Memories of Wilf Bell
Memories of New Brancepeth and Ushaw Moor
I offer this piece, having been inspired by the heart warming articles written by Mr McLoughlin and others. Why do we indulge in going back? From my point of view it is partly to enable me to understand why I am what I am today. It is a case of looking at my roots and tracing subsequent developments. It is also a pleasure to look back and there is nothing wrong with doing that, as long as one lives in the present and has hopes and plans for the future.
My mother, Lilian, was one of three daughters born to Richard "Dickie'' Hope and Ethel Hope. The others were Ethel and Doreen. She also had a brother, Norman. Ethel [the daughter] died in 1982. My mother died in 1984. Norman currently lives in Brandon with his sister Doreen. I mention such detail because I am conscious that some of their generation might well remember them.
I attended the New Brancepeth infants and junior school before moving to Ushaw Moor in 1954.I remember my first day at Ushaw Moor County School; my first teacher was Mr Spence, who went on to marry a fellow teacher, Miss Marr. I failed the 11 plus examination and went to Ushaw Moor Modern School. I am aware that the examination was based on a false premise: that intelligence could be measured without certain factors, including cultural advantages, coming into play. The creator of the tests that inspired the 11 plus, Cyril Burt, has been largely discredited. Fortunately quite a few of the 75 or so per cent who were "rejected'' at the age of 11 went on to prove how unfair the system was.
Many worthy pupils from New Brancepeth joined pupils from Ushaw Moor County School and Bearpark School to form Ushaw Moor Modern School in early April 1959: Malcolm Gibb, Edith Smith and Pauline Newman come to mind but I could list several more. Edith and Pauline became members of the school netball team and Malcolm, the gentle giant, should in my view have been picked to play for the school football team. The Ushaw Moor County football team had done very well in 1958/59, having won the league cup and achieved runners up spot in the top [division A] league. Phillip Stoddard was a prolific scorer for us and skipper David Maddocks was a tower of strength at centre half. The Modern School team, despite appearing fairly good on paper, finished about third off bottom in division A in 1959/60.We lost too many games by the odd goal. I was that team's captain but looking back I was not a very expressive leader, partly I suppose, because of my youth.
There are some incidents from my childhood that have stuck in my memory and one other that was relayed to me by my stepfather, Don Albone. In about 1950, according to my late stepfather, a worker at New Brancepeth Colliery, I do not know his name, lost a limb as a result of working alongside one of the pit locomotives. My stepfather, who was one of the locomotive drivers, told me that he was incensed by the colliery management's subsequent treatment of that man and he nearly convinced the colliery workers to come out on strike. At roughly the same period of time a child was rushed to hospital in Durham but very sadly died [I think of appendicitis]. My family lived at the same address on the bottom floor, the child and her family lived on the top floor.
Finally I remember when that brilliant footballer, Len Shackleton, came to Ushaw Moor in the late 1950s to formerly reopen a men's hairdressing shop, which was located a little above the Ushaw Moor Working Men's Club.
W Bell
I offer this piece, having been inspired by the heart warming articles written by Mr McLoughlin and others. Why do we indulge in going back? From my point of view it is partly to enable me to understand why I am what I am today. It is a case of looking at my roots and tracing subsequent developments. It is also a pleasure to look back and there is nothing wrong with doing that, as long as one lives in the present and has hopes and plans for the future.
My mother, Lilian, was one of three daughters born to Richard "Dickie'' Hope and Ethel Hope. The others were Ethel and Doreen. She also had a brother, Norman. Ethel [the daughter] died in 1982. My mother died in 1984. Norman currently lives in Brandon with his sister Doreen. I mention such detail because I am conscious that some of their generation might well remember them.
I attended the New Brancepeth infants and junior school before moving to Ushaw Moor in 1954.I remember my first day at Ushaw Moor County School; my first teacher was Mr Spence, who went on to marry a fellow teacher, Miss Marr. I failed the 11 plus examination and went to Ushaw Moor Modern School. I am aware that the examination was based on a false premise: that intelligence could be measured without certain factors, including cultural advantages, coming into play. The creator of the tests that inspired the 11 plus, Cyril Burt, has been largely discredited. Fortunately quite a few of the 75 or so per cent who were "rejected'' at the age of 11 went on to prove how unfair the system was.
Many worthy pupils from New Brancepeth joined pupils from Ushaw Moor County School and Bearpark School to form Ushaw Moor Modern School in early April 1959: Malcolm Gibb, Edith Smith and Pauline Newman come to mind but I could list several more. Edith and Pauline became members of the school netball team and Malcolm, the gentle giant, should in my view have been picked to play for the school football team. The Ushaw Moor County football team had done very well in 1958/59, having won the league cup and achieved runners up spot in the top [division A] league. Phillip Stoddard was a prolific scorer for us and skipper David Maddocks was a tower of strength at centre half. The Modern School team, despite appearing fairly good on paper, finished about third off bottom in division A in 1959/60.We lost too many games by the odd goal. I was that team's captain but looking back I was not a very expressive leader, partly I suppose, because of my youth.
There are some incidents from my childhood that have stuck in my memory and one other that was relayed to me by my stepfather, Don Albone. In about 1950, according to my late stepfather, a worker at New Brancepeth Colliery, I do not know his name, lost a limb as a result of working alongside one of the pit locomotives. My stepfather, who was one of the locomotive drivers, told me that he was incensed by the colliery management's subsequent treatment of that man and he nearly convinced the colliery workers to come out on strike. At roughly the same period of time a child was rushed to hospital in Durham but very sadly died [I think of appendicitis]. My family lived at the same address on the bottom floor, the child and her family lived on the top floor.
Finally I remember when that brilliant footballer, Len Shackleton, came to Ushaw Moor in the late 1950s to formerly reopen a men's hairdressing shop, which was located a little above the Ushaw Moor Working Men's Club.
W Bell
There were two barbers chairs in the shop but I can only remember there being only Jack cutting hair. There was always a nice smell of shaving soap, hair cream and the hair that Jack swept up after every customer. This he burnt on the fire in the winter,it made a sizzling sound whilst it burnt.
You usually had to stand and wait for a haircut and when the door was open you could see the pithead gear at Ushaw Moor colliery between the gable end of the Empire cinema opposite and the top house in Ushaw Villas. Jack also gave wet shaves using a cut throat razor. First he applied the shaving soap and then sharpened the razor on a leather strop, it made a slap, slap sound and then with the gentle touch of an artist he proceeded to scrape the mans face. I never saw a drop of blood. Mrs Maltby ran a ladies hairdressing business in a seperate room at the back of the mens barbers shop. She sometimes came and sat in the Barbers shop, she always carried a yappy Peke dog which would have a snap at anyone near. In the winter there was a coal fire burning in the fire grate. Jacks shop was next to Joe Lowerys ice cream shop. I never heard any man using bad language in the shop. I think it was a tanner for a boys haircut (2 1/2P). Life was simple and uncluttered to a young lad in those days. (Comment this)
Yes Brian, it was Jack Maltby's shop that I was referring to.Once I read your account of his wife I began to remember her as well. I think she was always very carefully made up. Very glamourous I recall. (Comment this)
Ihave been trying to remember a street at the
bottom of Station Road for days, as you come up the bank
from the river it was the first street on the right
before the Bush club , i believe Neashams bottling plant
was immediately behind.
One of the houses was owned by two
sisters the Misses, Pearson, the elder sister was the
head mistress at New Brancepeth infants school, the
younger sister also taught there during the late 1930s
and early 1940s .
Can you or any of the site readers
help me with the name of this street Wilf, this memory
re-lapse is driving me crazy.
Regards To All,
Geoff, Turner.
(Comment this)
I returned to the shop and joined mr metcalfe in his van to drop off a few deliveries,the last of these being 44 whitehouse court where I lived with my brother peter and sister gloria and parents. the last saturday I worked for mr metcalfe I rushed through the gate of no 44 clutching my wages in hand only to find the door locked as my family had moved to merryoaks. having only once visited our "new house" once I was not certain were it was ,luckily my wages payed my transport to stone bridge from where I half new my way via lowes barn bankwhat memories frank clarke (Comment this)
I cannot answer your question directly Geoff but I offer the following record of the steets in Ushaw Moor that the census enumerator visited, in 1901 - in order:
Hill Top, Ushaw College,various cottages, Ushaw Farm,Ushaw Moor Post Office,Ladysmith Terrace,Temperance Terrace,South View, Colliery View,East Terace, George Street, Albert Street, William Street,West Street, South Street and finally Broadgate. In Broadgate there were four separated heads of households, Jane Carr, William TURNER,John Blaylock and John Harrison. Where is Station Road I ask myself. (Comment this)
I cannot believe that Station Road did not exist in 1901. Perhaps there was more than one census enumerator and it was the other one that covered Station Road,although that seems unlikely, looking at the route taken by the known enumerator, because from Hill Top to Broadgate should naturally include Station Road - shouldn't it? Best Wishes.
(Comment this)
Thanks for the info, the William Turner from
Broadgate may well have been my fathers cousin i seem to remember my father once saying that some of his relatives
had lived there at at some time and as small boys would
play in the river there.
Further to my request for other
information, a friend of mine has suggested that the name
of the short street at the bottom of Station Road was
Station View which could not have been more appropriate
as the houses were immediately in front of the station ,
and the end house was only a few feet away from the
railway line, the only separation being the narrow
footpath which was the pedestrian access to the station.
Regards to all,
Geoff, Turner.
(Comment this)