Ushaw Moor Memories

I took a sample of seventy two families that were living in the Ushaw Moor area from the 1891 census - so that I could get some idea of the extent of the incoming labour force that had been attracted by work in a coal mining community. I could then, by and large, pinpoint the areas from which they had originated. My focus was the head of each family, which in almost every case was a male member of the household.  The findings were as follows:

41 heads of families – born in County Durham

8 – Yorkshire

4 –Cumberland

4 -Ireland

4 -Northumberland

3-Norfolk

3-Suffolk

2 -Essex

1 -Derbyshire

1-Kent

1-Somerset

So about 57% of them were born in County Durham but clearly a very significant number were not. I am aware that a few families, that are not included in the sample, came from Wales.

MURDER

Thomas Pyle, a widower, had been murdered in 1882, during the time of the very acrimonious Ushaw Moor Miners’ strike. He was a platelayer employed at the colliery and found dead in Redhills, Durham City. At one time he had lived in Witton Gilbert. Some people had suspected that Thomas Westoe was involved in the murder but in fact it had been committed by Peter Bray. Bray was executed in November 1883 for Pyle’s murder. [source Darrell Nixon who had examined the relevant records].

If you have not yet read the account of the strike I recommend it to you. It has everything – murder, pistol shots, a colliery manager that became out of control, a wealthy colliery owner that lived in a castle, a distressed school mistress and a kindly and constructive Catholic priest.

Best regards

Wilf Bell

1947 was about more than just feeling the financial pinch, Dennis Compton’s glorious batting and a shocking winter. Many residents of Ushaw Moor, Browney Colliery and Waterhouses were unhappy about water closet management. At Browney many of the closets were not fit for use and many residents had to visit neighbours to meet their personal and natural requirements. The wagons called fortnightly and were inadequate during the hot summer conditions. At Waterhouses and Ushaw Moor the refuse was emptied into the streets prior to removal on to the wagons but children were often playing nearby. To make matters worse - the wagons were driving around the streets uncovered. There was considerable anger expressed by some at the time and no doubt there was a fear of epidemics – shades of Victorian town life! The stated reason for the uncovered wagons was a shortage of sheet metal but it was said to have arrived so matters could only improve. A new wagon that had been on order for over twelve months was said to be due shortly and that was promising.

A report by a Sanitary Inspector that 252 and a quarter pounds of butter had been condemned in the district brought comments from several councillors. One remarked on the alleged wastage and suggested that grocers should be allowed to sell extra to customers when there was a possibility of butter going bad. This will be linked to rationing which was still very much in place. It was decided that a letter of complaint would be sent to the Food Office.

A letter from the Assistant Chief Constable requiring all street lamps to be extinguished at midnight raised a storm of protest from Brandon Urban District Council. Many of the roads in the district [including Ushaw Moor?] were still in a bad condition. If trunk roads were lit up it was said to be only right that the men who got the coal should have light to guide them to work. I imagine that it was comparatively straight forward to get to work at Ushaw Moor, without lights - but comment is welcome. One observation was that the essential time for lights was 3am. At the time the Council was required to reduce electricity consumption by 50%.

Ushaw Moor Cricket Club played Langley Park Cricket Club in an effort for the Morrison Pit Relief Fund. In 1947 Langley Park had won the John Saunders Cup, North West Durham League Knock Out Cup, Walton Bowl, and were runners up in both the North West Durham League and Matthew Oswald Cup. Of course Ushaw Moor had won the Mid Durham Senior League in 1947.I do not know the result of this friendly game. I wonder whether the Mid Durham Senior League was regarded as superior to the North West Durham League. I do know that the Tyneside Senior League was a higher league that the North West Durham League [South Moor, one of my former clubs, were promoted from the latter to the former].

Wilf Bell

I was chatting to Arthur Hodgson on the phone recently and he recalled an incident that took place in 1941 during a dark wartime night. At that time he was working at Broughs store at the bottom of Station Road. At about 7pm he finished work, got on his bicycle, and started cycling up the road. After travelling about twenty or so yards he collided with a police motor bike. The lights on Arthur’s wartime pushbike were legal -being designed so that he could be seen rather than for him to be able to see ahead. The policeman gave him a good ticking off even though the accident was not Arthur’s fault -after all Arthur could not have seen anything owing to the pitch black darkness. I wonder whether the policeman was Jock Allen – who later died in a traffic accident according to a report on site.

Arthur recalled that many years ago Ushaw Moor did not have a doctor of its own and had to use doctors from other villages. Some of the doctors called upon during the late 30s and into the 40s included Dr R Brown and Dr J W Dickinson. It is highly reasonable to assume that because Ushaw Moor was a mining village the doctors would have been even busier than would otherwise have been the case. I am aware that in 1939 two of the frequent Ushaw Moor mining injuries that required treatment involved Frederick Elliott, a hand putter, and Richard Tolson, a hewer of coal. Mr Elliot strained his left foot while pushing tubs and Mr Tolson suffered a severe injury to his back because of a fall of stone.

Arthur went on to mention Pudding Henderson. He was not sure why Mr Henderson had the nickname Pudding but recalled that it was Pudding’s home that was used as a surgery by the various visiting doctors. He recalled that it was situated somewhere behind Whitehouse Lane.

Wilf Bell