Chopwell memories
Here are memories of Chopwell and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Chopwell or a Chopwell photo.
A Memory of Chopwell by John Hind
I was born on 9.2.1922 son of Henry Gowland Hind and Eliza Hind of 28, Thames Street. Henry worked at Chopwell Pit.
I attended primary school at Chopwell from 1927 until 1930, followed by Chopwell West Council (Boys Dept) school until 1936.
The Headmaster was Mr. Leckenby and my class teachers were Wesley Bolton and Mr Brawley. My best mate was Jim Humes of Clyde Street, we played snooker and billiards at the Chopwell Colliery Institute.
On leaving school I had several jobs including trimming and cleaning bricks for Dyson's of Chester-Le-Street, following the demolitions in Chopwell. He paid five shillings per thousand, we went on strike and he raised it to nine shillings. In the evenings I worked at the Kings Picture Hall selling chocolate, the wage was one penny for every shilling's worth sold. I earned about three shillings a week.
On 19. Feb. 1940 I began my chosen career of Engine Driver, starting as an Engine Cleaner at the locomotive shed at Blaydon.
We moved... Read more
Barbers Shop
My dad Denby Smith was a barber in the village but he left there in about 1950 and his father had the barbers shop before him and his name was Albert Acquilla Smith. I have an old photo of the shop with his name above it and it has bunting on it and it must have been the old king's coronation. My mum's name was Lily Bell and her dad worked in the mines, his name was James Aynsly Bell, they lived at 4 Thames Street. I have fond memories of Chopwell and of starting my first school there. We lived at 13 Balfour Terrace.
Memories of Tyne and Wear
Childhood Memories
I was born at 27 Langdale Terrace in 1963 at my lovely grandma and granda's house, Vera and Harry Kirtley. Granda worked at Westwood pit then Hamstley colliery and when that shut he worked at Eden. I remember standing near the old post office on the main road when the pit ponies came by, I was only small then but all the village turned out to see them pass. I don't know what year it was but what a great memory. I didn't really understand what it meant but the loyalty of all those people has stayed with me all my years. I remember sliding down the back of the hill behind the new war memorial on the first winter with 2 feet of snow with the Scotts, Halls, Davisons, Bridgewaters,Gibson kids etc. What a childhood I had, I can't explain to my kids what it means playing footy between the two streets, 40/50 kids, between dustbins at each end of Langdale/Enerdale with not a car in sight, kicking lumps... Read more
The 1950s
Although I didn't live at Hamsterley Colliery, I spent all my school holidays with my grandmother, Mary Willis who lived in the top bungalow at Derwent Haven. She lived to be nearly a 100 which I suppose justified placing old people's bungalows at the top of a steep hill. My paternal grandfather and great-grandfather both worked at Hamsterley Colliery and my great-great-grandfather worked at Croniwell (the original name for Hamsterley) Farm which belonged to the pit. He is buried at Christchurch, Low Westwood. Most of my uncles and aunts worked at sometime for the Consett Iron Co. I particularly enjoyed shopping for my grandmother at the Co-op at Low Westwood and then going into Betty's shop for comics and sweets. Betty had to stop doing the ladies hair to come through and serve you. I remember when the Post Office was at the Colliery before it was moved to the bungalow. I also remember going down the bank behind the memorial when it snowed - I always 'borrowed' a... Read more
Hard But Happy Days
I was working at Hamsterley colliery in 1963 to 1967, pony driving and putting tubs. Putting was sometimes hard work. All the pitmen were honest and good workers, pit ponies were our friends as they made the money for you, they say hard work never killed anybody, but go and look at any graveyard in northwest Durham and see the ages that they died - all for coal. The lads that hewed the coal are now short of breath and can hardly walk 20 yards. Hamsterly was a happy pit and I enjoyed the comradeship that was there.
Distant Days, Long Gone But Not Forgotten.
I lived in Towneley Terrace with my Auntie Etty and Uncle Bill Eltringham when my mother died. I remember the street lights coming back on after the war. Looking down at all the pretty lights was a sight to see. I also remember sledging down the back street and making it so slippery that the coalman couldn't get up the street to deliver. The women would put ashes on our track and we would dig them off adding more snow! Bonfire night was looked forward to for weeks. We vied with the bottom enders of the street for fuel. guarding and stealing each others stack, roasting potatoes in the fire we had to keep warm. Those charcoal blackend half raw spuds were eaten with gusto. Remember finding fossils of ferns in the shale and tarley toot rope from the middle of the old cable from the old mine carts and hating doorknocking to sell my grandads lettuces for 3d... Read more
Gran & Grandad's House
Mam was born in Victoria Garesfield, the houses I can remember have now been demolished. In later years they lived in School Houses where there were about four converted bungalows. My grandad worked in nearly all the local pits, his name was Robert Atkinson, I believe he was born in the village. My gran was called Phobe May (Ward), Mam was called Jeam May, her twin is called Betty. John was their brother.All are alive and well. I recently drove past the area, how it has changed, all overgrown. Mam would like to hear of any old friends.
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