Ushaw Moor Memories

I lived in Ushaw Moor for the first 30 years of my life and I have always missed it since moving away. I see they have demolished the club and the old Empire or Winnings, and have built new houses all over the place, did the Bush shut down as well if so the Flass must be the only pub left open; it seems as if all the old places in Ushaw Moor have to be knocked down and new houses built, did they build houses on the “rec” behind the club as well, I know things change and things don’t stop the same but to me they have spoiled Ushaw Moor, they will be building on the allotments next if the powers to be get there own way. Did they build on the old Institute, used to have some good times in there playing snooker in the 60s never mind I could go on but I still have my memories of the old working class pit village that it used to be.

Thanks

Harry Oughton

Hello, am wondering if you can help me please am after some information regarding Ushaw moor as my Grandad, Ray Jolly, working there when he was a boy. He is 76 now and would like some information about some people who worked there and some pictures. If you could help me I would be most grateful if you could reply to

sarahelainejolly@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you very much this is the closest link to what i was looking for.

I wonder if anyone can help at all? My father was born in Ushaw Moor in 1938 and lived there till he was a teenager in High View, I think it was called. His name’s Melvyn Gray and he was the only child of Bill and Peggy Gray. His best friend was George, but I don’t know his surname.

My sister and I are organising a bit of a birthday do for him as he reaches 70 this year and we’d love to have something from Ushaw Moor from the time he lived there, even if it’s only a memory from someone or a photo of the village at the time. He and my mum live near Durham, so they’re not a million miles away, but my dad’s memories of UM are all of his childhood and it would be great to do something related to that for this milestone birthday.

Any help posted on here would be much appreciated!

Thanks, Rachel Green.

Having previously given a brief mention to an Ushaw Moor girl, Sarah Ellen McGurk, in an earlier article I recently found myself sitting next to her daughter, Mrs Margaret Parks, at a University of the Third Age social history meeting about 265 miles south of Ushaw Moor! Margaret gave me the go ahead to write some brief notes about her family - as follows:

Sarah Ellen McGurk was born in Lanchester on 18th October 1900 and shortly afterwards lived at 10 South Street, Ushaw Moor, with her parents John and Margaret.

Her dad was born in Durham and worked as a local colliery coke drawer. Essentially he removed coke from the coke-oven by means of a tool that resembled a long handled shovel.

Sarah had a brother called Edward [seven years older than her] and a brother called Michael who was four years older. Michael, who was only about 5ft tall at the time and worked at the colliery as a pit pony boy. One day at the colliery his pony would not proceed any further – it then jumped and reared; as a result Michael’s leg was broken and he walked with a limp for the rest of his life. Much later he went to live with his niece Margaret Parks [see first paragraph] in Tottenham, North London. Margaret remembers him because of the amount of snuff he used!

Sarah had a sister, Mary Ann, as well as the brothers mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Mary Ann is not mentioned in the 1901 census so it is likely that she was born a little later - although it is just possible that she was staying at an address other than 9 South Street at the time of the Census.

It is known that Sarah’s mother, who was born in Bishop Auckland, used to bake cakes and hold coffee mornings to raise money to go towards the building of the Ushaw Moor Catholic School.

When Sarah left school she spent sometime working at the Ushaw College laundry.

Sarah died on 19/02/1972.

Now for some further notes supplied by Margaret Parks that might mean something to residents or ex residents of Ushaw Moor:

“The Griffin family included cousins of my mother Sarah Ellen McGurk.

The Keenan family [nee McNab] looked after the McGurk youngsters when their mother died. The Keenans settled in Brandon at 19 Commercial Street.

There were also relations living at New Brancepeth’’.

I will finish with a bit of information about the McGurk’s immediate neighbours in South Street during 1901:

9 South Street - Mr George Young [blacksmith] and his wife Mary. Their daughter Amy worked as a barmaid.

11 South Street – Mr Michael Collingwood [aged 24] coal miner and preacher born in Byers Green. Also his wife Hannah [aged 25] born at the Boyne [I suppose Langley Moor!]

Wilf Bell

Less than a year after leaving secondary school I moved with my parents to live in Seaton, near Workington, Cumberland. I was destined to live there for seven years. The name Workington is not very inspirational – perhaps one notch above Grimethorpe - and for me it has a tone to match much of my experience there. Those seven years were meant to be character forming, memorable and fun mixed with a bit of teenage angst and uncertainty.  I experienced all of that but the positive aspects were in such pitifully small doses that they hardly compensated for the remaining big blocks of my time -which were filled with inertia and progressively mind dulling experiences.

I suppose I could have paraphrased the above by describing my time in Workington during the 60s as ‘mostly excreta’ [forgive my too rounded edges].  I did not have much going for me - what with a basically caring stepfather, whom by that time had a job that gave him little time to care, and an equally caring mother who had, with a degree of personal justification, despaired of life long before moving toWorkington.

I found myself living in an avenue about a hundred yards from a road that, by turning left, lead to Workington - which was about a mile away. We lived two doors from Keith Burkinshaw, who later became well known for his management of Tottenham Hotspur, and one door from Dave Carr the ex Darlington forward. They were both plying their trade for Workington Football Club.

My first job was a casual one working as an assist for Lipton’s Ltd in Workington – I was a sort of Granville character if you like. I recall that the hardest task at the shop was lifting and moving very big boxes of butter. I only had one serious lapse in concentration during my short period at the Lipton’s shop; on opening the large fridge I caused a tray of mixed meats to fall on the floor; understandably Mr Robinson the manager was not at all happy about that.

My next sally into the job market involved an interview at the National Coal Board Area Headquarters for the post of junior wages clerk. Three middle aged men earnestly questioned my suitability for the job and gave me an arithmetical test. They marked it there and then and told me that I had got one of the sums wrong. In my youthful enthusiasm I broke protocol my walking round to their side of the desk to look at their answer to my supposedly incorrect solution. I put them right! Whatever problems I had with my lack of impressive certified education the Harry Barlow influence came to the fore and I triumphed. The arithmetical test was followed by what appeared to me to be an innocent question: ‘have you any relatives working for the NCB?’ I replied that my grandfather was a colliery overman. Looking back it may well be that the family connection sealed the job offer.  I was fortunate enough to get a brilliant reference from Harry Barlow but the NCB went and lost it! It must have been a good one because one of the interviewers, without a trace of a smile, asked me whether I had written it.  

The job as a wages clerk was interesting for a while and every Thursday about three dozen wages clerks, including me, worked together to fill the wage packets for all those employees working at collieries in Cumbria: St Helens, Haig, Solway, Lowca and others. There was a simple knack to it but it had to be done quickly. If for example a worker’s wage was ₤ 18  6 shillings and  4 pence -  his or her packet was filled with the highest denomination of notes and coins possible – typically three five pound notes, a one pound note, two half crowns, a shilling, a three penny bit and a penny. The ten pound note had been withdrawn years earlier because of the war and fears of Nazi fraud; its reintroduction came as late as 1964. The notes had to be presented in such a way that they could all be seen in the window of the pay packet.

Periodically, on a Friday, it was my duty to pay the miners after their late shift at Solway Colliery; I used my Lambretta to get there and back. The only memorable incident occurred because one of the miners, obviously tired from his weekly work, had lost his pay ‘chitty’. I refused to pay him – after all he could have been anybody. He went away and brought his union representative to identify him - but as I did not recognize the union man and more importantly, the ‘chitty was still not presented, I still refused to pay out. I locked his wage in the safe and he collected it the following day from the Manager’s Clerk.  It was much ado about nothing but it sticks in my mind.

After a while I decided that I wanted to earn much more money and found that I could achieve that by working as the Weighman at Lowca Colliery. The trouble was that to achieve the increase in money I had to work double shifts – 6am to 6pm. I did it for a year and I would like to tell you more about it in part 2, which will also include my experience during a 5.20 am interview with the police during a murder enquiry, a description of my admiration for some of the workers at Lowca Colliery and an assessment of the causes of my despair in Workington.

Wilf Bell

I will be making one of my rare visits to County Durham in early July [2008] and will be in the Shakespeare pub in Saddler Street, Durham City at 12 Noon for a while on Saturday 05/07/08. If anyone fancies a chat about Ushaw Moor [past, present, or future] I will be pleased to see them in that pub. I do not really expect anyone to be there as a result of this info but one never knows!

COACH JOURNEY

1869 Durham Miners’ Association formed.

1871 First Durham Miners’ Gala.

1890s Ushaw Moor Colliery Band is formed – At about this time John Bowran brings Methodism to Ushaw Moor and Broompark ably supported by the likes of R C Maddison, Tommy Gibson and J Lawson. More information about the Methodist Church and other churches is on site under religion.

1905 Tommy Knox was born at Ushaw Moor on 11/11/1905 – he became a regular footballer for Hartlepools United [source The Mad Crowd 100% unofficial Harlepools U. website]. Tommy’s full professional football career is on that site.

1916 Wilson Potts is a teacher at Ushaw Moor School –‘Mr Potts is a very good man – he goes to church on Sunday – he prays to God to give him strength – to whack the kids on Monday’ sang the pupils – but not within his earshot.

1928 Ushaw Moor win the Durham and District Bowling League for the first and, so far, only time.

1942 J Thompson injures his knee at Ushaw Moor Colliery.

1948 As a result of representations made by the Durham Miners’ Association in 1925 the London and North Eastern Railway Company agreed to issue return tickets at a single ordinary fare for the double journey in respect of Gala Day [Big Meeting held on 24/07/48]. The railway company emphasized that in the event of it bringing them a financial loss, because of insufficient passengers, they might not repeat the offer in future years.

1954 .Esh Road Methodist Church in Ushaw Moor is closed but the branch in Durham Road continued to be used for services.

1994 John Davies of Tudhoe CC Second X1 scored 205 against Ushaw Moor CC Second X1 – the following week he scored 208 against Hetton Lyons.

Wilf Bell

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

1893 - Septimus Aberdeen [later DCM] was born. For a while he lived in Sleetburn Lane, Alum Waters. He attended New Brancepeth School where he acquitted himself well.

He was a man of which New Brancepeth can be proud.

He fought on the Western Front for over two years and that fact alone is testament to his admirable qualities. His Distinguished Conduct Medal was a tangible reward for coolness and courage. In 1918 Mr Aberdeen became a Second Lieutenant. Later that year he was wounded but he recovered and went on to give fine service. I believe that he married in 1921 but I cannot be absolutely certain about that.

1902 –J Potts the Ushaw Moor schoolmaster died on the 7th of May

1908 – George Gardiner had been cashier at Bearpark Colliery for a considerable number of years. He died on the fourth of May.

1920s - Both Ushaw Moor and New Brancepeth Cricket Clubs had teams playing in the Deerness and District League together with the likes of Brandon, Browney, Cornsay, Esh Winning and Oakenshaw. Ushaw Moor later put a team in the North East Durham League and regular opponents included Sherburn Colliery, Washington, Littletown and South Hylton.

1923 -The Durham and District Bowls League began. A Mr Foster from Ushaw Moor was actively involved in the creation of the league. So which Mr Foster was that? Are any of his descendants currently living in Ushaw Moor?

1932 -John George March – known as George March - was born in Ushaw Moor. He played cricket for Ushaw Moor before moving on to play for Bearpark. He played the game at county standard and also achieved further representative honours whilst playing for Durham. More details of his cricket career are given in the Durham County Cricket Club archive. He worked in Ushaw Moor Colliery joiners’ shop alongside Norman Hope. Norman said that George went on to work in the ‘property section’. They were mates and Norman describes his as friendly bloke – not only a good cricketer but also a footballer with clever feet. Norman thinks that George’s football was with Ushaw Moor and very probably he was a forward. George March married Eb Shuker’s daughter, Barbara, and I am told that she had a spell as headmistress at Brandon School.

1936 – Ferguson Brothers Ltd of Middlesborough was selling shirts for Easter that were priced at seven shillings and sixpence each. There was a choice of ‘lustre poplin’ or ‘semi stiff’. ‘Vocof’ was a cure for coughs and colds and available from chemists for just one shilling and sixpence. I am presently under the impression that there is no cure for the common cold.

1938 -Having had a pint and a chat with Joe Mole, the landlord of the Flass Inn, you might have had your haircut by Tommy Gates in Station Road before getting some fish and chips from Florrie Haustead in order to save your wife having to prepare something. That would sound a bit sexist these days. Actually if anyone reading this had done that then they must now be getting on in years!

1953 - New Brancepeth Cricket Club was drawn to play Witton Le Wear in a cup tie. In the event Witton Le Wear was dismissed for a moderate score of 68. Sadly the New Brancepeth team was all out for 34 having been put under the cosh by Lee, who returned 7 wickets for 21 runs. Is it the case that Gilbert Ayre played for New Brancepeth in that match?

1955- I went to a Sunday morning service at St Luke’s Church. During Vicar Welby’s sermon I must have lost concentration because I found myself staring at a naked candle flame. I must have stared for too long because I began to feel sick and had to hurry out of the church. To be exact I was sick on the church steps. Every time I see my Aunty Ethel’s wedding photograph showing the bride, bridegroom and many bridesmaids I think – um…about three years after that picture was taken I was sick on those church steps. Does anyone recall being in that church when a young boy rushed out and caused a problem?

2005 - Now for a bit of controversy! In about 2005 the Football Foundation awarded well over a quarter of a million pounds to enable Deerness Valley School to have a superb football pitch. I believe that the total cost was well over four hundred thousand pounds. I am aware that the several anticipated benefits included more community participation but the figures involved seem incredibly high to me. You cannot blame anyone in Ushaw Moor for applying and accepting that sort of money but as I say my personal view is that the cost seem a bit high and the sense of priorities a bit dodgy. We enjoyed our school team football back in the 50s and did not need a Premier League standard pitch [forget Wigan Athletic] in order to deliver accurate thirty yard passes. The opportunity costs also seem staggering! I am assuming that the project went ahead. If it did perhaps the positive benefits turned out to be beyond my imagination - I do not want to go back to the 1950s merely study them!

I have learnt that it was at about this time that some young and brilliant gymnasts from Deerness Valley School were coming to the nation’s attention. Absolutely wonderful to hear!

2008 - A week ago my mathematician son showed me an old GCSE Foundation Tier exam paper. We thought it would be fun if, without preparation, I had a go at it. Well I did and scored about 90%. I was really chuffed until he explained that such a score would only have meant a grade D pass because of the paper being a ‘Foundation Paper’. I felt humbled but I saw the funny side of my pompous nature! Roll on the Higher Tier paper – but first a trip to the chemist for some headache pills.

Best regards

Wilf Bell