Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Geordie Hemmings leather strap was an old barbers' strop; he'd removed the brass teather buckle from the end (the end that hit you) but retained the handle. I was VERY, VERY familiar with this strap. Puplic whacking on stage for really serious stuff and other whacking in the medical room (next to the Main Entrance).

Probably my most serious misdeed was letting a banger off during the Lord's Prayer in assembly for which I eventually got 'six of the best' and my Dad was called in ... I 'got the belt' when I got home. The action was a hoot, banger lit, chucked under the chairs to about 5 rows towards the front, bang - I swear the whole assembly lifted off their chairs with fright. Obviously, Geordie stopped proceedings, marched to where the incident had happened, held back all those behind the scene (maybe 8 rows) and dismissed the rest of the assembly. Danny Douglas and Mr Hogg then removed those to the side and sent them on their way which left about a dozen of us. We were subjected to a closer process of elimination until Danny stood before me. "You boy, empty your pockets", he growled ... spare bangers, a lighter and a packet of snouts were found. Whacking followed ... ah, happy days.

More tales may follow ....

Edited by Symptoms
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aye yi skittering young ched!!

Symptoms,ye reminded me aboot me friend Norman,[Deceased R.I.P.],who was in trouble every other day,at the Whitley School,in the early 1950's.

Banger time was his favourite time of the year!

One morning,just before Guy Fawkes day,we were walking through the Dr Pit Park,on the way to school,adjacent to the Whitley,when Norman lit a Ha'apenny banger,and put into another lad's jacket pocket..it blew the pocket off the coat,and started burning the coat lining.

For the younger ones,if you had a shilling,[five pence in today's money],you could get 12 penny bangers,or 24 ha'apenny[halfpenny]

bangers....Norman always had bunches of either ones in his pockets,along with several "Jumpy-Jacks".

Come on,you started the ball rolling,what else did you get wacked for?....i got Danny Douglas's sandshoe across the back of me legs

quite often,for "forgetting" me P.T.kit,cos i hated sport.

I always loved being in the gym,doing the circuit training,or especially all-in hand/football,cos Danny always went on one of the sides,alternating each time,for fairness,and when he was on the other team,our team would chase him down the gym,and pull him down,even if he didn't have the ball,and we/i wouldn't half give him a few digs in the ribs to get our own back on him!!...he would curl up in a big ball,and laugh his heart out!

I talked about this to him just before he died,and we had a good laugh about it,he said he always liked to do that,wherever he taught,cos it

gave the lads a legitimate chance to vent off....[we couldn't hurt him...we weren't big enough!!],but it helped us to grow to like and respect him.

He said one night he went down to get fish and chips,for his Wife,and Himself,for supper,about 8-30pm,when he bumped into some of his old pupils ,who were heading for the Cherry tree pub,they asked him to join them for a pint....he never bought a drink,and went home legless,about 11-0pm!.....that's how much he was thought of.

He said it nearly caused a divorce in his house!This is nothing confidential,Danny had me laughing,he was surely the greatest P.T.

Teacher there ever was!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HPW - I'm so happy to read that tale of Danny Douglas being invited for a drink by some of his former pupils; I would love to have met him in later life. I, and many others here, have often posted warm tales about him. He also taught Maths during my time and in addition did five-a-side football for the School's Youth Club on Monday and Wednesday evenings in the sports hall. The footy finished at 9pm when us lads would go down to the Market Place Club and 'blag' our way in past the door gadgie, pay our tanner transfer to get into the weekly gigs in the upstairs hall.

Danny also did a careers advice class when we were in the 4th Year. We were asked to fill in a form and declare our ambitions; I wrote I wanted to be a film star, needless to say once he read through the forms and when came to mine he must have thought I was taking the piss (I wasn't ... I really did want to be a film star). Classic Danny followed: "You boy, stand on the red square so the blood won't show" and the whacking followed. I've posted previously a description of his method of using 'The Whacker' - a section of butter barrel with a chalked cross on the business end ... loads of lads later seen wandering the premises with imprinted white Xs on their grey trousered arses. Ah, happy days and a top man ... IMO the greatest teacher, EVER!

Tales of the 'Great Travelling Shop Robbery' to follow ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

See? Aam not just glorifying Danny cos He's not with us noo,the lads in my class thought the world of him,at the time,cos he took an interest wi thim,mind,aal be honest,a hated the times when it rained,and he would ask the lads what they wanted ti dae......ASKED THEM!!.

Other teachers would have told them,not asked them.....anyway,what a hated was when the sporty lads in the class wanted to have a sports quiz,cos the sporty lads also happened to be a group of verbal bullies,and i was their prime target for two years.[for no reason...cos they came from Guide post school,and i came from the Whitley.]

Noo,they took delight in making a fool of me,by asking me,[in the quiz..] who won the F.A.cup in 1922...[or stupid questions like that!]

Well,if i had said i don't know,but can you tell what Ohm's law states,and how does a cathode-follower circuit work,in a radio......they would have just said i was more stupid!!

So i used to look like i was racking my brains...when i really hadn't a clue!!

Man,i detested those days!..it was the only part of my time at Westridge,that i hated,these bullies

constantly on my back,and you know,i never said a word to anyone about it,not my Parents,Teachers,no-one!!

Now a couple of years after i left School,i was working really hard,on heavy transport of machinery etc,at Choppington High Pit,and had grown up a bit from a wee skinny thing,too a lad wi a body,not huge,still slim,but hard muscles everywhere.

I was waiting at the Bedlington Station railway crossing,waiting for a coal set to pass,when a car pulled up,and guess who the driver was!!...spot on!......the ring-leader of the set of school bullies!

Noo,aa was twice the size of him,cos aa had shot up,a cud see his head trying to peer over the dash on the car,and it was evident that he was one of these lads who were "big",when you were small,but as time went by...he hadn't shot up at all,he had skinny little arms holding the wheel!

EEEE...yi naa wat,a felt like saying,howweh,oot thi car,yi had as much ti say when yi had ya gang,noo it's just yi an me!!

But as iv'e said many a time,yi had ti grow up mighty quick,when yi worked doon the pit,among older miners,just ti survive!!

So a said,"halloww Trev,hoo yi gettn on mate?""Ain't seen yi since we were at school"

A think he was relieved that a was civil,and friendly with him!!

Mind,a wud luv ti see aal them lads noo,for a gud crack!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Noo,after aal that trivia,aam dying ti hear aboot "Symptoms-the great travelling shop robbery...."

A bet it started wi an apple......!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you all sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin ...

Each day during morning break (playtime) the Co-op travelling shop used to arrive and park next to the boiler house (next to the school's kitchen) at the back of the school. This big van had a single rear door that allowed access to the 'shop floor' and counter that ran across the width of the vehicle. The shop was crammed with stock on shelves behind the counter where the gadgie used to serve from. However, on the customer platform (the 'shop floor') there were four large wire biscuit racks holding packs of biscuits - jaffa cakes, McVities chocolate digestives, fig rolls, rich teas and custard creams. The plan for the robberies entailed cramming loads of First Year kids onto the platform then us 'big lads' would creep up and reach through the youngsters legs a nick packs of biscuits; we then made our escape to the back of the PE store hut to consume the loot. This action went on for a number of weeks but ended when a teacher was assigned to guard the shop - I reckon the Co-op must have complained to the Headmaster about the losses. We were never captured for this. Ah, happy day! I think I may have posted this tale previously but can't remember.

Tales of the 'Great Fruit Lorry Heist' to follow ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

See? Aam not just glorifying Danny cos He's not with us noo,the lads in my class thought the world of him,at the time,cos he took an interest wi thim,mind,aal be honest,a hated the times when it rained,and he would ask the lads what they wanted ti dae......ASKED THEM!!.

Other teachers would have told them,not asked them.....anyway,what a hated was when the sporty lads in the class wanted to have a sports quiz,cos the sporty lads also happened to be a group of verbal bullies,and i was their prime target for two years.[for no reason...cos they came from Guide post school,and i came from the Whitley.]

Noo,they took delight in making a fool of me,by asking me,[in the quiz..] who won the F.A.cup in 1922...[or stupid questions like that!]

Well,if i had said i don't know,but can you tell what Ohm's law states,and how does a cathode-follower circuit work,in a radio......they would have just said i was more stupid!!

So i used to look like i was racking my brains...when i really hadn't a clue!!

Man,i detested those days!..it was the only part of my time at Westridge,that i hated,these bullies

constantly on my back,and you know,i never said a word to anyone about it,not my Parents,Teachers,no-one!!

Now a couple of years after i left School,i was working really hard,on heavy transport of machinery etc,at Choppington High Pit,and had grown up a bit from a wee skinny thing,too a lad wi a body,not huge,still slim,but hard muscles everywhere.

I was waiting at the Bedlington Station railway crossing,waiting for a coal set to pass,when a car pulled up,and guess who the driver was!!...spot on!......the ring-leader of the set of school bullies!

Noo,aa was twice the size of him,cos aa had shot up,a cud see his head trying to peer over the dash on the car,and it was evident that he was one of these lads who were "big",when you were small,but as time went by...he hadn't shot up at all,he had skinny little arms holding the wheel!

EEEE...yi naa wat,a felt like saying,howweh,oot thi car,yi had as much ti say when yi had ya gang,noo it's just yi an me!!

But as iv'e said many a time,yi had ti grow up mighty quick,when yi worked doon the pit,among older miners,just ti survive!!

So a said,"halloww Trev,hoo yi gettn on mate?""Ain't seen yi since we were at school"

A think he was relieved that a was civil,and friendly with him!!

Mind,a wud luv ti see aal them lads noo,for a gud crack!!

The bully must have smoked a lot. It stumped his growth :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And now for the tale of the 'Great Fruit Lorry Heist' ...

It must have been one morning in the Spring of '66 when that laden lorry lurched into view bearing its bounty into the plump clutches of the school's cook. The puffing beast (the lorry, not the cook) shuddered to a halt with grinding gears and screaming howls of protest from its straining brakes just beyond the cook's rear delivery door. Engine still spluttering with a thunderous pant the driver leapt forth with news of his fare into the arms of the plump cook within. The signal went up and waves of boys with intrepid young Sym in the van clambered aboard amongst the mountainous load ripping forth sacks of fruit and veg to behold. The manor was caste to the hordes below when suddenly the truck with a crash of gears trundled away with it's addition load of scavenging youth. Away we sped, what a sight to be sure, as ragged-trousered lads fell from the deck the lorry bouncing in tune. As if by magic the truck slewed still those that remained scuttled safely away. The gadgie driver chasing way behind gathered his charge returning to the plump cook to supply her plentiful needs.

This is a true story ... nobody was caught including the boy driver. I do know his name but won't reveal it here ... he was the school's 'daddy' and 'boss' of the smoking area. The driver should never have left the keys in the ignition or the engine running!

More tales to follow ... maybe "The Great Grand Piano Scandal".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This pic is from "Historical Architecture of Northumberland.

When the Westridge School opened its doors to pupils for the first time in 1957 the farmhouse was still there and was opposite the school but I cannot remember the exact site where it was located. I'm pretty sure that the Ridge farm pub was not built on the site of the farmhouse but think that Netherton club is where it was positioned.

Can someone please help?

post-2987-0-56570700-1363271138_thumb.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it was where the entrance to Mesdowdale now is!

Seem to remember a pathway where the road runs It was good for blackberry picking.

Those Ghosts again the music has just cut into Mark Knoppler and leaving Northumberland.

'For some damned town that's God forsaken'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi James!

Westridge opened in August/September 1956,[not 1957],I started there the first day it opened.

The farm was just about opposite and to the right,cos me being a nature-boy all my life,i distinctly

remember standing at the Schoolgates,at break-times,[we were big lads ,noo,nae "play-times"for us!],

with my friends,Martin,Dennis,Derek,Pete,and others,watching the coos waaking in a lang line,up the field,

at the same time ivry day,to be milked.[aye!!,we DID used to produce summik wasell's,in them days!]

One day,we aal rushed owa ti the gates cos tha was a helluva lot of moo-in' gannin on.

Just across from us in the field opposite the gates,aal the coos were in a circle,mooin'like hell!

We aal just stood,wonderin wat thi hell was gaan on,when,after a quarta of an 'oor,or sae,sum of the coos moved aroond,and here we saw wat the commotion was.....

A mother was giving birth to a babby coo..!

Within anotha ten minutes the babby was struggling ti get up onto it's legs,ti waak.

Then wa break was owa,it must hae been wa dinner break,for the length of time we stood there watching this miracle of nature.

For weeks after we watched that little coo grow,even though the rest of the herd aal calved,but none of them so close to the road that we could watch.

A never forgot that.

A sad memory about Westridge was,one cold February snowy morning,a was hurrying up to the School entrance,when a heard me name

being caaled oot,from behind.

Me mate,Pete,was hurrying ti catch me up,"Bill,hae yi hord thi news on the wireless?"...."No Pete,wat news?"...[we had nae telly in them days]

"Buddy Holly's been killed in a plane crash".....

A didn't believe him at first,then when he said "Honest Bill,Mother's Death..."...then a knew it was true,and a nearly burst into tears,even though i was 14 yrs old at the time,and in another 12 months time,a would be working underground in the coalmines..like a said before...growing up

fast.!!

But this news brought a lot older people than me,to tears,it was a day i will take to my grave,i couldn't concentrate on my lessons,i kept thinking about my older Brother,3years older,both born on the same day,three years apart,and he was already a miner of two years experience.

He was down the pit and wouldn't have heard this tragic news,and he was the biggest Buddy Holly fan i ever knew,along with myself.

To this day,and I am approaching 70 years,next year,i can still play Buddy's songs,like "Peggy Sue, Oh Boy, Peggy Sue got married" etc!

Only thing is,noo,Buddy had that much energy,he didn't knaa that aad bugga's like me,wi knackered hands [pit injuries],and a knackered pair o' lungs [pit dust][,short o' breath,wadn't be able ti belt his songs oot like he did,more like a feeble attempt ti try and dae thim,purely for nostalgia

and self-enjoyment.!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Noo,back ti Symptoms' wicked tales of a cad ,and a bounder,maybe even a Montgomery....to boot!!

A canna wait ti hear aboot the Great Grand Piano Scandal!![me being a musician.....]

Sym,aam in the process of writing my life story,[been at it for over two or three years...a bit at a time...],

noo hae yi ever thowt aboot daeing thi syem thing,but only recalling your wicked deeds!...aam sure it would make very interesting reading!!!

Get started!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Wilma

The only people in the classrooms in 1956 were the builders.

I can assure you the school opened in Sept 1957, ask some of your old school pals.

In Paul Mann's book he writes about the school opening for the first time in his chapter on "1957"

I'm sure there must be a few old pupils (othere the two of us) that can help us confirm the date.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And so ... "The Great Grand Piano Scandal".

It was a drudge always being marched into morning assembly expecting the same old God bothering tosh. Us kids stacked-up from front to back, boys on the left, girls on the right, with the beaks on guard at the outside edge. In he'd march with his team in tow to mount the stage, with a scowl to check all was well he'd signal us all to sit down at ease and those tubular chairs with their canvass slings, clattered back to take the strain. When he'd move forward to the lecturn spot and command us all to sing then his wife at the piano crashed down the keys ... THUD, THUD, THUD.

One morning before school started I pinched a roll of Izal* bog paper from the boys' netty, then crept into the assembly hall via the stage doors (back corridor near the workshops and changing rooms). The piano was always parked on stage ready for Mrs Hemmings to bash-out the tunes. I lifted the lid, depressed the sustain pedal (to lift the hammers off the strings) and slipped in a double layers of bog paper into the space between hammers and strings. Closing the piano lid I then made my escape. The effect of this was to completely muffle the piano's action rendering it silent ... I knew about how pianos worked because I went for piano lessons. I'd noticed that Mrs Hemmings always had a exuberant playing style and she usually led-in with a rather flash, and extended introduction to the hymns ... a perfect target for a jolly jape. I was never caught.

*Izal bog paper - hard shiny stuff ... non-absorbant and could easily produce 'paper cuts'. Amazingly, it's still available!

Perhaps next time - "Tales from School Camp".

Edited by Symptoms
Link to comment
Share on other sites

And so ... "The Great Grand Piano Scandal".

It was a drudge always being marched into morning assembly expecting the same old God bothering tosh. Us kids stacked-up from front to back, boys on the left, girls on the right, with the beaks on guard at the outside edge. In he'd march with his team in tow to mount the stage, with a scowl to check all was well he'd signal us all to sit down at ease and those tubular chairs with their canvass slings, clattered back to take the strain. When he'd move forward to the lecturn spot and command us all to sing then his wife at the piano crashed down the keys ... THUD, THUD, THUD.

One morning before school started I pinched a roll of Izal* bog paper from the boys' netty, then crept into the assembly hall via the stage doors (back corridor near the workshops and changing rooms). The piano was always parked on stage ready for Mrs Hemmings to bash-out the tunes. I lifted the lid, depressed the sustain pedal (to lift the hammers off the strings) and slipped in a double layers of bog paper into the space between hammers and strings. Closing the piano lid I then made my escape. The effect of this was to completely muffle the piano's action rendering it silent ... I knew about how pianos worked because I went for piano lessons. I'd noticed that Mrs Hemmings always had a exuberant playing style and she usually led-in with a rather flash, and extended introduction to the hymns ... a perfect target for a jolly jape. I was never caught.

*Izal bog paper - hard shiny stuff ... non-absorbant and could easily produce 'paper cuts'. Amazingly, it's still available!

Perhaps next time - "Tales from School Camp".

Izal paper.

Very handy stuff for pianos & being used as tracing paper for maps in Geography.

For years I thought the capital of Brazil was: "Now wash your hands please"!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Symptoms.....iv'e just gotten oot o' bed,after suffering a stomach bug..[diaorhh...and sickness....],,,,,,and now you haven't half cheered me up with this tale!!!...how the hell did you think them up?

Keep em coming...!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HPW wrote: "... how the hell did you think them up?"

I was a naughty little boy.

I'm at an age now, a bit like Michael Corleone in Godfather II, sitting in my chair reviewing my life - minding past escapades and thinking of old friends. I'm surprised at how vivid my recall is ... it bodes well for the old grey matter not shrivelling away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi James,i don't know who Paul Mann is...maybe Jimmy Mann's [the policeman in Bedlington at the time]Son?...no?

Maybe the official opening of the school was in 1957,as they do with these thing,all the dignitaries etc,and of course the builder's were in the classrooms in 1956,didn't i tell you that we all got sent home on the first day,by Mr Hemming,because the stationary,and pens and pencils hadn't been delivered?Things were cocked up in a few places,such as the outside landscaping,etc.

Now we started on the morning of the next day,but didn't commence lessons for a week or more.

Don't forget,everybody was new to this school,the Staff and Pupils alike,had to learn where every classroom and facility was,all the fire escape routes,drill,assembly points,fire points,Headmaster's rules,this daft "House system",then there was the whole School curriculum,the selection of those that were considered bright enough to be put up into the "Upper Remove"[and Middle,and lower remove also]....all this organisation had to be put into place,and i can tell you,that,coming from a smaller school like the Whitley Memorial,the organising of 500 pupils,in one block,as opposed to the normal school intake,was a helluva project!!

I can distinctly remember just wandering all around the school and grounds with groups of my friends,like it was a holiday camp,just familiarising ourselves with the general layout,marvelling at the Science labs,the Metalwork shop......Metalwork...???????...what was that?!!!

Biology lab,.....again...what was that?!!!

.....a stage with full theatrical lighting system and control panel....wow!!

By contrast,the old Whitley was a run-down shanty school with archaic teaching curriculum..

When we left the Whitley,Maths was long-division,and History was all about the Dinosaur age.

Suddenly,at Westridge,we were thrust into simple and compound interest,and pretty soon,Logarithms,and Algebra.

Kids from the other Schools were fully up to date,but to me and my friends,log tables were tables made of logs!!We had never heard of Mr Abrahart's Crimean war in 1854!![a bit of a jump from the Dinosaur age....!]

Well,here i go again...just can't help myself from rabbiting can i?!!

Now when i can get to my school classwork folder,and my reports and leaving certificate,which i have safely filed away,but very difficult to access,i will see if i can scan them and post them,along with my school badge from my blazer,which is still as good as new![quality wear in those days!!]

1956 was a long year,for the builders to do the snagging,till August/September when the big day came for us....no doubt about it!!

As for books,no disrespect intended,but to show how mis-prints go through proof-reading,the Durham Mining Museum

Archives clearly state official N.C.B.figures,as Choppington B colliery working the "Upper Busty" ,in 1959.......

Well,i know it's nowt to do wi Westridge,but by way of good example,Choppington B pit only worked the Beaumont seam,in 1959, and didn't start to drift down to the Top Busty,until about 1961-ish,with a workforce of about 300

men,in 1959 [not 600 as stated] ,but rising to 600 by closure in 1966.[how do i know?..cos i started the pit

IN 1959.....!]So am i to dispute these good author's?

Let's just rest at knowing what we know,without having to really accept all we read,due to mis-prints and other typo's!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of my good schoolmate's was Micky Lucas,Son of Sargent Lucas,a massive bloke,and much feared in small Bedlington,in the old days![this was at the old Police Station,at the top-end]

Micky was over 6' tall at 14 years old,and the most gentlest,quiet-spoken,good-humoured lad you would want for a school-mate.

I often wonder how he got on after leaving school,i can name all of my mates right through school from thi infants..up to leaving....well,almost all,give or take one or two!![that includes girls as well!..including some

who came and didn't stay long,to go to another school]

Bobby Cross started the village infants school when i did,and is on the class photo i would like to post here.

As a ten year-old,he wanted to be a journalist.At fourteen he played Mark Antony in the School Dramatic Society's

production of Julius Caesar..[shakespeare],and so much impressed the whole School,[us pupils also-we were thrown over by his performance],that the school Governor went to his dressing-room to shake his hand personally,and congratulate him.

Well,he ended up playing a Shotfirer,in the '60s tv series,"The Stars Look Down",about the mines,in the days of the Coal-owners..[late 1800's]

I ended up working as a heavy transport lad,down Choppington B pit[High Pit],with,funnily-enough....Bobby's Dad

..[a real live overman-deputy-shotfirer!]....in charge of me,and my marra's!!!

Well,the last episode with Bobby starring in it,the men had told the colliery manager,that they were going to "hole through "into old workings,and faced being either flooded out,or gassed ,or both....The manager ignored the men's pleas to abandon the working place and seal it off for the pit's safety.

Bobby fired the shots,to blast out the coal to be got,and there was an almighty explosion,and flood,killing Bobby,and all the miners in that district.[based on a true story].

The next day,i was talking to old Bobby,[his Dad],underground,and remarked how good young Bobby still was,as an actor.

His reply stitched me up!!!

"Whey aa divvent knaa aboot being gud,cos thi bugga ownly fired one shot....and closed thi bliddy place..!!!!"

Eh,They were both really nice lads,the two Bobby's,aad Bobby was well-respected as an overman,and very well-liked.

A bet yi canna gaan roond most factories,nooadays,and find gaffa's with the same respect and with affectionate remarks passed aboot them from the workforce!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Symptoms,i'm the same with distant recall..i can mind right back to the time i played in willow bridge front and back fields,just about two-and a bit..but i seriously canna mind what i did yesterday,or what the weather was like etc.

I blame "life-saver"pills i have to take,having had a heart attack a few years ago.

Like i said earlier,i can recall practically everyone in my class,and also the positions they sat,relative to each other..and we had up to 43 pupils in our class at any one time!

I think that's how i find myself hogging the forum,unintentionally,it's just that i get carried away with my reminiscing!

Right!...aam gaana say nowt mair!!.....................

Edited by HIGH PIT WILMA
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create a free account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...