Newbiggin-By-The-Sea memories
Here are memories of Newbiggin-By-The-Sea and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Newbiggin-By-The-Sea or a Newbiggin-By-The-Sea photo.
The Wallaw Cinema
We didn't go to the cinema all that often and when we did it was a real treat. Fish and chip supper in the cafe upstairs, then into the cinema with its newsreels, local advertisements on slides, supporting 'B' film, forthcoming attractions and finally - The Big Film. And then out again, usually late at night (for us children) and the walk back up Front Street to where we lived close to the station. We only once went to the Saturday morning show for kids and was rather shocked at the unruly behaviour of most of the audience. I recall that at one time Wilfred Pickles brought 'Have a Go' to Newbiggin and it was held at the cinema. We came to Newbiggin in 1947 and left in 1955. I can't remember if the cinema was closed by then but it looks like it on the photos.
Norman
Is there anyone out there from the 1960s who used to to all meet up at the site on a Friday night looking forward to a long weekend: Ronnie, Semone, Stew, Dek, Davy, Jim, Linda, Kipper, George, Norman, Brenda, Jeff, Trevor, Brian, Gillian, Jim, Sally, Blue, John. just to name a few.
Pilgrims
I can remember this very, very well indeed, also the pilgrims, they used to come down to the bandstand and have a great day out with all the Sunday School etc etc,t he green tents and deck chairs lol, oh my, this brings back good memories.
My Grandparents Home
My grandparents Isabella and Jack Lymer and my Uncle Victor Lymer lived above the cafe until my nan's death in 1968. When I was young it was the flat to the left as you look at the picture. It is now the hairdressers. My mum tells me that when she married my dad (1943) they lived in the flat to the right of the picture over looking the bay. I have many happy memories of holidays visiting them and playing on the sands. It was the best ice cream ever! And the sun always seemed to be shining. It used to take one and half days to travel from Sussex to Newbiggin when I was a child but my brother, sister and I never minded the journey because we so looked forward to seeing nanny, granddad and uncle Victor and maybe the ice cream featured in there somewhere along with the wonderful fish and chips or scramptions you could buy from any one of the 3 fish and chip shops... Read more
Recent First Visit
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea is of great interest for me, as many of my ancestors lived there. I was able to visit St. Bartholomew's Church and discover the gravestone of the Harbottle family, one of whom was my great great grandfather. It made rather sad reading as many died so very young.
Recent Visit 2007
I visited Newbiggin for the first time in January of this year, in search of my ancestors, who I hoped to find in St. Bartholomew's church. It was a bright but extremely windy day when we arrived, but I was delighted to discover the gravestone of my Gt.Gt. grandfather and many of his family. The stone was propped up against the church and we could have missed it. My visit from Australia was greatly enhanced by the discovery of the Harbottle family headstone.
Remembrance of Things Past
This picture was taken a little after I left the town for further down the coast. I believe that the large building was called the Marine Cafe. A real and rare treat was to go and have a Knickerbocker Glory in a tall glass seated on tall stools at tall tables! To the right, on the beach at the base of the wall, was an outlet for a large constantly running drain, mostly street runoff I think. My sister and I spent many happy hours playing there, making dams and pools, building rickety bridges and so on. Today's Health and Safety would have had a dozen fits but we survived. Meanwhile the whole beach waited just behind us and eventually we would go and dig sea coal, skip on the rocks at low tide, squeeze through the Needle's Eye. A splendid childhood in a lovely place.
There were several shops around the Square (Marine Parade?) and as they sold a lot of bright souvenirs and toys to day visitors... Read more
Woodhorne Colliery School
Some of my time at this Junior school stays in my memory. I recall the Headmaster, Mr Chater and Miss Hall who ran the class I started in. Having come from a tiny three teacher school in Nunthorpe the size and bustle of Miss Hall's with a spirited rendering of the Creed which I'd never heard of and was expected to join led to copious tears. I had to leave after a few months as my mother was seriously ill and we went to Whitehaven. Later I came back to Year Two (?) I don't remember the teacher's name: she was a tall woman with specs and a bustling, no-nonsense manner and I recall having a good year under her tuition. Then we moved up to Miss Sanderson's class. Might have gone to Mr Heaton's ('Heatspots') but was fortunate to go to Miss S. What a lovely person she was and how caring. I have the year photo still although I cannot recall any names expect, perhaps, Andrew R....son, a... Read more
Newbiggin by The Sea
I was born and brought up in Newbiggin by the Sea, till I left for Scotland in 1998. All my family is buried in St Bartholomews', Taylors, Clark, Arkle, Dunn, Peel, Maughan, just to mention a few. My granda was called Jimmy Taylor(nicknamed Keywall Jimmy), him and his brother in law (Sammy Clark) was never seperated, they used to go everywhere together including the Central Club, hehe. My uncle worked at Wallaw cinema, Jim Taylor. I can remember when I was 4 yrs old in 1960 and my brother Stephen (then 6 years old) was put on a double decker bus to head to the Saturday matinee, where my uncle was supposed to meet us off the bus, but my brother decided to get off one stop early and go to see our nana at North Shields. Oh yes we got on another bus and we did get there only to get a good hot backside when we arrived as no one knew where we had gone. I can laugh... Read more
Memories of Northumberland
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
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)
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