over 60′s at ushaw moor salvation army.1967??

Circus is coming to town

In the 70s we used to take our children to the circus down to the sands at Durham (“The Big Top”, near the ice-rink). We thought we’d pull the wool over our bairns eyes by pretending that the people dressed in animal outfits we’re the real thing but no, not even the tiny kids believed they were real animals! Have you got any memories to share?

Club Trips

How  many of you went to New Brancepeth Working men children’s Trip.

One time that I know of there was 22 busses taking  people and their family’s to the seaside. Most times went to South Shields.

Everybody met up the club for8-30am were standing in either side of the road, dressed in all best clothes, waiting for the busses to arrive.

All children had spades and pails. Think the dads had to go in the club and collect the children’s money they were getting to  spend at the seaside. Cant remember if it was £1 altho that seems a lot for the 60′s. Any one know.

Getting on all busses was a thing cos family’s and friends wanted to be  together on the same bus.

Off we’d go  us women carring the bait for the day.Home made cornbeef and tattie pies loads of sarnies, egg and tomato. Ham and pease pudding.and a couple of flasks with tea in.

We would get there about 10-30am.Hurring off the busses to get in the queue to buy a couple of deckchairs.Then get settled on the beach and we were there all  day come rain or shine. Always having a eye on the children cos they could go straight down to the sea hav a paddle then turn to come back and would be walking away for where we were sitting.There was always a lost childrens place and if a child had been took there it would come over the loudspeaker the name of the child.Some older children got lost on purpose.

At 4pm we would pack up and take the children to the shows[fair] for the last hour. and always they got a doll or gun to come home with and candy floss and toffee apple. By this time the showfield would be full but children managed a ride or two. and us mothers had a game of bingo. Then went back for bus, everyone always looked sunburned on the face even if it had been dull.

Lots of the children would go to sleep coming home so ment when got back to New Brancepeth we were carrying kids too.

Everyone had a good time. We would be eating rock all week. I liked pineapple flavour.

remembering door to door salesmen. in 60′s

chinney sweep

window cleaner……………Soccer Gleghorn. nowadays…………………….John Young & co

Insurance man………………..Billy Booth

Papers delivered……………………….Mr Kitching.  nowadays………………………….. From Wendy’s shop

Veg man……………………………… Mr Duggan.  now………………………………… Ward Family?

Dent’s bakers

Coalmen………………..Rowlands Bros…. and NCB.

The Indian with the turban and the big suitcase that sold everything.

Bet there’s lots more, do you remember?

 

Having to go to ushaw moor in 60′s

Went to Broughs grocery store at bottom of station road. Would walk there from Jubilee St. Through the field came out  at road to go down bank to the beck. alright going it was the coming back when we had bags to carry. Sometimes we came up the clay bank, don’t think when we were carrying bags.

Used to go to Bingo at the Empire on a Thursday night. Get the bus there but always had to walk back, were lucky to get the bus if someone was out of bingo to stop it and we would all pile on. we all enjoyed going even in cold winter nights hoping to win. Anyone know when it was turned into the Winning Pub?. went there in 80′s.

Aunty Dolly from New Brancepeth had a prize Bingo going in a hall. think it was behind the big club at ushaw moor in the 60′s.

Loads of people used to go.Well could win prizes and would have a snowball game, that won you more vouchers.

1964? the drs closed at New Brancepeth. We had to go to the one next to the chemist where the chapel of rest is now. Think the chemist then was down station road. Dont know when the new drs was built along Durham Road.

Us pregnant ladies had to there, and when babies born we would push big prams over ushaw moor and back. we would call in for a coffee in a cafe down station road.

Since then everyone goes.

Newcastle United………………….Sir John Hall

In 2004, my granddaughter and her boyfriend were taking her young brother to  the football at Newcastle. On the morning when they were going she phoned me to say boyfriend couldn’t go, and did i want to go in his place. did i want to go YES.

It was a Sunday game in November. So instead of making dinner i was in my warmest clothes for this big adventure.Well thats what it was to me.

We set off Her driving us at 11 o’clock, which was a bit late but we were on our way.

Got to Newcastle….. where do we go from here? where do we park? We tried  one street near the  stadium [ at least we found that].

Someone say to us cant park there, police will tow it away. Rode round a while [ match starting at 2] and then found a place. Hope  we find it when we come back.

Anyway managed to get to the stadium. All the people, and  the buzz was good, where is our seats. someone say go over to that turnstile.

Through there and up steps, how many more steps they went on for ever and weren’t ’ even inside yet.

My grandson say come gran the game is starting. Well it had to start, got through the doors. Game had started. the man say up to them seats up there.Sir John Hall West Corner L7 Upper. Row R Seat 0242 It was a long way up and Newcastle scored before i go into my seat.

It took a good while for me to get my breath back. T he players looked like ants running about we were that far up. then i had a laugh. Next time i’ll be behind the  goalie.

In the interval my grandchildren say do you want to come for something to eat. I say leave me here. When they come back i say

bet you had a good laugh at me. They say we wouldn’t.

I enjoyed the second half and got into the  fun of it all. Bought a program. At the end of the game I say stay here till everybody gets out. When we came down all them steps. The man say next time you come ask one of us to take you to the lift. I laughed and say i will.

 

Enter the Dragon

One morning in 1973 before going to work, my husband say “we’ll go to the pictures tonight to see Enter the Dragon”

I say it about Kung Fu.[martial arts] are you sure.

So after work off we went to the Essoldo Picturehouse in north road, Durham.

As expected it was  Fast ,bloody, and plenty of fighting.

Bruce Lee and John Saxon are but a few that started in the film.

when i tell my grandchildren now that me and granda went to see that film, they say you and granda went and laugh cos it was so out of character of him.

http://youtu.be/QQORnYPqU3A

Basil Brush

In 1972 i joined a Millinery and Craft Class.Lots of ladies attended,that classes were held morning and afternoon each week. They came from Crook, Brancepeth,Willington,Wolsingham, Brandon and our village.  We made Hats, fur gloves, soft toys,quilted cushions. Chalets using lollipop sticks

and flowers made from fur.Basil Brush is one of the things i made, all done by hand sewing. Paddington Bear was another that was around at the time. And i made a doll with a Crinoline Red dress. It sat on my dressing table for years.awww

Sheila Browbank was the teacher  and it ran for 20years.[Her husband was the headmaster at New Brancepeth s school.]

Sheila  made a life size Womble which was put on show for many Charities.

We  held exhibitions and Sales of work  most years.Yearly outings were to Scottish Mills. At the Whit Holiday week a party went on away on holiday.Weston Super Mare,Skegness and Llandudno to name but a few.

We had many a happy hours.Every end of term we had a special tea, and Thelma Wright would read out a poem she had wrote.

Although i  only  went a few years i made lots of friends.

My friend has said this to me.  there is a old Russian Proverb which says

“If you dwell in the past, you are blind in one eye But if you forget the past you are blind in both eyes”

Poem from Thelma Wright

W.I. Meetings

Once a month on a Wednesday evening we would gather for the Womens Insutute meeting at 7 o’clock.

All members were seated and sang Jerusalem which opened the meeting.

minuets were read out about what  was going on in the  next month.

2 delicates were elected from each area to go  to the Albert Hall in London for the yearly WI meeting.

On the night raffle tickets were bought  and a small prize was won.

Competitions on the night could be prettiest teapot.Once it was a Poem about NewYear. Thelma Wright won.At Easter it would be a painted egg.

There was always a speaker, they were interesting what they had to say. The one i remember was called the wedding cake, about when the lady was going to Africa  befor landing would pass a mountain and from the airplane window it looked like a three tier wedding cake.

Tea and biscuits was served

Every year there was a outing to the country or the seaside, a christmas party

One time they had a chior, Miss Trotter  was the chior master.

There was a concert party. One year Mrs Wright did the script for a pantomine Cinderella. How funny it was.they had nights open to the  people of the village to see it. I t ran for a few months becouse of the demand.

She also did one another  year called Snow White and the Tall Dwarfs.

I was a member from early 70′s

 

 

Was anyone else a member of the Young Wives?

1970 Young Wives Club

Around about the year of 1966 I joined the Young Wives, we would meet every Wednesday afternoon between 1.30 and 3.30 while the children were at school/nursery. Younger children would come with us, and in school holidays we would have all of our children with us.

The idea was that we would have competitions such as taking a decorated hat, cheese dish etc. with us to the meeting, we would get judged and win a prize such as a small bar of chocolate. We played games such as beetle, hangman and loads of table top games. We’d have a cuppa and a biscuit - we all did a raffle, which we would take turns in bringing and some of the proceeds would help us pay for the christmas party. Once a month we would have a faith tea and some people would excel in making delicious chocolate cakes!

Once a year we would have a trip to the seaside, either Redcar, Saltburn or Seaburn. Sitting together in our tent and the kids playing in the sand and paddling in the sea followed by a ride on the shows before leaving to come home.

There was never a shortage of social gathering! At Christmas we’d have a children’s party where Santa Claus would always pay a visit, the Mother’s party would follow later in the day. In February we’d celebrate an anniversary night, we’d have a cake and it would be tradition for the oldest member to cut the cake. In my day this was “Auntie Dolly”, I think she actually set up the Woman’s Guild in the 1950′s??

One year someone took photos which I’ll upload later. Unfortunately around about 1976 members started dropping off and the meetings ended, maybe this was due to mothers having to work full-time perhaps…