Wheatley Hill and the Great War - 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 atrocities of the war. […]
Remembering the Winding Engines - Wheatley Hill Colliery was lucky to have two very fine winding engines. The History Club has had a film of the winding engine working at Wheatley Hill colliery in 1968 restored for future generations to enjoy. You can find out more information and the video at a dedicated page here
Tribute to Local Historian, Owen Rowland - Wheatley Hill History Club didn’t know how lucky it was in May 1995, when Owen Rowland came to one of our first meetings. He was looking for a hobby, and thank goodness he chose local history! This quiet, unassuming man who was liked and gained the respect of everyone he came into contact with, dedicated […]Remembrance 2020 - 2020 will be a year none of us will forget. The year that caused major disruption to every aspect of our lives and the year in which all major celebrations were cancelled, including the Remembrance. Wheatley Hill has had one of the most successful Remembrance Day parades and attendances in the local area for many years, […]
- As you’re aware, our meetings have been cancelled until March 2021, but we thought it would be a good idea to try and make contact remotely, using the Zoom video conferencing system. It’s not as difficult as it sounds!! The good news is the meetings only last 40 minutes online and the software is free […]ENGEL’S ENGLAND - By Matthew Engel, 2014 The following is an (edited) extract from the above book from the author’s three-year travel through England. He travelled through thirty-nine counties and included Wheatley Hill in his final write-up in the County Durham section. The book was loaned to us by History Club member Brian Maddison, who felt it could be […]
PEACE, PERFECT PEACE - Our event on Remembrance Sunday 2019 marked the end of our Heritage Lottery Funded project. Over the last two years, we have been working with Lonely Tower Film & Media on collecting the thoughts of today’s Wheatley Hill Community about the atrocities of the First World War. Lonely Tower have produced two wonderful multi-media presentations, […]
St Bartholomews Church Windows - These four windows were installed in St Bartholomew’s Church, Thornley in 1866 and 1868 respectively in memory of local landowners H J Spearman and George Wilkinson. When Thornley church was demolished several years ago, they came under the ownership of the demolition contractor responsible for pulling the church down. A member of Wheatley Hill Heritage […]
Closure of Wheatley Hill Pit 1968 - CLOSURE BEWILDERS THE PITMEN OF WHEATLEY HILL One of the many puzzled men at Wheatley Hill Colliery which closes down tonight, is Mr William Gibson of Burns Street, a chargehand fitter at the colliery and secretary of the Wheatley Hill Lodge of the Mechanics’ Association. He said, “Look around the pit. You will not see […]
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 […]
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 […] 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 […]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 […]
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 […]
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 […]