Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

All photos shared by members that have posted these photos on Facebook sites - Bedlington Remembered, Bygone Bedlington & Sixtownships

In this album we are attempting to identify what the symbols mean on the headstones, and add any other connected info about the headstones.
St Cuthbert's Church in Bedlington can be dated back to the 10th Century and was built on the site of an earlier church. The remains of St. Cuthbert was rested here in 1069, when they were temporarily removed from Durham Cathedral for sanctuary following the Norman Conquest. The church is a Grade 2* Listed Building.
 
 

Entry under History in Wikipedia states :- 'It was founded in 1926 as Bedlington Secondary School for the areas of Bedlingtonshire, Ashington and Newbiggin, being built next to Bedlington railway station. Subsequently it became Bedlington Grammar School, before turning comprehensive in 1974. It gained Maths and Computing College status in 2009.
I would add - the Secondary Modern School merged with the Grammar School to create the High School. The new build + the old grammar school remained until a new High School was built, on the existing grounds, and opened in 2016.

Photos + info of the Top End and the Station(Sleekburn)

Often referred to as the 'Council School'. Entry in  https://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/005616.htm  has the date c1916

It was founded in 1926 as Bedlington Secondary School for the areas of Bedlingtonshire, Ashington and Newbiggin, being built next to Bedlington railway station. Subsequently it became Bedlington Grammar School, before turning comprehensive in 1974. It gained Maths and Computing College status in 2009.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Ex pupils you should know :-   Sir Bobby Charlton CBE &   Sir John Hall, who built the MetroCentre                                       

In History Hollow 'Reedy' posted - 'List Of Pubs And Clubs -Bedlington District'
From that list I extracted the establishments within Bedlington and along with a list of list of pubs in 1886 from one of Evan Martin's books on Bedlingtonshire I, assisted by members on the Bedlington Remembered & Bygone Bedlington Facebook sites, attempted to find evidence of the listed establishments.
This was not a delv into historic documents etc., just a www search combined with some 2009 Google Street View images.   

The original school building was destroyed by fire in 1970. The old school building was replaced with garages and houses and the new school is still within the old school grounds.

All initial photos and comments from HPW. (added into the Album by Eggy).
Comment from HPW - credit to Russel Hogg for enabling me to capture the Pit Surface photo's,without whom it would never have happened.

Opened 1955 or 56

Pupils that attended the junior schools in Cambois & Bedlington progressed to the West Sleekburn Middle school , in the 1980's & 90's before moving on to the 'High' schools.

I have been creating an Album, on this site, for each of the schools in the Bedlington area. Whilst looking at an 1896 map of Bedlington around the area of Hollymout Hall & Bell's Place I noticed there was a 'Sch.' identified. I have not found any further info, on the www, about this school. I have not checked the historical records held at the Woodhorn Museum. The label 'Sch.' does not appear on the 1920 map but the label 'Misn. Rm.' appears to have taken it's place.  

Local teams other than Bedlington Mechanics teams. The history of Bedlington Mechanics is current being researched by @Ovalteeny  and his info is posted in the topic BEDLINGTON MECHANICS FC   under - Hobbies & Interests >  > The Sports Club>

Men from the Dr. Pit Colliery formed Bedlington Mechanics FC in 1949, initially playing in the Northumberland Miners Welfare League before entering the Northern Combination in 1952. They won the Northumberland Minor Cup in 1954 and were league champions the following season which enabled them to be promoted into the Northern Alliance where they remained for the next 8 seasons. Home games were played in the centre of the town at Millne Park, the land was owned by Jimmy Millne, a successful local businessman and he provided a very generous arrangement with the Committee. However, in the early 1960’s there was a dispute and the Mechanics had to relocate to the “A Pit” Welfare Park at Bedlington Station. Sadly, crowds dwindled and income fell to such an extent that in 1963 they were forced to disband.

Hirst Head, Bedlington NE22 5QH

Info on the Durham Mining Museum site is :-
                  First shaft was sunk 14th July 1854
                  Colliery opened in 1855
                  Colliery closed 2nd March 1968  

Booklet photographed and shared by 
Carole Robinson
9   S e p t e m b e r   a t   1 4 : 1 7     ·     I’ve found this small book amongst my late Mam & Dads papers. Don’t know what year it’s from. I’ve taken photos of each page, some of the businesses have brought back memories.

Pages from the 1952 parish magazine posted on the Facebook group Bygone Bedlington by Eileen Harland.

Class photos

The following info is from the  http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/rd/8ad93b61-5d1a-46e9-ad51-f17b07e91684  site :- 
History:
The school opened officially in 1958 and was reorganised as a middle school in 1976. It had ceased to function by 1977 when the premises were taken over by St. Benet Biscop's Roman Catholic Aided High School. The school records were transferred to the new Meadowdale County Middle School which opened in 1982.

Celebrated it's 100th year on June 30th 2012. The school has a web site with a collection of photos over the years and the web site address is   http://www.bedlingtonstationfirstschool.com/bsfs100/100_years_of_Photographs/100_years_of_Photographs.html

Before the new senior school - St. Benet Biscop Catholic High School opened I was told that both the junior & senior schools went under the name of St Bede's. This album will be a mix of photos from the junior & senior schools.  

Often referred to by the locals as 'The Old School' or 'St. Cuthbert's School'.

Info from Rootsweb online genealogy forum :- 'Sleekburn had a school from at least 1842. This is supported by entries in the Methodist records by a local preacher who stated that he preached in the new Board School in that year. Evidently there are no surviving records to indicate when the School was opened. The School was of course built by the Colliery Owner, more so to keep his workers happy and content.. It appears that the School closed in 1941 and was taken over and used as a County Library.
Source - "Sleekburn (The Station) with Bank Top, East Sleekburn and Red Row" by Stephen B Martin - Bedlingtonshire Villages History Series.
Steve Ellwood - Whitley Bay, North East England'

Nicknamed The Woody school, as it was mainly constructed of wooden planks. The school of our mate, Keith Lockey. Don't know when it first opened but it first appears on the 1951 ordnance survey map and it is not on the previous map of 1938.  Destroyed by fire in 1969. When the replacement school was built, opening in 1974, it combined with the grammar school to be Bedlingtonshire Community High School.