Oral history recording of Mr. and Mrs. Hall, speaking about village life in Heddon in the years between c.1904 and 1914
Recording made 08/02/1978, available at Northumberland Archives,
reference T/114 and T/116
Notes made by A Curtis 12/08/2011 (see blog)
reference T/114 and T/116
Notes made by A Curtis 12/08/2011 (see blog)
Mr [Robert] Hall was born in Newburn in 1894 and moved to Heddon in 1924. Both of his parents came from Newburn and his father was employed as a blacksmith. He died in February 1987.
Mrs [Isabella] Hall was born in Heddon in 1894. Her parents, Mr and Mrs Gibson, also came from the village, and were part of one of the oldest village families. Her father worked as a stoneman at Heddon Colliery.
Mrs Hall starts off with an account of the houses she in which she used to live in the village. She was born in a cottage at one end of Blue Row and later moved to Iron Sign. Her father, Mr Gibson, worked as a stoneman at Heddon Colliery, walking there from Iron Sign for each night shift. He also did part-time work on local farms. Blue Row were Clayton's houses, later bought by the colliery and the four cottages on one end were made into two, but this was after she had left. The family later returned to the village and lived in one of the three cottages below the Swan.
There were also two rows of pit houses behind the library, and others around Square Yard. Other pit men were in private houses. The colliery houses had two bedrooms, living room, and a small back kitchen. All water had to be carried. The toilet was an outside, ''ash midden'.
There were also two rows of pit houses behind the library, and others around Square Yard. Other pit men were in private houses. The colliery houses had two bedrooms, living room, and a small back kitchen. All water had to be carried. The toilet was an outside, ''ash midden'.
Discussion of scavenging of the middens led to a description of the work of her aunt, Miss [Hannah] Gibson. She had a butchers shop but when that went bankrupt she ran a carrier business, employing 2-3 men. Along with scavenging of the middens, she held a contract to pick up coal from the depot down Station Bank and deliver it to private individuals. Also collected stone from Newburn and Wylam railway stations for road building. The stones would have to get emptied at a certain time or else she'd get a fine. She ran a carrying business along with her brother, David Gibson, twice each week to Newcastle (stall in Newgate Street). Collect and deliver goods of all sorts for delivery on the road back. The cart was covered to keep goods dry.
They were the only carrying business in Heddon at that time. From further out, there were other carriers: Heads from Matfen, Beatty from Whittington. They would deliver butter, eggs and rabbits in Heddon on Friday, stay in Newcastle overnight and return the next day. There were a range of other hawkers and salesmen, regular or passing through.
Heddon had several shops: Post Office [Jubillee House], colliery shop in the Square (Stephenson's), Mrs Waugh's shop in Haddock's Hole (3 cottages beside the Three Tuns).
Apart from the pit (which employed Mrs Hall's father, uncle and several cousins), other employment in Heddon included the farms, stone quarrying and stone masons. Hunter's Quarry was on the Common near Houghton.
Mrs Hall's aunt, Miss Gibson, told her that Church House was a pub before the Swan. Family called Malthouse. Hen's were kept on the open ground. Opposite Blue Row there were hen houses and pig stys. Her father, a trained butcher, killed pigs for the miners and dressed bacon.
House painting and decorating was carried out by several people. Mrs Tate widowed with two children [Ethel & Jack], who lived in the lodge at Freeman's Farm (Bays Leap), was one. Her father was coachman. Her mother did a lot of the midwife work, along with Mrs Gibson (another aunt). They were booked up before hand.
There was no doctor in Heddon; two in Wylam: Dr Bishop and Dr McColl. They would come on horse or bicycle, twice a week unless sent for. The village call house was Jane Gibson's. So much a week was paid. The doctor would call there and pick up messages. If you wanted your medicine you had to walk to Wylam to get it. The undertaker (and joiner) was a Mr Birtley who lived near the vicarage.
Mrs Hall talked about her childhood and attendance at Heddon School. There were three teachers (Miss Hall, Miss Stephenson and Miss Read) and the school-master (and organist, Mr Pestle. Children came from West and East Heddon, and Blayney Row. Exercise books had to be paid for ('a copper or two'). Sunday School was held twice each Sunday. Majority went to St Andrew's Church, others to the Chapel. There was a Sunday School outing every year to seaside, first by train, later by bus. There were school tea parties at Close House.
The first motor buses operated in Heddon around 1924. Journey would be Heddon to Condercum Road (Benwell) operating from a garage in Prudhoe (later burnt out). Later there was a 12-seater bus from Blucher. Alternative would be walk to Heddon Station to get train to town, 1/- return, 25 minutes each way. Old Infirmary was by the Cattle Market near Central Station - demolished around 1910. Jackie Miller and Mr Kirk had brakes (horse carriages) , stabled at Throckley. They would run from Throckley to Newburn Station for every train that arrived. It would cost 6d for the journey to Throckley. A trap could be hired from Mr Reay, publican of the White Swan, for a day's outing (e.g. to Hexham). Brakes were used by the Newburn Football team for travelling to games in surrounding villages. Newcastle Brewery built the new pub.
Heddon pond was used by local farmers and drovers to water cattle. Richard 'Spitty Dick' Thompson, landlord of the Three Tuns, kept ducks there. It was used for skating when frozen in winter. Hoppings were held on grassy areas around the pond. Jimmy Read built a garage near the pond.
Once a year, around June, there was a Heddon picnic. 'everybody showed stuff...and there was sports for the children'. Other villages held picnics on other days. They were organised by a village committee. The men had foot and bicycle races. There were stalls and a big marquee. Garden produce (leeks), jam etc. It was on the Crag Field. A wet day would be a calamity.
c1900, the village policeman was PC Ireland. He lived in Clayton Terrace, the second house up.
Once a year, around June, there was a Heddon picnic. 'everybody showed stuff...and there was sports for the children'. Other villages held picnics on other days. They were organised by a village committee. The men had foot and bicycle races. There were stalls and a big marquee. Garden produce (leeks), jam etc. It was on the Crag Field. A wet day would be a calamity.
c1900, the village policeman was PC Ireland. He lived in Clayton Terrace, the second house up.
No dog racing in Heddon. Whippets were raced at Newcastle and Blaydon and there was Greyhound coursing at Ovington once a year. Quoits were very popular, on a pitch behind the White Swan. The village Reading Room was used for billiards, dominos and newspapers. Men at the pit paid 1d a week, taken from their wages, others would have to pay it. Whist drives and dances were popular in the village, held at the School or Reading Room, usually on a Friday night (sometimes Tuesday). They were organised by Mr Hunter, Mr Anderson (head gardener at Close House) and Mr Pestle (school master). Piano and fiddle were played by Wolland from Mushroom Row and his brother from Blucher. Other concerts were held too, like those at the school in winter time. Bands would visit from Spencer's Steel Works (Newburn), Throckley and Ovington.
Throckley Co-op came round once a week with the provision's cart. At weekend, would have to walk there. Pig killing was a special occassion.
The colliery managers at Throckley and Heddon were [Matthew] Cheesman and [William] Musgrove. Musgrove lived in Walbottle and moved to Heddon. He had two sisters and three brothers. 'He joined in with the village'. Mrs Hall tells the following tale of Fenwick Charlton, engineer for the Throckley Coal Company: 'Him and Joby got too much to drink here and they broke into Heddon Chapel. They cut themselves with glass and stuff and they had to buy a new bible for the chapel'.
Mrs Hall then talked about operation of the Heddon Coal Depot. Tubs were brought up from the colliery on an endless wire to the wooden depot building. Coal was picked up by horse and cart. There was a 13 cwt limit. Cost was 1/- per cwt. The depot clerk was Mr Hunter. Mr Elliot was the colliery coal leader who had a horse and cart to deliver coal for the colliery (to the pit men). They both had houses at the depot.
As well as Heddon village there were colliery houses at Moor Court and Blayney Row. There were no special houses for the colliery officials in Heddon. Mr Snowdon, the engine driver, moved to a house down at the colliery. Willie Gibson drove the dilly engine to Newburn Station. The pit railway ran parallel to the main railway line taking coal to Newburn Steel Works. A line from Throckley Maria crossed the main road twice. Wagons would run past the Centurion pub.
Discussion of farms in Heddon area around 1910. At Houghton, Laws had farm on one side, March on the other. Freeman's farm at Bay's Leap 'they were always looked up at' (gentry). They had a coachman at the lodge [opposite The Three Tuns]. Mordues farm at Heddon Station specialised in strawberries. In the season, 30 pickers started at 5am, paid 1/2d per quart. Strawberries were put on 8am train for Newcastle market each morning. Milk was bought from Heddon Banks Farm. A quart can of old milk was 1/2d. You had to take your own can. Spearman's had farm at West Heddon. Rev. Burdon (gentry) at Heddon House, lodge near opencast on north road. The gentlemen farmers had farm workers ('hinds'). Farmers went to 'hirings' in Newcastle or Hexham once a year (in May). Hire was for 12 months but kept on if liked. Servants were hired for 6 months.
As well as Heddon village there were colliery houses at Moor Court and Blayney Row. There were no special houses for the colliery officials in Heddon. Mr Snowdon, the engine driver, moved to a house down at the colliery. Willie Gibson drove the dilly engine to Newburn Station. The pit railway ran parallel to the main railway line taking coal to Newburn Steel Works. A line from Throckley Maria crossed the main road twice. Wagons would run past the Centurion pub.
Discussion of farms in Heddon area around 1910. At Houghton, Laws had farm on one side, March on the other. Freeman's farm at Bay's Leap 'they were always looked up at' (gentry). They had a coachman at the lodge [opposite The Three Tuns]. Mordues farm at Heddon Station specialised in strawberries. In the season, 30 pickers started at 5am, paid 1/2d per quart. Strawberries were put on 8am train for Newcastle market each morning. Milk was bought from Heddon Banks Farm. A quart can of old milk was 1/2d. You had to take your own can. Spearman's had farm at West Heddon. Rev. Burdon (gentry) at Heddon House, lodge near opencast on north road. The gentlemen farmers had farm workers ('hinds'). Farmers went to 'hirings' in Newcastle or Hexham once a year (in May). Hire was for 12 months but kept on if liked. Servants were hired for 6 months.
Looking at old photo of the Three Tuns c1910 on day of hunt. After Armatage, who also had the blacksmith's shop, Robert 'Spitty Dick' Thompson was landlord. He came from Gateshead. Hoppings were round the pond. Hunt met at 12 o' clock the Three Tuns, two or three times a year (between September and March). Hounds were kept by Captain Straker of Tynedale Hunt at Stagshaw Bank. Children let out of school to see them. Attached to the Tuns was the blacksmith's shop and stables where horses were shod by Mr Armatage. Mr Thompson had ducks on the pond and the school yard was at the back.
Chare Bank was between, a short-cut to Clayton Terrace and Blue Row. There was a water tank at the top near Mushroom Row. Tenant of Freeman's Farm had rights of the seven springs. There was a corn mill there, on the Dewley Burn which joins the Tyne at Newburn. There were 6 taps in the village: one below the tank, one at the pond, two in the Square Yard, one below the Chapel and one in Blue Row. If water went off they went to a spring along the Hexham Road, below the Common. Another spring in March's field at Houghton. Water was carried using an iron square (made by the blacksmith) with a pail in each hand. When the taps were frozen you had to bring hot water to thaw them out.
The Lord Mayor came every seven years by steamer boat to Newburn to claim boundary for Duke of Northumberland. They walked from there to the Kissing Stone. The prettiest girl from the spectators was kissed and got a gold sovereign. Annie Snowdon was picked once (she lived in Square Yard). The Newburn 'bell-man' (Billy Stones) shouted news (like the relief of Mafeking in Boer War). The Heddon 'bell-man' was 'Harry the Mayor' , a little old man who dressed up in a red jacket and hat, a long chain and a great big button hole and went around the village once a year in the summer on George Reay's donkey followed by little ones. He was the cowman at Heddon Steads. It was followed by tea in the Crag Field.
Throckley had a 'caller up', a man paid for by the miners, to wake up men with chalk marks on the doors. There was none in Heddon. Mrs Hall's aunt would do removals. Paid by people for 'shifting them'. The hearse house is still next to the Church. A horse and driver were borrowed locally. It was arranged by undertakers from Heddon. There were two: Birtley and Murray.
Mrs Hall discussed her employment at Heddon Banks Farm when she left school at age 13. Worked for Mr and Mrs Shields doing farm work and then house work (c1907-1922). 'There was perhaps eight girls of us out in the fields....' Her father was living in Carters Cottages (middle one of three) having moved there from Iron Sign. They were 'bondage cottages', owned by the farmer, and each house paid a small rent of half-a-crown and had to provide someone to do farm work. One daughter had to work out in the fields. Scott and Ramsay were in the other two cottages. I went with the Shield family when they moved to Smeaton [south of Darlington]. The end cottage ['The Cottage'] was tied to a grocers' shop in Throckley. The tenant had to pay so much rent and buy all the groceries from Mr Bone. Tenants were Pattinsons (worked at the pit), Birtley, Mrs Simpson (a widow), Mrs Proudlock (widow) and Strone. Shield bought the cottage from Mr Bone to make four, but there is a gap of about a foot between the cottage and the three next door.. Shield was previously a draper from Stockton. The second Mr Shield bought the farm from from Claytons after the sale. Previous occupants were a Miss Lamb, then Hunters.
Sir James Knott sold up in 1924 to go to Jersey and tenants had first choice to buy houses. Auctioneer came from Rothbury. Heddon Banks was sold later. There were local auctioneers: March (at Rift farm), one of the two brothers at Houghton, and Tommy Pattinson.
