Some information sent by Peter Chapman (December 2013)
I am enclosing a copy of some info sent by my friend Rob Armstrong, whose father used to operate a coal delivery business and lived latterly in the last house in Heddon on the Military Road a few years ago.
The lady he mentions is a friend of his older sister's, now in her 70's.
Her grandfather worked at the former blacksmith's shop next to the Jingling Gate a long time ago. She also told me today that he moved from there to Heddon, actually to the former Smithy we know as part of the Swan. He either worked there, or owned it, prior to Amos's having it. His surname was Swift.
A little bit more history which you may or may not know or even be interested in:
Amos's operated in the former Smithy next to the Swan for a lot of years until the Brewery clawed it back on the death of Bertha [Reay]. It had originally been owned by her father, and one of the conditions, as I understand, was that when he sold it to the Brewery she had the rights to operate it as a pub until she died, or as long as she wanted it. However Bertha did move out to the bungalow next to the pub but when she died Amos's had to find other premises. As you know they moved next to the Library in their newly built place (demolished not long ago).
Prior to that, I actually had my very first pony called Dolly shoed at the former Smithy next to the Swan when I was about 11 years old by Ridley and Charlton's father. After that that time they began to concentrate more on agricultural equipment and machinery rather than farrier work. At around about 1972, Ridley converted our first coal `grab' Ford Major tractor machine at the former Smithy (albeit outside as it was to big to go inside).
The lady he mentions is a friend of his older sister's, now in her 70's.
Her grandfather worked at the former blacksmith's shop next to the Jingling Gate a long time ago. She also told me today that he moved from there to Heddon, actually to the former Smithy we know as part of the Swan. He either worked there, or owned it, prior to Amos's having it. His surname was Swift.
A little bit more history which you may or may not know or even be interested in:
Amos's operated in the former Smithy next to the Swan for a lot of years until the Brewery clawed it back on the death of Bertha [Reay]. It had originally been owned by her father, and one of the conditions, as I understand, was that when he sold it to the Brewery she had the rights to operate it as a pub until she died, or as long as she wanted it. However Bertha did move out to the bungalow next to the pub but when she died Amos's had to find other premises. As you know they moved next to the Library in their newly built place (demolished not long ago).
Prior to that, I actually had my very first pony called Dolly shoed at the former Smithy next to the Swan when I was about 11 years old by Ridley and Charlton's father. After that that time they began to concentrate more on agricultural equipment and machinery rather than farrier work. At around about 1972, Ridley converted our first coal `grab' Ford Major tractor machine at the former Smithy (albeit outside as it was to big to go inside).