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Birtley
Birtley maps
Historic maps of Birtley and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Birtley maps
Birtley area books
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Memories of Birtley
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Tyne and Wear memories
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 the back of the school, (before it became an animal shelter) with my good friends George Harrison who lived on Longbank in a detached stone house, his mother and father were very good to me, she would give me food and clothing, Tim Shield who lived in Springfield Avenue, Eighton Banks, (his mother was a teacher at the school), someone called Michael, a girl called Violet who lived in a bungalow off Wrekenton "Long Bank", Angela Belford and many more.
The school was first established in two cottages in 1832 as a "Charitable" school, called Barrington Charitable school, then in 1867 the existing building was built, still... Read 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 extension of your living room with an extended family.
We married in St Andrews Church in 1970, our two childen were subsequently christened there and six years later when we relocated to the Lake District and bought a cottage which needed a name, 'Lamesley Cottage' was the perfect one.
I have a memorial bench for my parents in Saltwell Park and my husband's ashes are on a Northumbrian beach so on our frequent visits across the Pennines we always come via Lamesley...
Springwell Village School 1944 -1954
I was born at 3 Underhill Terrace in Springwell on 18th February 1939 and attended the village school from 5 to 15 years of age. I remember walking from Underhill Terrace daily to the school via what we called the "Horse Holes". my First teacher in the infants was a Mrs. Clough.Later teachers were Mrs. "Pip" Jenkins (a Tartar) and the gorgeous Miss Glendenning. Mr. Fawcett and Mr. Potts were the only two male teachers I can name but I'm fairly sure there was a 3rd. Mr. Garside was the Head. We didn't have trips away in those days, all we ever got was a walk around the school playing field. I can remember sports days. I was in the Yellow Athenians? House. I was also in the school football and cricket teams. I left school on the Friday in 1954 and started work with British Railways on the following Monday. Names I remember from my schoolmates were. Ian Price, Arthur Richards, Walter Tully, Lawerence Outerside, Pat Bamford.
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.
When I was 6 years old, my adopted mam (Maggie) died and I was taken, without my dad's consent, to a children's home in Whickham by the district nurse who was looking after my mam. My dad, who was furious, was advised to leave me there until after the funeral. In fact the people who advised him (neighbours) told him to leave me there indefinitely, but I remember him saying 'I took her out of a home and she isn't going back into one'. I was to stay there for 2 of the most horrendous weeks of my life. I can still today (I'm now 60) remember every... Read more
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. A special aunty was Mary Wilson, and Uncle Jack (Alan's parents). I still keep in touch with Alan via e-mail. Friends I remember from school days were Pauline Kay, Glynis Bell and Elspeth Brown Kibblesworth has lots of good memories of when you were able to play out at nights and your parents did not need to worry. Special events were the Sunday School Anniversaries when we all got special outfits. I also remember playing tennis at the Welfare and dances at the Institute. In 1974 I moved to BC, Canada, with my husband and 2 children but I still remember my days in the village. My maiden name was... Read more
Potts Ancestry Kibblesworth
My father Edward Potts was born in Kibblesworth in 1900 his brothers were William Potts, Noble Potts and his sister was Hilda Potts.
All the brothers were miners in Kibblesworth. When dad married we moved to Birtley but used to visit Uncle William fairly regularly usually on a Sunday when we would walk from Birtley and up the railway wagon line into the village. It made our walk a little shorter. Uncle William and aunt Nancy lived in Gardner Square and I remember the large grass park in front of the house.
Dad's family was very large as Grandma Eliza had first married Joseph Eltringham and had a family, Joseph died and she then married my grandfather William Potts and they had a family. His first marriage was to Dorothy Ann Woodhouse and they had a family.
Altogether with the 3 families there was about 17 children. No wonder I never knew who was who.
Frederick John Potts married Dorothy Ann Robson and... Read more
The Watsons
Does anyone remember the Watson family? My mam was Maud, she had six brothers, George, Bob, Harry, Tony, Terry and Bernard. Their father worked in Kib Pittand drank in the Lamsley Arms.
