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High Spen
High Spen maps
Historic maps of High Spen and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all High Spen maps
High Spen photos
We have no photos of High Spen, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Rowlands Gill| Ryton| Winlaton| Burnopfield| Prudhoe| Wylam| Newburn| Whickham| Ovingham| Lemington| Throckley| Branch End| Catchgate| Stocksfield| Leadgate| Annfield Plain| Shotley Bridge| Consett| Dunston| Bywell| Newcastle Upon Tyne
High Spen area books
Displaying 1 of 1 books about High Spen and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of High Spen
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of High Spen.
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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
Tyne and Wear memories
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.
Prospect House
I was born at my Grandad & Grandma's house in Prospect House and lived there until 1951 when I moved to Highfield, I remember walking down the railway line to school at Highfield with my friend's Maureen French and Vera Gardener. I also remember my uncle Sid bringing the pit ponies out of the drift mine and letting us wash them. My mum was Ruby Scott one of five children my Grandma had only my uncle John is alive now aged87 living in a bungalow in Highfield. My mum married Andrew Musgrove from Blackhall Mill I havr a brother Colin he lives in Rochdale and has two sons, and I have got three daughters and five grand children.
My father was from a family of 12 sadly all of them are now dead.( This was written by my husband)
Hidden Beauty
I came upon it whilst walking through Chopwell woods, one of the best diversions I've ever taken.
Happy Days at Victoria Garesfield
I remember playing "houses" in the wood with the twins Jean and Betty. Also great friends with Anne French, Jean Gardener and also Eileen Wolfington who sadly passed away many years ago. We lived in View Terrace (the ducketts) and my brother Tom Lee still lives in the area at Chopwell. My grandad and grandma Matt and Jessie Lee lived in Victoria Terrace along with Aunty Audrey, Uncle Jack and cousins Ronnie and Colin Ripley. Aunty Lilian and Uncle Jack and cousin Jim Cox lived in the "new houses", which are still there, up towards St. Patricks Church. I remember playing in the Derwent at Table Rock - can you imagine that happening these days. Also remember Sunday School trips and the rickety old kids bus. Also remember the Bonfire every year on "the Kales?".
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.
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
