Over the 2014-2018 commemoration period of The Great War, Wheatley Hill History Club was awarded two significant grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund – one to look at the life of local VC hero Thomas Kenny and the second to collect the responses of modern-day residents of the village to the … Continue Reading about Wheatley Hill and the Great War
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History in action
WHAT’S IN A NAME? Wolmerhausen Street, Wheatley Hill
When Wheatley Hill pit was sunk in 1867 it was the third colliery in the small empire of the Thornley Coal Company who were also responsible for the collieries at Thornley and Ludworth.It is not clear who the sinkers of Wheatley Hill colliery were but Thornley was sunk by the eminent engineer from Durham City, William Coulson, and it may be that the same team carried out the sinking at the new Wheatley Hill Colliery. We do know however that the first sods of earth to mark the new colliery, were … Continue Reading about WHAT’S IN A NAME? Wolmerhausen Street, Wheatley Hill
The Martyrdom of the Mine – Part One
Edward (Neddy) Rymer was a coal miner who worked at pits in Durham, Yorkshire, North Wales, Nottingham and Lancashire. He was a union activist and blacklisted from many coal mines and coalfields as a result of this. The following extract is from the above publication and it should be remembered that it is the account of someone who was there at the time these things were happening. It is not a story, not made up, but an eye-witness account of life in the1860’s in Thornley: “The clouds of the … Continue Reading about The Martyrdom of the Mine – Part One
The Martyrdom of the Mine – Part Two
Edward (Neddy) Rymer was a coal miner who worked at pits in Durham, Yorkshire, North Wales, Nottingham and Lancashire. He was a union activist and blacklisted from many coal mines and coalfields as a result of this. The following extract is from the above publication and it should be remembered that it is the account of someone who was there at the time these things were happening. It is not a story, not made up, but an eye-witness account of life in the 1860’sWilliam Crawford called a … Continue Reading about The Martyrdom of the Mine – Part Two
THE MEMOIRS OF Thomas Russell 1847-1928 (during the short time he lived in Wheatley Hill)
10 May 1879 Wheatley Hill Colliery Cheap emigration to Australia and America Fair from Durham to Pennsylvania £ 6. 6s.6d Fair from Durham to Ohio £ 7.12s.0d Fair from Durham to Illinois £ 8.11s.6d Fair from Durham to Texas £11. 8s.6d Assisted passage to Canada £ 4.15s.0d Stem Ship Lorents to Australia £15. 5s.0d Apply to Wm Gray, 5 North Road, Durham for the Albon and Orient Mail Steamers 14 May 1879 Wheatley Hill Colliery Bof Saterday taking splent up 15 May 1879 Wheatley Hill Colliery … Continue Reading about THE MEMOIRS OF Thomas Russell 1847-1928 (during the short time he lived in Wheatley Hill)
Moses and the Children of Israel By a Geordie Lay Preacher
Noo aa’ve just cum ower the neet from Kingdom Haal I Gatesheed t tell ye aal aboot Moses an the Children ov Israel. Noo ye all knaa hoo Moses wus fund I’ the bullrushes be Phareh’s dowter (leastways that wus er story). Weel yors later Moses an ees lads wor workin I the clarts b the Nile makin bricks f Phareh. Noo one of the gards cums up an sez “Howay Moses Phareh wants t see yer”. So up lowps Moses from the clarts an’ gans wi’ the gard. He gets t Phareh’s tent an knocks on the door ‘feared … Continue Reading about Moses and the Children of Israel By a Geordie Lay Preacher
Coal Mining In East Durham – Part 2
(from Geordies, Yankees & Canucks by William Wonders)At Thornley, as at other new mines in East Durham, the landowner, Henry John Spearman was not directly involved in developing or operating the colliery. Instead, he leased the mining rights to the partners of the Thornley Coal Company. As Lords of the Manor of the Thornley Estate, the family had abandoned Thornley Hall in the 1700’s and were living in their other seat—Newton Hall. These leases by the colliery companies required “the … Continue Reading about Coal Mining In East Durham – Part 2