Index

Haydon News

September1998

email the editor

EDITORIAL

Hi Folks - 'Tis me again most likely dropped unceremoniously on your doormat! Chances are that someone has inadvertently (or even deliberately) walked all over the newsletter in their muddy shoes or wellies, it may even be covered in dog paw marks – or even worse! Perhaps the bairn or the puppy has been at it and half chewed it. You may have a clean pristine copy delivered by post in a brown envelope or perhaps you’re reading this in glorious colour on the Internet.

Some local readers do I know, read my mutterings whilst in the smallest room – others sit in their cosy homes with a cuppa and a tab or biscuit and I even know of one village lady who takes a glass of wine into the bathroom and spends an hour with me whilst soaking herself! With a nation-wide, naye - a world-wide readership, I’m sure the Haydon News is also being read in more exotic situations than those I’ve just described. So brown, black and white or coloured, rich or poor wherever you are and whatever you’re doing I do hope you enjoy reading this September issue of the Haydon News – a story of real country folk in the beautiful South Tyne Valley up here in Northumberland, England.

Many rumours are passing round the village about my personal plans now that I have my house up for sale. Let me scotch these now by saying that at the present time it is not our intention to move from the area when we sell.From the feedback I receive the newsletter is certainly gaining popularity, however it can only continue to do so by providing you the readers with content worth reading – this is where you as an individual can help. If you have any local stories, incidents, themes, ideas, photographs, cartoons etc. etc. please contact me via the address given on page 2 – I am more than willing to pop down to and see you to discuss – if you’re in Northumberland or Tyne and Wear. If you’re further afield in one of these exotic places just send me an air ticket! Please remember that exiled Haydonians and their descendants really love gossip and tales from their ‘roots’.

One thing I do every week is to have a look around on the Internet to see if there is anything new mentioned about Haydon Bridge, they call this activity of looking around for information ’Surfing the Net’. Last week whilst surfing I came across a page devoted to listing the thousands of speed-traps in various countries. Our own entry reads:

A69 Haydon Bridge, Northumberland:
Approximately 300 yards in to Haydon Bridge when travelling west you will see a speed camera on the opposite side of the road. This is aimed at motorists heading east. When heading east it is impossible to see the camera, as it is well hidden behind a sign. This is the most vandalised speed camera in the UK Speed Limit= 30mph
Copyright © 1998, The Speedtrap Registry Inc.
http://www.speedtrap.com/index.html
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The new Spa Well seat was ‘opened’ on Sunday 30th August when Mary McVay unveiled the plaque commemorating her late husband Raymond. Space does not allow me to tell you about an eerie incident that happened just after the seat had been built – perhaps next month.

We were all saddened at the sudden death on Monday 24th August of Bill Tait who has been a regular contributor to the Haydon News and it’s predecessors over the last three decades. Bill wrote under the pseudonyms of Owld Tawny and Jerry Attric – he was also the creator of the Sid & Jean cartoons.

Of course Bill’s reputation both as a naturalist and competent artist was known throughout the County and beyond and who hasn’t watched Bill’s appearances on many countryside TV programs.

A few weeks before his death he recorded another programme which I understand will be shown in the Autumn – possibly October.

Although I spoke to Bill frequently for a number of years I didn’t know him very well until he turned up one day at High Brindles in early 1995 shortly after I had became the Editor of the Haydon News.

When I answered the door he greeted me with the words “Hello Mitch I’ve just popped up to let you know how much I like the new style Haydon News and I’ve brought up a few of my Owl Tawny articles to let you see if they‘re good enough for inclusion.”
I invited him in and over a cup of tea we had a chat for a couple of hours or so – a fascinating man to listen to. Since then he was a regular visitor to High Brindles. His first article under my editorship was in May 1995 when he spoke of the men in black velvet suits – a tale of moles.

Bill more than anyone knew the importance of writing things down for future generations of Haydonians. “Write about things as they are Mitch and not what others would have you write,” he said. Anyone reading back issues of the newsletter will see that the master practised what he preached.

Most establishments around the village have photographs or paintings produced by Bill Tait hanging on their walls – we will certainly not forget him.

He certainly made his mark on me.

Bye for now
Mitch

Index

On December 5th 1942 a Haydon Bridge airman was reported missing – he was never found.

Mrs Wardle (nee Winnie Telford) of 6, Victoria Terrace, Prudhoe has been informed that her husband, Sergeant Wireless Operator – Air Gunner Oscar Wardle is missing from operations.

Sergeant Wardle, who is the son of Mrs. Wardle of Shaftoe Street Haydon Bridge and the late Mr. Wardle was an enthusiastic sportsman and prior to the outbreak of war was player-secretary of the Haydon Bridge Football Club.

An ‘Old Boy’ of the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Hexham he joined the Royal Air Force in 1940 and had taken part in many raids over Germany and Italy.

And also . . . . . . .

Mr. Joseph Armstrong of Haydon Bridge has received word that her nephew, Flight Sergeant John Parkin R.A.F. previously reported missing in September 1941 is reported to have been buried at Kiel.

And still in 1942 . . . . . .

Mrs. Birnie of Broadstone Cottage Haydon Bridge, has received word that her son, Corporal William Birnie Reconnaissance Corps. (R.N.F.), is reported missing in the Middle East. A territorial, he was mobilised on the outbreak of War and served in France and through Dunkirk.

P.S. Corporal Birnie later turned up a P.O.W. And lived on many years after the war.

The mysterious Hexham Student – many strange happenings took place during the war years leaving many questions unanswered as to
WHY?
Was it a Cover-up?
Perhaps a Murder?
Had he been a Spy – passing on information of aircraft to Germany and without much fuss was he quietly rubbed out ?
And – Where is that student today?

I remember these were the questions on the tongues of locals at the time and many a walk towards limestone ended by the gate at Tunnel Top as they opened the gate into the field and gazed down on the railway line, their brains in a turmoil.

So began the mystery of the dead airman on the railway line way back in 1944. But let me relate the story over to you as it was reported in the ’ North Mail ‘ of 54 years ago.

No light was thrown at the inquest at Haydon Bridge yesterday on the death of a 34 year old airman whose body was discovered on the railway line a mile west of Haydon Bridge on Sunday by a Hexham student.

The inquest was on Corporal Francis Arthur Sturgess of Eastgate Peterborough, and the Deputy Coroner Mr. E. Emley commenting that there did not seem any possibility of getting to the bottom of the tragedy, returned a verdict of ‘ found dead ‘! (No mention of injury or how he died.)

He added that there was no evidence available to show how Sturgess came to be on the line where he was a trespasser.

PROMOTED
Francis Johnson, a miner of 8, Ratcliffe Road, with whom Sturgess had stayed for the past 17 months said that Sturgess spent his spare time going for walks. He was very reserved in his manner, and never discussed any of his affairs.

Recently he had been promoted to Corporal and seemed to be well pleased about it. He left his lodgings on Sunday morning as usual and said he would be back for dinner.

Well there we have it, the report as given in the North Mail at the time. No light is shed as to why a serving member of the R.A.F. Should be staying in a private home in Haydon Bridge, but then people got to know very little at that time during the War for we were warned that ‘careless talk costs lives’ from posters glaring at us from bill-boards or shop windows.

Could Corporal Sturgess have had something to do with the Royal Observer Post out on Haydon Fell (known to locals as ‘The Listening Post’) used for the detecting the coming and going of aircraft in the area, but mainly the German Bombers as they came in over the North Sea towards Tyneside.

Now all is still out on Haydon Fell, only the outline is left as to where the building stood, with one ruin each side of New Alston remaining. The riverside walk towards limestone is just the same after 54 years – or is it?

I suppose it will always remain a mystery as to what happened to Corporal Sturgess. But a bigger mystery remains unsolved as to the occasional sobbing and moaning of a human voice heard in the late stillness of summer evening over by the years by courting couples and the lone fishermen casting a silvery line towards the gauzy throng of May-fly dancing above the rough water below limestone. “Could be the low moan of a slight summer breeze amongst the Alders along the riverbank” one fisherman was heard to say to Jock MacAvoy in the Anchor Hotel many years ago. “True, I’ve heard it myself while out fishing” confirmed Robby Murphy to the landlord. But as for myself – well you know how things get started in a small village, and I’ve never heard anything over the years but these strange tales linger and won’t go away.

It was one Sunday evening last October when old Jerry Attric and I stood at the bar in the Havelock enjoying a glass of ale together when the door opened and in walked a local who spends a lot of time on the river in the fishing season. Now this chap is a quiet sensible man who keeps himself very much to himself and enjoys a good beer, a malt whisky and knows the river better than any man in Haydon Bridge today. If a salmon is lying in a pool at the Spa Well or Lipwood Well he will know.

It was on such occasion as this when he was fishing for salmon last October when the event took place that he was about to relate to the chap standing next to him – a fellow fisherman. By now Old Jerry and I were all ears as he went on to say

“I was just casting my line out and over the petty pool at the Tunnel Top as a slight mist began to form above the river, shrouding from view the colour of the Autumn leaf amongst the half naked trees along the far bank when I glimpsed a tall youthful figure approaching from the limestone. He walked very quickly and silently but what caught my eye and drew my attention was his dress. He wore the coarse blue uniform of the R.A.F. with Corporal’s stripes on the arms. For a minute he stood watching me then turned an vanished in the mist towards the railway line.”
He took a sip from his glass and concluded: “I felt the blood drain from my face as I remembered his face. It was not that of a young man but the sallow, lined and very wrinkled one of a very old man.”

This young fisherman telling the story was born in Haydon Bridge but not until after the war, so I doubt very much that he has ever heard this story – but if Corporal Francis Sturgess had been still alive today he would have been 88 years old.

P.S. It could be another fishy tale . . . . . . . . . . Or could it ?

Owld Tawny

Following the death of Bill Tait, the creator of Owld Tawny, Jerry Attric and Sid & Jean, the characters must now be laid to rest. I thank Bill’s wife Jean for handing over his final work for publication. This was completed shortly before his sudden death on August 24th.

I still have one cartoon as yet unpublished which was intended to be the first in the series but for a number of reasons it was not printed – I promised Bill that I would print it at the appropriate time. Possibly in my last issue of the Haydon News !!!
Mitch

Index

Ten of the eleven councillors turned up for what was the shortest Parish Council meeting I have been to.

In the public session your reporter, acting on behalf of The Friends of Haydon Bridge, informed the council that the stone seat at the Spa Well had now been built. Arrangements were made to formally open the seat at noon on Sunday 30th August.

Some complaints had been received about the low hanging trees in Church Street – our Tynedale representative will check who’s responsibility the lopping of these is.

The small mosaic made by the pupils of Shaftoe School is now on display in the foyer of the library.

A lighting pole has been erected in Land Ends Road but the light itself had not yet been fitted.

It was reported that the planning application for a house opposite Bank House had, subject to minor modification, been approved.

Aspects of the village walks (part of village appraisal) were discussed but were not heard at the back of the hall where your reporter was sat.

We (your reporter +1 member of the public) were asked to leave at 8pm whilst the council discussed confidential contractual aspects of the village meeting “in camera”.

After the meeting I was asked to inform you that a Village Appraisal update report will be made at the next Parish Council Meeting starting 7:30pm on Thursday 24th September 1998.

SBM

Index

It is now coming up to four years since the start of Village Appraisal activities. Throughout this period the Editor of the Haydon News has doggedly persisted, through the medium of these columns, to persuade Councillor Mrs. M. Howard to be more forthcoming with information with information on the various projects and schemes in which she has chosen to become involved. For her part she has just as doggedly persisted in failing to provide information. Because of this the residents of this community are being kept in the dark about the appraisal. The Editor of the Haydon News has attended most meetings of the Parish Council in the last four years and notes that on occasions it appears that the Council are even less informed than the Editor. Councillor Howard’s irregular attendance's means that only at some meetings snippets are discussed however the only time any worthwhile information came out was following the June 1997 meeting of the Parish Council Working Group – this was reported in full in the July 1997 Haydon News.

The next we knew of one significant aspect of the Appraisal, the refurbishment of the Community Centre, was a report in the Hexham Courant where “Presto!” Councillor Howard, like a magician pulling the proverbial rabbit out of the hat, stated that the Community Centre would not after all be refurbished but demolished and rebuilt on the same site, the expensive rebuild had never been been considered by the general populace before. Since the “Fait Accompli” through these columns have been expressed the view of many that perhaps the best location, and maybe cheapest, would be to build a brand new community Centre on the old foundry site adjacent to the new Methodist Chapel. This alternative proposal has never been debated. For my part, as editor of the newsletter, I have unsuccessfully attempted to attend meetings of the Community Association where decisions have been made however Councillor Howard, who became secretary of the Association last year has refused me entry to these meetings. It is my view that ‘in camera’ meetings are not the place to discuss matters that will effect the whole community the views of which are of paramount importance. Here I am not discussing meetings where confidential contractual matters are being discussed.

I have spoken to people who have been to the meetings who say that they are being told that there would be difficulties in disposing of the existing land if new land were to be purchased because the Community Centre (Association) is a charity .

The Charity Commissions rules on this subject state:
Is the disposal beneficial to the charity? - Trustees sometimes wish to dispose of land which is required to be used for carrying out the charity's purposes, in order to acquire other land to replace it. In doing so, they must ensure that the replacement land is more suitable for carrying out the charity's purposes than was the land being sold.
The Village Appraisal will be discussed at the next Parish Council Meeting on Thursday 24th September – this may be the last time alternative views can be considered or perhaps we should heed the advice of W.C. Fields?

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again.
Then give up, no sense being a damn fool

Mitch

"O what a wicked web we weave
when first we practice to deceive”
Marmion – Sir Walter Scott

Index

HELP US HELP THE COMMUNITY - JOIN THE FOHB TODAY

Present membership runs out on 30th September. New subscriptions are now due for the period 1st October 1998 – 31st December 1999. Membership is 10p per month so a subscription for the period is £1-50p. Please complete the form below and enclose with your membership subscription. You can give it to any member of the Committee or leave it in an envelope at the Post Office addressed to The Friends of Haydon Bridge. If you are a non-resident of the Parish of Haydon the subscription is 60p per month which includes a postal delivery of the Haydon News – please send cheque for £9 –00 to the Editor – address on page 2.

I wish to become an active / non-active member (delete as appropriate) of The Friends of Haydon Bridge for the period 1st October 1998 – 31st December 1999. Please find enclosed a cheque/cash to the value of . . . . . . .
Name .................................................................
Address .................................................................
.................................................................
Phone ......................... Please note that donations greater than minimum amount are welcome – all monies received will be used for the benefit of Parish inhabitants. Cheques payable to The Friends of Haydon Bridge

Index

Our July speakers were Mr and Mrs Tytler. Mr Tytler described his talk as ‘A trip down memory lane in Southern Africa’ where for eighteen months, they had lived in rural Zambia training students to be teachers at a Christian college.

Mr Tytler had been headmaster of South Tyne Middle School, Haltwhistle, where his wife had also taught. On retirement, they became V.S.O. Volunteers. The V.S.O. motto is ‘Volunteers working for a better world. They were sent to Zambia, formerly Northern Rhodesia. Mr Tytler described it as one of the poorest, most deprived countries in Africa.

The college was at Serenge some 400 kilometres from the capital, Lusaka. Their earliest memory was of intense heat, dust and insects. They were saddened to find underfed seven year olds looking like three year olds, by the high infant mortality rate and the high incidence of AIDS and of death from this amongst their students.

High unemployment, shortage of water and droughts, poor roads and transport, lack of the most basic equipment in schools created constant daily battles.

On the positive side, they found a kindly people doing all they could to help themselves and students eager to learn as a way out of the poverty trap.

Insight into the local culture added interest to this though provoking evening.

The competition ‘Wild Life Animal’ was won by Mrs Sparke, Mrs Clark and Mrs A. Turner. The two raffle prizes were won by Mrs Anderson and Mrs Benson.

Myra Bowen

Index

A fascinating story was told to Langley WI by Mr Alan Graham concerning the life of his Great Aunt Victoria, whose room in the family house in Jesmond, Newcastle had remained, locked up from 1894 until 1979.

When discovered the room was a treasure-trove of memorabilia. Clothes, jewellery, toys and three diaries spanning her life, even the baby clothes belonging to her only son had remained locked away in the room. There was no heating, no electricity and sunlight was never allowed in after the room was closed up.

Victoria’s diaries revealed her wasted life. Born in 1872 into a reasonably well off Newcastle family she was brought up in comfortable and happy surroundings. Many of the lovely dresses made for Victoria by Fenwicks were modelled on the night by ladies invited to the meeting. It was interesting to see the garments and jewellery hidden away for all those years.

In her diaries Victoria tells of her life growing up and falling in love. Edward asked her to marry him in 1891. If she married him Victoria knew that she would have to live away from England and travel to India because Edward worked for the East India Company. In April 1892, in Jesmond Parish Church, Victoria married her beloved Edward. Fenwicks made her wedding dress and the wedding breakfast was held in the Douglas Hotel. Edward gave Victoria a platinum and diamond pendant made by Northern Goldsmiths. This was discovered with her diaries - still in the same little box that he’d given Victoria on her wedding day.

Although Victoria was worried about travelling such a long way from home she still felt great excitement in visiting Egypt and Cairo on her way to India.

It took six to eight weeks to arrive in Calcutta. The heat was unbearable especially for ladies wearing boned corsets and mountains of petticoats. Victoria was to live in a fabulous house with fifty servants. Being a memsahib was a very important position. Victoria found she could barely stand the heat and she never got used to the flies. She had Delhi belly for three months and thought she would die.

One day on a trip to a plantation in 1893 Edward was killed in a tragic accident. Victoria was devastated and discovered not long after that she was carrying Edward’s child. Widows in India were looked upon as outcasts and Victoria lost her memsahib position. She returned home wearing black and never left the house after the funeral held in Jesmond cemetery. Her life was in turmoil and women did not go out of doors when pregnant. In April 1894 her son was born.

Her last entry in her diary was Sept 3rd. “It’s finished Edward,” she wrote, “life is finished.” She died on the 17th Sept 1894 from a broken heart. (Natural Causes). Victoria’s mother closed up her room. Her son was brought up in the house with Victoria’s sister Margaret. Tragedy struck again when the lad was killed in the First World War.

The ladies of Langley enjoyed seeing the family treasures that had been locked away in Victoria’s bedroom for all those years and listening to an account of her sad life story. Her diaries will be a wonderful source of information for future generations to enjoy.

Sylvia Mitchell

Index

Peelwell or not Peelwell ?

In the July issue of the Haydon News I reported on current activities at the Haydon View Rest Home and in doing so mentioned some of the outings that had been arranged for the residents as well as in-house entertainment currently being provided for them. Some readers have interpreted this as an implication that I was being critical of the former owners . There is no basis for this wrong interpretation – indeed my July article started with the words.

“I popped down to Haydon View this afternoon (Thursday 25th June) to see how Mrs. Audrey Kay and son Chris were doing after 15 months running the rest home just across the field from me. Things have moved on a bit since my May 1997 report.”
One reader has had a number of telephone conversations with me – resulting in the following letter being hand delivered to High Brindles. It reads:

“In the July issue of the Haydon News letter an article was published about the Haydon Rest Home. The Home has always been known as Peelwell and the fact an old map shows it as Peelwell. It appears the Rest Home is now a Variety Club and Music Hall with a bit of magician Paul Daniels in it. I feel this kind of entertainment will change the character of the Home. Also there is the problem of more cars on a dangerous bend leading to the Home.

I note the residents of the Home are being taken out, entertained, and treated to Fish and Chips. The previous owners of the Home, Mr. And Mrs. Moore, were always taking the Residents out to some interesting places which the Residents enjoyed. They have received numerous letters of appreciation thanking them for their kindness, care, and attention. In the first place, all credit must go to them, and their family when they bravely set out (fourteen years ago) to give Haydon Bridge its own Nursing Rest Home as so many elderly people were taken to other Homes.

They are to be complimented for the hard work they put into it, as photos show – before and after [Not reproduced here Ed.]. As Mrs. Moore is a qualified nurse, and her husband is a good builder it fitted in very well. Their daughter became manager of Peelwell Residential Care Home in 1993, she later became qualified to manage the Home for E.M.I. Care (Elderly, Mental, Infirm). It was the first private care Home in Northumberland to achieve this ‘specification’ - quite an honour. I note the new owners of the Home have refurbished it with new carpets and curtains. This very often happens when purchasing property – before the Moore’s family vacated the Home I had the occasion to look around it, the carpets, curtains etc. were in a good condition.

There was the late Nancy Ridley, an historian, whom I went to School with, she was brought up at Peelwell farm house, now the Rest Home. She entertained the residents with stories that, as a child she was put in a cupboard under the stairs for being naughty, she gave the residents a lecture on the History of Northumberland. I visited her when she lived in Hexham and found she was a Manx cat lover.

Name and address supplied

The Editor also received a letter from someone who did not give an address – In fairness to all concerned I cannot print the letter without some changes. Would the writer please contact me so that I can discuss the contents.

Ed.

A Thank You from Alnwick

Dear Mitch

John and I would like to express our grateful thanks to all those in the village and area, businesses and individuals, who sent us guests over the last 13 years. We enjoyed having them (we made many friends) and personal recommendation is always the best form of advertising. We are enjoying our temporary stay on this glorious stretch of coast, but want to retire in Tynedale.

Best wishes and thanks to everyone.

Yours sincerely
Doreen Easton
Formerly of Geeswood House

Doreen was one of the stalwart group of deliverers of the Haydon News – she delivered in the Whittis Hill area and the Alms Houses – her ‘round’ has now been taken over by Doreen Robson. I understand from Mrs. Easton that the new owners of Geeswood House do not intend to provide B&B facilities
Ed.

An Essex reader writes
..... the Spa Well was a favourite of mine and my friends in those far off days. And without any prompting again, the News with its ‘Bygone Days and reader’s letters give me great pleasure.

R. H. Veitch
Brentwood

Thanks for your donation to the coffers of the Friends of Haydon Bridge – it will be put to good use for the benefit of residents, expatriates and descendants of Haydonians who will I hope, benefit from the Haydon News continuing through the well into the next millennium. The newsletter, under it’s present name starts a third decade in 1999. Prior to the untimely death of Owld Tawny’s creator, Bill Tait, we had discussed the feasibility of making a compilation of all of Tawny’s writings stretching back over many years to the days of the Haydon Herald and Parish Magazine. As a tribute to Bill I shall endeavour to do this next year.
Ed.

Please accept my congratulations on your wonderful web-site. I am pondering by what method I, as an American individual, might be able to offer support. I will be back in touch when I come up with something. In the meantime,

Best wishes,

Thank you for a most informative site, the best I have seen so far. Your newspaper reports remind me very much of our own Shire Council!

Unfortunately, on our recent trip along the wall, we did not call in to your village but stopped at a pleasant B&B at Greenhead, an old rectory. Unfortunately, it is not on the net, but would like its name and address if you could E-Mail it back.

All the best.

While doing genealogy research, I learned of a notation in a Bellingham
Parish register of 1847 indicating my ancestor, JOHN TODD, was "a miner of Snoggy Gate". If you can define "Snoggy Gate", I would greatly appreciate the assistance. If it is a place, where is it found?

Snoggy Gate was a group of ten houses which were converted into 5 homes. They still stand occupied and are also known as Noble Street. They were built for iron ore miners. If you leave Bellingham on the West Woodburn Road (West Woodburn lies on the A68) Snoggy Gate lies on the right about 700 yards from the village. Just after the caravan site on the left. The row is at right angles to the road. It is actually shown on Ordnance Survey Map Sheet 80 - The Cheviot Hills. The location is 2 degrees 14 minutes west 55 degrees 8.5 minutes North.

Please accept my apologies for the delay in thanking you for your excellent
information on the origin of "Snoggy Gate".

You provided detailed information beyond my expectation and your effort is certainly appreciated. You obviously know exactly where it is. Did you personally visit this area? Do you reside in the Bellingham area?

My mother was named Merle TODD and it is her side of our family that I am now researching. My ancestor, JOHN TODD, was born in Northumberland about 1803. He married Betsy Holliday.

John emigrated to America about 1850 with his oldest son and found employment in the coal mines of Pennsylvania. He was later sent to Ohio to establish a mine in that territory. His younger son, George Todd, (my great grandfather) arrived in America about 1852 and also worked in the mines.

He later married and established a farm in Missouri. During the American Civil War, he joined a local militia to fight off rebel raiders. This militia was later merged into the Union Army. He suffered a bullet wound during the war, but survived.

After the war, he relocated his family (wife and 10 children) to Colorado, traveling via ox cart and horse drawn covered wagon. In 1888 he established a farm near Rocky Ford, Colorado. That farm became a horse ranch and is still a prized family possession. My 89 year old uncle, who recently passed away, was born on the ranch and lived out his life there. I was born on a farm adjacent to the Todd Ranch. I moved with my parents to Oregon in 1943.

My father's ancestors also came from the UK, probably Wales. I have traced the GRIFFITTS line to 1778 in Virginia. I was told, but have not confirmed, that my ancestor, John Griffitts, was a Tory loyal to King George. As a result, his land was confiscated and a price put on his head. He fled with his family to the frontier of Tennessee after the Revolutionary War.

I have not yet established when the GRIFFITTS family emigrated to the Colonies. I have always assumed they came from Wales. One genealogist in Wales suggested that if my family came from Wales, the spelling was probably corrupted from "Gruffudds" after immigration to America. The spelling "Griffitts" does not now appear in Wales. I learned there are Griffitts in Ireland. It remains a mystery. Perhaps I should be celebrating Saint Patrick's Day each year. (smile)

Again, thank you for your kindness. If I can reciprocate in any way, please
don't hesitate to ask.

Glen – my task was a simple one to solve as I have an Aunt and cousins in Bellingham, which is only a few miles from Haydon Bridge. A local telephone was all that was needed to obtain the information provided.Will any reader who knows about John Todd - Betsy Holliday and their son George Todd pre 1850 please ring me on 684035 and let me know.

I would like to thank all those people who sponsored me in my recent cycle ride in aid of the British Heart Foundation. To date I have raised the sum of £50-50p.Robert Turnbull
Roath - Cardiff

I have been encouraging people from the Community to submit stories to Newcastle Community News. I have made approaches to all age groups. Through a youth leader I have a team of "Cub Reporters" in the 8-12 age group. These youngsters will receive training and will then seek out news stories and features in their community. They will also be encouraged to find older people with reminiscence stories about the way things were. These will be collected in audio format and used on our audio magazines or for special cassettes for the library and also as realaudio on our website.

If you could recruit a similar band of young people in Haydon Bridge then we could arrange an exchange where these youngsters could investigate each others localities and report back on them. The obvious end product for this would be to collectively link these youngsters from rural/inner city and develop and exchange with a similar group from somewhere in Europe.

I hope the above is what you were looking for. I'm also putting some material in the post which may be helpful in getting something together your end.

I have also been discussing with Steve the possibility of collaborating in a joint venture with Wolf – FM ( http://www.wolf-fm.demon.co.uk/ ) in our approach to The Bangemann Challenge and shall be contacting both village schools and others to consider further the feasibility of the Walker based charity’s initiative.

On behalf of the Bowls Club I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sylvia, Joyce, Pauline, Chris and the Friends of the Village for holding a Prize Bingo for us in the Community Centre. The money received has gone towards two new bowls.

Thank you all once again.

I would just like to say a very big thank you, as it was pointed out on the night, I’m not a very good speech maker!!

The Junior Footballers much appreciated the donation of £100 which will be spent on much needed training equipment. I would appreciate it if our thanks could be passed on to your regular attendees.I would also like to say how much we all enjoyed the night, I’m sure you have converted some of our members to the Bingo league!

The Friends of Haydon Bridge have also received Thank You cards from the 1st Haydon Bridge Guides and the HB Over 60’s Club both of whom have been beneficiaries of half the profits from the, now regular, Prize Bingo evenings held on the last Saturday of every month, 7- 9 p.m. in the Community Centre. Sylvia, Joyce Pauline and Chris (supported by other members of the FOHB Committee) organise this event solely for the benefit of the community. If you would like to donate prizes please contact Sylvia, Pauline or Joyce or any other FOHB Committee member.

176 Vase Unclaimed
104 Wine Unclaimed
220 Sweets Mary Little
168 Bottle Sherry Mary Little
205 Quality Street P. Stewart
217 Hurricane Lamp Mary Little
34 £10 M&S Voucher M. Curry
325 Half Bottle Whisky J. Bottomley
255 Kitchen Clock M. Marshall

The Dance Club would like to thank all those who gave so generously for the Tombola Stall on the Village Fair Day. Without your help we couldn’t have made it such a success.

Letter from Major Cluttorbuck to David Kirsopp

Plumley, Cheshire
17 July 1998

Dear David,

I cannot thank you enough for giving me such a wonderful time on Wednesday, and for making my visit to Haydon Bridge so very enjoyable. It was indeed one of the happiest days I can remember, and it was quite amazing how my life of sixty years ago all came back to me in a flash, and long forgotten places, people and incidents all flooded back to my mind.
Besides the pleasure of making your own acquaintance, I was pleased to have met your delightful daughter and son: you are a lucky man. Of course I was sorry that my visit coincided with your wife’s trip to the continent, but I hope that I shall have pleasure in meeting her in the future.

I do congratulate the Club Committee on the fine start it has made on the ambitious plans to improve the Club facilities, and wish you every success. I will, of course, be most interested how things progress in due course.
If there is any paper work you need from me in connection with my little contribution I am sure you will let me know.
Anyhow, as the first step, I hope all will go well over the F.A.’s undertaking to match the sum you have raised.

I much enjoyed meeting your Uncle and chatting about the War Years with him. Please give him my kind regards when you next see him.

Thank you again for your wonderful hospitality.Yours sincerely,

Robert Cluttorbuck

If at first you don’t succeed try and try again is a well worn cliché said to have originated from Robert the Bruce following his observations of a spider attempting to build it’s web. "I spied a spider clymbing by his webb to the height of an trie and at 12 several times I perceived his web broke, and the spider fel to the ground. But the 13 tyme he attempted and clambe up the tree."

One day in late July I was sitting in the bar of the Haydon alongside were Avril and David Kirsopp who started telling me about retired Major Robert Cluttorbuck however as I was having a month off from the Haydon News I arranged to meet David at a later date.

On Wednesday 2 September at 8:40 p.m. I rang the doorbell of the Kirsopps’ Rocksprings cosy home, David invited me in and sat me in the kitchen, Avril as cheerful as ever made us both a cup of coffee - David continued telling me the story which he had started a few weeks earlier in the Haydon.

Following the lack of funding support from The Shaftoe Trust members of the Haydon Bridge Football Club’s fund raising committee had to cast their web further afield.

After the funeral of a relative David had entered into conversation with the Methodist Minister Rev. David Perkins who was himself closely involved in fund raising for the new Methodist Chapel in the village. The Rev. Perkins loaned David a book containing a list of Charitable Trusts from which he identified a number of hopefuls from which it may have been possible to obtain funds for the proposed five a side, all weather floodlit pitch. The Cluttorbock Trust was one of those to which the Football Club applied – their application was turned down.

A couple of weeks later Robert Cluttorbuck himself rang David and said that it was unfortunate but his Charity could not give money to a non charitable organisation. Robert went on to say that he knew Haydon Bridge as he had been stationed here from Oct. – Dec. 1939 and had happy memories of the place. David invited the former army officer up to stay and look around the village.

The 79 year old retired Major duly arrived at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday July 15th. Unfortunately David had clean forgotten that Avril would be in France with a party of 38 pupils and four staff from the High School however he knew that with daughter Aimee and son Steven’s help he would cope, for after all didn’t he help when they ran a B&B in their Rockspings home!

In the afternoon they went up to the Haydon View Residential Home, whilst driving along Church Street Major Bob well remembered how he had 100 men billeted in the Reading Rooms, and ah yes there was the place that they used as Officers’ Mess.

At the former Peelwell farm the Major was introduced to Uncle Joe (Nevin) [who was 90 on 15th August and really enjoying his stay at the residential home]. They had much to talk about of those far off wartime days and they stayed quite a while before moving on.

Next stop was the Roman Wall – the Major recalling that the troops used to march up from the village to Twice Brewed, carrying 60 pound packs – then back again. A case of marching them up to the top of the hill and marching them down again. From the Roman Wall David and his visitor drove down to Ridley Hall, another wartime billet for the troops.Evening came when it was off to the Anchor for a meal – there the Major had a chat with Jean Sim (nee Rimmer) who’s father Eric [Editors Uncle] had been stationed in Haydon Bridge during the war where he met and married widow Winnie Duffy (nee Philipson). The Major was particularly interested as Eric Rimmer was, at that time, a member of The Lancashire Regiment, his own Regiment.

Next morning Aimee cooked the breakfast whilst David told Robert of the Football Club’s ambitious plans after which they had a look around the existing facilities – he was suitably impressed at the comprehensive the facilities provided for our footballers.

Back at the Kirsopp home they rounded up their conversation where the visitor revealed that he was a bellringer at his local church, as Major Cluttorbok made to rise from his chair he said to David:
“I would like to make a small donation to the Haydon Bridge Football Club’s new facilities.”

Drawing out his cheque book he wrote out his cheque and handed it to David, who, looking down at the freshly inked piece of paper and possibly expecting to see a figure of one or perhaps two hundred pounds was astounded to see the princely sum of £5,000. The charitable Robert Clutterbock left at 11:30 and headed back to his Cheshire home.

David could hardly contain his pleasure and would have liked to have peeled our own Church bells to announce to all and sundry that the Football Club’s goal had almost been achieved.

As I walked along John Martin Street to The Anchor to wait for my lift home I reflected on that other Robert who 700 years ago watched a spider full of tenacity

A money spider had certainly made a visitation here on the 15th/16th July 1998.Shaftoe Trust please note.

SBM

A LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOTBALL CLUB

Dear Mitch,

On behalf of Haydon Bridge United A.F.C. 1 would like to apprise residents of village with regard to the ongoing project for the provision of a five-a-side court. On the advice of Tynedale Council we are applying to the lottery for 65% funding which means we need to raise £42 000. To date all of the clubs involved i.e. Saturday, Sunday and Junior teams have raised £10,000 through various activities and we have pledges of £15, 000 which totals £25,000. The Football Association give grants of up £25, 000 for hard surfaced football courts providing the applicants provide match funding so we have applied for the whole amount which, if successful, will give us a total of £50,000. Once the F.A. have approved our grant we will be applying to the lottery for the remaining £70,000.
Personally I would like to thank David and Avril Kirsopp who are the driving force behind the applications and to all those who have organised and donated to the fund raising activities.
I would also like to take the opportunity to clear up any confusion with regard to the fund raising of the football clubs in the village. In addition to seeking funds for the five-a-side pitch the football clubs are continuing to raise funds for the running of the various teams. Recently Alan White raised the magnificent sum of over £1,500 and apparently some people thought this money was being used for the five-a-side court however it was raised for the Junior teams in the village and will be used for the running expenses of the four teams including strips, insurance, league expenses and training equipment. The Junior teams have taken an active part in the raising of the £10, 000 above and like all teams have considerable running expenses.
I hope this has cleared up any confusion however if there are any further queries please contact myself or any committee member.

Yours Sincerely
Alan Borthwick

Index

Suddenly, after an abysmal summer, we're into autumn. But though the sun didn't shine the village did. It shone with flowers; baskets, pots, urns, troughs and window boxes overflowing with blossom. The Railway surpassed itself and residents of Shaftoe Terrace were awarded a Northumbria in Bloom award. The village has never looked so good. Regular deadheading and feeding will prolong the display until the frosts. Surfinia petunias - that's the pinky purple one in the Railway's display - seems to be the most popular choice throughout the village and lobelia a close second. Petunias flower early and last right through the season, one plant producing literally hundreds of flowers. Cuttings taken now and over-wintered on a frost free windowsill or cool greenhouse could fill next Year's baskets.

Berrying trees have done well this year; the rain helped swell the berries. The rowan at the entrance to the Catholic church on the North Bank has been laden with scarlet berries since July. 1 can't remember it looking so good. Rowans bordering the cemetery are just as colourful. Hemerocalis have enjoyed the wet summer. Known as the day lily because their huge trumpet shaped flowers last only for a day, they produce a succession of flowers each day from June to September. Everyone with even a small garden should grow day lilies because they look dramatic and beautiful yet are so easy. They are perennials which come up year after year with the minimum of attention. They likes a sunny position and will tolerate any soil except too dry. Given full sun and a fertile, moist soil they will outclass most other late flowering plants. Hemerocallis don't have bulbs but grow from fleshy roots. After a few years they can become congested and produce fewer flowers. If this happens divide them in spring and replant in enriched soil. Propagation is by division - varieties don't come true from seed. About this time of year 1 find small clumps of foliage, like baby plants, growing from the flower stems. At the end of the month 1 remove them from the plant with a piece of stem attached - they are already growing tiny roots - and pot them up and over-winter in a cold-frame. Day lilies are not prone to pests and diseases but 1 use slug pellets in spring to avoid damage to fresh young foliage. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from and almost all colours are available except blue. Look for the word tetraploid on the label as it means the plant is hardier and more resistant to bad weather, worth considering if it's to survive a cold Haydon Bridge winter.

This month - Plant spring flowering bulbs to three times their depth in a rich soil with added bone-meal.
Take cuttings of hardy evergreen shrubs like lavender, rosemary, helianthemum. Root in pots of gritty soil in a frame.
Take cuttings from fuchsias, pelargoniums, petunias, argyranthemums and other tender perennials. these will make strong rooted plants that can be overwintered in small pots indoors or in the greenhouse.
Grass has grown strongly this wet summer but an autumn feed will still be beneficial. Good month for sowing a new lawn.
Ideal time to spray perennial weeds such as nettles, ground elder, bindweed and horsetail with a glyphosate based weed-killer. Coat the surface of the weeds thoroughly. New shoots that appear can be treated next spring. I encourage bindweed to climb bamboo stakes to make spraying easier.

The results of the Haydon Bridge in Bloom – Bloom’n Pots competition, which was for houses without front gardens is as follows.

Judging for the competition consisted of two rounds, the first in June, the second in the first week of August – a little later than anticipated due to the inclement weather conditions.. The judges then made an overall assessment.

A first prize of £15 was awarded to the winner with two runner-up prizes of £10 each.

The Friends of Haydon Bridge, who sponsored the competition, would like to express their delight to their appeal for households to brighten up the main streets of the village. They would also like to thank those who participated in the competition and encourage them to repeat their efforts again next year. It is hoped that the competition will become a regular occurrence attracting still more wonderful displays of floral creativity. Well done everyone – Keep up the good work.

The management has locked herself, sobbing, in the en suite. Number one son is penned, sobbing and nursing his welts, in his room. Number one daughter is oblivious of the drama around her, deafened as she is by some artless Herbert artless Herbert and/or warbling trollop on a CD featuring some popular beat combo. This may be a good moment to slink off to work ...

Aren't school holidays wonderful relaxing things - Oh to be at home now that summer's here, Tra - la - la,
Hey nonny no etc.

Its a girl, 8lb 10oz, called Alexandra - three coughs and one rude word this time. Mary should be back to work in October.

Everyone should have a copy of the new brochure by the time you read this. If you do not yet have a copy please pick one up from the Health Centre. We hope that the colourful new layout will meet with your approval. The text has been proof read by a number of people and we hope that it is free of the spelling mistakes that found their way into the last edition.

Some subversive socialist desk wallah, probably in Europe, has decreed that employees are to be allowed time to eat during the day - Outrageous!

The Health Centre will be closed from 12.00 to 2.00 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays but the phone will still be manned and a doctor will be on call. This gap in the middle of the day will allow the staff to eat and catch up with the ever growing administrative mountain.

Hitherto very few people have felt the need to call at the surgery between 12 and 2 and so we hope that the inconvenience will be somewhere between none and trivial.

The Health Centre has six phone lines over which the total volume of traffic is distributed but even so there are times when people are unable to get through straight away.

May we suggest spreading the use of the phone through the day in the following way;

8.30 to 10.00 requests for appointments and visits
10.00 to 12.00 requests for repeat prescriptions
2.00 to 4.00 requests for results of tests and afternoon appointments

This should ease the congestion a bit. Thank you for your help with this.

In an effort to provide a wider selection of times for surgery appointments we are going to stagger the afternoon surgeries. One doctor will work from 3.00 to 5.00 and another will work from 4.00 to 6.30.

We hope that this will prove useful.

Elissa Patterson is the new Health Visitor. By the time you read this many of you will have met her. She has yards of qualifications, is good to work with and very friendly. I'm sure that she will be a great asset to the area.

She can be contacted on 688973 or 683554.

Her skills are very wide ranging though she is predominantly concerned with children under five.

Over the autumn and winter we hope to get ahead with some redecorating. We are going to make a special effort to rejuvenate the main waiting room and the long corridor so that the warm and welcoming atmosphere that we aim to create is emphasised. If all goes according to plan the corridor should come to resemble a linear art gallery rather than an arrow straight utilitarian passage.
The consulting rooms may well end up looking different from each other and, who knows, the heavy engineering motif in my room may change.

There is a growing market segment that is just waiting for some enterprising soul to exploit - who's going to be "in on the ground floor?" Environmental legislation is also bolstering the opportunity as well as popular sentiment.

Consider - most people don't smoke, most people do drink alcohol, most people like to socialise, most people go out for a meal from time to time.

An environment in which non-smokers could meet in a pub or club like atmosphere but be entirely free of the smell of tobacco that is so pervading in existing establishments would be likely to attract a growing clientele as its reputation spread.

A non-smoking room in a standard pub or club would not be the same as a truly tobacco free establishment. It would be a bold step certainly and will take strong nerves to pull it off but its an idea whose time has come I believe.

We are most grateful to Linda for the help she has given whilst Mary is on maternity leave.

It was strange for me to be at the opening of the new church, and then the next day to be on study leave and holiday for four months! The Methodist Church gives its ministers a 3-month sabbatical every 10 years, so that they can spend quality time engaged in study and spiritual refreshment.

Every minister can set their own agenda for that period, and - as you might expect - there is a great variety in the subjects chosen. One local minister went to work in the Church of Estonia, to see how they had developed since the collapse of Communism. Another spent his three months touring the Methodist Districts and visiting the rural churches that had shown signs of growth over the last few years.

I was determined to involve my wife and family in my sasbbatical time, as so often they are neglected by me during the pressure of the regular working week. Christine and I had been fortunate to be invited on a Keeping Marriages Healthy course, run earlier in the year in Birmingham, and it gave us a wonderful opportunity to work on making our marriage more of an enriching experience for us both. Having been together for over twenty years, the danger was that we had grown into habits which were not encouraging the fulness of life for which God had created us and called us together to share. The time spent together was so special, and had so many positive benefits for us as a couple and as a family that we wanted to share what we had learnt with others.

The sabbatical period gave us the opportunity to explore more deeply the ways marriages can be help healthy and enriched, despite all the pressures that come our way. So we have organised a course for local couples this autumn. This has been fully booked, but we are sure that another coursewill be run next year for any couple who want to go on getting the best out of their relationship.

Other days were spent in quiet thought and reading. I discovered the poetry of Michael O’Siadhail, and I leave you with one part of his poem Intrusion, which reminds me that, however great is my love for those closest to me, as a Christian in God’s world, there are others who need my attention.

The glaze of love and lover
our amorous self-containment,
concentric and utterly present
to the other. Sweetest hour

But what if between our gazes
shadows of the stricken fall,
the stares we seem to veil
keep on commanding us?

Our two-ness is never alone
Whose is that intrusive face
that looms unseen beween us
condemning all we haven't done?

At the invitation of Haydon Bridge’s churches, the Scripture Union ran another very succesful holiday club from July 27th to 31st. Two of the helpers give their report.

What a week! We’ve all had a good time, leaders, helpers, and over 100 children. We have learned much through songs, puppet shows, videos, stories, craft activities and prayers. Every morning there was a ‘bandstand’ for all ages outside St Cuthbert’s Church or - when wet, which it often was - inside the Methodist Chapel. Afterwards the children split into age groups 4-6 year-olds to the Parish Hall; 7-10 year olds to St John’s Hall, 11-15 year-olds to the Methodist Church.

In the afternoons, the 8+ year-olds were taken to Hexham swimming pool, and the younger children had craft activities and organised games. Even at night, the 11+’s went by mini-bus to the West Methodist Church in Hexham for “Nite Shift”. It was a very busy, full week for all.

Many thanks to Maurice Kitcatt, John Martin and Margaret Hindle for leading each age-group, to the group leaders and helpers and all the unseen people who organised lunches, accommodation, equipment, and all the paper-work, to
make the Holiday Club run so smoothly.. Many thanks to all the Churches of Haydon Bridge for letting their buildings be used.

For next year, much work will need to be done, and more help needed with the children. It’s great fun, and the children think so too! Why not join us for the next Holiday Club?
JA and KA

METHODIST CHURCH SERVICES

September. 6th (Racial Justice Sunday)
10.00 Rev Hutt: Covenant Service, and official dedication of new church.
6.00 Circuit Service at West End.
Sep.9th 2.30 Women’s Own Rev Perkins
September 13th
10.00 Miss E Gittus
6.00 Rev D Perkins; Bible Teaching.
September 20th
9.00 Rev D Perkins (Sacrament)
10.00 Mrs B Rowarth (Family)
6.00 Prayer Service
Sep.23rd
2.30 Women’s O. Mrs Rowarth
September 27th
10.00 Mr A Bird
6.00 Rev A Letby (Sacrament)

Visit of District Chairman
The Rev Richard Hutt, Methodist District Chairman, will be visiting Haydon Bridge Methodist Church. He is the
senior Methodist in the North East (in some ways similar to a bishop - except that Church of England and Roman Catholic bishops are not democratically elected!) This will be his first visit to the £300,000 new church.

The Leadership Team at Haydon Bridge Methodist Church asked if they could have On the first Sunday of the autumn
season a Covenant Service. At the heart of this is a prayer by John Wesley which begins: Lord God, I am no longer my own, but yours.

We wish the Methodists well in this final re-dedication of themselves, now that everything in the new church is finished.

ADVANCE NOTICE
Village Harvest Festival, Oct.11th,
Haydon Bridge Methodist Church.
10.15am Joint Communion service.
6.00 Joint Songs of Praise.

CALENDAR FOR ST CUTHBERT'S CHURCH

Sept. 2nd Wed
6.45 Healing Service.
7.30 Church Council.
Sept.3rd Thu
7.30pm Deanery Synod
at Haltwhistle.
Sept. 5th Sat
2.00-4.00 Henshaw Church fete, Henshaw School.
Sept 6th
14th Sunday after Pentecost
8.00 Holy Communion.
10.30 All-Age Service: L. Gray
Sept. 12th (Sat)
Historic Church Steeplechase
Sept 13th
15th Sunday after Pentecost
10.30 Parish Communion (SV Prins)
Sept. 20th
16th Sunday after Pentecost
8.00 Holy Communion
10.30 Mattins & Sermon (Mike Fry)
10.30 Sunday School in church hall
6.30 Deanery Evensong, Greenhead.
Sept. 23rd Wed
7.00 Holy Communion
7.30 Mothers’ Union
Sept 27th
17th Sunday after Pentecost
10.30 Parish Communion,
6.00 Harvest Festival, Old Church

Sober reading

In August, the vicar and churchwardens of St Cuthbert’s had a spring-clean in the vestry, and prepared old papers to hand over to the County Archives. The burial register from the early years of this century make sober reading, and show us how secure and ordered our lives are now, compared with the time of our grandparents:

1904 One man “fell from an express train at Lipwood Bridge.
1904 One each page there are 8 entries; one one page, the ages at time of death of the 8 people are:
22 years; 5 years; 7 months; 3 years; 13 months; 19 years; 13 months; 2 years;
Was there a flu epidemic in 1904?
1910 “a man unknown found in the river near Whitechapel on May 20th supposed to be about 55”
1916 “man unknown found cut in two on the railway near Altonside after inquest and open verdict”
1926 “unknown male person found in the River Tyne at Lipwood.”

Mass each Sunday at 9.30am
Mass most weekdays at 10.00am
Also, Mass each Sunday at Haltwhistle at 11.00am in The Two Churches, the
former URC church which is now shared by the two denominations equally.

Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom, lead thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead thou me on.
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene:
One step enough for me

So long thy power hath blessed me, sure it still will lead me on,
O’er moor and fen, o’er grag and torrent, till the night is gone.
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since and lost awhile..

In 1977, the income of St Cuthbert’s from collections and special efforts (voluntary income) was £2193.
In 1997, the voluntary income was £14899
Both years, the income was all spent.

It is several years since a flag has flown in the churchyard at the parish church. The Church Council would like to be able to fly a flag for the Millennium - and on other days too. Is there anyone who could donate a flag-pole to replace the present one?