Consett In The 1950s

A Memory of Consett.

I was a teenager in the 1950s, worked at Consett Iron Company. We were teddy boys, had all the gear, suits, shoes ... Our nights out were Co-op dance Thursday nights. Them that had girlfriends always met them inside. Friday was a late night dance, was 10pm till 2am, we even went when we were on 2pm till 10pm shift, never any trouble but we had a good time. I remember on the Thursday night one of the lads used to play the piano, his name was Freddie Cheeseman, he went on to be famous, Freddie Fingers Lee, a fantastic pianist. We even went to Anfield Plane dance castles, all good nights. Sunday it was pictures, there was several picture houses, Rex, Plaza, Town Hall, Empire, Olympia, Roxy at Leadgate. We used to take our girlfriend, the lads that went on their own used to walk round and round the bus station after pictures came out, as lots of others did, sometimes they got lucky, sometimes they walked home alone. My first pint was at the Freemasons on Middle Street, it's long gone. I remember we went into side room, barman came in, asked what we wanted. I heard some say black and tan, so I said same, a pint seemed huge but we drank them. When barman brought drinks he said 'All 18, lads?' No one replied but he still put pints on tables and took our money. Most of my mates worked at Consett Iron Company earning good money compared to other jobs. Consett has been modernised now and the steel works are gone, old places gone, modern pubs replacing them but there is still top club, steel club where the older men go and they are busy compared to many. The old clock which was at the old bus station is still there next to the new bus station, dance halls have been replaced by modern night clubs, pubs I am told are not as safe to be out at night as in our day, but everything changes, some for the better, some not.

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