Witton Le Wear, County Durham

Shops

Bryant's Post Office with Mrs Robson, a Queen Motherish figure always dressed in a black two piece, dishing out pensions, stamps and postal orders from the aloof position behind her cage.

Duggie Bain's cobblers, the warm oily smell, my first football boots were bought there for 13/6d. The proprietor ever smiling, with his gold rimmed glasses, shiny bald head, gammy... [more]

Play

I know records will prove me wrong, but summer seemed to start around the beginning of May and last until getting on to Bonfire night. We walked to Witton-le-Wear night after night to swim then walked home or, if we were lucky, got a lift in an empty meat van, not unlike the one driven by Corporal Jones in 'Dads Army'.[more]

School

Vague recollections of my first days, being taken in my little blue coat and cap by the girls next door. I seemed to cling to them for ages. (Was this a sign of things to come?)

Finally graduated to playing with the boys, sliding in the school yard in black boots with 'segs' in. It was all boys because the... [more]

Village Characters

Mr Joe (Cloggy) Jackson

Almost everyone who met 'Cloggy' has stories to recollect of this colourful village character - Dave Quinn recalls:

Mr Joe 'Cloggy' Jackson, Club Doorman and Saturday Evening vendor of 'The Pink', AKA Sunderland Echo. Invariably dressed in flat cap and tight fitting jacket, riding breeches and leather boots, Cloggy looked every inch a 'horsey man'.[more]

Infants school

Born and bred in Red Houses (then Red House Estate) at a time when everyone took time and effort to keep their home and gardens beautiful.  Everyone knew everybody and it was a community that looked after each other.  I remember going down to the infants' school (just off from cricket field) having a birthday and being given a cardboard cake... [more]

The Young Family - Cemetery Cottages.

The Young Family lived at 6, Cemetery Cottages from 1922 until the mid 1930's. My Grand-parents:Walter and Hilda Young, were married in the Hope Street Methodist Chapel in 1921.
Walter was living in 27, Grey Street, before he got married. His sister, Priscilla lived in Gladstone Street. My Mum, Edna and her sisters, Jean, Sheila... [more]

school dinners

Well, this is just a thought , but school dinners have come to mind. I was like some who said they didn't like school dinners even if you hadn't tried them, in the early years of school this was a good excuse for going home for an hour. I don't know when I started staying at school for dinner but I... [more]

The Local Shop

Well it has to be at least for us, Willabys, if that is spelt right, we would get our fix of kett there, let me think, two a penny sweets, and that was when a penny was a penny, if you know what I mean. You could get this silver tray filled with this hard boiled candy with a stick in... [more]