Family And Friends 1942 To 1961

A Memory of Blyth.

I was born Cramlington 1942, my sister 1940. l have some happy memories of Blyth, lived with mam and dad and sister Betty in Cowpen Row. Dad was in the army so did not see much of him then, when he came home we went to Rothburry, Easter it was Morpeth, Christmas it was all mam's family at our home, he was a baker at that time and his brother Robert  but then went in the mines. He had another brother, Harold, worked in the mines, Granddad did too. That was the Chapple side of our family, they lived in Rowley Street, he still lived in the same house when l found him 6 years ago. My mum's side were Ainsley, Grandma and Granddad lived Seaton Delaval, Formans Row. There were 4 girls and 3 boys, Mum Hannah, Aunt Ethel, Sally, Annie , Uncle Alf, George, Albert. Remember Gran's cooking on the big black stove, the smell of bread. Grandad made clippy mats, Betty and l used to cut all the cloth into strips for him. Went to Aunt Ethel's, Uncle Tom a lot. My cousin Joyce lived at Hartford, used to love going there. His garden was full of all kinds of fruit but getting back to Blyth, in the last years there we lived in Stanley Street, went to St Mary's Church, there was a few of us used to meet there, and there were all the cinemas and the Roxy ballroom, loved to dance so did Mum and Dad, then it was the park and the beach, walked for miles along the sand dunes, often walked as far as Seaton Sluice on a Sunday after church. There was a coffee shop halfway there. My sister got married in St Mary's Church to Jim Henderson, it will be 50 years in July, how time flies. Know where he is now but it would have been nice. They went to live in Derbyshire when Dad went there to work in the mine, but sadly was killed in the pit there at the age of 54. As they said Bates Pit was closing. My sister and Jim were at Blyth a few weeks ago as they still have friends they keep in touch with but l lost touch with my friends years ago when l left in 1961. I live in Durham now but miss my home town, love the beach, the sea air and the old market place and the few friends l had, my family that l don't know if there still alive or not, so if there is anyone out there that knows me and would like to get in touch l would love to hear from them. The last time l was there was a few years now when my Uncle Bob was ill after a fall and he died. Don't go out much now. Then I was Anne Chapple or my sister Betty, we went to Morpeth Road Infants, Princess Louise Road Secondary School, no longer there, worked in the Co-op tailering then to Whitley Bay, in a jewelley shop. Just remembered having family hols, used to hire one of the shelters on the beach there, still there was some where to change in our bathers and go in the sea and sand then have our lunch before wheeling my grandad back home, great times. Jim worked in the railway, no longer there, that's why they left. Betty opened a shop making clothes, think it was Charlton Street. Every morning would co to Park Road Bakers for their crusty buns, hot, it's still there, and the light house that still stands in the back street, the buses are still in the same place and the library was just at the bottom of Stanley Street, all within walking distance, nothing like where l am now, even though I'm only 10 min away from Durham city, need a car to get you wherever you need to go, but in Blyth there was always something to do, the walks to the sea, the shops, market, park, cinemas, the Roxy dance hall, church, and we had bus trips and always things to do in the church hall, but all changes but it still has a great sandy beach and good fish shops, can't beat them. l do miss it.

---

---