Stanhope memories
Here are memories of Stanhope and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Stanhope or a Stanhope photo.
1950--1956
I am sorry to read some of these descriptions of your time there. Mr. Maddison, McTavish, Jones, Peart (GYM teacher) Wheeler ( Woodwork) and one who lived in between Grenville & Drake Dorms, I found very fair, firm yes, Mr Bowles, HEADMASTER, wacked & caned me both on knuckles & rear, but I still found him FAIR. Matron was very fair, food was good, sport GREAT, exercise very good. My gripe was that we all came out of that SYSTEM with very little education. I went there in 1950 with my brother George (who ran away 3 times). We used to go to Whitby on camping trips. I was head boy for Grenville and we had Hawkins, Drake & Nelson. We went on home visits twice a year for 3/4 weeks. I very often think back to those days and try to remember the friends I had there.
Danny Slaven
Hi Edward, were you at Castle School in the early 1960s, 1961 to 1963? That's when I was there, I was in Crawley house, my name by the way is Ray Palfreyman, known in them days as Polly. I remember the lad you mentioned and his name was Danny Slaven, he was in Sofly House and the bastard that used to abuse him was Maddison, I remember he used to make him run while beating him with his walking stick to try and make him run faster, he was a sadistic bastard. Do you remember me?
The Coward Bowls
I was caned regularly by Mr Bowls. My mother came to see once and saw the welt marks on the back of my legs and another lad called David Hyde, she went down to his house and tried dragging the matron out, the matron was screaming out that Bowls was in his office. My mam barged in and set about him, me and David Hyde ran down to the office and the coward Bowls was cowering down on the floor with his glasses lopsided on his face, he never laid a finger on me or David again. Maddison and Stewart were total bullies as was Miss Ferguson. I stayed at Castle School till 1963 then got transferred to Castle Howard. I remember K Cutts well, Frank Peacock had to wash his sheets evrey day in that bath.
Bad Memories
I was that place, nothing but bad memories. I am now 62 and never foget that place, I remember when I was about eight or nine we were made to go a long run and one of the lads said he did not feel well, but he was made to do it. When he got back he went to see the matron and an ambulance was called, he sadly died (polio), I have never forgotten the bastard who made him run. I was made to work in the gardens across the road, that is when I ran away.
The Castle Called Hell
Hi David, I was in the Castle School from 1961 to 1964. I was also in Crawley House laundry no 84. And I rememeber you, was your laundry number 86? I used to spend a lot of time with George March, Marchie was his nickname. I also remember the imfamous Mr Bowles who as you rightly put was an evil B-----d along with his equally evil animals Mr Maddison, Bewdley House & Mr Stewart, Softley house. Stewart was famous for putting one hand on one of your ears, holding your head so you couldn't move it, and hitting your other ear with his other hand and nearly bursting your eardrums. Do you remember me? I had ginger hair, it's a bit grey now. I live in Leeds. Please get in touch, I would love to hear from you. All the best.
My Hell Years
Hi, my name Jacko, I left the castle in 1972, never been the same since. All bad memories. Hi Jaff, how's life? I was only a kid and no kid should go through what we went through. I spent all my time running away. I remember little red shorts and tops we had to wear, we must have looked a sight going for walks in all red or green blue or yellow. Remember. Get in twos. If you could not count, hold hands. I went on to 13 years in nick after Stanhope but no one hit me again. Mr Melody was head, an evil man. The kickings - I lost count.
Nurse Lilly Turnbull
I remember Miss Turnbull very well. She was the school nurse and assistant matron when Mrs Bowles was absent. She lived in a wing of the castle and attached to her flat was a two bedded room where you were looked after, fed, watered and medicated. Miss Turnbull wore a ward sister's uniform. She was very kind, compassionate and caring. The domestic staff were all local people and the food was excellent although we noticed the teachers and headmaster were on a different menu from us! Meals were eaten in complete silence and woe betide you if you broke the rule. You had to eat everything on your plate with no exceptions for anyone. an old saying..." That which was bitter to endure is often sweet to remember".
Nurse Turnbull
I remember Nurse Turnbull, she was a very nice person, caring and kind - Victor Bates (email address: alfredpoldark@hotmail.com)
A Day Trip From Cambridge to Stanhope.
On the 9th of April, this year, 2011, I travelled from Cambridge to Stanhope on the train. The Diesel pulling us was the 'Roy Castle'. I hadn't travelled on the route since the 1960's, especially from Darlington to Bishop Auckland, and I had never been on the line from Bishop to Stanhope. It was very nostalgic for me as my Grandparents had lived in Bishop Auckland and my Grandad would meet us at the station when we arrived. I can remember very clearly, the trains going along the line to and fro to Stanhope, as we would go to the park nearby and sometimes we would stand on the railway bridges to watch them. As we passed through Bishop I could see the Wesley Church where my parents married and my brother and I were christened. The view towards Newton Cap Viaduct was amazing, I hadn't seen it like that before, from that angle. Journeying down the line towards Witton le Wear,... Read more
Pearson Cottage, Stanhope.
I am doing my Family History and have got as far as Stanhope. Is there still a Pearson(s) Cottage in Stanhope? The surnames I have are: Pearson and Liddle, they came over from Northumberland.
Pearson Cottage, Stanhope.
Robert Pearson lived in Pearson(s) Cottage in 1891, with his wife, Margaret Gowland, and their children: Annie (born: 1882) - Joseph (born: 1883) - Edith (born: 1885) - Robert (born: 1887) and Margaret (born: 1890). If anyone thinks they may be related to this family or have got any information for me, I would be very grateful. Also, if anyone knows the whereabouts of Pearsons Cottage?
Jaffa
Hi, my name is Brian Jaffray, I was at Stanhope School 1969 -1973, also my brother Johnny was there as well, we were known as the Jaffa brothers. I was in Bewdley house. Teachers I remember were Pervis, Maddison, Wheeler, Gasgoigne. I only have bad memories of being there. I call them teachers but they would be locked up now for what they did to us. If anyone remember me or my brother I would like to hear from you.
4 Years at The Castle School Stanhope
In 1945 I was placed in South Hetton Remand Home at the age of 10 by Sunderland Magistrates Court.(I had a difficult homelife with a very physically abusive stepfather, otherwise I would have been fined 5 shillings and sent home.) From there I was sent to Aycliffe Approved School. I was in both establishments for approximately 3 months. In the winter of 1945/46 I was collected from Aycliffe by the Headmaster of The Castle School Stanhope, Mr. J. D. Bowles and taken to the Castle. I was there until 1950. Mr. Bowles ruled with an iron hand, his punishment was hard but I thought fair. I was fortunate enough to have the voice of angel and was put in the local church choir and taken under the wing of the Vicar Rev. Knighthall. From the age of 14 all boys had a week's schooling and a week working. My working week was spent in the extensive gardens of the castle where all the vegetables and fruit were used in the... Read more
FYI FACEBOOK GROUP FOR STANHOPE CASTLE SCHOOL
There is a Facebook group for any of you who are interested? Here is the link
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=25189137409
Or search Castle School Stanhope and add yourselves.
The Castle School
My name is Alan Brogan, though I changed my name many years ago. I was in the Castle School from 1963 to 1969/70. My six years there were an unrimitting trial of severe punishment, all for a bag of sweets and refusing to totally obey orders when in the children's homes. I am having more spinal surgery now as a result of injuries I recieved there from beatings and a walking stick broken across my back by the then headmaster Mr Bowls and from many other beatings from various 'masters' as they were called. I have written a brief extract about my time there, in a book about my 45 year search for the Irene, who is now my wife. Its called 'Not Without You' by Alan & Irene Brogan. It may stir-up a few memories of that place and you may even be one of the boys in it, who knows, as I have lost bits of memory particularly the boys' names. Hopefully someone out there will contact me... Read more
What A School That Was
I remember being at Castle School, it did have bad and also good times. I remember that head master Mr Bowles and the deputy head master who was called Mr Mellody, he was a rough one. The best part about it is when we were on the field at dinner time we could play football, that was ok. School was horrible, Mr Davison was the best teacher and that Mr Jones, well he was a prat, along with Mr Glendenning, Mr Wheeler not too bad. I found Mr Maddison pretty good and the matron, we had to call her 'mam' when she wasn't, I hated her. Does anyone remember Miss Ferguson? She was a bit of ok. Mr Chatterton was always sniffing round her, he told me to get out when I went into the dining room, dirty man. Does anybody remember me, Reg, I was in Softley house? Mr .Stewart was house master then, I remember Bowles, the hatred man, sacked him. We had a replacement house master called Mr... Read more
Castle School
Peter Hanson, Castle School, war years early to late 1940s, Headmaster John Bowles, Matron Mary Bowles, Asst Head Mr Williams. Teachers Miss Forster or Foster, Mr Jones (Music) Mr Wheeler (Woodwork) Mr Peart (in the Lodge - Gardening across the road). Houses were Derwent, Tees, Tyne and Wear - later changed to Hawkins, Drake, Raleigh and Grenville - colours Red/Yellow/Blue and Green. Carved wooden shields along wall in Dining room. Whatever happened to any archives regarding Castle School i.e. group/individual photos etc.? Arrived here via a stay at Aycliffe. Heavy snow clearance in 1946/47 Church twice on Sundays, strong voice 'Annie' in congregation! I was persistant bed-wetter for reasons unknown. Ended up here for being a persistent abscondee from home (out of control!). Guess the stay at The Castle was eventually a 'character building' experience...
What A Place to Send Anybody
Crawley House, not a very nice place. There were four houses, all the same, all horror houses full of angry young lads. I was 12 when I went there and felt 30 when I left but was only 16. What a hole that place was. I ended up in DC and Borstal and that was while I was still there. The beatings I could take and did, but watching other lads getting beatings, that is what sticks in my mind. The staff made these young lads fight each other for their own fun, what a bunch of a..holes. Mr Hall was the only decent one I remember, I am not very good at remembering names, sorry. I ran away at every chance, not because I was afraid but after just 6 months of being in there I thought to myself "I am going to give them as much back and give them the right runaround at 12". I feel for every single lad that went through those doors, and the... Read more
Stanhope 1974 to 1978
Hi, I was in Stanhope with my best mate Steven King does anyone remember us? I suffer from memory loss and remember very little, I get flashbacks and remember some things but not all, there is a big chunk missing.
Castle School For Boys
Hi everyone! Does anyone remember a Lily Turnbull working as Assistant Matron in the school in the early 1950s? I'm trying to fill in some gaps in my family tree. Thanks very much x
Stanhope Castle School
I have read the memories of this school with tears in my eyes. I am 72 years of age, and I was sent there in 1948. If the Mr Bowls was the same man I met, then God help him, I still carry the hate for this man in my heart, he was the most evil man, the only thing I have or ever will hate. If anyone reads this who was there in 1948-51 they will remember me. I was made to carry a pair of size ten boots every day and every hour of the day, I even had to take them to bed with me, for nearly 9 months. That man was pure evil to me. I could go on and tell the real stories about that school. By the way, I only stole 2 pounds 62 pence.
The Castle School For Boys
I was in Castle School from 1961 to 1964. It was good at times and also bad. Mr Bowls was the head, and didn't we know it. I had the walking stick on many a Friday morning after assembly. I cannot remember any names from people there. 12 months after leaving I went in the Merchant Navy on the catering side, but had a car crash in 1969 which ended my career. It must have all changed now, being flats and all.
The Castle School, Stanhope.
I think I must have talked to about three ex-Castle School kids since I wrote my memories about the the school. It was opened by an Act of Government during the Second World War in 1942. I can remember one of the teachers telling me it was also partly used as a hospital as well for injured troops. I'll give credit to a lot of the teachers and staff and say they had a difficult job to deal with all these problem kids from all over the UK at one time. When I went there it was mainly local north-east kids that went there. I will say there were some horrible teachers there, and it made me wonder just why some of them decided to work with children in the first place. Mainly, most of the teachers seemed pretty fair I think. Something like the Castle School is well needed to sort out the type of kids that cause havoc now. There are some awful kids around. It would be... Read more
Merry Old Stanhope (what A Place)
Now then, what year was Stanhope cut off on all sides, Crawley had snow almost up to the telephone line, going to Frostley was impossible, in fact it was about 6 days that we were stuck in for, latest jobs were snow clearing from most footpaths. I remember Mr Fleaming and Mr Corner and oh yes Mr Pervis from Hartlepool (are you still in Hartlepool?). You know me, I was a small kid, I was in Crawley House and lived on the top dorm. Shall I tell you who I am? No, not yet , but I will give you one more clue, I used to live in Sunderland (but not now, I'm in York).
Stanhope
ok you loti do remmber some ofyou stanhope was not that bad their were places that you could not get out like acliffe near darlington {mr corner}and if i remmber 1 in middelsboro }mr pervis} you no me but you dont know wereim at i also know a few facts like who stole cars in stanhope if i remmber at least 2 cars bet the locals were happy when it closed down wish you would meet up some day you know scare stanhope day 300 ex residents of the school in 1 place theyed probely shut stanhope village down oh forgot to tell you who i am ok afew clues no ha ha gotto go
The Last Laugh
So what, you got the cane, you deserved it, you were a baben. The locals semed to hate us, the school was hated by most of the local villagers, we brought them crime, burglary, theft, the lot. Was I glad when I left, too right. Bye bye Stanhope, hello freedom. How many of the lads who were in Stanhope re-offended, I bet you there are loads locked up right now, in HMP Durham or other prisons in the UK. I think Stanhope was a training place, you got told about other things like burglary, shoplifting, TWOC, and you were told how not to do, say, robbery, because other people told you how they got caught, so you did not do the same mistakes. The ones who went on to do Borstal and YP were the really bad crooks because they got caught, and if you did any of the prisons, ie Durham home house, you were just a mug for getting caught. Oh yes, I mean me too, but not... Read more
That Hell-Hole of Stanhope School
Hi, I'm Kenny Melvin, nickname by the school 'nimble Nat'. I was in there from 1962 until 1967 in the house called Horsley. I remember my first day I got there, one lad would look after you for a few weeks till you got settled in, he told me if I came across the headmaster, then called a Mr Bowles, look him in the eye and open your mouth when talking to him. I was unlucky to meet him on the stairs by I looked him in the eyes, and opened my mouth and got away with it, not like the lad next to me. You had to have your wits about you in there. Yes, there were the walks, God, you would all go into the assembly hall on a morning before, you would start school, sing a few songs around a big piano played my a Mr Wheeler the woodwork teacher. Then you would get someone who would put his hand up and say 'Can we walk to... Read more
Castle School, Stanhope
Well, I have been reading some articles posted on this website, about Castle School in Stanhope from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Well, I was in Castle School from 1958 - 1962. I was in because I was a badden, lol, just like those who have posted messages on here. When I was driven up the driveway to the main entrance, I looked, and thought "This is not a school, it's Colditz". Reading some of the letters posted on here from various people, it sounds as though it was a tough place, well believe me it hasn't changed since I was in. I was in Crawley House, all the houses were named after hills around Stanhope. I did 3 and a half years before I got to go home back to Doncaster, but don't think i could have coped with 6 years, as someone had said in their letter they posted.
I did do a great escape once from the school, didn't get far, ended up in... Read more
Stanhope Castle School
1975-1979
Yes it was hell. But at the end of the day I did wrong. But I was only a kid, and I think it was only petty. You'd think I did murder to what went on at Stanhope Castle. It was all true. I would to get in contact with anyone else who experienced Stanhope Castle like I did, in particular Jeffrey Hall.
The Castle School, Stanhope 1977-1980
I went to Castle School in 1977 till about 1980 and have some happy memories of the place. I was sent there because I was a handful at 11 years old, and no local school would take me! Some of the kids there came from really terrible family backgrounds, through no fault of their own, while some kids were just bad.
I wasn't happy being there at the time, but it got me an education, and got me away from the bad kids I knocked around with at home in Hartlepool. I was in Bewdley House, and the housemaster was called Mr O'Donavan. He was strict but fair, and knew and understood his kids. I talked to him in later years and he said I took to the countryside there like a duck to water, while some kids didn't like the area. True, there were some bad teachers there, but there were also some good ones as well. The school headmaster was called Mr Proud. He was strict, but could... Read more
My 6 Years at Stanhope Castle
I have often wondered if I should one day be able to say what happened to me as a child during my 6 year stay at Stanhope. It was like living hell, yes the masters would have been prosecuted for abuse had it happened today. It was every bit as bad as the previous writer described and much worse. I once couldn't read what a master had written on the blackboard. For this I was slammed against the blackboard then told to circuit the lawn outside. I see that the very same weeping willow is still in the middle of it. I ran underneath it and prayed to God to make him stop beating me. This punnishment was repeated 4 times. I was covered in blood from my ears and nose. Nothing was done and you did not dare to complain. Another of their favourite punishments was to tie your fingers to your bootlaces, or they would put you in a corner, remove your trousers and beat you till you... Read more
Stanhope Boys Home.. A Horrible Place to Be.
I was in Crawly House in Stanhope Castle School from 1978-1981. My memories were not too good, it was a horrible place to be when you were 11 years old.
I visited Stanhope Home a year ago and it has been turned into flats, the school block looks like it had fallen down and is overgrown with weeds... which is probably the best thing for it!
I went on to Richmond Hill as Stanhope Home closed down. Richmond Hill was a really good home, a lot of activities and the food was good. The staff were ok, unlike Stanhope.
THE CASTLE SCHOOL
I was at the Castle School in Stanhope from 1975-77, I was in Bewdley House and in Big Raby dorm, to me I have no good memories about the place to be honest. I thought it was an evil place, if the law was then as it is today many of the staff would have got a prison sentence after the violence went on there, I am only being honest. At the age of 14 I arrived at the Castle School at about 6pm, had some food, I think it was food, and then I was put straight to work polishing floors, the floor polish was put on so thick it was difficult to polish as you would be on hands and knees, if you stopped the staff would walkacross the front line and stand on your fingers. I remember one boy who hated Cauliflower Cheese and was made to eat it and he was sick, then he was made to eat his own vomit. I was feeling unwell and... Read more
The Castle School For Boys.
I was actually born in Middlesbrough in 1953, but being a bit of a handful in my life early life I was placed in certain boys' schools, one being The Castle School at Stanhope. My memories of my 3 yrs there are full of happiness and adventure.
I now try to recall some of the places that I remember but am finding it very hard to locate pictures. Has anyone out there got old pictures of the Wear Bridge that I seem to remember just behind the school, perhaps pictures of the old school itself, the cobble market place that I remember so clearly that used to host the small fun fair yearly, the old church on the hill? I would be so happy to hear from anyone with any info on these things, because Stanhope was a big part of my early life. I was there around 1963 to 1966.
Going to School
I suppose it was round about 1955 not sure. I remember going to school and often the headmistress used to pick us up, and we used to sit in the dicky seat. I remember picking rose hips. I remember we had lots of friends. My name was Sandra Taylor does anyone remember me?? I lived next door to a pub and our friends owned it so we had good times there. Our friends the Waltons also owned the petrol station. oh those were the good old days. Any one else remember them?
Memories of County Durham
Frosterley Green
Still very much the same. The man riding on the bike is Dickie Slater.
Barmaid Marylin
We used to rent the bottom cottage down from the Co-op and the top house pub. My younger brother had a massive crush on the barmaid of the middle house. She was called Marylin (he is called Ben). Is she still there? I believe her younger brother was a milkman? We rented the cottage for about 4 years on the bounce and had the best holidays ever there. My memories include the pirahna at Horsley Hall, the banana milk from the farm at Ireshopeburn, the Rancho del Rio, playing table tennis near the cement works and the joke shop above the book shop in Alston. Magic memories.
My Ancestors
My aunt is 95 years old and now lives in San Francisco but she talks a lot about St Johns Chapel. She was born there and went to school there. Her grandfather (John Slater Freeman) was headmaster of the school for a number of years. She was born in a large house there and the tradition was that all first borns had to be born in the house. Evidently the house is now flats.
My aunt's name was Olive Freeman.
My cousin and I are making a trip to Durham so that we can visit St Johns Chapel, somewhere we have heard a lot about.
James Joseph Irvine (Autobiography) 1911 - 1990
Stretching over about a mile on the A68 road to Edinburgh from Darlington, lies the small mining town of Tow Law. Approaching it from Elm Park Road Ends, on a clear day, as you pass the various openings in the terraces of the sandstone houses and cottages, at regular intervals like colour slides, you catch glimpses of the rounded moorlands and hills over and around the Wear Valley. These glimpses of the brown or purple moorland are the redemption of this land and insignificant little town. Not that it is insignificant to the people who live there because they have, especially the older ones, a fierce loyalty to this place. Nor to me either, because that is where I was born on October 30th 1911 in one of these same little colliery cottages in Baring Street, now demolished and rebuilt with the grander name of Baring Court. In the early decades of the 1900's it was a hard place to live in. Tough, because of the harsh slavish work of the pitmen, the... Read more
Good Old Days
In or around 1959 I went on holiday to Ireshopeburn to my grandparents' house, they lived at Woodbine House which was just up from Earnwell.
My grandfather used to work at West Blackdene spar mine which was on the other side of the River Wear.
I ended up going to school at St. John's Chapel and then on to Wolsingham secondary school.
At home we had a large allotment and also kept a lot of hens which I used to feed nearly every day.
Winter time was good as usually the village or the surrounding area was snowed in and that meant we got extra days off from school. When holidays came around a lot of my relations used to visit, so it used to be a very crowded house so some of us children slept in tents and huts and enjoyed it, we used to play for hours in the fields opposite.
Looking at the photos of Ireshopeburn really fetches the memories back.
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