Ushaw Moor Memories

1908

Samuel Dickinson Crooks was born in Bearpark on January 16th. He was a very well known footballer in his time and was capped 26 times for England. There is a little more about him later in the article.


1911

It is fairly well known that in 1911 Samuel Cody landed in a field near Pit House reservoir but perhaps fewer people can relate the landed plane’s location to a modern map. Today the plane would be located on the outer edge of Vicarage Flats which are adjacent to Silver Court at Brandon Hill. Not far away is Sawmills Lane [source Durham Records Office]. I note that no one has yet responded regarding the identity of the New Brancepeth couple who provided Mr Cody with breakfast.  Incidentally I believe that he was a friend and admirer of ‘Buffalo Bill’ not an actual relative.

1914/1918 and 1939/1945 World Wars

The nation owes a great debt to villages like Ushaw Moor because not only did they provide coal to fuel the world wars they also supplied cannon fodder in the shape of courageous men. As another reminder of those Ushaw Moor men here is a small selection of them from the memorial – bearing in mind of course that those not listed here are to be equally exalted: Edward Dunn, Joseph Vickers MM, Joseph Bone, Joseph Johnson, Robert Pringle, William H Pringle, Thomas Walton and Nathaniel Walton.

We can see that Mr Vickers received the Military Medal. The medal was awarded to NCOs and men of the army for individual or associated acts of bravery. As a result of the 1993 review of gallantry awards this award has been replaced by the Military Cross [MC] which is now available to officers and other ranks. Have you any knowledge of Mr Vickers and his medal?

1930s Depression

During the 1930s quite a few men were transferred from Ushaw Moor Colliery to Thorne Colliery - which was situated near Doncaster. It had opened in the early1930s and lasted until 1956.The workforce was subsequently transferred to neighbouring collieries.  Dick Hope spent some time at Thorne. A few of the Ushaw Moor miners expected favours from him because he and they were from Ushaw Moor - however he was fair minded to all and would not have any of that. During its time there had been a history of strained labour relations at Thorne. In the 1980s significant efforts were made by Harold E Taylor, NCB South Yorkshire Area Director, to develop the colliery but eventually coalfield strikes in his area inhibited his enthusiasm for it.

 1940s

Well yes we had the Second World War but that is well documented.

 1945

I know that there are still some relatives of the late Sammy Crooks living in Bearpark. I wonder if they all realize that they can see Sammy and also hear him on the Internet. To do so:
1 Go to www.itssource.com and press enter
2 Type Sammy Crooks in the box that is near to Entire Archive and press enter
3 mouse [that is click] ‘exit cricket – enter football’ [it’s in the middle of the screen] and finally
4Mouse [click] ‘view the story’.

Make sure your loudspeaker is switched on – if you have that facility- and listen to and see ‘Bearpark’s own’ interview the then Arsenal manager. Sammy appears ill at ease and seems to be using a cue card. He might not have been a media expert but his feet could talk for him. He was a brilliant footballer.

1947

That was a very cold winter and Mr Mcloughlin refers to it in his article, dated 26/01/06: ‘I remember waking up to find the snow drifted up to the bedroom window’. That year Don Albone’s journeyed from the south to New Brancepeth to start a new life with Lilian, the daughter of Richard and Ethel Hope.  His bus from Newcastle took a long time to get to Durham owing to the amount of snow and ice on the roads. His journey from Durham to New Brancepeth was even more difficult. He had a southern accent, which contrasted sharply with the Durham accent, but the people of New Brancepeth took to him.

1948

That was a very important year for the UK but it never realized it. Reginald Brian Hemstead was born! He was great company and a good workmate. He was to enjoy punk music three decades later [without being an actual punk] as well as watching good tennis. He had something in common with George Bernard Shaw: like Shaw he preferred the second forename given to him at birth. Brian knew much about how the world worked. After a few pints we were both willing to suspend disbelief regarding the number 42 in relation to the meaning of life! For those that might be puzzled by that comment it is a reference to the book ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’. Brian died in 2005.

1953

The Durham Miners’ Gala [The Big Meeting] was a big experience for me and that year I remember the lovely weather, joyful dancing, tartan uniforms worn by a few of the bands, the fact that I wore an Indian headdress, and the ridiculous price for a glass of ‘fruit drink’ offered by a street vendor -it was little more than coloured water .I was only eight years old then but 54 years later I still recall being ‘done’ by that street vendor.

1959 Christmas Picture

The picture number 4 on gallery 5 [or put another way the first on the left middle row] which is accessed from the original historical site, is of form 4a during their Christmas school party at Ushaw Moor Sec.Mod. I can identify most of the pupils as follows:
Left to right:
Top row
x, Margaret Crooks, Audrey Thompson, Ann Mountain, a guest destined to be the late Tommy Wilkinson’s wife, Margaret Ayre, Gloria Race?, Margaret Wilkinson, Sandra Forster, Maureen Trelford
Second Row
Gillian Cruddace, Norma Linsley, Lorna Bone, Pat Bowery, Hazel Dickinson, Ruth Atkinson, Edith Smith, Pauline Newman
Third row
Robert Moore, Neil Crawford, John Mole, Dennis Pinkney, Malcolm Gibb, Wilf Bell, Brian Wilkinson, Arthur Snaith
Front unseated
Tom Patterson, Brian Rowland, Allan Dunn, John Hall, Norman Brunskill


Notes re above: [1] I apologize for forgetting the guest’s name [2] Gillian’s forename might have been Jillian [3] Norma Linsey or Linsley? [4] The spelling of Tommy’s surname -   Pattinson or Patterson?
[5] Ruth Atkinson sadly died a few years ago. I was privileged to speak to her several times during the last year of her life. Her battle with serious health problems was truly inspirational and I will never forget her. During her life she was a successful business woman in the field of hairdressing. She went on to teach that subject at college and I am sure that the students were fortunate to have someone of her calibre to teach them.
Of the unseated boys at the front only Brian Rowland and Norman Brunskill remain on this planet. Of course Dennis has gone as well. They were lovely lads.


Please support Paul’s site by writing an article or commenting on the contributions of others.

Best regards,

Wilf Bell