Haydon News

December 1998

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EDITORIAL

Hi Folks
“Tell us about Samantha then Mitch” were the words of a smiling guy who sauntered up to our table. I was wasn’t in the slightest embarrassed by his question, another chap dressed in black looked on waiting for my reply. Instead of giving an answer I leaned over the table on which Samantha was lying, looking a bit dishevelled - bottle of wine next to her face, as her knickers were showing a bit I straightened the sleeping girl’s dress. “Not bad for a quid” thought I gently picking her up into my arms making to leave for other rendezvous. The sleeping Samantha didn’t make a sound as I carried her gently from the room to the bewildered gazes of the smiling guy and the man in black . . . . . . . . . Now I bet many of you are thinking I’m dreaming of some 1950’s vice den booze up when in fact I’m in the Church Hall on Saturday 28th November 1998, the part of smiling guy being played by John Armstrong and the man in black by the Vicar Vincent Ashwin. Yours truly having just won a bottle of wine in the raffle and the doll in the ‘name the doll competition‘. Isn’t it amazing what a few words can conjure up in your imagination?

Later that day I joined about eighty other people in the Community Centre for the popular monthly family Bingo session, organised by the Friends of Haydon Bridge and which is held on the last Saturday of each month, the participants range in age from 8 years to 85 years. At the end of the evening a young lady and her three children approached me – her tale was distressing. A couple of evenings earlier someone had slipped a letter through her door – this was one of these chain letters which ask you to pass it on to a dozen or so other people. The letter contains the usual “Woe betide you” warnings that if you don’t pass this letter on as instructed. I understand an example is given of someone who died after failing to pass it on. Best place for these letters is straight onto the fire or into the bin or maybe send them to the Police. Very easy to say but what about if your just about to go into hospital for a bone marrow biopsy, as the lady who approached me on Bingo night is? Again only words but humans have vivid imaginations.

At the same Bingo session someone passed on to me a promotional video by a group who are trying to convince all tenants of council houses to agree that their tenancies be transferred to a Council Sponsored Housing Association in what they call a Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT). The group is called Tynedale Housing and the video addresses the questions :

• What is Tynedale Housing who will be make the decisions?
• Rents after transfer.
• I need double glazing– What happens after transfer?
• What about the services for old people?
• What about people on housing benefit?

The Council have come to the conclusion that the transfer is in your best interests however they point out that the decision lies with you, the tenant. They point out that the transfer cannot happen without tenant’s support. Tynedale Housing is what is called a Social Landlord and the board will consist of:
5 Council nominees;
5 Tenants representatives;
5 local people chosen for their skills and experience.

The people appearing in the video are the Tynedale Director of Housing and Environmental Services Ian Darling and Councillor Barry Robson who is Chairman of Tynedale Housing Committee. The five questions above are answered by Sheila Kinsey Morgan who is a Housing Officer with Tynedale Council.
The ten minute video is available from Councillor Bill Howard and further information is available from:
Tynedale Council Freephone Helpline 0800 783 2384
or contact the Tynedale selected independent advisers
Aldbourne Associates on 0800 243 994

Please remember when viewing the video that it is a promotional one trying to convince you to follow a certain course of action. If I were a council tenant I would take independent advise. If you want any information on Aldbourne Associates they can be found on the Internet

http://www.jrf.org.uk/housing/H133.html

Should anyone like a copy of the above information please phone me on 684980.

Recently I was contacted by the residents of the houses directly on each side of the Community asking if I would sit in with them on meetings they were to have with the Secretary of the Community Association (Mrs. Howard), Mr. Wardle of Northumberland County Council and other members of the Community Association Executive Committee. This I did on 16th September and 18th November. Both residents were furious that they had not been consulted earlier as the rebuilding plans showed the rebuilt Community Centre being attached to their homes, in fact the first either of the owners knew of the plans to rebuild the place was in the Hexham Courant on 27th February.

I find this situation appalling where plans can be drawn up, and presumably submitted to the Lottery, showing the rebuilt Community Centre being attached to peoples homes without their permission having been obtained at an early stage. Perhaps this goes some way to explain one possible motive for me being refused entry to Community Association Meetings to which I had been specifically been invited by a number of Community Association members whom I meet every Saturday? Lest you think Mitch is having another go at Cllr. Mrs. Howard, and I am, I ask: Would YOU like it if your neighbours had plans drawn up showing their building being attached to your semi-detached or end of Terrace house? I very much doubt it!! In fact most of us would consult with our neighbours before any pen was put to paper on a project that would effect them – wouldn’t we?

Jumping onto my trusty steed Bess we’ll now gallop of in another direction – lets say westwards. So off we jolly well go. . . “Whoaa Bess!” Goodness that didn’t take long Mitch old son. “Where are you now ?” You may well ask, by the time most of you read this ‘tome‘ [see letters page] we will have shifted - not far mind you as the short ride on Bess indicated. We should have moved in on 5th December to the house next door but one but so as not to confuse anyone we will be taking our house name and phone numbers with us.

From the side windows of our new abode I will be able to look at our neighbour’s paracetamol shrubs as he gathers in his crop each morning on his way down to his North Bank office, car boot already half filled with downers for the people who want to stop smoking (see Medical Miscellany).

Now that the proposal to issue cannabis on the NHS to sufferers of certain maladies has been dispensed with he’ll be able to see me moving my plants to the West facing window in the afternoons so as they catch the late afternoon sun . . . . Right on man . . . . . Fancy a smoke? . . . Way out . . . . . Ban downers and make everyone happeeeee especially the shakees of this world– uppers on the NHS !!!!!

See you later folks . . . . . . . bye for now Mitch

Index

Ten of the eleven Councillors were present together with one member of the public and the Hexham Courant reporter, unfortunately your usual Haydon News reporter wasn’t available and these notes were taken by yours truly.

Matters Arising
Cllr Mrs. Charlton outlined proposals for the Millennium –see page 14.
The Highways Authority had written to say that funds have been made available to do some work on Ratcliffe Road to stop flooding at the Pelican crossing – this will be done before the end of March 1999.

Planning Applications
One application which caused some discussion was a proposal to build a 15 metre mast at Langley for use by a radio telephone company. As the proposed area is rich in Beech and Oak it was not thought appropriate to site at the location specified. Parish Council will object to proposal.Correspondence
Cragside is to be renamed under new ownership
Countryside Commision require comments on proposed new Bridleway
A Government Electoral Review will take place in Tynedale

Other Matters
Langley Village Hall have asked for a lottery grant and ask for additional funding from the Parish Council. This will be discussed at the Budget Meeting.

Community Centre
A letter had been received from Mrs. Willis and Miss Longley, the owners of adjoining properties objecting to present plans. The plans had been discussed by the Parish Council on 10th November -

Village Walk
Ms Barbara Wardle had drawn up a proposed walk around the village – this needs to be walked by someone who doesn’t know the route before a booklet is finalised.

The Old Bridge has been scheduled as an Architectural Monument and a bid is to be put in for Lottery money . Perhaps to be lit by gas again.

SBM

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 UK 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

Readers outside U.K If you wish to support the Friends of Haydon Bridge e-mail us now at FOHB

Index

PRODUCTION AND DELIVERY OF THE HAYDON NEWS

There have been one or two mentions recently of problems and dissatisfaction arising from late delivery of ‘The Haydon News’ in some parts of the area. Where I can understand (and am delighted to hear!) that readers are keen to get their copies as quickly as possible, I hope that a reminder about the voluntary nature of the whole process will not go amiss.

‘The Haydon News’ is produced FREE to everyone; all costs are the responsibility of the Friends of Haydon Bridge.

The huge amount of time and skill devoted by the Editor every month (and by those who compile around 900 copies of 9 or 10 sheets each copy!) is voluntary.

Delivery of those 900 odd copies each month is through a dedicated network of volunteers who do this often wet, cold and arduous task in their own time, as an when they can manage it.

To sum up, please let me (or any other Committee member of the Friends) know if you are having difficulty with delivery of your copy. We will do what we can to resolve things, but please bear in mind that this is a voluntary and not commercial undertaking. We do, of course, welcome any ideas for improvement (and additional helpers!)

Charles Thomas, Chairman. The Friends of Haydon Bridge

Members of the Haydon Bridge W.I. Enjoyed a ‘fish’ feast of pleasure at their monthly meeting. A delicious supper of fish and chips was followed by a talk from Mrs. E.Wilson entitled ‘A Cullercoats Lass’ in which she gave a detailed and colourful description of life as a herring fish-wife many years ago.

Dressed for the part in clogs, along navy serge skirt over a red flannel petticoat, a thick woollen shawl and a black ‘beetle’ coat she brought back many memories for some of our older members. One member remembered buying herrings at her door and obtaining twenty for one old penny. The coats were called ‘beetle’ because the corners of the front hems were buttoned back to keep the coats out of the barrels of salt water when the fish was gutted.

A wealth of folk lore followed by clog dancing, a fisher-woman’s song and a ‘hornpipe’ on the Northumbrian pipes made this a night to remember.

A letter of thanks was read by the President from Marie Curie. A cheque for £25 had been sent to them from the proceeds of a harvest stall at a previous meeting.

The raffle was won by Mrs. A. Turnbull, Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Benson.

The competition – ‘A Decorative Shell’ by Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Waugh and Mrs. Moore.

Myra Bowen

Index

The speaker at the first meeting in November was Mr. Colin Crawford of CARE. Members learnt that this national charity provides accommodation in Ponteland for 34 residents with learning disabilities, where they are encouraged to learn independent living skills.

Workshops teaching skills in horticulture, woodwork, laundry, catering and estate matters are held daily and the produce is sold to the general public. Some residents attend special needs courses at Ashington College in subjects such as cooking, photography, computers etc. and travel independently by public transport from Ponteland to Ashington.

Many residents have the skills to cope with shopping independently and do their own cooking, cleaning and laundry. They also lead an active social life using most of the amenities Ponteland has to offer. For example, carpet bowls, WI, Gateway Club, evening classes, Sports Club, Swimming Pool, pubs etc.

A small group home for the more independent has been built in Newcastle. This is a staffed home – housing six residents who are encouraged to do everything themselves. A second home is planned for 1999 in Monkseaton.

The annual Pie & Peas supper later in November was, as usual, a sell-out. Compere Eddie Milligan – aided and abetted by auctioneer Maurice Reed was in sparkling form. Members Laura Gilhespy and Francis wise kept the audience up to date with local gossip and Eileen Martin found some more gems for her monologues. The guest entertainers, husband and wife team ‘Mike and Di’ from Wark, went down a storm with a well balanced programme ranging from John Denver classics to ‘sing along’ favourites.

The evening was a resounding success, no doubt ensuring a full house again in 1999.

Mary Nagel

Index

EDITORIAL POLICY OF THE HAYDON NEWS

The editorial policy of ‘The Haydon News’ is ultimately the responsibility of the Committee of the Friends of Haydon Bridge , although day-to-day responsibility is delegated to the Editor of ‘The Haydon News’. Our intention is always to ensure that the content of ‘The Haydon News’ is as fair and factually correct as possible. Any complaints concerning editorial policy should be addressed in writing to the Chairman of the Friends of Haydon Bridge, and will be considered by and receive a formal response from the Committee of the Friends of Haydon Bridge. Complaints other than those made above will not be entertained.

Charles Thomas, Chairman
The Friends of Haydon Bridge
South View
Heugh House Lane
Haydon Bridge
NE47 6ND

Dear Mitch

Whomsoever it is who kindly delivers the Haydon News to our front doors each month remains a mystery to me. I leave in the morning and it isn’t there. I return at night – and it is.

Thank you – whomsoever : and thank you also as editor. I know from experience what it takes to produce such a tome each month.

From time to time I have subscribed. I believe it is probably time I did again. Hence the cheque.

Good luck – the team: and thanks to all.

Yours Etc.

F.R.T. Chesterwood

Ed’s note.
Thank you for your welcome note and donation – the production and distribution is indeed a team effort and here I would like to thank all former and current distributors who ensure that the newsletter gets to your homes. The present distribution team is: :Joyce Armstrong, Pamela Armstrong, Ann Carter, Leslie Carey, David Corbett, Margaret Curry, Jean Ford (Daisie and Haydon), ,Enid Garrow, Laura Gilhespy, Joan Glenwright, Jean Heron, Liz Jukes, Linda Heap, Norman Heslop, Moira Howard, Claire Hunter, Geoffrey Jackson, Werner Nagel, Elena Parkin, June Ratcliffe, Gladys Robertson, Doreen Robson, Mike Salthouse, Rosemary Shout, Joyce Sim, Petula Thompson, Pauline Tulip and John Wardle. Without this dedicated band of helpers who go out in all sorts of weather to get the newsletter to your doors the Haydon News would probably not exist. Thanks also to both newsagents Clarke and Marsh for the part they play in the distribution network. The usual collators of the newsletter are Sylvia, Joyce and Pauline who are always at hand to put the thing together (at least 880 copies each month) after your scribe has done his bit – apologies if I’ve missed out anyone.
Thanks . . . Mitch

Thanks also to the residents of Lipwood for the generous annual autumn donation you give to help the Friends of Haydon Bridge fund the Haydon News.

I wasn't expecting you to send me copies of the Haydon News now that I can read it on the Web. I will have a look through any old photos etc. that I have, but doubt if there would be much of general interest - will let you know if I come across anything.

Just want to say how much I enjoy reading the Magazine. Once my cousin Pat Clark died I was afraid that I would lose all contact with my native village, so it is a real Godsend (though sad at times when I read of the deaths of old friends). I especially like bits you include about the past - like Mrs Snowball's Concert (so many familiar names in the list of kiddies included). I wasn't one of them though - I think because I had my piano lessons from Miss Sanderson instead!

Keep up the good work Mitch - you sound like a great guy.

Jill Lawson.
Romford, Essex

Ed’s note – Anyone who lives outside the parish and sent £9 or more as a donation to The Friends of Haydon Bridge is entitled to a Haydon News by post, however as you are happy with the Internet addition I’ll leave you off the mailing list. We now have many overseas and UK readers of the Internet Edition. I asked Sylvia if I should edit out your last line but she suggested I leave it an as she agrees with you.
Mitch

NB A few whom I annoy will say that Jill may have misspelled great and that it should be ‘grate’.

Under my editorship I will ensure that The Haydon News continues as a ‘vox populi’ containing news, views and stories from both sides of the fence.

I will end by quoting an old German proverb:

Nur Kinder und Narren
sprechen Die Wahrheit!

Der Schriftleiter

May 1 first of all say how much I enjoy reading the Haydon News. I read every word, the stories, the articles, the information, I find the jokes very humorous and often tell them to my friends elsewhere and we have a good laugh. 1 think you do a great job. However I was a little bit surprised that you made such a fuss about the police checking up on your drinking habits in the November issue.

I'm no angel and have drank after hours on numerous occasions as most drinkers have at some time or other. In my forty five years drinking experience, nothing to brag about my father used to say. I've been told to go home by the police on the odd occasion as they've made their tour of the pubs. But I've always thought it was a fair cop, and realised they had a job to do, 1 and never held any grudge against them. In all that time I don't think anyone has been charged with selling or drinking alcohol after time in the village so they are not all that bad.

The law is the law, and if you think some should be broken where do you draw the line. Do you think there should be one law for the middle aged and elderly and one law for the rest of the population? do you think we should withhold information from the police if someone’s house is broken into if we know who it is, or likewise if someone is mugged or even worse? just because the police interrupted our drink on a Sunday night.

I would have thought the police will know that a few minutes around 11 o clock will save them hours of police time later, with drink related crimes, domestic violence, vandalism and other crime mentioned in the November issue. They've got to keep us on our toes and not let things get too bad. Maybe it's called zero tolerance,

As regards changing the drinking laws you mentioned I'm sure there are a lot of wives, mothers, children not to mention employers looking forward to that, because a lot of people myself included don't like leaving before closing time, and not everyone is retired.

The publican would not benefit from it either, because people just have a certain amount of money to spend on drink and would just turn out later, as what has happened since the 10 o clock closing time, staff would demand more money, heating and lightning over beads would sore , and the price of drink would go up, even non alcoholic drink. The answer is to train people to turn out earlier

.IF YOU WANT TO DRINK OR CELEBRATE
WHY NOT TURN OUT AT HALF PAST EIGHT
INSTEAD OF SITTING IN YOUR DEN
AND TRAILING OUT AT HALF PAST TEN

I'm sure you didn't mean to ridicule the police in such a way, I think they caught you on a bad night, they are not perfect, but it would be a lot worse without them.
However I’ve got some good news for you and the shy Poet Laureate ‘D’ (What Talent). I hear that the police are going to issue free VIAGRA to middle aged and elderly drinkers in Haydon Bridge so that they have less bother and more time to concentrate on murders in South Shields, and thieves in Hexham. Apparently they’ve heard of the village character who used to say, and probably still does, “ If I’m not in bed by 11 o’clock I go home.”

David Tulip
Martins Close

Editor shrieks in delight at receiving a letter from a villager – with a publishable name and address. However before I respond I must inform readers who don’t know, that David is specially knowledgeable on this subject. His mother was actually born in a pub and his sister Betty owns and runs a favourite haunt of many. The Haydon Hotel – you could say that because of this and his own admissions here, ale courses through his veins like blood. No publican could, however, make a living out of what I spend on booze each month.

My comments on the police and after hours drinking was all about prioritising their work – the Editorial was written because of the strong feelings on the subject by those of us in the village pubs when the police visited the drinking holes on their October ‘crackdown’. The question of changing the drink laws is something that will come into being as we follow the rest of the world and introduce sensible licensing practice in most other parts of the world. I speak with some authority here as I have spent half my working life living overseas.

Many people, myself included, believe that it is because of our antiquated drink laws that we have so many drink related crimes in England and Wales. Landlords would then be able to make their own decisions as to how long they wish to stay open, provided of course that they were not causing a nuisance to their neighbours and homes nearby. I agree with the sentiments expressed in your little ditty.

The poem by ‘D’ was penned by the poet independently without consultation between us – it did in fact appear at High Brindles on the day I was printing the master copies – as it was relevant and funny I quickly chopped out an article and slipped the poem in instead.

Your comment about VIAGRA was a little bit cocky and a just a wee bit below the belt however I’m sure that the people concerned will take it in the manner it is given. Mind you as for me I wouldn’t dare take it as there might be some reaction with the bromide Sylvia sneaks into my tea when I‘m not looking. Is it true that you must swallow VIAGRA quickly otherwise you may get a stiff neck?

Methinks that’ll cause quite a flutter up the North Bank

Mitch

I, for one, would be very sorry to see you resign from editing the H/N. Very few people realise the amount of work involved in producing a Newsletter every month, and taking the flak as editor. I only produce one three times a year and it frequently has me tearing my hair out and cursing the computer. It's called the "Animosity of Inanimate Objects Syndrome." All computer bashers suffer from this at times.

To change the subject. I was waiting for my train to Newcastle on Wednesday Nov.18th at around 07.50 when the siren sounded in the Fire Station. Within about two minutes several cars arrived at the station, plus two people on bicycles. The gates to the level crossing had been closed, but the fire engine was waiting and the gates were hastily opened while it went through, then closed again. Five minutes later the engine, hooting and flashing, had gone. I assume these firemen had bleepers to turn up so quickly. Is it possible you could tell us something about how this is organised? It looked like a blue-print of efficiency and was very reassuring.

Next subject. Query for Dr Ford. Recently on TV there was an appeal for black bone marrow donors for a small black boy. I understood that in the case of blood donations, colour of donor or recipient doesn't matter as long as the group is compatible. If this is correct, why does it have to be bone marrow from a black person for another black person? Isn't it interchangeable like blood?

Signed: Curious.
Please withhold name and Email address.

Ed’s note

No need to curse my computer Ma’am it does exactly what I ask it to do! It is the non-logical processes of some individuals that cause me frustration.

Dr. Ford tells me that the difference is between blood types and tissue types - Most people will be familiar with blood groups; A, B and O and Rhesus positive or negative. These characteristics are common across all human races, hence the ability to transfuse between races.

Tissue, including marrow, is typed differently. The typing is according to HLA (Human Lymphocyte Antigen) characteristics. These are also tested for in certain diseases that involve the immune system, some types being more susceptible than others. There are significant racial differences in the HLA system, hence the need for a black marrow donor for a black recipient.

I Have spoken to Ken Tulip who is the sub-officer responsible for the Haydon Bridge volunteers who man the fire engine. Ken was pleased to hear that you were reassured by the quick turn out of the crew on November 18th.

The Haydon Bridge volunteer fire fighters (apparently they don’t call them firemen anymore) are 14 in number, and this includes one lady. They are:

Sub Officer
Ken Tulip

Leading Firefighters

Gordon Liddle James Brown

Firefighters

Joseph Brown Colin Banks
Michael Phillips Dave Harris
Richard Hines Craig Tulip
Scott Elliot Michael Lowdon
Paul Pender Morris Robson
Paula Kirkup

Despite the fact that ten of the above are shift-workers the average time to get underway is 3-4 minutes, as measured over the last 12 call-outs.

When you dial 999 the Fire Service calls are all routed directly to the Headquarters in Morpeth who decide which station(s) to call out. A signal is then transmitted to the appropriate fire-station, in this case Haydon Bridge, where the alarm sounds and at the same time a radio signal is transmitted, this alerts the local team via individual bleepers. As soon as a full crew of six is aboard the fire tender off they go to the conflagration or accident, although if there are only four fire fighters on board they can go to the scene but then Morpeth call out a second machine from Hexham to attend.

The village fire service acts as back-up to Haltwhisle, Allendale and Hexham whilst the local town provide a back up service for Haydon Bridge. I can imagine that because of the large number of shift workers involved in our local fire service that it is occasionally a bit of a struggle to maintain the call-out roster one would like.

It occurred to me that you’ve got to be fit and fast to be lying in bed fast asleep then 3 – 4 minutes later be aboard a fire engine lights flashing and bells ringing screaming down Church Street. It takes me that length of time just to switch the alarm off !!

Well done the FIRE FIGHTERS of Haydon Bridge

Mitch

This prompted the following e-mail.

To: <mitch@haydonbridge.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Hunter McDonald
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 21:06:24

I reckon that Hunter McDonald is up to his tricks again!I believe that this is the same person who infiltrated the British Army in the Second World War by pretending to be a cook while in fact he was probably employed by the Germans with a mission to poison as many of his regiment as possible. I believe he pretty well succeeded in this mission as well! Ask him about the goings on in the kitchen and see if there's any substance to this rumour that he was a secret weapon sent to disrupt the smooth workings of both the army and its digestive system.

An army marches on its stomach after all - his regiment had to run!

PAT CULLROHAN

Ed’s Note

Well Pat – I have spoken to Mr. McDonald who will respond in February’s Haydon News. You obviously had some inside information on the former soldier. Like the readers I must wait with interest to hear what he has to say.

Readers are asked to note that, as is customary, there will be no Haydon News issued in January. The next edition will be in February - we’ll endeavour to have it to you as close as possible to the first of the month. Have a super festive season and drink eat and be merry if at all possible. I may see you in the New Year.

Mitch

The archives will be stored on CD ROM and made generally available in two years time although six monthly progress reports and public demonstrations will keep you all informed of the progress to date.

I am pleased to say that I have had a tremendous response from individuals and groups who have already provided me with valuable photographs and other material suitable for archiving. The most comprehensive being ‘Stigham’s Scrapbooks’. Stigham was the nickname of the late Stanley G. Brown who was for many years a prominent Cycle Dealer in Church Street. Most people thought that these had been lost forever however through the columns of the Haydon News contact was made with his nephew James Brown in Filey and already I have received the first two of the scrapbooks. In one 1966 newspaper article 72 year old Stigham said "There's no doubt that objects like these should not be thrown away and I intend to present them to an organisation or library where they will be looked after."
For reasons known only to himself he later put the scrapbooks into a sack and buried them in the back garden !!!
Many years later when Stigham died, his nephew from Filey recovered the books from the Shaftoe Street garden.

Mr. Coombes has given me access to his material including the complete two volumes of his book ‘A History of Langley Barony’ which is already in digital format. Billy Nichol of Newbrough has loaned me his most comprehensive archive of photographs and articles on Settlingstones Mine where many a Haydonian worked, this included my mother. The Haydon Bridge W.I. has given me access to their marvellous 1965 scrapbook. Eileen Wren of Darwen has loaned a large number of photographs and documents from the Moffat collection. The list goes on and on – I’m afraid I cannot list here everyone who has provided photographs and documents however full credit will be given in the actual archive.

Many people have come forward to join the team and I welcomes anyone who has an interest in assisting with this project in any capacity to come forward.. You do not need to be computer literate to help record a hundred years of Haydon Bridge history however I do not want anyone to come forward who’s only interest is forming yet another committee – this will be a real live Project starting in January 1999 and ending in 2001.

Although the main team of five will be aged 60 and over help is also sought from younger people and folk who will delve through records in Hexham library, County Records Office and other places. I feel that Project Archive 2000 will be an interesting venture with many spin-offs, however it will also be hard work.On the financial side I am pleased to report that the Shaftoe Educational Trust has come forward with a generous grant which has certainly helped my cash flow and enabled me to purchase the necessary archiving software at an earlier date than I would have anticipated.– Thank You.
I am still awaiting the result of my Lottery bid and application to the Parish Council. If you as an individual feel that you can offer financial support to the project I welcome donations. A complete record of the budget and accounts will be maintained and can be made available to any financial contributor. If there are any surplus funds or profits on completion of the archiving these will be handed over to The Friends of Haydon Bridge in order for them to maintain the project in the 21st century.

The software, that is to say the specialised computer programs that will enable all records to be entered automatically into the computer and also provide cross referencing between text and photographs, has now been purchased. I have decided to use an already developed suite of programs called COMMA – an acronym for Community Multi-Media Archive. This software has already been used by Batley Community Archive Trust and has been tested in England, Norway and Sweden. In developing COMMA it was stated;

A COMMUNITY photographic archive should have four main purposes:

1. To provide a readily available pictorial record of changes which have taken place in a town and among its people.
2. To stimulate older people’s memories as a means of increasing knowledge and improving their health and self esteem.
3. To provide younger members of the community with examples and explanations of developments in trends which helped shape the town.
4. To be used as an aid to historical research and scholarship and to boost pride among the townspeople.

If you would like to contact me at High Brindles 684980 just come and knock on my front door, send me a letter or e-mail mitch@haydonbridge.demon.co.uk

I will be happy to give anyone a computer demonstration of the end product of the project here at High Brindles and answer any questions you may have. Please remember that I intend for this to be a Community Project.

The Batley project can be seen on the World Wide Web at: http://www.polkaville.com/comma

Thanks for your time . . . . . Mitch

CARPET BOWLS NEWS

On the 19th of November 1998, Haydon Bridge Carpet Bowls Club played their 10th match of the season at home to Simonburn. Here are the teams and the fixture list for December

December Fixtures
Thursday 3rd - Club Night
Tuesday 8th - Club Night
Friday 11th - Wylam Away
Thursday 17th - Whitfield Home

Since my last report a month ago when I welcomed new members one person called George Hutton came along to the first club night in November and quickly got the hang of the game, and is already keen to play in the matches.

This match could not have been closer. Haydon Bridge started the night very well with teams A B and C winning their first games. The D team lost their first, but came back and took the second 5-3. Having won their first two games, the A team must have had too much supper and lost their last two. Similar things happened to the B team but team C obviously ate the right amount of supper and impressively won their third game 7-0 and took their last game 5-0. It was a good job that team C had such a good run because the other three teams lost their final games.

This was a very interesting and enjoyable night with nothing in the scores.

HAYDON BRIDGE 57 SIMONBURN 61

You could be a part of these fascinating matches. Just come along to one of the club nights listed on the fixture list above at 7:30 pm. Entry fee is £1 for adults and 25p for juniors. Have a game of bowls, play the raffle, enjoy a cup of tea and have a chat.

WHITE JACK

Index

Garden centres and supermarkets offer a good selection of seasonal plants at this time of year. Its sometimes difficult to keep these plants alive into the new year, never mind blooming, so here are some tips.

An arrangement of several plants together will thrive better than a single pot.

Don't place in draughts, near a radiator or in a room with fluctuating temperatures.

Make sure you buy a healthy plant. Last year I bought poinsettias in a supermarket Some of the plants had been frosted, probably in transit, and were already dropping their leaves. Poinsettias wont recover . Avoid yellowing foliage or bare stems at the base where leaves have been lost. It the tiny flowers in the centre of the red bracts are healthy the whole plant is probably healthy too. Poinsettias have become synonymous with Christmas. They are very showy with huge red bracts and green leaves, I buy six plants, remove their pots and plant thorn together in a large decorative container or basket filled with peat. When the compost starts to dry out, soak with tepid water. Poinsettias need very special conditions to survive and colour up for another year so just discard them when they begin to look jaded.

Indoor azaleas are a popular choice. Problems occur because they are usually sold in a pot which is too small for the roots and is difficult to keep moist. Pot up into a larger container using peat or ericaceous compost. It is an acid loving plant so use rainwater or cooled, boiled water for watering. Plant out in the garden throughout summer. It is not frost hardy so must be brought indoors by October. With care, it will increase in size and flowers each year. Red flowered cyclamen look very festive. Water moderately and feed weekly throughout the flowering season which will last until March. Remove old blossom and leaves by tugging them out from the base of the stem. After flowering, gradually dry off, resting the tubers out of doors in a frame during the summer months. In August soak the pot and when the tiny leaves begin to sprout, repot in a fresh compost. The tuber should be potted so that the level of the soil surrounds its circumference, no deeper.

This month Cut down herbaceous perennials bit by frost and finish clearing up leaves. Clear fallen leaves from ponds.

Take hardwood cuttings of shrubs and roses. Take a 10” cutting and remove leaves up to the top tow inches. Prune below a leaf joint at the base and above a leaf joint at the top. Insert cuttings in a slit in the soil to about half their length.

Take root cuttings of oriental poppies, phlox, anchusa, acanthus, delphiniums.

Lay pieces of root 2" long on trays of compost and cover with compost. Re prepared for freezing temperatures. Give protection to vulnerable plants, terracotta pots, outside taps.

Fish will die if the pond freezes over. Use a pump or heater to keep a hole in the ice.

When I visited High Brindles to look at the collection of photographs the editor of the Haydon News is building up for the ARCHIVE 2000 Project one of the many pictures we looked at was of William Todd’s shop on the corner of Shaftoe Street. I myself could not remember any further back than Mary Hannah Todd whose brother Jimmy Todd was one of three railway signalmen who must have closed the gates thousands of times in the 1930’s when the Newcastle-Carlisle line was a much busier line than now. Big Bob Grey and Jack Elwick were the other two who manned the gates for a full 24 hours every day, signalling every train in and out of the station. I am delighted to know that Bobby Todd still takes an active part in village life even though like myself he must now be an octogenarian.

The news that there is a move afoot to build a new Community Centre from lottery funding reminds me that Newbrough Town Hall, which has just recently been beautifully and largely rebuilt and refurbished through a grant of some £440,000. The Newbrough Hall owes it’s very existence to another Haydonian called Todd, in this case a certain Miss Jane Todd – I am indebted to Mr. Jack Charlton of Newbrough who provided me information on which this letter is based.

Since 1882 Jane Todd has lain in Old Haydon Churchyard for much of the time in a grave covered by brambles, thistles, nettles, coarse grass, moss, lichen etc. However her grave has recently undergone a wonderful refurbishment, courtesy of a fellow octogenarian who insists on remaining nameless but who, like myself, has links with both villages. As the photograph shows he must have put in a damn hard weeks work restoring her grave. All our thanks to him.

But now to the lady herself. Way back in the early part of the last century, in 1809 at Tofts Farm there lived a reasonably wealthy family of farmers by the name of Todd. I say reasonably wealthy because at the time they owned a number of farms which included, Haydon, Westley Bank, Cruel Syke, Prior House, Bush Fell, Lowes Fell, Kitterlands, Tanyward Fields and Light Birks !

There were three strapping sons in the family and one, Nicholas by name, certainly did not need ‘VIAGRA’ - at the time neither the Pill or condoms had been conceived and the inevitable happened when a local lass became pregnant and produced a daughter. Nicholas’s mother went beserk! You can imagine the tirade levelled at twenty six year old Nicholas by his mother up at the ‘Tofts’ she wasn’t going to be saddled with some village lass marrying her son for after all they did live up the North Bank – different class to those common villagers ‘down there’, or so they think.

No doubt the young lass received a similar ear bending from her own family. The matter would have been discussed, the family furious that some toff at the Tofts had taken advantage of their daughter and wouldn’t face up to his responsibilities as any lad from the village would have done in those days. The lass and her family hatched out a scheme as they certainly didn’t have the funds to look after another mouth to feed. One dark evening after wrapping the bairn in a warm blanket the lass, or perhaps her mother, climbed the well worn path from the village and deposited the baby on the doorstep of Tofts Farm and fled. The identity of the lass and her family have been kept a closely guarded secret and was not known to many.

It appears from subsequent events that Nicholas Todd fell in love with the little mite, told his martinet of a mother to get knotted and largely brought her up himself. He was rewarded as the bairn grew up into a beautiful woman with a strong business sense. Jane Todd, who never married, developed Stonecroft Mine and bought Newbrough Park and gave Newbrough its very majestic Town Hall where I mesell courted many a wee bonnie bit lass a lang time since.

Surely this absolutely true story of life in the parish almost 200 years ago is unique by the fact that it was the father of the illegitimate child who brought the offspring up. The indisputable evidence is in the hands of Mr Charlton including a very early photograph and even the Wills of the said lady and her father – which I have been fortunate to read. It occurs to me that it is a great pity that the story could not have been submitted to our own dear late Catherine Cookson who would have made it into one of her best sellers. Maybe it would have paid for a Town Hall for Haydon Bridge as well !!

An unusually named Jane WARDROBE (sic) gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, Jane, born on August 8th 1809 and christened 17th September - was this the girl that Nic had a closet relationship with? Nicholas Todd was also the reputed father of one Thomas Parker Todd who was a main benefactor of both Nicholas’s and Jane’s wills. Nicholas died on 20th July 1863 and Jane who died 30th June 1882.

A quiet word to Hunter –
“Hinny, noo yiv really blawn the gaff on wot wi get up tee up heor. Am ganna howld ye porsnally ti blame if lasses start leaving theor little bundles on me doorstep. On secund thowts aal me misteks wud be aal in theor thorties and fowties be noo and cud waalk up the bank thimsels. Gud job am ganna move in December!!”

My friend, Wyn, in Staffordshire described her Halloween party to me over the phone recently. Her son-in-law had been invited with his wife to a Halloween works dinner which they could not refuse to attend. It was to be at a local racecourse and a special race was the main event of the evening. So Wyn had agreed to have the children, Mimi aged 8 and Nicholas aged 6, to stay overnight.

She decided they would have a great Halloween party themselves, just the three of them. She made ghosts from white tissue paper draped over balloons, and witches from black tissue over green balloons, finished off with pointy noses and hats. The tissue bats suspended from the ceiling looked so realistic when the lamps were lit, they even made her feel creepy! There were doughnut mobiles to take bites out of - she didn’t dare risk apples as both children had a loose tooth. Dinner was candlelit in the conservatory with all the lights out. Mimi was dressed up as a witch and Nicholas as his namesake (the older version); their Mum had been very clever with face paint and made them look quite spectacularly ghoulish - to their great delight.

When they had played several games and the meal was over, they were about to sit and watch their favourite TV programme. Nicholas said he would just set up his grandfather’s carpet croquet game for them to play afterwards. (Grandfather had gone to Heaven some months ago.) When Wyn looked round the little boy was blue in the face and struggling to breathe. He had swallowed one of the marbles from the game! She up-ended him, patted his back hard, did everything she could think of, but all to no avail. She rushed to the phone to tell her friend Joan to send Alan, her husband, round to take them to the hospital - Wyn doesn’t drive.

When they got to the hospital, Mimi was the one in quiet control, able to give the nurse her brother’s name, age and address, adding helpfully in her clear and serious voice, “You probably already have Nicholas on your computer, because he broke his arm last year.” Nicholas was x-rayed and they sat waiting for the result, trying to keep the still choking little boy calm, when in came a struggling couple. The lady had blood-soaked towels wrapped round the wrists she had cut and the man launched himself upon her as she produced a knife and tried to attack herself again. Wrenching herself free, she headed for the toilets, screaming that she had another knife and he would not stop her. Wyn had to beg the nurse to hurry up the results so she could get the children away from this distressing scene. The doctor said they could go, as long as Nicholas was watched over during the night and brought in again if there were any worrying signs. Nicholas would know it was alright when he heard the clink in the toilet.

Wyn thanked Alan for his help. When he had gone, the three of them managed a bite out of the doughnuts before she put the children to bed. She got no sleep, watching over her beloved grandson. After breakfast, Nicholas said he had been to the toilet, but no clink - he looked worried. She told him to be patient. Then he came to tell her the marble was in the bottom of the bowl and could she wash it because otherwise Grandpa’s game would be one ball short. She obliged.

They were about to set out for church, when she discovered Nicholas had the spike from his trident experimentally stuck up his nose. He got a firm talk about respecting his orifices and what went into them, as they set off. It was a Communion service, as it turned out. Wyn had taken reading books and drawing materials with her; both children were very good during the service. When Wyn went up to take Communion, the organist was playing quiet music; suddenly he launched into Cumbayah and the whole church was regaled with Nicholas’s sweet, high solo rendition, slightly offbeat because Nicholas sang “Bum-cayah”.

Wyn told her daughter and son-in-law, when they came to collect their offspring, she would need six bottles of Sanatogen before her grandchildren came to stay again.

June Henriksen, High Shield

SOMATISATION
Not a word that's used in everyday conversation much but a very important subject. You can get the gist of it from considering the Greek origin's of the word - soma meaning body. As opposed to psyche meaning mind.

A wide range of symptoms are associated with distress or anxiety. Palpitations, sweating, colic, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, headache, chest pain, fainting, dizzy spells, needing to wee when there's nothing there - almost anything in fact. Everyone will be able to remember times when they've been anxious or agitated - first day at a new school or new job, on the way to the church to get married, going on a blind date, just before take off on your first flight, before exams, before a driving test, going for an interview and, dare 1 say it, going to see the doctor.

Every day we meet people with symptoms that are either mainly or wholly caused by anxiety or stress. We also meet people who have symptoms of pre-existing illness that have been made worse by anxiety. Just because a symptom is caused by anxiety or stress doesn't mean that it is not real.

'So you think its all in my mind then Doctor" is a phrase that's often thought and sometimes spoken but it really isn't that simple.

There are good physical reasons why stress and anxiety cause symptoms and its important to explain this. When one is 'up a height' the adrenaline flows - the hormone that is produced when we are getting ready for "flight or fight". There are other chemical changes in the body too. If you have a fright your heart beats faster, your blood pressure rises, your muscles tense, you breath faster and more deeply, your body's energy management changes to direct all available power to your muscles and your skin goes pale and cold. If the fright is bad enough you may have an urgent need to empty bladder or bowls.

What people don't notice is that when they have some long standing stress, like a ferocious boss or big debts, they are in a constant state of "mild fright", and all of the changes that would come into play for a big fright are going on but at a lower level.

So its not "all in your mind", it is real but it does not mean that some physical disease is present. It does mean that dealing with the underlying problem and its associated mental effects are the best approaches.

Very long term stress can often end up causing depression which is itself not just a feeling of intense misery but a real change in the chemical activity of the brain.

Medicine is full of aphorisms, little pithy statements that summarise a point. One of the most frequently heard in General Practice is that people's problems should be considered under three headings; physical (the skin, bones, guts and blood), psychological (the mind) and social (the environment in which the patient lives and works). It's a big mistake to disregard anyone of them or to over emphasise another.

Take something that is unmistakably physical - a broken leg. The, physical effect is pain and loss of use of the limb. The patient becomes constipated from sitting around all day - this gives him bellyache. The psychological effect could be fear, boredom and, maybe, anger. The bellyache will certainly make him grumpy and if he goes on to develop the unspeakable joy of piles from the effort of passing huge rock-hard faeces, his mood will be elevated to a completely transcendent plane. The social effect is that the patient is off work and hanging around the house, getting under his wife's feet and generally making a whinging nuisance of himself. The wife reacts by having headaches and getting irritable, so she forgets to take her pill and bingo - there's another set of physical, psychological and social issues to address.

Everything is connected!

MOLLUSCS

Invertebrates of the phylum Mollusca, including slugs, snails, mussels, clams etc.

Am I about to suggest that there are unexpectedly grave consequences to lying too long in the bath or failing to wash behind the ears?

It is possible for people, especially children, to develop a skin condition called Molluseum Contagiosum. We see a couple of dozen cases every year and almost always the pittient's suspicion is that they have developed warts.

However on close inspection the 1-3mm lumps are shiny pink with a distinct central dimple. Squeezing them can sometimes cause a small bead of cheesy material to exude. The cause is infection with a virus. The correct treatment is to leave well alone as fiddling with the lumps can cause scarring. Left to their own devices the lumps will eventually, after many months, disappear.

HELPING YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTION

Taking antidepressants for a few weeks can greatly increase the chances of a smoker's success in giving up.
Any takers?