Early Years

A Memory of Burnhope.

Where do start?! I (then Aidan Jackson) moved to Burnhope at the age of 3 in 1944. I lived at 1 Jaw Blades (now demolished) with my grandparents, uncles and mother. I started school at the old infant/junior school in October 1946. Teachers I remember are Miss Kay, Miss Daley, Miss Dowson, Mrs Thompson (formery Miss Pallister - she married during my time there), Mr Harry McWilliams. The head teacher was Miss Elsie Allport. I remember an air raid shelter in the yard.
Very happy memories of my childhood in Burnhope.
Left Burnhope late 1952 or early 1953 to go to Libya. My father was stationed in the army there. Came back to UK in 1961 for teacher training (at Sunderland) and spent many happy times with my grandmother (Mary Ellen (nana) Forster), who by this time had moved to Fair View.
As a point of interest, the wrought iron memorial gates were made by my great grandfather Jonty Forster, blacksmith at Burnhope Colliery. I can remember the railway which crossed at that point. Jonty spent his last years at Jaw Blades and died in 1942.