Armstrong, Tyne And Wear

Margaret

Margaret lived at 20 West View in 1951 and came regularly to Gateshead. She had a friend who lived near Saltwell Park. When I was called up to do my National Service on 4/10/1951 we were pen friends but she stopped writing after a good while. I went down to Washington for the first time in many years in 1979 and... [more]

Washington Chemical Works

I was born at 55 Pattinson Town about 20 yards from the chemical works which manufactured products from asbestos.  Most of my mother's side of the family worked at the factory and have since died of asbestos related diseases. I am surprised that no mention or photographs exist of this factory.  I used to pass through the village green going to... [more]

My School Years

I started at Eighton Banks Primary School in 1952 aged five, having been moved from the slum clearance of the Teams, Ghd. To be in open countryside after the lung-choking life of the industrial Teams was absolute heaven.

The headmistress was Miss Smith. My teacher was called Miss Forster, I believe. I loved playing on the old "camp" at... [more]

Memories of Wrekenton a mining village in Gateshead

Memories of Wrekenton a mining village in Gateshead, County Durham from my late mother and my memories from the 1950’s
My mother was born in Wakes Yard in a mining village called Wrekenton, a village close to the village of Springwell, Gateshead, County Durham, she lived at Eighton Terrace a cobbled street with 2 rows of sandstone built houses, darkly... [more]

Happy memories

Living in Low Fell the Ravensworth Arms was our 'local' and a circle of friends was formed in the late 1960s and we still remain friends 40 years on, although only two still live in Lamesley.

My parents met their friends and I met my late husband. It was a wonderful atmosphere and spanned the age range - like an... [more]

Co-op Thief

Very intiguing the story of Joseph Noble who was a blacksmith and robbed the Co-op store in 1907 in Co-operative Terrace. Any-one know anything else about this story?

Kibblesworth

I was born in Kibblesworth in 1940. My dad left when I was 6 weeks old to fight in the Second World War. After years in a prisoner of war camp in Japan he arrived home when I was 5 years old. I went to Kibblesworth primary school from 1945 till 1951 when I went to Chester le Street Secondary Modern sShool.... [more]

Memories of a childhood in Kibblesworth

I was born Patricia Ann Storey in Lindfield, Haywards Heath in Sussex in January 1949 and was first brought to Kibblesworth in February 1951 aged 2 after I was adopted by Thomas and Margaret Thurgood who lived in Gardiner Square. I was to live there for 25 of the most wonderful years of my life until I married in August 1976.[more]