Hamsterley, County Durham

Shops

Bryant's Post Office with Mrs Robson, a Queen Motherish figure always dressed in a black two piece, dishing out pensions, stamps and postal orders from the aloof position behind her cage.

Duggie Bain's cobblers, the warm oily smell, my first football boots were bought there for 13/6d. The proprietor ever smiling, with his gold rimmed glasses, shiny bald head, gammy... [more]

Play

I know records will prove me wrong, but summer seemed to start around the beginning of May and last until getting on to Bonfire night. We walked to Witton-le-Wear night after night to swim then walked home or, if we were lucky, got a lift in an empty meat van, not unlike the one driven by Corporal Jones in 'Dads Army'.[more]

School

Vague recollections of my first days, being taken in my little blue coat and cap by the girls next door. I seemed to cling to them for ages. (Was this a sign of things to come?)

Finally graduated to playing with the boys, sliding in the school yard in black boots with 'segs' in. It was all boys because the... [more]

Village Characters

Mr Joe (Cloggy) Jackson

Almost everyone who met 'Cloggy' has stories to recollect of this colourful village character - Dave Quinn recalls:

Mr Joe 'Cloggy' Jackson, Club Doorman and Saturday Evening vendor of 'The Pink', AKA Sunderland Echo. Invariably dressed in flat cap and tight fitting jacket, riding breeches and leather boots, Cloggy looked every inch a 'horsey man'.[more]

Cockfield station

I was born at Cockfield station where dad was a guard and signalman, he was also in the Home Guard. My sister Jean and her friend Anne Coates used to walk over the fell to school, there were no school buses then. Last year I received a Defence Medal which was my father George Robson's for his war work in the... [more]

Infants school

Born and bred in Red Houses (then Red House Estate) at a time when everyone took time and effort to keep their home and gardens beautiful.  Everyone knew everybody and it was a community that looked after each other.  I remember going down to the infants' school (just off from cricket field) having a birthday and being given a cardboard cake... [more]

The Young Family - Cemetery Cottages.

The Young Family lived at 6, Cemetery Cottages from 1922 until the mid 1930's. My Grand-parents:Walter and Hilda Young, were married in the Hope Street Methodist Chapel in 1921.
Walter was living in 27, Grey Street, before he got married. His sister, Priscilla lived in Gladstone Street. My Mum, Edna and her sisters, Jean, Sheila... [more]