Friday, January 25, 2008

Local FA Cup action in the 1950s

In the 1950s I saw two of the very local amateur teams playing professional league teams in the FA Cup. First up were illustrious amateurs Crook Town who played a first round tie against Derby County in November 1955. About 9,818 fans witnessed an exciting match. Many of the locals had got there by train, often thanks to efforts made by Working Men’s Clubs. Derby had actually won the FA Cup ten years earlier but in 1955 they were in the doldrums – second off top in the Third Division North. The first twenty minutes belonged to Derby County thanks to some silky football and the score line reflected this – Crook 0 Derby 2. Part of Crook’s problem during that opening half hour was that they were trying to match Derby’s classy football. It changed from then onwards as Crook, by sheer determination, forced their way into the game. Crook were not dirty – merely determined- and they fought back to equalize by halftime.


The second half brought cut and thrust from both teams until a crisis hit Derby – a penalty was awarded to Crook. The Crook centre forward had persistently fouled Terry Webster the Derby keeper throughout the game and seemed just about to do the same when Webster, with the ball safely in his hands, lost his cool and elbowed him. That meant a penalty and it was correctly given, even though it was very rough on Derby. The penalty kick grazed the outside of the right hand post, much to Derby’s relief.

Posted by cloughy at 12:50:39 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |

Friday, January 18, 2008

Memories of Ushaw Moor

My name is Andy Graham, I live in Cannock Stafforshire
 
My Moms side of the family are from Ushaw Moor, thier surname was Hirst, they lived in Whitehouse Lane. (no 18?)
 
I was surprised looking at your religious pages that there was no mention of the Salvation Army in Ushaw Moor. Somewhere I have a load of old Ushaw Moor photographs so I can send you them if thats ok?
 
I have some very fond memories of Ushaw Moor, even though the last time I stayed at Grandmas (Lydia Hurst) house in Whitehouse lane was in 1975!
 
I can remember a shop that seemed to sell just about everything, especially toys!! I think the shop was called Stan Watsons? 
 
There also used to be a fantastic chip shop in one of the back streets in the lower end of Ushaw Moor, the best chips I have ever tasted.
 
My Dad (George Graham) was from Hetton-le-hole, although I am sure he worked for a while at the pit in Ushaw Moor.
 
Grandad was in the Durham Light Infantry, he name was Brooke Hurst, I am lucky enough to have some great photos of him in his army uniform.
 
Kind regards
 
Andrew Graham
Posted by cloughy at 12:16:31 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Ushaw Moor and New Brancepeth 1998

Ten years ago, during one of my infrequent visits to the Deerness Valley, I decided yet again to do the ‘grand tour’ - a sort of ‘all our yesterdays’.  I went into the New Brancepeth church, at the bottom of what was Unthank Terrace bank, and it seemed quite grand; it was certainly well polished and clean. The cleaning lady happened to be there and I asked her whether she could recall the Dodds' family and also young Margaret Reed, who I believe married an artist in the 1950s [I seem to recall that he was much older than her] – the cleaner could recall them all and clearly had a very good memory.

 

I was made aware of local historian Ken Clark who I believe was living in Woodbine Terrace, which is opposite the church but a little further down .He made me most welcome and presented me with a steaming cup of tea and the very last copy of his book: Deerness – A Short Industrial and Social History [Sleetburn Press 1987]. What a thorough and very useful book it has proved to be. I believe there is a copy of it at the Durham Records Office.

 

I then popped into the New Brancepeth Working Men’s Club at the top of Unthank Terrace. Several senior citizens were having a quiet drink and I engaged them in conversation about the area, in particular New Brancepeth Colliery. ‘Soccer’ Gleghorn was part of the company and I was actually delighted to buy him a pint – I think Soccer was delighted as well! He was surprised that I knew about the German engineer that worked at the pit in the early part of the 20th century.


Posted by cloughy at 09:35:52 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday, January 04, 2008

Ushaw Moor Moorlanders

Hi there ..stumbled upon your website after looking for ways to locate pictures of junior marching bands of the 80's and I remembered the Ushaw moor Moorlanders run by Billy Coatham.Wondered if visitors to your site could help either with photos or by visiting the following site and leaving memories on the guest book page.

They were good times and deserve celebrating !!!!

Thanks for any help or advice given....

Les Clarke (bass drummer..Colburn Fusiliers jazzband 1975-84)
Posted by cloughy at 12:34:11 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Concessionary coal –New Brancepeth Workmen’s Coal Ticket

Concessionary coal –New Brancepeth Workmen’s Coal Ticket

 I have such a ticket and it dates from 1953, the year in which the colliery closed. There are columns on the ticket that show the date of issue of the coal, as well as the Keeker’s initials [which are CB] and the initials of the Checker [WS].In Durham County coalmines the Keeker was in charge of the coalmine surface. This particular record indicates that one ton of coal was delivered to the employee every month of the year until pit closure. Although no charge for the coal was made by the National Coal Board it was very much a part of each worker’s pay package. In the early 1980s the National Coal Board’s view was that it was an inherited obligation from pre-nationalization days. The Board felt that it would have been too expensive to buy out this long term arrangement.

Were there any problems during WW2 with people tripping over the parked concessionary coal during blackout? Did you pay someone to put the coal in your bunker? Did coal dust really dirty the washing on the clothes line? What is known of Mr ‘CB’ and Mr ‘WS’?  I suppose they may have moved to Ushaw Moor to take advantage of the post war council house building programme.

The Sanders' family

What sort of Christmas did miner William Sanders, of 7 Ladysmith Terrace, have in 1900? He had a large family – namely: Elizabeth [wife], and children John, Ralf [or Ralph], Grace, Mary, Elizabeth, Robert, Gilbert and the youngest, George. It is true that his sons’ John and Ralf were also employed in coal mining and that would have helped financially. Clothes could easily be handed down and of course that still goes on in families today – a very sensible idea. It appears that the number of employees at Ushaw Moor was steadily growing during the early years of the 20th century so I imagine that the family was probably not hit by unemployment during that first decade - but of course I cannot discount the possibility of injuries. Are there any descendents of the Sanders family still living in Ushaw Moor?

Coffins

We already have an immensely interesting ‘coffin’ story submitted by Geoff Turner [see note 7 of my article published on 20/09/06]. Now we have another - but admittedly it relates to the village of Langley Park - still Langley Park is not far from Ushaw Moor! In May 1942 an elderly couple, Mr and Mrs Bolton, who lived at Blackburn Cottages Langley Park, were notified that their youngest son private William Bolton had been killed and that his body would be flown home for a funeral with full military honours. The turn out at the funeral was enormous. About two weeks later he turned up at home. Understandably his mother fainted.

[Source ‘Esh Leaves’ issue 10 in the month of November 2003]

Happy New Year

WB


Posted by cloughy at 11:25:36 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |