Thorngrafton memories
Here are memories of Thorngrafton and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Thorngrafton or a Thorngrafton photo.
My First Visit
It was a warm bright sunny day in May when my husband and I came to look at a house in Thorngrafton. What a lovely quiet atmosphere it had, apart from the mooing of the cows on the farm and the sound of the house martins singing in the background there was silence and peace. We sat on the grass lawn at the front of the house and just looked at the view - in front of us the unspoilt Tyne Valley. We could see the River South Tyne meandering through the valley. Willmonswick Hall is in the panoramic view that is there when we wake in the morning. As you have probably guessed, we still live here 9 years on. We plan to retire here. We feel like this is our and always has been our home.
Memories of Northumberland
WARTIME MEMORIES
Evacuated to Langley on Tyne in 1940 as an 11 year old, my memories relating to this peroid remain undimmed. It was a strange world to me, coming as I did with many other children escaping the war. I was taken into care by a farming family.
I missed having children to play with and found it lonely and was unhappy attending the local school placed approximately 2 miles away (no school buses then). The elderly male teacher, Mr Heslop, was an absolute horror to me at least. His favourite was an older boy, the school bully, who hailed from Gosport.
I returned to my parents before the end of the war. My best friend throughout my stay was Miss Chrissie the farmer's daughter. Often I think of her now.
1964 To 1987 In Shield Street
I Lived at 2 shield Street between 1964 and 1987 the people who lived in the street are all gone now but they were true Allerdonians.
Anyone reading this will remember the likes of Jack & Peggy Warwick , Billy Pringle & Marion & the lads , Mr Brown at the chemist and Not Forgeting My Dad Ian Dodd Who worked for Ridleys Transport. But who could forget Jenny and Vester Charlton at the shop and then Tommy Sheild who had the Hotel Who we have sadly lost in 2007, my best memory of him would be when I sprayed him with his own hosepipe in his green house when he cought me and grenville watering his plants we didn't half cop for it !!!!! The Days were Priceless' God Bless .
e mail me leedodd@hotmail.co.uk
The Street Where L Was Born
l was born in the flat above the chemist shop in 1947. Arthur Walker was the pharmacist. We moved over the road to Cross Keys House in 1950 and lived there till 1965. The street was my playground, with best friend Marion Warwick and Nigel Hutchinson, the Philipson brothers from next door to Charlton's shop ,and all my cousins, Nixons. The cattle wagon bringing the beasts to the butcher shop for Fred was an exciting viewing, swinging on the railings.
Across the road, the magic of the toys in Charlton's shop, the smell of the paraffin stove, and the Rozalex barrier cream that Vester rubbed on her hands.
l lost a shilling in the snow outside the chemist shop one Friday night, and shovelled like mad, to no avail. No cinema that night!
l worked as a waitress in the Heatherlea from 1962. Loved all the visitors coming up on the bus from Shields. Perhaps they remember Mary with the big beehive hair.
l also helped at Lawrence Dodd's dairy... Read more
Laddie
The little dog crossing the road was called Laddie. He belonged to Lawrence and Peggy Dodd and is on his way home to Selah House and the dairy. l used to help with the milk delivery and would sit on a milk churn and sing to Laddie. He always joined in and we made a lovely racket between us!!
The island as it was called was a great place for roller skating with friends.
The Hotspur has memories of a dentist practice, then a club where my parents and family all had great sing songs round the piano. George Ford, a bus driver from Allenheads, would entertain, and my brother in law, George Wilkinson from Sherriff Hill in Gateshead. He would come to Allendale with a humble tent and camp with all his mates up Wooley Bank.
My Uncle George Garry lived in the top flat in The Hotspur for a while with his wife Iris and 2 children. I used to babysit up there.
Lastly my cousins ran a... Read more
Home
I lived in Allendale for the first five years of my life, unfortunately due to my parents work situation, we had to leave the village to find work in the town; things were never the same! We still returned to Allendale frequently to visit our relatives the Nixon's & Hutchinson's. I still remember my childhood with fond memories & the very close friendship I had with all my cousins in Allendale at the time. My mother Iris used to work for Tommy at the Heatherlea in the early sixties & I think my father George Garry used to work at the Dixon's Garage in Allendale as a motor mechanic & later Hexham.
Before the old brewery was redeveloped, my Nana used to live in an annex of the brewery before moving to new bungalows on Allenfields; as a child I found it to be quite an adventure trecking from our home - Allen House, down the Peth, across the field, then over the old bridge that crossed the River... Read more
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