Stanley memories
Here are memories of Stanley and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Stanley or a Stanley photo.
Front Street
We did most of our Saturday shopping on Stanley Front Street.
On Monday 28th January 2002, L. Storey, of Stanley, wrote a poem, about some MEMORIES OF STANLEY, in The Northern Echo. It brought back so many of my own memories of growing up in Stanley (not reproduced here for copyright reasons).
Burns Pit Disaster
From his seat, by the fire, my grandad could see the great mound of the spoil heap of Stanley Burns Pit. It was the site of a horrific explosion, on 16th February 1909, in which 168 men and boys lost their lives. He would sometimes talk of the day he heard the enormous explosion, he was 12 years old at the time.
The grandfather of Kevin Keegan (he who played football for Liverpool and England and was once manager of Newcastle United) was one of the few men to escape from the mine that day. It's worth bearing in mind that if his grandfather had not escaped, then there would have been no Kevin Keegan.
200,000 people were supposed to have invaded Stanley on the day of the funerals.
“The pal of death hung over the whole neighbourhood. It was a week never to be forgotten.”
“The bringing home of the bodies, heart-rending scenes at the pit. Wherever you look, you are brought face to face... Read more
Memories of County Durham
Nanna's House
I remember going to my nana's house in Roddymoor, it was only a bungalow but I was so small I thought it was massive, haha. I remember jumping the little ditch near her house. I remember taking pictures of the horses.
Childhood
I was born in Roddymoore and lived there until I was six, I remember the walk up to the school and the many times we had to walk from my grandparents' home in Crook as the bus couldn't get through due to the snow. I fondly remember a family I adored, Nancy, Walter and their daughters Ann and Gwen and Tommy Griffiths whom I was good friends with. I now live in South Wales with my husband and 2 children but remember my few years in Roddymoore fondly.
2011 Wonderful People of Sunniside
If you happen upon Sunniside near Tow Law be sure to visit one of the two pubs. They are the most friendly I have ever been to. Just introduce yourself and mention this note. At one point they wanted Sunniside to die off as a village but the beautiful people that own the pubs, there are no shops, nothing but them, open their arms offering coffee, tea, and good company. The Comedian offers the best food you could ever eat and the Moss Inn offers old fashioned hospitality. The reason I am writing this is that I have never been to a community so steeped in local history, books, calendars and old men that are willing to tell you all. Please come to Sunniside and make yourself known, this is a village of wonderful people and they deserve to be recognised. The Comedian has one of the last 5's walls in the area, as I said, steeped in local history. It's a totally quality place to be, please visit and... Read more
Rumbyhill
My grandparents, John and Ginny Loftus, lived at Rumbyhill farm from the 1920's until they retired about 1950. This was the old Rumbyhill farm, subsequently the name was given to the farm across the road.
My mother grew up at the farm and has many happy memories. Granddad used to give out oranges and apples to the children at Christmas. Rumbyhill was a proper little village in those days.
Does anyone remember the Loftus family or have any old photos of Rumbyhill? My mother would love to get in touch or see the photos.
From Childhood Onward,
South-end villas, that was my world in them days as a child, it was like the whole world revolved around it. I was born and brought up there, if I had to write a story about the things we had to do as kids,or should I say found to do it would take forever. This story will only be recognised by the people of that time in that place, but I wouldn't change a thing; people involved in this story are Kevin Bainbridge and his sister Mag, her friend Linda, Greg, Martin, Keith, now I know there were more people later on but this was the early days, Tony, Kim, comes to mind. Where do we start with memorys, bony night, well I loved that night collecting, you would get jail for burning tyres now but we got wagon tyres from Tarans by the dozen. I would like to bring in now John Chedd, a lovely lad, I would get inside a wagon tyre and John would roll it down... Read more
Memorybank total
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Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Bootle, Merseyside
- Parkgate, Merseyside
- Godstone, Surrey
- Knockentiber, Ayrshire
- Selham, West Sussex
- Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
- The Green, Cumbria
- Raby, Merseyside
- Beverley, North Humberside
- Luton, Bedfordshire
- Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire
- Bexley, Kent
- Eccles, Lancashire
- Barnehurst, Kent
- Helsby, Cheshire
- Medge Hall, South Yorkshire
- Lumphinnans, Fife
- Knaphill, Surrey
- Braunston, Northamptonshire
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
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I Remember When...
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A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
