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 […]
Coal Mining In East Durham – Part 1 - (from Geordies, Yankees & Canucks by William Wonders)The second half of the 17th Century saw rising land values as a result of which yeomen farmers increasingly prospered in the East Durham area. By the 18th Century wealthy businessmen and professionals from the cities began to purchase land for investment purposes, though the agricultural quality of […]
Wheatley Hill Colliery Times of Descent and Ascent - DESCENT ASCENT 1st Shift 3.00am – 3.15am 10.30am – 10.45am Back Shift 9.35am – 9.50am 5.05pm – 5.20pm Night Shift 4.10pm – 4.25pm 11.40pm – 11.55pm Tubloading 10.00pm – 10.10pm 5.25am – 5.35am EVERYONE MUST BE AT THEIR PLACE OF DESCENT OR ASCENT WHEN THE BUZZER BLOWS
A trip to the Durham Records Office - During a recent trip to the Durham County Records Office, looking for plans of the 1950’s council housing built in Wheatley Hill, I came across some interesting information concerning our village: 1910’s Several planning applications the from Mr Welford who was building lots of houses/shops in the Granville Terrace/Ashmore Terrace areas 1922 An application for […]
Wheatley Hill Boys School Cycling Club – Trip to the Roman Wall Part 2 - After a long period of riding we came to an old ruined Roman Fort. It wasn’t much so we went straight on. The leader saw the old ruined Roman Fort at Housesteads and told us to stop. The price to go and see it was 6d a person. The leader told us the hostel was […]Miners Permanent Relief Fund - The traditional view of English coal-miners during the second half of the 19th Century suggests that they were notorious for their lack of thrift and, in particular for their failure to insure against the many risks of a dangerous occupation. A Mining Journal in 1857 reported: “It is the first duty of every man to […]
Sewing Meetings - While all was not well at Wheatley Hill – a further article from an early Church magazine: The Sewing Meetings are being held at the Curatage every pay Monday from 2 o’clock to 8. We are somewhat disappointed that more are not turning up. Some who promised have not yet put in an appearance. Workers […]
How not to help your Clergy - The following appeared in the Thornley Parish Magazine in October 1901, it appears to be a sarcastic message from the Vicar!: HOW NOT TO HELP YOUR CLERGY Absent yourself from morning Service. Stay at home whenever it rains on Sunday, or is too hot or too cold. Never let your clergy know if they have […]
Wheatley Hill Boys School Cycling Club – Trip to Edmondbyers - On 27th December 1950, six of us went on the first school cycling tour. The names of the boys who went were John Purvis, Robert Dawson, Edward Fulcher, Leslie Alderton, Edward Lawson and the leader was Mr Brown. After meeting at Mr Brown’s home at half past nine, we set out over snow covered roads […]