Ushaw Moor Memories

Just when I felt on the verge of writer’s block regarding Ushaw Moor here is one more article.

On 23/06/1935 Ushaw Moor Cricket Club had a “bad day at the office”. Chasing Belmont’s score of 93 they collapsed to 39 all out. Scorecard details of the Ushaw Moor innings:

R W Hope bowled N Martin 7

S Pearson bowled Walker 1

P Halpin caught Wright bowled Walker 0

C Seargeant bowled N Martin 15

J J Gibson lbw bowled Walker 0

J F Spikings bowled N Martin 4

F Hildrey caught L Martin bowled Walker 3

R Wilson caught Russell bowled N Martin 2

W Cruddas lbw bowled Walker 0

W Ross caught Wright bowled N Martin 5

W Quinn not out 2

Extras 0

Total 39

If you thought that was bad spare a thought for the Bermuda Women’s team in the match against S Africa Women played on 18/02/2008. The scorecard for the Bermuda innings was as follows:

L Miezer 1

W Woodley 0

S Albouy 0

M Jackson 1

T Paynter 0

R Richardson 0

R Smith 1

N Jones 0

C Furbell not out 0

S Todd 0

Extras 10

Total 13

So only three runs off the bat!

South Africa took four minutes to win [without losing a wicket].

ERIC FERGUSON

I have just learnt the sad news that Eric passed away recently. I recall him from the late 50s as being Norman’s brother. Because of my continued interest in Durham Football I am aware that Eric played for several Northern League club’s - including Bishop Auckland, Crook Town and Ferryhill Athletic. He was also a very talented and loyal Ushaw Moor cricketer. I can recall following the progress of Ushaw Moor CC from afar and became familiar with the names E Ferguson and N Ferguson regularly appearing on the scorecards. Eric was an all round sportsmen and played the game of basketball with some talent.

I wonder whether Eric played against my half brother, the late Colin Albone. I know that one of Colin’s clubs was South Moor and that he played against Ushaw Moor at least three times. Colin played for the South Moor team when it beat Ushaw Moor in a cup semi final before going on to beat Esh Winning in the final tie. Those games against Ushaw Moor would have been in the 70s. As I say it is sad news about Eric.

Wilf Bell

Both Ushaw Moor and Bearpark won on August 30th 1947. The scorecards demonstrate just how easily they achieved their victories:

Ushaw Moor v Willington

Willington:

L Clement bowled Last 10

W Hodgson caught Gillespie bowled Last 2

J Carolan lbw bowled Last 0

W Young caught Robinson bowled Quinn 0

Jack Hutchinson bowled Last 0

R Watson caught Quinn bowled Last 7

Jim Hutchinson bowled Quinn 5

S Howe bowled Last 1

H Hodgson not out 0

B Bennett bowled Quinn 1

H Walker bowled Quinn 0

Extra 1

Total 27

Ushaw Moor:

R W Hope not out 10

A Gillespie bowled Carolan 3

A Smith not out 15

Extras 4

Total for one wicket 32

Ushaw Moor won by nine wickets

Bearpark v Peases West

Bearpark

H Stoker stumped Race bowled Northcoat 5

R Pinkney caught Moses bowled Naisbett 37

J Turnbull bowled Naisbett 6

G Crooks bowled Johnson 29

J J Turnbull caught Richardson bowled Naisbett 4

W Bennett bowled Northcoat 1

J Whyatt hit wicket bowled Northcoat 4

T Pattison not out 77

R Dye run out 21

A Walker caught Collingwood bowled Naisbett 0

Extras 13

Total 197 [nine wickets declared]

Peases West all out 68

J Turnbull 4 wickets for 28 runs J Whyatt three wickets for 7 runs

Bearpark won by 129 runs

So in John Arlott style: Two runs off the over 7 R W Hope 8 A Smith 19 for 1, and after Brian McLoughlin it will be Paul Clough.

Ushaw Moor thank you for having me as a guest these last two years.

W Bell

This article brings together much of what is already on site about Vicar Welby and provides further information –especially about his family.

I have no doubt that there are many current residents of Ushaw Moor and ex residents who were baptized by and perhaps married by Vicar Welby. He was charismatic, gentle and perceptive all rolled into one. By the time that he began his ministry at Ushaw Moor in 1923 he was 43 years old. I have no doubt that he had already seen and understood much of how the world worked and it would thus have enhanced his ministry.

Here is a quote from Brian McLoughlin taken from elsewhere on this site “I well remember Vicar Welby when I was a boy living in Ushaw Moor. I understand that Vicar Welby was a very highly educated man and he gave 35 years of his life looking after the spiritual needs of his flock at Ushaw Moor. I can remember attending weddings and funerals at St. Lukes Church on the Esh Winning road where he officiated at the ceremonies. He lived with his family at the Vicarage at the top of Ladysmith Terrace. I cannot remember Vicar Welby ever having any sort of transport to get around the village as he always appeared to be walking when I remember him. He was well known and highly respected in the village and always had a good word and a smile for us kids. Whether you were Catholic or Protestant Vicar Welby always spoke to everyone. He was the type of good character that is sadly lacking in this world of the present. Vicar Welby is also mentioned in the book by Frank Proctor who emigrated to Canada from Ushaw Moor in the 20s, he made a great impression on the then young Frank Proctor.”Brian McLoughlin

I recall that the pupils of Ushaw Moor County school were all lined up against the school fence to show respect for Vicar Welby when his funeral cortege passed by.
Vicar Welby was born in Tollerton, Nottinghamshire and he married Jennie Brown [1896-1972]. They had a son Peter Edin Brown Welby. I am not sure whether Peter was an only child.
Vicar Welby’s father was Abraham Adlard Welby [he was born in Uttoxeter, became rector of Tollerton and died in 1923]. His mother was Bertha Sobranoa - she was born in India and died in 1928 at the age of 82.
Vicar Welby’s grandfather, Aldard Welby, was born in Lincolnshire, became a solicitor, married Clara Flint and died before the turn of the 19th century when well into his 80s.
Vicar Welby had at least three brothers and two sisters. One of his brothers was Richard Martin Welby –Richard’s wife was Euphemia Welby [1891-1987]. I understand that she gave distinguished service during WW2 being Supt. of the Women’s Royal Naval Service [WRNS] from June 1939. She became a CBE on 01/01/1944.

Best regards W Bell

Ideally memories are to be used as a tool and not just for nostalgic trips down memory lane. I love nostalgic trips but they ought to be rationed a little bit; if there is a point to them so well and good! My fairly regular blogs on Paul’s commendable site are used in conjunction with my family history project so I have an excuse for regular blogging!

Older people often like to give advice but the young people often do not want to listen. Well they should always listen but at the same time make a critical assessment of what they are being told. Assess people and ignore clearly bad advice. The sort of advice that I would give a youngster includes the following:

Celebrate your decent command of written and spoken English. If you have little to celebrate regarding that then strive to improve your skills. Why is that so important? The answer is that it gives you the power to express yourself clearly and thus give you the chance to inform and influence people in a constructive manner during your trip through life - which I hope is a long one.

Another piece of advice is never automatically believe that the prevailing ‘authority’ is right in what it is telling you. The key word there is automatically. Often you are being helped constructively but sometimes you are not. I will offer an example. If you leave school with say two GCSE’s at grade C, one of which is English Language, do not allow the authorities to tell you that you cannot eventually progress to the taking of a Higher National Certificate in some subject or other [or even better]. If your English is good you can pass lots of exams with the right techniques! Ask for a college interview and sell your personal belief in a positive and assertive way. If it does not wash take another two GCSE’s or whatever they demand and then go get what you want in the world of qualifications.

There is more to life than passing exams. It is a big world out there – go and network – or find out how to network. Good networking is having influential and wholesome contacts and friends. If by the time you are an adult you do not like what Ushaw Moor has to offer consider moving to Manchester or London. If you look at the map of the world a move to London is still pretty much small fry. Of course such a move has to be planned and a starter job, together with accommodation, needs to be secured first. One of my schoolmates moved to Australia when she was 16 [obviously with her parents] and has never looked back so to speak.

I am not suggesting that very young people should disappear into what can be a dangerous city. Parents and other people are there to offer wise counsel and most do. Talk to them about your dreams and aspirations. Read the books that guide about CV writing, career options and coping with interview boards etc – available from all good bookshops!

If an Ushaw Moor parent or even a Canadian parent etc [we are global remember] objects to the general drift of this modest little blog then let us all hear it!

I believe that this article is relevant to the memories site because it is an attempt to use memories to express a point of view that has been formed, to some extent, from experience and observations.

Wilf Bell

I recently came across a very interesting website –Durham Amateur Football Trust [DAFT]. It can be found at www.thedaft.co.uk. If you followed the once illustrious County Durham amateur teams in the 50s and 60s this will be the site for you. You can be part of DAFT’S growth. The very enthusiastic officials run exhibitions, talks, and have memorabilia – it can even be arranged for Bishop Auckland’s 1935 FA Amateur Cup win to be viewed. Former players have been known to turn up at the exhibitions.

Those were the glory days for the likes of Bishop Auckland, Crook Town, and Willington etc- when big crowds filled the Northern League grounds and the BBC turned up at often full to capacity Wembley to broadcast the FA Amateur Cup Final to the nation. That was before money started to take the professional game over big time. In the old days fans could not always afford the transport to see Newcastle United or Sunderland and so were content to watch high quality amateur football nearer home. To some extent the wheel has turned because there are now many supporters who cannot afford the price of season tickets to watch Sunderland or Newcastle United; maybe a few of them will revert to watching the Northern League. Of course the Northern League is not what it was in its heyday but at least it can be guaranteed to be full of players fully committed to their clubs. Can it be said that all professional footballers are as committed to their clubs?

Best regards

Wilf Bell