Old Ravensworth, Tyne And Wear

Kibblesworth

I was born in Kibblesworth in 1940. My dad left when I was 6 weeks old to fight in the Second World War. After years in a prisoner of war camp in Japan he arrived home when I was 5 years old. I went to Kibblesworth primary school from 1945 till 1951 when I went to Chester le Street Secondary Modern sShool.... [more]

Memories of a childhood in Kibblesworth

I was born Patricia Ann Storey in Lindfield, Haywards Heath in Sussex in January 1949 and was first brought to Kibblesworth in February 1951 aged 2 after I was adopted by Thomas and Margaret Thurgood who lived in Gardiner Square. I was to live there for 25 of the most wonderful years of my life until I married in August 1976.[more]

Happy memories

Living in Low Fell the Ravensworth Arms was our 'local' and a circle of friends was formed in the late 1960s and we still remain friends 40 years on, although only two still live in Lamesley.

My parents met their friends and I met my late husband. It was a wonderful atmosphere and spanned the age range - like an... [more]

Memories of Wrekenton a mining village in Gateshead

Memories of Wrekenton a mining village in Gateshead, County Durham from my late mother and my memories from the 1950’s
My mother was born in Wakes Yard in a mining village called Wrekenton, a village close to the village of Springwell, Gateshead, County Durham, she lived at Eighton Terrace a cobbled street with 2 rows of sandstone built houses, darkly... [more]

My School Years

I started at Eighton Banks Primary School in 1952 aged five, having been moved from the slum clearance of the Teams, Ghd. To be in open countryside after the lung-choking life of the industrial Teams was absolute heaven.

The headmistress was Miss Smith. My teacher was called Miss Forster, I believe. I loved playing on the old "camp" at... [more]

Childhood Memories from 1949

I was born in Hubert Terrace which ran off Bank Street and along to Cuthbert Street. Further down was School Street and Marian Street which ran along to Derwentwater Road, and on Derwentwater Road was Lady Vernon School which I attended. The boys' school was called St Cuthberts and the church we went to was St Cuthbert's Church and the minister... [more]

Boyhood memories from 1952

It was around this time that the tram lines were taken up from Sunderland Road in Gateshead. The men stored the old lines in Somerset Street and Devonshire Street. As boys we would dig up the tar from around the  streets and paste it on the road safety lamps when they were lit. It was great to see the watchy run... [more]

Boy from the Slums

I was born on the 28th March 1947, into an existing family of 5 siblings in a one-up one-down decaying terraced house of 12 Russell Street, Teams, Gateshead, just off Upton Street, near to the coke works, the gas works, the rope works and every other kind of filthy polluting business on the banks of the Tyne. We ended up as... [more]