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 coal shovel and sat on it and it was faster than the sleds. Also sitting on the bench at the side of the chippy at Low Westwood eating 3d worth of chips and listening to the lovely sound of the Daimler engines that were installed on all the Venture buses. When we had enough pocket money we would also go down the bank towards Blackhill Mill and cross the river on the stepping stones after we had played pitch and put behind the bowling greens which were cut into the hill. The whole community were all very friendly and I have many happy childhood memories. I have recently undertaken some research into my paternal family history and have discovered useful information and some photographs concerning the Colliery which I will send to the Mining Museum's website when I've sorted it all out. The Club was a regular spot for my Uncle Herbert and after he had bought everyone a drink and most of the raffle tickets would always arrive back at my Grandmother's with a prize of a bowl of fruit or whatever was the prize just to try and keep in her good books. I also remember when the railway line was working and would run up towards High Westwood when you heard the train several miles away. The trains were very long and hauled iron ore from Tyne Dock and often three steam engines would be used and the noise was amazing.