Canny lass

Breakfast? Wouldn't dream of mentioning it!

Foxy, if only the British Government could make a decision and act on it as quickly as you everything would be alright with the world! Thanks!

That's a tough year you've had! I hope things are on the up and up now. Very sorry to here about your losses. It's never easy to lose a pet but it's good that we have memories of how they enriched our lives for the short time they were with us. And, don't forget to give yourself a big pat on the back for all the ways in which you have enriched their lives. A true animal lover, that's what you are!

I couldn't agree more, HPW! You don't have to wait for Stakeford lass to remove the post, you can report it to admin - just click on "report post" at the top right corner of the offending post and ask for it to be removed. It's such a shame when personal differences are taken up on the site and it doesnt do anything positive for the good name of Bedlington.

I don't recognise any of these as belonging to the Hennessy family that lived in Plessey Street from about 1950 onwards.

Happy birthday Brian! Is it still possible to get a 'cold' beer in the Australian heatwave?

Well, they did respond - eventually. 5 months left to get it debated!

Happy birthday from me too, Vic!

Thanks for throwing some light on that, timeslip1. Another mystery solved.

Have a look at this aerial view: It's not the best of photos but you can see clearly that the new Coop store (the light coloured building across the road from the institute) has been built. At the other end of the row (if you put your glasses on and zoom in) .you can just make out the shape and colour of Esther's green shed. I'd love to know if she'd had another place before this.

I lived in Third Street from 1950 onwards and Esther Rochester's shop (in the green shed) was always at the bottom of the garden of number 24 Third Street - the last garden on the row. The 'tute' was at the opposite end of the street and nowhere near the shop. However, she later moved her business into the prefab building opposite the institute but that wasn't near any gardens. Did she have another shop prior to the green shed at number 24?

... so is mine! At least, the outdoor one. I've taken down the indoor tree but a great many keep that as well. It's common practice here to leave the tree up until the last day of Christmas - officially known as Candlemas (2nd February) in the Anglican church. The lights are removed then but the tree can stay as long as you want it. I think it's rather nice.

Did mr. Bebbington teach maths as well? I only ever knew him as a Biologi teacher (at Westridge). Talking in class seems to have been a particular sin during our time in school! Your lovely Mr. Johnson admonished me often for it. His strategy was to punish the offender by making the punishment fit the crime and I have, on more than one occasion, been told to write two pages on the subject of 'loquacity' or 'verbosity'. Now, it's not often I'm lost for words but that's not an easy task for a 12-13 year old. It may well have been the start of my love affair with dictionaries.

Tll me Malcolm, do you run on Duracell batteries? Where do you get the energy from?

... or we may get an entirely new form of retail in the town centre. Internet shopping is undoubtedly a cause of diminished highstreet activity but retailers are keen to keep customers and may just come up with new forms of selling. One clothing retailer here, has just opened new shops in three major cities. They aren't your usual: walk in, try on, pay and take away type of outlet. They are walk in, try on and order type of shops. You can pay on ordering or when the goods are delivered to your door. People seem to love it! I know I would! Internet or no internet, we girls like - and always will like - a day on the town, shopping and lunching. That we don't have to cart a load of bags around would just be an added bonus.