HIGH PIT WILMA

Alan,as regards Heather needing Mining Memorabilia,I wouldn't mind any of my pics being used that doesn't have any body appearing in any of them,cos some of those Marra's are now Deceased,and others I haven't seen for years,to gain permission,but on the other hand,they are on here for the world to see! I would be happier if I knew which Home it was ,and especially if I thought it was Holmside,at Bedlington Station...cos a Heather,and her Mother used to be in Charge of that home when my Dear old Mother-in-law was residing there, a few years ago. The wee picture of Heather on her post,looks like the Heather I am talking about....cud be a million miles wrang mind! Is there any way ye cud find out for me Alan? Cheers! Bill.

Hi Alan,I knew aal these lads to taak ti,but not their names,except No 2 Gordon Hickson..[definately!],and No 5,who I took for a fella caaled Billy Smith. Noo a wud gaan for the name ye have gotten from Malcom,cos he might have worked with him as a marra,I had Gordon Hickson on my Book,when I was a Deputy,and I paid his wages ,virtually,every day for about two years.Now the lad who a thought was Billy Smith,must be the double of Billy,cos what's making me think twice about this,is the Specs!...Billy didn't wear specs when he was on my books,and maybe aad age is catching up wi me memory! Ye knaa wat it's like when ya absoloutely sure,then doubt creeps in..... Cheers Alan! Bill.

Alan,me post has went bold in places,and wasn't when a typed it oot! It looks as if a was trying to emphasise a point or two...not my intention at aal..just to let yi knaa,and Coatsy!! Cheers again!

Hi Coatsy,and welcome to the forum,mate! Now a knaa nowt aboot football,or sport generally,but aa have had the same trouble even just trying ti find photo's of the Choppington High Pit,cos the photo on thi Info board at the entrance ti thi pit isn't the High Pit at aal! Somebody musta dug a picture of any old pit from somwhere else,ti stick on the board,just ti let visitor see what a pit looked from the top of the pit heap..or the cage wheels or whatever..there is no info to be found other than what we have on this forum,in the gallery,such as my own Father as a laddie in 1929-ish,and pictures of the houses lining the pit road. Thi photo of the Miners underground is genuine,cos aa worked with aal the men on that photo,at some time or another,when I was a young Girder lad. What I do know is that the Dreyer Family,Dor Dreyer,Freddie Dreyer,and their Fathers before them,aal played Cricket,for Choppington,and Bomarsund,Stakeford. Just wildly guessing , mind,but a lot of lads that I knew who played one sport,also excelled in others. Would a delve into the Dreyer Family's Ancestor's mebbe lead to a link with the Football club? The High Pit musta been just a tax fiddle for the Coal-owners,cos it was hidden away from sight owa the fields,and was just a wriggly tin shed set-up...with no Real investment outlay on the surface buildings,OR the underground set-up..Dangerous hell-hole altogether,so it appears no-one wanted to visit to take pics...no records of production broken,except for Joe Barratt during the war years..[another story],and no newspaper articles that I can find....just a forgotten shack of a pit...and Old Ned Cushing [the training Officer who knew my Father....in 1929!!]...said to me on the first day there,starting in the winter of 1959...."It's a canny,friendly little pit Wilma,and a think ye'll get on weel!....." Whey it was friendly aal reet,sum real nice Choppington folk,my home village when very young,but the pit was owt but canny!! Hope ye find what ya efta Coatsy!!! Best O' luck,Marra! Cheers,Bill.

Heh heh!...Aye Alan,BUT!,on thi poster,it's just thi name,so we wud naturally,wi wor brilliant sense of deduction,assume that if there was a female lead singer,then the backing vocals must be female as weel....until we get a pic of them ,then that rules them oot! Noo...hoo else cud wi think of....? ER!..Al, a think a might be a bit mair glaaky than a forst thowt!..a sed THREE Black lasses....when aav studied thi pic a bit closer,[bad image mind]..a think the left hand side one is a lightly-bearded fella!...he probably played the twin Bonga's that's on stage,if they were on that Programme listing...just wildly guessing noo! Also another one to Maureen...aav just realised,it's not his specs on thi deck,it's the cross-faders...a shudda seen that thi first time a looked at thi pic..aav got me own home studio wi a six,and a twelve channel desks,so a shudda knaan...aad age,like Alan sed!! ....and Alan,ye musta bin a helluva gud-lukkin' dude fo thi lasses ti mob yi!! Heh heh...happy memories.

Thanks Alan..a should be ashamed for not recognising a hero of mine,to this day..Joe Brown,mind,a knew Lulu..instantly..she was the only one a got ,a thought The Flowerpot Men were Dave dee,Eggy,Mick and Tich..! A saw on the poster,the three black lasses,called Margo and the Marvelettes...?..would it not have been them? Maureen,I never went to Lucy's either cos aam a teetotaller,and Jon Shelley it was!! [with prompting,I can mind of his name noo,and if ye study the pic closely,a think ye'll see his Roy Orbison black glasses on the decks in front of him,he must have been offstage,getting ready ti go on,when he hasn't had them on!..Ask him if I am right aboot the growl,or if it was his marra...it definately was the one with the black specs though..and aa was spot-on about the hair! Pleased to see he plays a Tele,what sort of music does he play...I play a Strat,and three Burns guitars,the Marvin,Black Bison,and the Apache..all beautiful well-made guitars. Give him my regards please. I never met him but remember him,so he must have made a gud impression! Cheera Alan and Maureen Bill.

Wudda be reet in thinkin' Arnie Buller might have been the booncer at the Domino in the early years,cos he was at the Clayton Baalroom,a powerful lad!..[amateur wrestler a think..] One neet at the Clayton,two yobs were mekkin' a nuisance of thas'ells,wi my Lass,and me marra's Lasses,at their tyeble,when we were onstage playing the Dance neet,and a watched for aboot ten minutes,and cudn't stand it nae langer,they were shouting and swearing bad language up at us on stage,then pestering the lasses. After we finished the number we were playin',a put me guitar doon ,jumped off the stage and put me arms aroond both of their necks,and started ti squeeze the life oot of them. They were gaan white in the face as a throttled them,when a hand touched me shoulder..and a quiet voice said in me ear.."Now let's be sensible about this ,mate.." It was the bouncer,Arnie Buller,not very tall but four feet across he's shoulders!! A let the yobs gaan and Arnie grabbed each one by the front scruff of their necks,literally lifted them up off the ground and carted them to the door,threw them oot on the steps ootside,apologised to all of us group lads and wor Lasses,and said just carry on playin',it won't happen again...and mind it never happened again after that,Arnie was there ti keep thi peace...and every bugga knew him!! Noo, a hae ti say,aav nivvor drunk,aav nivvor been in trouble,nivvor had a fight in me life,aalwis a quiet kid,but these buggaas just went owa far,and a saw red!! Aye,as we say....happy days eh?!!

Heh heh! Wat a blast from the past!..Maureen,welcome to the forum! Aa can vividly remember only one DJ,and this was when the Domino first opened,and we had never seen owt like this before.[ a CASINO...CABARET...at thi Station!!!...it soonded ludicrous...the very idea of Roulette...it was ownly on James Bond ,or The Saint,or otha yankee movies where we saw that sort o carry-on!!...not thi Station!] The desk slid oot onto the stage from the right hand side,motorised,on wheels hidden by the plinth,and the DJ was sitting at the desk getting a free ride on and off the stage...lazy bugga!! He had a mop of black hair...[Beatles style!],wi a straight cut fringe,[ Alan Freeman-"Pick of the Pops" style!]...wore black glasses...[Roy Orbison style!]...and brought every word oot,in a low throaty growl...."...and this next one is...."... What used to strike me was how he never ever looked anywhere but the floor in front of him...like a statue sitting growling about the next disc he was ganna play.....a bit like when aa was a Lead guitarist,and aa used ti stand motionless,but just looking aroond the place as aa was playin'. Wor Singer,Geordie,used ti use me as a stooge,and tell thi audience me name was "Static Wilma".. and in the actual situations,at the reet time of neet,it used ti draw a laugh...not forgetting in them days,the clubs were packed oot solid wi 90% Miners..[of which aa was one mesel]..and he used ti say,"Wilma's been shouting at his Pit Pony aal day,so ye might gather that he's voice is a little HOARSE!" ME Wife and Me went ti see The Ivy League,Johnny Citrone,Los Zafiros, Dave Dee ,Dozy,Mick,and Tich,amang a lot that a canna mind of noo,but the last one was a mate of mine,who was a local lad from Blyth,and who went ti London ti try for a break,and got one with his new GROUP!![NOT BANDS!]...HEH HEH! His group was caaled "Toby Twirl",and his name was/is Davy Holland..."Holly". He came straight ti wor table for a quick natter,then had ti gaan ti start he's set.[cos a hadn't seen him since he went ti London He opened with "Up Up and Away"...not kidding ...but the best version I have ever heard..powerful and sweet as a nut! When he was just a young lad,we groups aal used ti meet up at the "Record Bar",in Bowes Street,Blyth,and another coffee bar what a canna remember thi name of noo,and when the Stones were playin,on the juke box,Holly had Jagger off ti a "T"...both his mannerisms and his vocals...amazing! They tell me Davy runs a pub in Blyth,and a wud luv ti hook up wi him again,after 50-odd yeors!! Toby Twirl made the top ten wi tha first record,then a never heard any more of them..partly cos a had started a family and was totally committed to them,I only went ti the Domino ti see thi Artistes,a didn't and never have ,drunk alcohol,so a didn't gaan oot for a pint "wi thi lads"..a went oot wi me family...and we cudn't afford ti gaa gallivantin wi a young Son,on £12 a week..afore off-tyeks!heh heh! Alan,thanks for the notifications,please keep them coming,waa gaan throo a really bad patch here,so a canna catch up immediately, but a will eventually! Me brains gettin rusty,so a canna get the Artistes in the pics apart from Johnny,but a hae a few suggestions in mind,but not certain,can ye put me mind at rest please! Cheers!Bill .

Waatcheor Alan ,once again,a big thanks for ya untiring work in mekking the world a smaaler place! This is incredible! Another luvly shot in winter..a bet it was caad up there,it was a summer's neet when Russell tuk me Son and Me up. A hope Trevor and Russell hook up through the power of the Net!,young Adam is boond ti see thi pics..if he still comes on the forums that is... Cheers Alan! Bill.