A chat with Mrs Elizabeth Elenora ('Nora') Eames (nee Tulip)
living at 47 Military Road, Heddon on the Wall in 1995 (died in 1999)
Nora came to live at 15 Hexham Road, Heddon on the Wall, in 1921 when she was 7 years old, with her father, Thomas Tulip, and her mother, Margaret Tulip (nee Watson). The house belonged to Mr Robson.
She was christened at either Kirkharle or Kirkwhelpington by Rev. Hedley and confirmed at Heddon on the Wall.
She attended the Old School at Heddon and left when she was 12 years old to attend Skerry's College in Newcastle, where she learned shorthand and typing. She traveled into Newcastle each day by train. A number of people used the train to travel to work or school. Nora remembers walking, and sometimes having to run down Station Road to catch the train.
There were strawberry beds near Heddon Station and during the strawberry season barrow loads of small baskets full of strawberries were loaded onto the train to go to the market in Newcastle.
Nora joined the WI when she was 14 years old, the minimum age for joining. The fee at that age was 6d (half the adult fee). She is now the oldest member (69 years membership). Nora's mother was Secretary of the WI for thirty one and a half years. Mrs Jordan was the first Secretary. She lived at Garden House and was a retired schoolmistress.
Nora's first job at 16 years of age was for Weidners - the North of England Chamois Leather Company, Dean Street, Newcastle. Her wage was 15/- a week which was a good wage. She was a shorthand typist and also did the invoicing. One of his companies made chamois leathers. While she was there, Queen Mary and King George V drove across the New Tyne Bridge when it was opened and Weidner's staff had a very good view from the office windows. Chamois leather gloves were made for the shipyards. They had studded palms and were worn by the riveters who caught the red hot rivets wearing these gloves. Ladies and gentlemen's gloves were also made. The retail outlet was the Copenhagen Shop in Grey Street, Newcastle. Gloves, in those days, were fashionable and worn by many people. Some gloves had tassles and were laced with leather. Chamois gloves were made at the WI.
Nora stayed in this job for three years and then left to help her father in his house building business. All house building stopped when the war came in 1939. Her father could not drive and had lost all his drivers to the war. He found it difficult to get around.
Nora then got a job as a typist for Major Myers, with the Royal Army Service Corp, at Askum House, Gosforth. She worked there for a year and a half then the RASC was moved to Fenham Barracks where she continued to work for another 4 or 5 years.
Nora married Edward Eames in 1941 at Heddon Church. The service was conducted by Canon Blackburn.
She left work at the RASC in 1945 and went to Wales to live when her husband was discharged from war service. He worked on Pluto at the Oil Works, Llandarcy.
Alderman Weidner eventually sold out to Bart Spearman. The Weidners left Heddon House to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in memory of their son, Charles, who was killed in the First World War.
Nora remembers the wallpaper in one room of Heddon House - it was said to have been on the walls for 150 years. It was cream silk with maroon leaves.
Nora's mother was christened and married at Heddon. On the day she was married, they came from the church in a lovely pony and trap with the bridesmaids following in another. A Mr Thompson was landlord of the Three Tuns (he had the nickname 'Spitty Dick', a nice old man and a friend of Nora's grandparents). Coming past the pond opposite the Three Tuns, Mr Thompson fired a gun over the top of the newly weds for good luck. Unfortunately, the horses bolted. The horses on the bridesmaids trap went into the pond and someone had to wade in to lead them out.
Nora's uncle Jack [John Robert Watson], her mother's brother, worked as a shepherd [at Heddon Steads]. He was killed at Passchendaele in the First World War [in the service of the Northumberland Fusiliers]. His mother got a pension of 5s a week. Nora later found a letter from one of her Uncle Jack's comrades in the army, saying what a terrible time they were having. There was only him and Jack left [alive] out of all of the lads. The rest had been wiped out. Their Captain [later Lieutenant] was [James] Hope Wallace of Haltwhistle. Jack had carried Captain Hope Wallace, who had been badly injured, for about a mile to try to get him to medical help, but it was too late, and he died shortly afterwards. Jack was reported missing in September [1917] and his family got word in October that he had died.
There were quarries on the Common. One man was killed. There was a very deep quarry owned by Mr Hunter. It was taken over by Walkers.
The footpath went over the hill from the Military Road and down to Close House. A gate was put across the footpath, blocking the way. Everyone had to walk around and through the long grass. A man, possibly called Carey, used to go and lift the gate off its hinges and lay it down every time he walked that way until the owner got tired of re-fitting the gate. The Common was a mass of bluebells in spring time. The war came and all the trees were cut down.
For generations, the path to Close House had been used and there was always a track across the field to Wylam. The farmer ploughed it all up. He was questioned about it and told to make another path around the field.
There were two red-tiled cottages on the north side of the Common with steps up to them. There was another little cottage on the west of the road up to Hillheads [Quarry House], where the Armatage family lived. Again, red-tiled.
There was a family in the village called Tilley [?Tully]. They had 12 children. Nora's father was the undertaker for the village. Her grand-father and all her uncles were either stonemasons or joiners.
Nora's mother always wanted to be a nurse but could not get away; she had to look after the cows. Her sister, Annie, went away to service and got a decent job. They were with Mr James [Rudchester] for 19 years. It was tied job and the daughters were expected to help. Nora's grandmother did the cooking 'in the big house', made the butter, and looked after the dairy.
Nora's mother, Margaret, was courting her father who was a joiner at Eachwick, serving his time with Spearmans. They were going to a dance at Hexham in the Queen's Hall. They had to go to Wylam Station to catch the train to Hexham. Margaret asked Tommy, who also helped with the cows, to do the milking that night, and let her away. All arrangements made, they got the train back to Wylam station and walked back to Rudchester. Getting near to the farm, they could hear cows bellowing. Tommy had gone to the milking and had just sat down on his stool when the cow kicked him. At that late hour, the cows still needed to be milked because they would not let Tommy anywhere near them.
Nora's grandfather, Thomas Watson [b.1857], used to go to Oban to buy sheep (the ones with the little horns) for Mr Herdman. They would bring 600-800 sheep down in the train from Oban to Scots Gap. Two or three shepherds would come from Oban with him; they stayed the night with her grandmother and then caught the train, either from Hexham or Newcastle, back to Oban. The sheep were walked from Scots Gap to Capheaton. Nora's father was then Head Estate Joiner at capheaton, and Nora's mother had asked the Agent, Mr Hepple, if the sheep could be put in a field for the night as they couldn't walk from Scots Gap to West Heddon in one day. This they did, and the next day brought the sheep via Stamfordham to the North Shop and along the road to West Heddon.
Rev. [Richard] Burdon also farmed West Heddon. He had 600 acres. When he finished farming, it was sold to Northumberland County Council who built the little holdings. The Rev. Richard Burdon owned this farm and Nora's grandfather left his job as Manager of Rudchester and went to work for Rev. Burdon as Farm Manager. He was there for 23 years until Rev. Burdon died [1919].
The Rev. Burdon brought a man called Henry up from Somerset(?) [probably Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset] to work on the farm. [This is possibly George Henry Stokes b.1863 at Stourton Caundle, Dorset who was working as a cheese and butter maker at Heddon House Dairy on the 1911 Census.] Henry looked after the beasts and could handle the white bull kept on the farm. When there was a fire, burning hay and the cattle sheds, Henry walked into the building and led the bull out and into a nearby field. Later, in a joling fashion, he was made 'Lord Mayor' of Heddon and called 'Harry the Mayor'.
The Rev. Burdon married his housekeeper. She was much younger than he was..
Nora's father and uncles built some of the houses on Hexham Road, going to Throckley. He built nos. 308 and 301, and her uncles built nos. 312 and 314. They were sold for £650 which included £50 for the land.
She was christened at either Kirkharle or Kirkwhelpington by Rev. Hedley and confirmed at Heddon on the Wall.
She attended the Old School at Heddon and left when she was 12 years old to attend Skerry's College in Newcastle, where she learned shorthand and typing. She traveled into Newcastle each day by train. A number of people used the train to travel to work or school. Nora remembers walking, and sometimes having to run down Station Road to catch the train.
There were strawberry beds near Heddon Station and during the strawberry season barrow loads of small baskets full of strawberries were loaded onto the train to go to the market in Newcastle.
Nora joined the WI when she was 14 years old, the minimum age for joining. The fee at that age was 6d (half the adult fee). She is now the oldest member (69 years membership). Nora's mother was Secretary of the WI for thirty one and a half years. Mrs Jordan was the first Secretary. She lived at Garden House and was a retired schoolmistress.
Nora's first job at 16 years of age was for Weidners - the North of England Chamois Leather Company, Dean Street, Newcastle. Her wage was 15/- a week which was a good wage. She was a shorthand typist and also did the invoicing. One of his companies made chamois leathers. While she was there, Queen Mary and King George V drove across the New Tyne Bridge when it was opened and Weidner's staff had a very good view from the office windows. Chamois leather gloves were made for the shipyards. They had studded palms and were worn by the riveters who caught the red hot rivets wearing these gloves. Ladies and gentlemen's gloves were also made. The retail outlet was the Copenhagen Shop in Grey Street, Newcastle. Gloves, in those days, were fashionable and worn by many people. Some gloves had tassles and were laced with leather. Chamois gloves were made at the WI.
Nora stayed in this job for three years and then left to help her father in his house building business. All house building stopped when the war came in 1939. Her father could not drive and had lost all his drivers to the war. He found it difficult to get around.
Nora then got a job as a typist for Major Myers, with the Royal Army Service Corp, at Askum House, Gosforth. She worked there for a year and a half then the RASC was moved to Fenham Barracks where she continued to work for another 4 or 5 years.
Nora married Edward Eames in 1941 at Heddon Church. The service was conducted by Canon Blackburn.
She left work at the RASC in 1945 and went to Wales to live when her husband was discharged from war service. He worked on Pluto at the Oil Works, Llandarcy.
Alderman Weidner eventually sold out to Bart Spearman. The Weidners left Heddon House to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in memory of their son, Charles, who was killed in the First World War.
Nora remembers the wallpaper in one room of Heddon House - it was said to have been on the walls for 150 years. It was cream silk with maroon leaves.
Nora's mother was christened and married at Heddon. On the day she was married, they came from the church in a lovely pony and trap with the bridesmaids following in another. A Mr Thompson was landlord of the Three Tuns (he had the nickname 'Spitty Dick', a nice old man and a friend of Nora's grandparents). Coming past the pond opposite the Three Tuns, Mr Thompson fired a gun over the top of the newly weds for good luck. Unfortunately, the horses bolted. The horses on the bridesmaids trap went into the pond and someone had to wade in to lead them out.
Nora's uncle Jack [John Robert Watson], her mother's brother, worked as a shepherd [at Heddon Steads]. He was killed at Passchendaele in the First World War [in the service of the Northumberland Fusiliers]. His mother got a pension of 5s a week. Nora later found a letter from one of her Uncle Jack's comrades in the army, saying what a terrible time they were having. There was only him and Jack left [alive] out of all of the lads. The rest had been wiped out. Their Captain [later Lieutenant] was [James] Hope Wallace of Haltwhistle. Jack had carried Captain Hope Wallace, who had been badly injured, for about a mile to try to get him to medical help, but it was too late, and he died shortly afterwards. Jack was reported missing in September [1917] and his family got word in October that he had died.
There were quarries on the Common. One man was killed. There was a very deep quarry owned by Mr Hunter. It was taken over by Walkers.
The footpath went over the hill from the Military Road and down to Close House. A gate was put across the footpath, blocking the way. Everyone had to walk around and through the long grass. A man, possibly called Carey, used to go and lift the gate off its hinges and lay it down every time he walked that way until the owner got tired of re-fitting the gate. The Common was a mass of bluebells in spring time. The war came and all the trees were cut down.
For generations, the path to Close House had been used and there was always a track across the field to Wylam. The farmer ploughed it all up. He was questioned about it and told to make another path around the field.
There were two red-tiled cottages on the north side of the Common with steps up to them. There was another little cottage on the west of the road up to Hillheads [Quarry House], where the Armatage family lived. Again, red-tiled.
There was a family in the village called Tilley [?Tully]. They had 12 children. Nora's father was the undertaker for the village. Her grand-father and all her uncles were either stonemasons or joiners.
Nora's mother always wanted to be a nurse but could not get away; she had to look after the cows. Her sister, Annie, went away to service and got a decent job. They were with Mr James [Rudchester] for 19 years. It was tied job and the daughters were expected to help. Nora's grandmother did the cooking 'in the big house', made the butter, and looked after the dairy.
Nora's mother, Margaret, was courting her father who was a joiner at Eachwick, serving his time with Spearmans. They were going to a dance at Hexham in the Queen's Hall. They had to go to Wylam Station to catch the train to Hexham. Margaret asked Tommy, who also helped with the cows, to do the milking that night, and let her away. All arrangements made, they got the train back to Wylam station and walked back to Rudchester. Getting near to the farm, they could hear cows bellowing. Tommy had gone to the milking and had just sat down on his stool when the cow kicked him. At that late hour, the cows still needed to be milked because they would not let Tommy anywhere near them.
Nora's grandfather, Thomas Watson [b.1857], used to go to Oban to buy sheep (the ones with the little horns) for Mr Herdman. They would bring 600-800 sheep down in the train from Oban to Scots Gap. Two or three shepherds would come from Oban with him; they stayed the night with her grandmother and then caught the train, either from Hexham or Newcastle, back to Oban. The sheep were walked from Scots Gap to Capheaton. Nora's father was then Head Estate Joiner at capheaton, and Nora's mother had asked the Agent, Mr Hepple, if the sheep could be put in a field for the night as they couldn't walk from Scots Gap to West Heddon in one day. This they did, and the next day brought the sheep via Stamfordham to the North Shop and along the road to West Heddon.
Rev. [Richard] Burdon also farmed West Heddon. He had 600 acres. When he finished farming, it was sold to Northumberland County Council who built the little holdings. The Rev. Richard Burdon owned this farm and Nora's grandfather left his job as Manager of Rudchester and went to work for Rev. Burdon as Farm Manager. He was there for 23 years until Rev. Burdon died [1919].
The Rev. Burdon brought a man called Henry up from Somerset(?) [probably Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset] to work on the farm. [This is possibly George Henry Stokes b.1863 at Stourton Caundle, Dorset who was working as a cheese and butter maker at Heddon House Dairy on the 1911 Census.] Henry looked after the beasts and could handle the white bull kept on the farm. When there was a fire, burning hay and the cattle sheds, Henry walked into the building and led the bull out and into a nearby field. Later, in a joling fashion, he was made 'Lord Mayor' of Heddon and called 'Harry the Mayor'.
The Rev. Burdon married his housekeeper. She was much younger than he was..
Nora's father and uncles built some of the houses on Hexham Road, going to Throckley. He built nos. 308 and 301, and her uncles built nos. 312 and 314. They were sold for £650 which included £50 for the land.
Nora describes a photograph of her grandfather, Thomas Watson, with two young draught horses near to the pond opposite the Three Tuns - taken about 1912. Towne Farm, no longer a farm and called 'Four Winds', looking east in the background. A family called Charlton lived at Towne Farm. There was a certain amount of land with Towne Farm which Mr Hedley took over when the Charlton family left. There were three girls in the family: Emily, Lillian and May. All went to school with Nora. Emily and Lillian went with Nora to dances held in the WI Hall. Nora's father built the WI Hall in 1921.
In a photograph of haymaking at the farm near Heddon Dairies (West Heddon), there are many people. The photo is shown here) A lot of the haymakers came from Newburn (the little one is called Burns, she will be a relative of Betty Burns who lived in Heddon). The women haymakers tied their hair up, put on a man's cap, then a scarf around and tucked it well in to keep the chaff out. Celia Scarlett is also on the photograph.
Showing a photograph of the stackyard: in those days women used to work on top of the stack where the sheaves were put into the threshing machine. The women worked in heavy clothes and laced boots, regardless of the heat.
Showing a photograph of Nora's grandfather, Thomas Watson, on the hay rake. Also on the hay rake was Marmaduke Row who married a school teacher from Heddon, a Miss Guy.
Photograph of Nora's grandparents taken at Heddon Steads Farm in Rev. Burdon's time. From left to right - Margaret Watson (Nora's mother), Thomas Watson & Elizabeth Watson (grand-parents), John Robert Watson (Nora's uncle, killed in action 25th October 1917) and Annie Duxfield Watson (Nora's aunt).
Photograph of Nora's Uncle Jack with his sheepdog. Heddon Steads Dairy is in the background. The two windows upstairs on the right were where cheese was made. These rooms had mosaic floors, and after each cheese-making, had to be scrubbed clean.
In a photograph of haymaking at the farm near Heddon Dairies (West Heddon), there are many people. The photo is shown here) A lot of the haymakers came from Newburn (the little one is called Burns, she will be a relative of Betty Burns who lived in Heddon). The women haymakers tied their hair up, put on a man's cap, then a scarf around and tucked it well in to keep the chaff out. Celia Scarlett is also on the photograph.
Showing a photograph of the stackyard: in those days women used to work on top of the stack where the sheaves were put into the threshing machine. The women worked in heavy clothes and laced boots, regardless of the heat.
Showing a photograph of Nora's grandfather, Thomas Watson, on the hay rake. Also on the hay rake was Marmaduke Row who married a school teacher from Heddon, a Miss Guy.
Photograph of Nora's grandparents taken at Heddon Steads Farm in Rev. Burdon's time. From left to right - Margaret Watson (Nora's mother), Thomas Watson & Elizabeth Watson (grand-parents), John Robert Watson (Nora's uncle, killed in action 25th October 1917) and Annie Duxfield Watson (Nora's aunt).
Photograph of Nora's Uncle Jack with his sheepdog. Heddon Steads Dairy is in the background. The two windows upstairs on the right were where cheese was made. These rooms had mosaic floors, and after each cheese-making, had to be scrubbed clean.
SHOPS in HEDDON
Jubilee Cottages - near to the Jubilee Tree (in the area of the Library, 1997).
There was a Post Office in one of these cottages run by a Mrs. Wright and her daughter Harriot Wright.
Granny Hall lived in Jubilee Cottages which were stone flagged, for about six months. (She lived to be over 100 years old and died at 45 Military Road, Heddon on the Wall).
The Square Yard was were a lot of pitmen lived (on the site of Overhill, 1997). They had earth clossets. Big families lived in the Sqaure Yard. The Wren? family had six girls. The mother always wore a beautiful white apron. All the girls did well for themselves.
Some pitmen used to drink heavily - they made £1.10s.0d a week but it was lucky if they got home with their wages intact after a visit to the pub, but the women still had to manage. Nora's mother used to make a rabbit pie and a huge rice pudding and give it to the family next door.
There were quarries on the Common. One man was killed. There was a very deep quarry owned by Mr. Hunter. It was taken over by Walkers. The footpath went over the hill from the Military Road and down to Close House. A gate was put over the footpath blocking the way. Everyone had to walk around and through the long grass. A man, possibly called Carey, used to go and lift the gate off its hinges and lay it down every time he walked that way until the owner got tired of re-fitting the gate. The Common was a mass of bluebells in Spring time. The War came and all the trees were cut down.
For generations, the path to Close House has been used and there was always a track across the field to Wylam. The farmer ploughed it all up. He was questioned about it and told he had to make another path around the field.
There were two red-tiled cottages on the north side of the Common with steps up to them (they should never have been demolished, they were part of history). There was another little cottage on the west of the road up to Hillheads where the Armatages would be born. Again, red-tiled.
There was a family in the village called Tilley. They had 12 children.
Nora's father was the undertaker in the village. All her uncles and grandfather were either stonemasons or joiners. Nora's father and uncles built some of the houses on Hexham Road going to Throckley. He built nos. 308 and 310 and her uncles built nos. 312 and 314. They were sold for £650 which included £50 for the land.
Jubilee Cottages - near to the Jubilee Tree (in the area of the Library, 1997).
There was a Post Office in one of these cottages run by a Mrs. Wright and her daughter Harriot Wright.
Granny Hall lived in Jubilee Cottages which were stone flagged, for about six months. (She lived to be over 100 years old and died at 45 Military Road, Heddon on the Wall).
The Square Yard was were a lot of pitmen lived (on the site of Overhill, 1997). They had earth clossets. Big families lived in the Sqaure Yard. The Wren? family had six girls. The mother always wore a beautiful white apron. All the girls did well for themselves.
Some pitmen used to drink heavily - they made £1.10s.0d a week but it was lucky if they got home with their wages intact after a visit to the pub, but the women still had to manage. Nora's mother used to make a rabbit pie and a huge rice pudding and give it to the family next door.
There were quarries on the Common. One man was killed. There was a very deep quarry owned by Mr. Hunter. It was taken over by Walkers. The footpath went over the hill from the Military Road and down to Close House. A gate was put over the footpath blocking the way. Everyone had to walk around and through the long grass. A man, possibly called Carey, used to go and lift the gate off its hinges and lay it down every time he walked that way until the owner got tired of re-fitting the gate. The Common was a mass of bluebells in Spring time. The War came and all the trees were cut down.
For generations, the path to Close House has been used and there was always a track across the field to Wylam. The farmer ploughed it all up. He was questioned about it and told he had to make another path around the field.
There were two red-tiled cottages on the north side of the Common with steps up to them (they should never have been demolished, they were part of history). There was another little cottage on the west of the road up to Hillheads where the Armatages would be born. Again, red-tiled.
There was a family in the village called Tilley. They had 12 children.
Nora's father was the undertaker in the village. All her uncles and grandfather were either stonemasons or joiners. Nora's father and uncles built some of the houses on Hexham Road going to Throckley. He built nos. 308 and 310 and her uncles built nos. 312 and 314. They were sold for £650 which included £50 for the land.
