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Choppington

Choppington maps

Historic maps of Choppington and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Choppington maps

Choppington photos

We have no photos of Choppington, although we do have photos of these nearby places:

Bothal| Ashington| Bedlington| Woodhorn| Newbiggin-By-The-Sea| Morpeth| Ellington| Cresswell| Cramlington| Mitford| Seaton Sluice

Choppington area books

Displaying 1 of 3 books about Choppington and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Choppington

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Northumberland memories

Swimming Above Stepping Stones & Weir at Bothal

Our Mam being an Ashington lassie, we returned to her birthplace when Mam divorced my father who she met before the Second World War - that was when Mam was in London and working in 'service'. We were dragged from pillar to post from Watford to south Wales (father's birthplace) and eventually on divorce nisi Mam got custody of us 3 kids.

We arrived in Ashington in 1948 and for a time we stayed with my grandma Shields at 99 Poplar Street, near to the Hirst North School. The lower floor flat had one bedroom only and me and two younger sibling sisters would sleep top to tail - this lasted a while until our Mam could get us farmed out to relatives (my mum's sisters initially). Now my memories of Bothal were when my Mam would take us there, either by United bus (if she had the bus fare!) or we walked the 3 or 4 miles to the village of Bothal. Mam would make a picnic... Read more

Ashington 1950s - 1980s.

Milburn Road c1955
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My mother's family lived in the Milburn Road area of Ashington from the 1920s. My mother met my father, a Londoner serving in the Army stationed at Acklington or thereabouts at the end of WW2. They married in Morpeth and subequently moved to London in 1948 where I was born. I have many wonderful memories of annual holidays in Ashington from the 1950s to 1980s when the last of the immediate family died. I recall the Wallaw Cinema next to Ashington Bus Station, and there was also a cinema at the end of Milburn Road opposite the White Elephant Public House, near to St. John's Church in Newbiggin Road. I also remember the store Walter Wilsons, and a butcher's shop at the White Elephant end of Milburn Road which sold the most amazing sausages! I only ever knew it as "Ted the Butcher's". I also recall Ashington Colliery where my uncle worked as a miner, Newbiggin beach when it actually had a beach, and other places and... Read more

Look For Pals

My father Arthur Wright was born at no 2 Waterside Cottages on 6 December 1938. He often reminisces about his childhood and his old pals at North Seaton Colliery. Sadly a few are no longer with us but he would like to hear of the whereabouts of Ernie Slaughter, Norman Gray, Noel Elliott. If anyone has any information on these people either leave a message on here or ring my mobile number 07794858431.
We moved to Washington in 1969; a lot of people thought my father had died but he is still alive and kicking. We often have trips up to the clubs of Ashington and it would be nice to organise a reunion one Friday night for him and some of his old pals.
Steven Wright (son)

The Year I Left The Village I Was Born in

I was born in North Seaton Colliery and have very happy memories of my childhood and all the people who were part of my life. I left at 16 to work in Newcastle, the beach was perfect, never have I had such happy times, picking winkles and fishing for dabs.  Brenda Hudson as was.

My Life Time at North Seaton Colliery

I was born in Ashington in 1940 and moved to 10 Wood Row, North Seaton Colliery with my mam and dad Sadie and Harry Seymour, my brother Gordon and sister Joan. I remember that the street was full of rats and mice and caught scarlet feaver aged 7, the hygiene then was absolutely disgusting. I was admitted to Pity Me Hospital for 6 weeks, the worst time of my life. I think we moved to 14 East Street about 1957 or 58, a much better place to live although still with pretty basic facilities. Next door at number 13 were the Costellos, with the Cummings at number 12. My dad was well known as the 'The Dog Man' as he had whippets and greyhounds and could fix any ailment which a dog would have. I would walk the dogs 3 miles each night, about 4 or 5 at at a time, for my pocket money and would supplement that with throwing coals into the coal house. I attended the little... Read more

The Best Place in The Area to Live

I live in what remains of the old colliery village - some of the old folks still live there to this day.

Last year we had the 150th aniversary celebrations and I took lots of photos of the folks who attended, some current residents and some who returned especially for the day. Albert Bell was one of those who returned and is a smashing old fellow, in his 90's and still as fit as a fiddle.

Even though there is little left of the community - the spirit still exisits and I am now into my 8th year of living here and it would have to be something very very good indeed to get me to move away from here. I love it

From 1944 to 1957

I came to North Seaton Colliery in 1944 when my father K.C.Macfarlane got the Unit Engineer's position. (he was a qualified marine engineer and left the sea around 1928 some time after he got married to my mother Cissie) The general strike was on and after digging tram lines up in Whitley Bay he eventually got a job as a fitter at Seaton Delaval colliery. At first we lived in New Hartley at 57 Melton Terrace and later at 19 Bristol Street. My earliest memory as a child (4 years old) was going on the crossbar of my Dad's bike to collect his 'coal' ticket. At first it was just me and my brother Ken ( who was epilectic) but we were joined by my brothers Gordon and Rodney and eventually my sister Pamela. When Iwas 11years old I had just passed the 11 plus and should have gone to Blyth Grammar School but my Dad got the unit Engineer's job at Dinnington Colliery (now Brunswick Village) near Wideopen and... Read more

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