1914 a Concert and Picture Hall was proposed for a site at the top of Swalwell Bank but, presumably because of the outbreak of the War, it was never built.
In May 1921 a new Parish Hall for St. Mary's Church was made from the converted Coach House, Stables, Carriage Washery and Stable Yard situated in Church Chare. The hall opened in 1922. In 1923 it was leased as a picture hall by Mr John W Tate. It was used for other purposes and was said to have been a Roller-skating Ring around 1930. The floor was raked and between 1931 and 1947 it was a full time cinema run by Margaret Curry and known as The Regal.
In 1947 The Regal was taken over by George Stoddart Cinemas who owned other cinemas in the north east. At this time it seated about 240. Three changes of programme weekly with no shows on Sundays. Unlike most cinemas it had a policy of showing good class "A" films shortly after their release and very rarely showed a Second Feature.
The Regal closed on 7th November 1965 and became a Bingo Club, which it remained until August 1993 when it became a Health Club.
Whickham Shops
Introduction
At the beginning of the twentieth century and up to the 1920s the shops were small and many were part of people's homes, for example:-
Mordue-General Dealer and Haberdasher
Kit Thompson-Confectioner and Newsagent
Dann-Confectioner
Edwin Elliott-General Dealer
Bailey-who baked and sold from his home
Even the Post Office in The Knowles was part of a house.
In the 1930s a terrace of purpose-built shops was erected on the south side of Front Street, just north of Whickham Chase Park. On the opposite side of Front Street houses were converted into shops. Next came General Stores such as Thompson's Red Stamp Stores, Moore's Stores, Law's Stores and the Hadrian Supply Company.
The 1970s saw the demolition of the north side of Front Street from Church Chare to the Spoor Chapel. This included houses, Sam Curry's electrical and TV shop, Rae and Dolly Curry's drapery with ladies outfitting and Henry Taylor's butchers' shop. In their place the shops of St. Mary's Green were built. Another group of shops was built in The Square to the west of the Spoor Chapel.
In the 1980s as shops became vacant they were taken over by Building Societies and Estate Agents. The 1990s saw the introduction of Financial Agencies. The last home/shop, Starks, closed in the early 90s having been established in 1921 in Whaggs Lane.
The main shopping area is still on Front Street from St. Mary's the Virgin Church to Whickham Community Church on Fellside Road. On the Grange Estate is a Post Office with Newsagents, Safeway Supermarket (formerly Presto) and another Newsagents. There are no shops on Fellside Park or Clavering Estates.
The building of the Metro Centre Shopping Mall in 1986 saw a decline in the number of small shops in the whole of the area.
Fellside Road looking
toward Front Street, 1900.
Fellside Road looking
toward Front Street, 1970's.
Fellside Road lies to the west of Whickham and joins Front Street. There has always been a group of shops around the junction.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| David H Gents Hairdressers | Homeseekers Estate Agents | |
| Econofreeze | ||
| Edwin Elliott Grocer | ||
| Marjories Ladies Hairdresser | ||
| Orchid Dress Shop | ||
| Razzmatazz Hair Studio | ||
| Sun Wah Chinese Take-Away | Co-op Grocers | |
| Demolished | Mordues |
Fellside Road at the junction
with Front street, 2000.
The site of William Mordues
general dealer's and the Co-op.
Fellside Road lies to the west of Whickham and joins Front Street. There has always been a group of shops around the junction. The original shops were demolished in the 19?? to make way for the shops which exist today.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Keith Pattinson Estate Agents | Kitchen & Bathroom Design | |
| Co-op Drapery and Hardware |
Front street, West End, 2000.
This group of shops was built in the late 1950s after some cottages had been demolished.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Stewart Eye Care | Pat Symons Dress Shop | |
| Offices | Offices | |
| W ayne's Barbers | Barry's Bakery | |
| Walters and Todd Butchers | Wet Fish Shop | |
| Wallpaper & Paint Shop | ||
| barkin shark Fish and Chip Shop | Friars Plaice | |
| Sports Shop | ||
| Dave Younghusband | ||
| Ken Robbins Footwear |
Top of Whickham Bank, 2000.
This group of shops lies just to the west of Whickham Front Street School at the top of Whickham Bank.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| C&H Glass | Davison Antiques | |
| Dodd's Chemist Shop | ||
| Whickham Ale Store Off Licence | ||
| Eggleston's General Dealers | ||
| Lavender Box Ladies hairdressers | Alan Campsell Hair Stylist | |
| Pellets Shoe Repairer | ||
| Empty | Swinton Insurance | |
| Wilson & Ritson Newsagent | ||
| George & May Bailey | ||
| Piccadilly Cake Shop |
Between Front Street
Primary School and the
Bridle Path pub 1975.
This was formerly a row of cottages.">
Between Front Street Primary School
and the Bridle path pub, 2000.
This group of shops was once a mixture of private houses and shops. Although probably they began life as cottages.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Village Sweet Shop | Bert's Gents Hairdressing | |
| Sun Cradle | Whickham Travel | |
| Blades Hairdressers | Dobson's Sweet Shop | |
| Off the Peg Cleaners | Off the Peg Dress Shop | |
| Muncaster's Cobblers | ||
| Moti Jheel Indian Take Away | Billy Wigham's Fish & Chip Shop | |
| John Davy's Fish & Chip Shop | ||
| Agar's Grocery Shop |
The site of The Square, 1920's,
looking towards Spoor Chapel.
Note the gas lamp.
The Square, 2000
The Square was built in 1960s. For a great number of years most of the land had been derelict, however some stone built houses had to be demolished to give a larger area for building.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| JG's Hairdressers | Ladies Hairdressers | |
| Patterson Solicitors | Wilson & Ritson's Newsagents | |
| Jack Percy Cycles | ||
| Revolver Video | Scott's Pork Butcher | |
| Stanley Racing | Bookless Greengrocers | |
| Post Office | ||
| Post Office | Carricks Bakery | |
| United Newsagents | Hadrian Supply Company | |
| Jamdani Indian Restaurant | Hadrian Supply Company | |
| Wine Cellar | Berkeley Wines | |
| Blayneys Wine Merchants | ||
| Whickham Travel |
The Back Row, 2000.
Whickham Sale Rooms Superstore
was formerly the Miners' Welfare Hall.
The Back Row runs from the Spoor Chapel to Whickham Front Street Primary School and almost parallel to Front Street. At one time there was a row of shops which was demolished and the extension to the Gibside Hotel occupies the site. One of the shops was an office for a taxi firm with parking spaces. This taxi rank still exists today.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Gibside Hotel | Roberts Drug Store | |
| Home Craft Supplies | ||
| Pellets Shoe Repairer | ||
| Penrose Hairdressers | ||
| Whickham Sale Rooms | Miner's Welfare Hall | |
| Oxley's Fish & Chip Shop | Back Row Fish & Chip Shop |
Whickham Telephone Exchange,
1970, at the bottom left of the photo
is the Gents underground toilet.
Spoor Chapel
with Gibside Hotel at right.
Telephone Exchange, 2000
This part of Whickham extends from the Spoor Methodist Chapel to what is now St Mary's Green. In the earlier part of the century there were a great number of shops on both sides of Front Street. The shops on the south side were demolished to make way for the enlarged telephone exchange. On the south side there was also demolition of the stone built houses.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Elle Beauty Salon | Hill's Chemist Shop | |
| Thompson's Red Stamp Stores | ||
| McFarlane Partnership | Henry's Hairdressers | |
| Gibside Hotel | Fishburn's Post Office | |
| Lily Butler's Milliners | ||
| Hunter's Fruiterers | ||
| Co-op Fish Shop | ||
| Telephone Exchange | Co-op Chemist shop | |
| Turnbull Butcher with abattoir | ||
| Co-op Butcher with abattoir | ||
| Brown's Fruit Shop | ||
| McGregors Haberdashery | ||
| Pork Shop |
The site of Curry's shops
looking towards the Crown
Hotel now Ye Olde Lang Jack
J H Taylor's Butchers Shop,
just before demolition to
make way for St Mary's
Green shopping centre.
St Mary's Green, 2000.
Walker's Greengrocers and
Florists, 2000.
The shops in St. Mary's Green were opened in the early 1970s.
This was not without controversy as it meant the demolition of some fine stone built houses and in many people's opinion ruined the character of the "village" of Whickham.
Among the buildings demolished were Sam Curry's Electrical, Radio, TV and Cycle Shop. It was here that you could take an accumulator, for a radio, to be charged up. Next door was Rae and Dolly Curry's Ladies Dress Shop and Drapers. Set back a little was Atkinson's Butcher Shop with its own abattoir. This later became Henry Taylors.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Kwik Save Supermarket | ||
| Ramsey's Cake Shop | ||
| Charles Thompson - Butcher | Factory Meat Shop | |
| R.A. Dodds - Butcher | ||
| Oxfam Shop | Peter Dominic Wine Merchant | |
| Bookless Greengrocers | ||
| Co-op Supermarket | ||
| Home & Gardens Hardware | William's Organs | |
| Margo's Dress Shop | ||
| Baker's Oven | Carricks Bakery | |
| Ruffles Hair Design | ||
| Electrical Shop | Iceland Frozen Foods | |
| Whickham News | Cook's Corner Newsagent | |
| Library | ||
| Dry Clean 2000 | Sunlight Dry Cleaners | |
| Co-op Dry Cleaners | ||
| Whickham Cards & Gifts | The Card Shop | |
| Walkers Greengrocers | Salad Bowl Greengrocers | |
| Martin & Son Butchers | John Taylor Butcher | |
| Henry Taylor Butcher | ||
| Dixon & Spearman Chemist | ||
| Lloyd's Bank | William Low Grocery | |
| Laws Stores (Grocers) | ||
| Laws Stores |
Front Street, Whickham (South East End) (H)
Front Street, Whickham 1970,
outside what is now
Ye Olde Lang Jack pub.
Front Street, Whickham
(south side) 2000
showing the former library
in the background.
The row of shops on the south side were built in the 1930's, by "Pop" Wilkinson. Those on the north side were formerly cottages which have over the years became a wide variety of businesses, from greengrocers to financial advisors.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Bairstow Eves Estate Agents | Travel Needs | |
| Wool Shop | ||
| A McGregors Haberdasher | ||
| Fernleigh Ladies' Hairdressers | ||
| Diva Ladies Hairdressers | Wool Shop | |
| A McGregor Haberdasher | ||
| Robinson Drapers | ||
| S.K. Handa Chemist | Leigh & Dunn Chemist | |
| H Dixon Chemist | ||
| Moores Stores (Grocers) | ||
| Reed Rains Estate Agents | Leigh & Dunn | |
| Moores Stores (Grocers) | ||
| Library | ||
| Travel Needs | Midland Bank | |
| Donaldson's Sweet Shop | ||
| Flower Design | G.R. Armstrong Confectioner & Tobacconist | |
| Derwent Valley Estate Agents | Ken's Gents Hairdresser | |
| Lloyds Bank | ||
| Leigh & Dunn Chemist | ||
| E Dunn Chemist | ||
| Culey's Bakers | ||
| Bigger Bite Sandwich Bar | Sam's Snacks | |
| Lloyds Bank | ||
| Mc Kechnie's Radio and TV | ||
| Cool Tan | Fezzywigs Health Foods | |
| Lloyds Bank |
Front Street, Whickham ( North East End) (H)
Shops between the
Church Green and
Rose and Crown pub
in the 1970's
Front Street (north side)
1970, with Moores's stores
below the Rose and Crown pub.
Front street looking
towards Church Green, 2000.
The row of shops on the south side were built in the 1930's, by "Pop" Wilkinson. Those on the north side were formerly cottages which have over the years became a wide variety of businesses, from greengrocers to financial advisors.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Ye Olde Lang Jack Public House | Wilson & Ritson Newsagents | |
| Rose & Crown Public House | ||
| Crown Public House | ||
| Moores Supermarket | ||
| Barclay's Bank | Crown Garage | |
| Barclays Bank | Armstrong Butcher | |
| Charlie Young Butcher | ||
| Ken's Hairdressing | Derwent Valley Cycles | |
| Walkers Greengrocers | ||
| Billy Boyd Greengrocers | ||
| Harry Hutchinson Greengrocers | ||
| Casa Carbone Italian Restaurant | ||
| Newcastle Bakery | ||
| Finance Company | Hugh Stephenson Hardware | |
| Maughans Hardware | ||
| Newcastle Building Society | Grainger & Percy Building Society | |
| Your Move Estate Agents | J.M. Clark Estate Agents | |
| Bindman Solicitors | Northern Rock Building Society | |
| Piccadilly Cake Shop |
Return to map of Whickham Shops
Farming Memories
Phyllis Tulip (nee Duningham)
was born at the farm in 1925. She recalls that cattle were kept on the fields which were on the hill going down to Swalwell, behind what is now Spoor's Chapel. The cattle were taken from the farmyard into the slaughter house behind the adjoining butcher's shop (Turnbull's). Phyllis's childhood friend, Della Knott, (nee Gibbons) can remember going into the dairy at Glebe Farm to buy milk.
Front Street was little more than a cart track, motor vehicles being a rare sight. Phyllis and Della remember harvest time, when the hay was transported from the fields on Hay Bogies (flat wagons) pulled by horses. A pike of hay was hoisted onto the wagon by a chain, then was taken along Front Street to the farm to be made into stacks to provide winter fodder for the live stock. The two girls were allowed to ride on the back of the bogie in the place of honour, with several other local children running alongside trying to join them.
Potato Picking
"Discussing the price of potatoes in 1984, £2.50 for four stone, took me back down memory lane to the years 1919-23 when we had a week's holiday in the Autumn to help farmers to gather in their harvest.
All the local village farms such as Glebe, Grange, Windy-Hill, Wood-House, Southfields, Marshall-Lands, (all of which are now demolished), were first to recruit their temporary labour force. Those children who were left including me and wanting work, had to go to Riding Barns, at Fellside which was a long walk for an 8 o'clock start. We did not know what a tractor or a trailer was. We carried our own buckets, no plastic ones in those days; we also carried our own bait and a tea mash.
Old Ned's wage bill for approx 20 pickers would be around £1 a day.
Sometime later he would travel the village with horse and cart, selling and delivering potatoes 4/- a cwt 2/- for 4 stone.
Spud Bashing
Spud Bashing was not the preparation of mashing potatoes for the Sunday Dinner; but the cold, wet, back-breaking work of picking potatoes for the local farmer. I did it once in 1963 for the princely sum of 10 shillings a week. It was the worst job I had ever done in my life and was glad when the week was over!
Every morning, at 7.00 armed with enamel buckets and a couple of jam sandwiches. We would be taken up the Lonnen to one of the potato fields on Smith's farm where we spent all day bent over collecting the potatoes churned up by whatever the appliance was called which did the job. Half an hour for a jam sandwich and a cup of tea and we were back at it until 5.30 in the evening. The 10 bob was spent at the Blaydon Pavilion at the end of the week and I realised the true meaning of slave labour. Apparently, and incredibly, similar work still exists in the UK!!!
If you need a translation send us an email.
Whickham - Farming
The following farms, Glebe, Grange, Windy Hill, Wood House, Southfields, Marshall Lands and Riding Barns were still there in the thirties. Over the years they were often called by the incumbent farmers' names. Through the century most of the farms and their fields have been swallowed up by housing developments.
Whickham Front Street is today a bustling shopping centre and there is little sign of the farm that once stood at the heart of the village. Glebe Farm was demolished in 1960 and has given its name to a small housing estate adjacent to Whickham Front Street. What is now Glebe Avenue was the track leading into the farm. Part of the old farm wall remains.
Dunston Hill farm
West Farm also known as Dunston Hill Farm or Dunston West Farm is to be found on Whickham Highway and was originally part of Dunston Hill Estate. According to Kelly's Trade Directory of 1906, Thomas Easey was the farmer. Grant aid was available for its restoration. It is currently owned by Mr. Hood and is run as Livery Stables.
Betty Oloman remembers Easey's Farm.
Betty's father who was originally from the Hobson came to Whickham to work as a Farm Manager on Easey's Farm. The whole family had to help out, and were expected to work on the farm as farm work was then and still is now, a seven days a week activity. When Betty got older she used to drive the milk cart delivering milk in bottles, door to door on a regular round.
With her farming experience, Betty was able to provide a home for Billy when he returned from the war; apparently Betty being the daughter of a farmer and used to hard work and working with animals she was offered the position of Dairy Maid, with a cottage to live in, if she could milk several cows per day. Betty gladly accepted the challenge and the cottage. The house
they lived in 'Windy Hill' is no longer there, in point of fact, it was demolished to make room for the new road now called 'The Broadway".
Picture Gallery - Shops' Advertisements
| Click on boxes to enlarge the adverts |  Whickham Butchers Charlie Young's |  Whickham Butchers William Armstrong's |
 Grainger & Percy Building Society |  Elite Fish & Chips |  Wilson & Ritson Newsagents |
 Bert T Armstrong Barber |  Sam Curry, TV,Radio and Cycle Shop |  Mrs Rainbow |
 R Hill Chemist |  W Henry Gents Hair Stylist |  Lily Butler, Milliner |
 Scott Butchers |  Laws Stores |  Swalwell Co-op |
 Dunston Travel |
Whickham Motor Company
Whickham Motor Company, formerly Leslie's Garage.
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.
Mining Accidents
Nicholas Marr
In 1911 Nicholas Marr, aged 15, a pony driver at Andrew's House pit, was killed while riding on top of a set of wagons laden with coal going down Baker's Bank. His head hit Swan's Bridge and he fell onto the railway line. He normally travelled to work from his parent's home in Whitehall Road, Gateshead, by pushbike and had no authority to be riding on the trucks. The bank riders at this period were John Eltringham and Joe Harrison and they warned people not to ride on trucks but it went on just the same.
Jane Courtley
Another fatality occurred on May 7th 1909, when Mrs. Jane Courtley, aged 23, of the Teams, was killed by a coal wagon at the bottom of the bank near Watergate. She had ridden down on a set of wagons and was crushed as she got off. It was most unusual for a woman to risk life and limb in this way.
Explosion in Watergate Mine
On Thursday afternoon July 3rd 1947,an explosion of gas killed Henry Morgan, coal hewer, at the coal face in the North District, 3rd West, in the Stone Coal seam, about a mile from the shaft, 60 fathoms below ground. The under manager, Mr H.W. Storey, and some of the officials decided to go inbye at once to see if they could help, instead of waiting as was normal practise for the Fire and Rescue brigade. The outcome was that they got into difficulties and were overcome by gas.
The rescue teams from Elswick, Houghton and Crook duly arrived under superintendent F.Mills and rescued them but not before William Hopper, one of the fore-overmen collapsed and died.
Doctor Edward Smith, the colliery doctor, went below to give assistance while his brother doctor Wilkie stayed at the First Aid station on the bank. Seven men were sent to Newcastle Infirmary for treatment - deputy overmen R.Meek, G.Armstrong, R.Walters and S.G.Sinclair; Fore overman A.French, bargain man J.W.Thorpe; and H.Storey the under manager. They all recovered. Will Winter, stoneman and Bob Birkett, deputy were allowed home after treatment at the pit head.
Roof fall at Blaydon Burn Pit, December 1954
Swalwell resident, Patrick (Paddy) King, a Deputy at Blaydon Burn Pit and a Councillor for Whickham Urban District, was killed whilst trying to help another miner who had been killed by a roof fall. There was no compensation in those days but his widow did continue to get the regular coal allowance.
Mining Memories
Mr. Tommy Wharton, Whickham. Coalminer.
Tommy Wharton
Tommy went to Whickham Front Street School until he was 14 years of age then after working for a short time on a farm he obtained a job in Axwell Park colliery. He worked there until it closed in 1954 then transferred to Blackburn Fell Drift mine where he stayed for 20 years. He then went to Marley Hill colliery where he did development work until 1982. Tommy and other miners were then moved to Monkwearmouth colliery at Sunderland, where he worked 15 miles out under the North Sea. In 1984-1985 the miners went on strike to prevent the wholesale closure of the mining industry. In September 1986 Tommy retired after working for 40 years "down the pit".
George Wallace
Taken from 21 Eleanor terrace,
looking up Whickham Banktowards the pit head
and pit yard, about 1940
During the strikes in the mid 1920s, my Grandfather, who had trained as a saddler in the first world war, was employed by the pit management as clerk and company weighman. My father and uncle were on strike and worked in the cobbler's shed to make a little money. This photograph was taken from his garden.
The Miners Strike 1926
We endured hard times in the village of Whickham in the depression years especially during the miners strike in 1926 as 60% of people were connected with Whickham, Whaggs, and Watergate pits. The strike was a very testing 26 weeks.
A soup kitchen was formed and run successfully in the grounds of Whickham Social Club. Boilers, which were coal fired gave a satisfying smell throughout the village.
The produce to supply these boilers was all given by local trades-people. Coal came from the colliery, bags of spuds plus turnips from the farmers, leeks, carrots, parsnips, etc., and from the market gardeners. The butcher would supply a barrowful of bones, often with a bit of meat on them, the grocer would provide a tin of bully beef or something similar and all labour was voluntary.
Basins, bowls, jugs and cans were prominent in the queue on soup days, in fact it was more of broth. If there was still a queue when the soup was running out, in went a bucket of hot water and every person received a ladle full. On special days uncooked fish was given out.
The Soup Kitchen Committee arranged comic football matches, including ladies, and various games and parades. These events raised money to purchase equipment and utensils such as ladles, scrubbing brushes, dishcloths, tea towels etc.
When the miner's strike was about two weeks old, games, chores, pastimes and pleasures almost ceased one afternoon when word was passed around that the Pit Galloways were being brought to Bank. Lads and men who had handled these ponies in the past collected at Whickham Pit gates to welcome their favourites.
They came up in the cage two at a time in care of the horse keeper and his assistant. Stepping out of the cage into daylight each pony was soon recognised by the lads who shouted out their names. There were Tip and Darky, Doctor and Dragon, Bullar and Freddie, Saxon and Sweep and so on. Lads were invited by the horse keeper to hold a pony in the pit yard until all (approximately 25) had been brought up.
Now some of these ponies had been underground for months, some even years. They were hard working, docile and very friendly. Now in the bright sunshine after two weeks rest they took some handling, there was plenty of hoof flying, (fortunately the shoes had been removed), prancing, neighing, squealing and kicking all round quite exciting.
All assembled they left the pit yard still prancing, neighing and kicking. Each handler had his work cut out to keep control.
As the strike was in the summer months, men and lads spent most of their time, after a few home chores, playing football and cricket on Cooks Field or taking a few favourite walks around the area. Fellside, Meadows, Sandy Lane, Washingwell Woods, Back Lonnon etc. were all popular places to walk.
Political meetings were often held off Front Street opposite the Hermitage, or on the ground behind Spoor P.M. Chapel . The speaker would often stand on a soapbox. Mr W. Whitely M.P. for the Blaydon division and Mr E. Shinwell from Seaham addressed and gave speeches to large gatherings of men.
Soup Kitchen in Dunston
In 1926 during the General Strike a soup kitchen was set up to help the needy during those hard times.
Hundreds of breakfasts and dinners were served in Christ Church, Church Hall, commonly known as "The Tin Mission".
Whickham
Axwell Colliery
Whickham Pit Head
Axwell Colliery was located at the top of Whickham Bank with a drift at the foot of Whickham Bank in Swalwell. It was sunk in 1835 and electrified and modernised 1898 to 1906, when the head gear was placed high above the shaft in an enclosed brick building.
This mine was sunk to a depth of 70 fathoms to win coal from very deep seams, all shallow seams having been exploited many centuries earlier by a collection of bell pits. It was closed in 1954.
The enclosure of the winding gear in a building was very unusual and an unsuccessful attempt was made to preserve it as a listed building. The building was demolished 3rd of May 1975
Priestman Collieries Ltd took over the leases of Axwell Park, Bagnall's and Whickham Bank collieries in 1902 and as part of their expansionist policy sank Watergate Pit in 1926.
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.
Fundraising at St Mary's
There was an other unusual fund raising event at the end of the century which involved the Vicar and the Church warden of St. Mary The Virgin, abseiling down the church tower to raise money, again for repairs to the church.
Celebrations of 25 years at Washingwell School - 1999
Present staff and former staff and pupils reunited with special guest, illustrator Chris Mabbotts, a former teacher at the school, to celebrate 25 years of Washingwell School.
Children's Week 1987 - Let's Make a Circus
The children's week was based on the theme of 'Let's make a circus'. It was run by Captain David Girt and David of the Church Army team together with the vicar and several members of the congregation .
The children played games, sang songs and listened to stories told by Jolly Jack with the help of his puppet friends.
Then they had refreshments followed by the making of masks and puppets based on characters in the the stories.
The morning ended in church with the singing of songs and The Lord's Prayer.
The whole week was a lot of fun with the helpers having just as good a time as the children. Many thanks to Jolly Jack and David.
1st Whickham St Marys Cubs Field Day 1986
Front Street Primary School Sports Day, Chase Park 1986
Nativity Play, Front Street School, 1984
Queen's Jubilee, 1977
An Evening to Remember! 1973
86 guests attended a Social Evening held, for present and past Councillors of the Urban District, to mark the end of the Council due to Local Government Reorganisation
Council Year Books dating back to 1931 were available and these provided the names and addresses of all Councillors from that date.
Many of the guests had not seen each other since their Council days and took the opportunity to reminisce and to engage in lively debate just as they had done long ago in the Council Chamber.
Whickham West End Methodist Church
On August 24th 1968 the Whickham West End Methodist Church held a fund raising Open Day in Chase Park, Whickham.
In addition to the sideshows and stalls usual to such an occasion, there were competitions for youngsters.. For the girls a Skipping Endurance competition was one of the main events and prizes were awarded to the girls in each age group who could skip for the longest time without stopping.
Another major event was the Soap Box Race. Entries were received from schools, scout troops and boys who felt that they could make a Soap Box Car to beat all-comers in the races or win a prize for the best model.
November 5th Celebrations 1960
The Wallace family and friends celebrating Guy Fawkes with a bonfire at the top of Park Avenue, Beech Avenue, Whickham.
Stay at home holiday August 1946 by Dorothy Douglas
Whickham's grand Holiday at Home Week opened on Friday with a fancy dress ball in the Miners Welfare Hall, and on Saturday the 'Queen' Miss Lavinia Ackerley was crowned by, the Mayor of Gateshead, Ald. H. Kegie. The Mayor was accompanied by the Mayoress, Mrs Kegie, and was introduced by the chairman of the Entertainments Committee, Coun. N. Gill.
The 'Queen' was attended by two little girls Miss Judith Heywood, (chosen from the Parochial School), and Miss Dorothy Charlton, (chosen from the Front Street School).
After the crowning there was a parade headed by Felling Brass Band, around the village to the recreation field.
In a children's fancy dress competition the winners were
- William Charlton
- Rita Bradley
- Winifred McKenna
The chief attraction on Monday was cycle racing, which was given under the auspices of the British League of Racing Cyclists.
In addition there were sports, music, a Punch and Judy Show and many sideshows.
Whickham's 1937 Coronation Celebrations
Armistice at Whickham
After the Armistice on November 11th 1918, a victory bonfire took place on ground behind Spoor Memorial Chapel, maybe late November. Timber baulks and pit props were supplied by Axwell Park Colliery, and built in crows nest fashion approx. rising from base to 25'-30' column with an apex of 10' diameter, tar and oil was poured over, with straw placed around the base, built by workman from Axwell Park Colliery.
When the oldest inhabitant, Mr W. Buckhurst, who was invited to light the fire, walked forward with his torch, a paraffin rag on a broomstick, the fire blazed up fiercely in 30' flames. Two officials dragged the 92 year old clear.
A large gathering witnessed that great fire.
Party Down the Pit
April 6th 1900: There was an unusual event of a social gathering down Axwell Park Colliery. The occasion was to raise funds to refurbish the Chancel of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Whickham. Supper was partaken in the 5/4 seam.
Making care the centre of attention.
Foundations for a healthy future have been laid with the plans for a new state-of-the-art care centre in Gateshead. The 5 million pound scheme involves building a new health centre and a block of retirement flats in Whickham. Development will take place around the existing Whickham Cottage Hospital site in Rectory lane. In the first phase the 18th century listed building will be converted to a primary care centre.
Once work is complete by next Christmas, the existing health centre will be demolished and replaced with 58 specialised retirement flats. Detailed discussions on the scheme have been going on for some time between Gateshead Health NHS Trust, Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority, the Whickham practice and retirement housebuilders McCarthy and Stone.
Gateshead Health NHS Trust chief executive Chris Reed said: "This is an excellent example of a partnership working together to improve facilities for the local community." "Although Whickham Health Centre has served the community well for many years this new facility will allow the challenges and demands of primary healthcare in the 21st century to be met." Mike Dowse, land director of McCarthy and Stone North West, said the scheme will have a range of benefits for the community. "The advantages of a new health centre are obvious and the retirement development next door will have the effect of bringing increased trade to local businesses and freeing up family houses for younger buyers." Work will be phased so there will be no disruption to service from the Whickham practice. Dr. Graeme Oliver, senior partner at Whickham Health Centre, said: "The partners and staff here are delighted that we will now have the building to enable the provision of modern services to the community while retaining our traditional family practice values."
Reference. Richards, L. Making care the centre of attention. The Evening Chronicle (Gateshead), 13 November 2000.
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.
History of The Whickham Practice.
.
About to set out on the rounds. Doctor Andrew Smith standing on the steps of Rose Villa with Mr Turbittt (subsequently killed in the Boer War) at the head of his mount.
"The practice was founded in the late 1870s by the first Dr. Andrew Smith in Whickham where he bought a small, run down practice at Hillcrest, a stone terrace house on Fellside Road. He paid 50 pounds down and another 50 pounds in a years time for it. He soon began to attract patients and before long the house was too small to accommodate both patients and the beginnings of what was to become his own large family. In August 1883 he bought Rose Villa, a large house in the middle of the village.
As the years went by the practice expanded steadily and Dr. Andrew employed assistants to help with the increasing workload, making it clear that there was little hope of a future partnership because three of his four sons were expected to join him when they qualified at Newcastle Medical School.
When the Great War of 1914-1918 broke out there was a call for doctors for the front and Andrews three medical sons, Andy, Edward and Wilkie went into the R.A.M.C. leaving their father to cope with a very large practice without even an assistant to help him. He took it in his stride, having bought a motor car in which his eldest daughter Irene (who died in Whickham Cottage Hospital in her 99th year) drove him round on his visits to the widespread practice. At the end of the war his sons returned from their respective theatres of war, each one took over part of the practice.
In 1924 old Andrew died at Rose Villa in his armchair with a newspaper on his lap after a heavy day in the practice. His death occurred after a conversion of the old Rectory to a Cottage Hospital in which he and the Rector had played a major part.
Waiting for father. The doctor's son, Henry, holding his horse in readiness for departure on the daily visiting round. Henry, who is the father of Doctor David Smith, later emigrated to South Africa.
Wilkie came down from Burnopfield and took over the Rose Villa part of the practice. This was a most appropriate move in that he had been appointed G.P. surgeon to the hospital and dealt with many colliery accidents as well as operating a Tonsil and Adenoidectomy session every week with Andrew as anaesthetist. Wilkie had initially intended to be a surgeon. He was on the lower rungs of the consultant ladder at the RVI at the outset of the war in which he become a military surgeon and was awarded a Croix de Guerre by the Belgians for his surgical work for wounded soldiers.
The practice continued uneventfully throughout the 2nd World War with the three brothers meeting every week at the Cottage Hospital after the operating session until 1950 when Wilkie died as peacefully as his father, sitting in a chair at the bedside of a farmer at Hollinside Farm who had influenza.
Andrew Smith, having returned from active service in the Far East, had joined the practice in 1947 and now took over Wilkie's part of the practice and moved in to Rose Villa.
The practice continued to expand with the population as more and more housing estates were built around Whickham. It became obvious in the 50s that both Rose Villa and Stronsay were too small to accommodate the influx of new patients despite the addition of three more consulting rooms and a small secretary's room being built on to the West side of Rose Villa.
With considerable reluctance the partners decided to ask the health authorities to build a Heath Centre. It soon became obvious that the Heath Authority had little idea of what a good Health Centre should be like as the partners found out when they visited some of the Centres the Authority had built. Many hours were spent arguing about the sort of building the doctors wanted but in the long run it was worthwhile because it is the kind of building they wanted.
Modern Times. A family group outside the Burnopfield Surgery about 1922. The motorcar has replaced the horse; its proud owner Dr Wilkie Smith is at the left of the picture. Irene Smith is at the wheel, Josephine Smith (wife of Henry Smith, a non-medical brother of Edward, Wilkie and Andrew) on the running board, and Elsie Smith (sister of Edward, Andrew, Wilkie, Irene and Henry). The other woman pictured is may be to the right of the child may be Mabel Smith, wife of Wilkie Smith or she could be David Smith's nurse. The bonnetted babe is Dr David.
In 1969 the first cohort of vocational trainees joined their teaching practice."
Andrew Smith.
The Cottage Hospital
In 1920/21 the Rectory was vacated. Lady Clementine Waring, the wife of Major Waring who was Member of Parliament for Blaydon, opened the building as a Cottage Hospital in 1922.
Nurses having a break at
the Cottage Hospital - 1920s?
Can anyone help with
the actual date?
In spite of the efforts of the people of Whickham, who fought against the closure and raised money to install a lift, the Cottage Hospital closed in 1985.
In 1986 it opened as Chase Park School.
The Blue Bus (Frazers) Founded 1937
Watergate - Whickham - Winlaton
This was a wooden seated Bedford bus, which ran every hour. It was owned by a father and daughter called Sarah.
Sarah was the conductress and was a very, very large lady who had difficulty passing down the aisle even when nobody was standing.
This bus was the only way to get to Blaydon, very few people having cars in those days. Blaydon was a very busy shopping area, with three cinemas, the Plaza, the Pavilion and the Empire and a Dance Hall, which was very popular.
On Saturday evenings the Blue Bus had more passengers standing in the aisles than sitting, there were even people sitting on each other's knees. Nobody was ever left behind at a stop. With the bus so full Sarah could not collect the fares. When the bus stopped at the bottom of Shibdon Bank, the nearest stop to Blaydon, Sarah stood at the front of the bus to collect the fares. However, many people alighted by the rear door, saving their 3p fare which they used to buy a bag of chips on the long walk home if they had missed the last bus at 10.30 p.m.
In winter weather the bus had great difficulty getting up Whickham Bank. The men had to get off and push it.
Sarah was awarded the M.B.E. by the Queen.
The Bus Company eventually became Derwent Coaches.
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
Roads in Whickham
In the early centuries roads were made up of stone quarried locally, quite an ancient custom, even from the times of the Romans.
19th and 20th century cobbled stones or granite blocks 9x4x4" were placed to help traffic, mainly horse and cart, also to fill between tram lines, in some suitable places wooden blocks were used.
In villages such as Whickham roads were penned with local stone, eg. about 1ft. foundation of penned stone laid by hand, nearby a load of stone would be tipped, where a workman sitting on his cracket using a knapping hammer, knapping stones into crumbles, approx. 2" these crumbles would be used as a top dressing crushed by a steam roller then flushed with water.
Winter roads through inclement weather, also by horse and vehicles with iron wheels, were more or less clarty lanes through the village.
In summer by comparison, dust from horse traffic and iron wheels, grinding the road surface. It was a continuous blizzard of dust on rough windy days, unbearable at times.
Whickham Council owned a water cart approx. 250 gl. Tank with sprayers at the rear, pulled by one horse, this water cart travelled at regular intervals, from Broom Lane to the top of Whickham Bank, spraying one half of the road plus footpath.
Whickham School
Interview with Max Williams - May 16th 2000
In 1962 Whickham Secondary Modern School opened, replacing the all-age school at Front Street, as part of a programme to replace elementary schools with secondary schools. Whickham children who passed the 11+ went to Blaydon Grammar School. The education in Whickham was under the auspices of the Durham Education Authority, which introduced comprehensive education piecemeal. Owing to the huge growth in the school population because of the large house building programme, Whickham Secondary Modern School closed in 1970 and Whickham Comprehensive School opened on the same site.
The new school had different governors, a new head, Max Williams, and all the teachers had to reapply for their jobs. The 3-form entry modern school became an 8-10 form entry comprehensive school, with 39 teachers and over 600 pupils in its first year. There were children from Swalwell (~1.5 forms) and Dunston (1 form of borderline O level pupils who didn't go to the grammar school ). When Dunston Comprehensive was built in 1972 the Dunston children went there. The school expanded rapidly as J.T. Bell was building 200 houses per year and new primary schools were being built. Children from Marley Hill and Byermoor were coming to Whickham, but Swalwell children were going to Dunston. In 1973 21 additional teachers were appointed.
In 1974 when the boundaries were altered, Whickham became part of Gateshead M.B.C. and Whickham Comprehensive became more of a Whickham school. The children from Winlaton stopped coming and went to Blaydon, which became comprehensive in 1974. In 1976 the school had the first 6th form built up from the comprehensive intake.
There were 4 building programmes in the first ten years to accommodate the increasing number of children and provide extra facilities. The school population doubled in that time. By 1979 Whickham was the largest school in the area and probably the most successful. In 1980 Gateshead M.B.C. decided that it should be just an 8-form entry school as people were using all manner of means to get their children onto the school roll, eg. sending children to live with other members of the family. However, in the 1980s Margaret Thatcher introduced parental choice for the selection of a school for a child, so the intake broadened again and Swalwell children started to return.
When Max Williams took early retirement in 1984 on health grounds (he had cancer) there were 1300 pupils with about 300 in the sixth form. The school was organised into a house system with 6 houses by 1984. There were 82 members of staff. Bill Smith, who was Deputy Head, was appointed as the new Headmaster. In his time, when there was talk of Gateshead having a tertiary college, he tried to get the school to opt out of Local Authority control but the parents voted against it. The school is now under the L.M.S. scheme.
In 1983 Mike Hind, The P.E, Master became a Head of House. In 1984 Gateshead was choosing 2 schools where night classes could be held. Mike Hind was appointed to oversee this at Whickham and he got them off the ground. They are independent of the school structure, they just use the building.
Max Williams sees the school as having been an early experimental comprehensive which turned into a very successful comprehensive and then a community school. At his retirement party he told Bill Smith that each day when he went into school he would be surprised by something.
On his second day as Head, a mother burst into his room and demanded to know "And what is the matter with orange knickers?" The previous day the children had been told that they needed navy knickers for P.E. The girl's father had sent the mother up to the school to ask the aforementioned question!
St. Mary's Roman Catholic School
Whickham acquired its first Catholic School in 1972. Catholic education in Whickham began in the house of Mr and Mrs McWilliams in Eleanor Terrace. Father Walsh came from Dunston to instruct the pupils of the County School (Front St.) Catholic Schools existed at Byermoor, Dunston and Blaydon. When Father Pickering founded the Whickham Parish in 1948 it was with the intention of founding a school also. Negotiations were begun which were not completed till 1970, when the then Minister for Education, the Rt Hon Edward Short, MP, instructed Miss Alice Bacon (Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of Education and Science) to inform the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle that the new Whickham R.C. School had been accepted and placed on the "Design List".
Work was entitled to begin on April 1st 1970, but there were more snags, including the death of the quantity surveyor, financial difficulties for the appointed building company, the death of the architect in charge of the project and the departure from the firm of his deputy architect. However, a new architect and building firm were appointed and the project was given a kick-start. From then the work proceeded fairly smoothly with excellent co-operation between the builders and the headmaster, Mr Leo Mason, culminating in the opening on April 10th 1972.
The new school was "Open-Plan" with seven teaching areas, 3 for the Infants and 4 for the Juniors. 74 children attended the school, but it was expected that this number would rise to 250. The school has its own kitchen adjoining the hall. In the grounds there was an "Adventure Playground" a lovely field and an adventure area. Future plans included grassing the front entrance grounds at the top end, putting a rockery around the school's frontage and separating the car park from the children's entrance with a flagged and grassed centre-piece.
St Mary's Head Teachers
Mr Leo Mason 1972 - 1985 (Dec)
Mr Arthur Burke 1986 (Jan) -
Preparatory School
Dorothy Cline started at this school in 1931. It was run by Mrs Easey, who used to teach at the Parochial School, and was situated in what is now the Cuthbert Room in the St. Mary's Centre. There was a big table in the middle of the room with forms on either side to accomodate the pupils, about 8. A blackboard stood beside the fireplace. What is now the lounge held two billiard tables which were always shrouded. The pupils had to pass through there to go to the toilets, which were where the kitchen is now. The pupils wore purple blazers with a school badge, WPS in gold on a purple background. The girls wore purple berets and also black velour hats.
When Mrs Rollins took over the school, she moved it to the building where the Healthlands Cafe is now. (Dorothy also remembers a Miss Conner teaching them, but is unsure of exactly where she fits into the picture.) During the war, Mrs Rollins ran the school from her house on Fellside Road, situated on the R.H.S. going up from the Front Street. Dorothy left WPS in 1938 to go to Dame Allan's Girls School. However, when the girls were evacuated from there during the war, Dorothy's mother would not let her go. She returned to WPS on Fellside Road for about a year until the evacuees started returning to Dame Allan's.
Parochial School
In 1900 Whickham Parochial School was a mixed school under the mastership of Mr Castles, the Boys' and Girls' Schools having amalgamated in 1897 (not in 1900 as recorded in other publications. See the Log Book held in the Tyne & Wear Archives.) The Infant Department was separate at this stage, although on August 1st 1910 it became an Infant Class, under the general control of the Head Master. In 1900 the Infant Department was under the control of Miss Mary Elizabeth Pratt, who had been a pupil teacher at the school and commenced duties as Certificated Mistress on January 9th 1899.
Mr Castles was meticulous in recording information in the Log Book, however his entries mainly dealt with the attendance, which was governed by the weather, the season and illness. As many of the children came from outlying areas and the roads were unmade, heavy rain or snow made them impassable, preventing the children from attending school. Childhood illnesses often became epidemics earlier in the century and sometimes the entire school had to be closed. In 1918 the school was closed for 9 weeks because of the influenza epidemic at the end of the First World War. In the fruit, and potato picking seasons and at hay making time attendance at school was poor because the children were working in the fields.
The school holidays were not taken at a set time every year. The summer holidays were taken in two parts and the timing seemed to vary from year to year. If the school had been closed for illness then the holidays were shortened. When the hoppings came to Whickham in May the children had two days' holiday.
The school premises were used for social functions and Mr Castles often recorded that they were left in disarray. Furniture was left in the wrong place and/or overturned, beer bottles were left lying around, the Master's back door was once marked with obscene pictures and his doorpost was used as a urinal. (Nothing changes!)
The entry for October 31st 1902 conjures up a lovely picture. "54 children were 'draughted' into the Mixed School today." Taking note of the date, was this done by the spirits that were around at the time?!!
Headteachers of the Parochial School
During the twentieth century there were 6 headteachers.
Mr Robert Ord Castles 1881 - 1923: Mr Castles started as a pupil teacher at the school on March 12th 1871, before rising through the ranks to become the Master in 1881, as the head teacher was known in those days. His entry in the school log book for January 26th 1923 reads as follows:
"Resigned the Mastership of this school after a service of nearly 42 years - in harmony with Managers, Teachers and parents. Appointed July 18th 1881 - left January 26th 1923. Signed Robert Ord Castles.
Mr William W. Rose 1923 - 1956: His entry in the log book for January 29th 1923 reads:- "I took charge of the school today as headmaster, in place of Mr R.O. Castles, who resigned duties on Friday January 26th 1923. William W. Rose.
Mr R.W. Edwards 1956 - 1974
Mr M.L. Mears 1974 - 1983: When Mr Mears retired in July 1983 he presented the school with a miner's lamp to remind the children that the school, which was set up as a charity school in 1714 by Dr Thomlinson, taught the poor children of local miners. Mr Mears said "The lamp will work if you fill it with fuel and ignite it, just as the children's minds will work if they are filled with fuel from the teachers, but the spark must come from the children." He also said that the lamp will remind them that Christ is the light of the world.
Mrs P.A. Pritchard 1983 - 1988
Mr Alan Dobson 1988 - Mr Dobson joined the staff in 1973 as a newly qualified teacher, staying for 1 year. He returned in 1983 as Deputy Head, taking over the headship when Mrs Pritchard left.
Front Street School
Whickham Front Street Infant School and Whickham County Mixed School were opened together in August 1909 and were governed by Durham County Council. The Infant School catered for about 90 children aged 5 to 7 years, while the County Mixed School housed another 270 children from 7 to 14 years. A few pupils were admitted to Blaydon Secondary School at 11 or 12 years of age. This pattern prevailed until 1962, when most of the children over 11 years trans