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Auckland Park memories

Here are memories of Auckland Park and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Auckland Park or a Auckland Park photo.

Childhood Memories

I was born at Auckland Park 1949 and moved to Durham in 1952 when my dad joined the prison service as an officer. Both of my nanas lived in Auckland Park, Henrietta Luke lived 1 Gurnney Valley, and Matilda Young lived 68 William Street. I had fantastic summer holidays spent between both my nanas' homes, we used to go to the 'rec every day. I loved the ocean wave, when the bigger kids got on they climbed up high and you had to hang on tight cause they made it go very fast. I always called at a friend of my Nana Young's on the way back for a drink of pop and a biscuit. We used to walk down to Eldon Lane picture house and get a bag of chips on the way back. I liked to go to Sunday school at the Methodist chapel just round the corner from the top of Thomas Street. We used to take Nana's dog Nell, for walks up the Lonon, a public path... Read more

Memories of County Durham

The Street

I was born in 1957 in South Church in the street out the back of the club next to the hole in the wall. At one end of the street was the beck, the other end was a corner shop next to the billbords. We moved to Acklet Close because of a demolition order on the houses. Good memories.

Going For A Walk

There was my mam Norma Keller, my dad John William Keller, sister Mandy Jane Keller, other sister Tracy Joanne Keller and of course myself, Claire Margaret Keller. We lived a small 2 bed terrace house in Eldon Lane. it was like any other morning, except my mam had gone into hospital, I can't recall why but I missed her. Dad was looking after us for a few days. Dad said we were going for a little walk that day, we were excited, we put on our wellies and coats, hats and gloves and away we went. We came to a field. Dad said "See that white house?". "Yeh" we replied. "H'way then"... and away we went. We walked through cow fields, horse fields,mud, the whole lot. It seemed like a lifetime to get there but we did. I looked down at the village, it was beautiful, so peaceful, only the sound of the birds singing and our laughter broke the silence. After a while we made our descent down the... Read more

Grocery Stores

Newgate Street 1914
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My grandfather Thomas Edwin Mantle had a grocery and creamery in Newgate Street. He died before I was born but strangely my father Herbert Clayton eventually had his own store in Newgate Street, it was called H Clayton esquire, family grocer. I was two years old when we moved to Redcar in Yorshire. So I have no memories of my birthplace.

Mount School

On September 15, 1949, I started attending Mount School at the ripe old age of 4 1/2. The School was located in the Market Place. I travelled with a small group of students from Eppleby to Darlington and then on to Bishop Auckland on the United bus number 1 which stopped quite near the front door of the school.
The boarders slept either at 'The Cottage' which was close to the gates or at 'The Elms' which was a large house which I think was near where Silver Street is now. We wore cream blouses, brown and cream coloured ties and brown gym-slips in winter, and in summer brown and white checked dresses.
I remember Richard and Rita Darling, twins with whom I shared a room when I was very young, also Paul and Steven Muir who were related to Miss Muir (the headmistress), Mrs Smith who taught 2nd form and Miss Heslop who played the piano and I believe taught sewing, sadly she committed suicide early one... Read more

My Mother Was Born in Leeholme

My mother, Madge Ward was born at 10 Windsor Road, 5th Jan 1904, daughter of William Ward (Builder) and Margaret (nee Morrison). Madge was christened in St James Church, Coundon 18th Feb 1904. Always thought that she was born in Ferryhill. However, when searching for her birth cert after her death in Norfolk in 1997 aged 93 years I found out that it was in fact Leeholme. We made a journey a couple of years later in 1999 and took a photo of the house for my family records.

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