Ushaw College – Aerial Photos 1926

Ushaw College 1926 – Britain from Above

Ushaw College 1926 – Britain from Above

Members of Ushaw Moor Methodist Chapel around 1930’s

Member of Ushaw Moor Methodist Chapel around 1930’s

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thompson :

Members of Ushaw Moor Methodist Chapel around 1930’s

 

Comments from Ushaw Moor Memories GROUP

 

• Paul Clough Wonderful photo. Lots of faces to recognise.
• Michael Dickinson My grandma Emily Dickinson is probably on here somewhere. She used to attend chapel regularly and was buried from there when she died.

Opening Ceremony of St Luke’s New Church Hall

Opening ceremony of St Luke’s New Church Hall,

Submitted on behalf of Margaret Thompson :

Village people attending the opening ceremony of St Luke’s New Church Hall, the old hut having being demolished. I am in this photo, I wonder if anyone remembers me.

Memories PHOTOS – by Patsy Hopkins – Broompark, St.Josephs, Ushaw Moor Secondary Modern

PHOTOS Posted on behalf of Patsy Hopkins – CLICK IMAGES FOR BIGGER PHOTO

This was taken in the Loves Hotel in Broompark, not sure when but certainly in the early fifties.
Pat Fehily is second from the left, Pat Neary is third from the right standing up, drinking.
I would be guessing if I gave other names – I think Mr Clark is on there and Mr Burlison.
Others will know I hope.
I have no idea why the photo was taken but the Loves was where all the men went and we kids used to go to the hatch that opened at the end of the bar and try to catch our dad’s eye to get crisps bought for us. It usually worked.

First Holy Communion service at St. Josephs, around the mid 50’s.
left to right…Dennis Campbell, unknown, Bryan Fehily, Ronny Nightingale..

This was my class at the secondary modern school in Ushaw Moor, and was taken June 24th 1964.
the class had been bigger than this but I am guessing others left as soon as the exams were over while this group hung around a bit longer.
I think that in general we had been sorry to be leaving.. Those in this class was from several of the surrounding villages.
back row: Billy Jones, Ian Bailey, Kenny Rowlinson, Ian Maguire, Jim Grossert.
next row: ? ,?, David Hepburn, Andrew Rome, Trevor Nancarrow.
next row: Judith Rudge, Avril Storey, Kathleen Holmes, Joan Mountain, Patsy Fehily.
front row: Ann Stoddart, Elsa Fleming, Jean Thorpe, Carole Sewell, Marion Carr, Catherine Rowan, Marjorie Skillcorn.
others were Colin Gott, Keith Newman, Colin Hindmarsh, Derek Toase, Joan Cowan, Barbara Hutton, Rod Buchanan.
I dont know what happened to most of the class and sadly not all are still with us. However I do still talk to and see Ann Stoddart regularly.

I hope those who check the Blog are interested to see these.

Patsy H.

St Cuthberts Chapel – Ushaw College 1911

Early Postcard of St Cuthberts Chapel – Ushaw College Postmark 1911

Memories of Shrove Tuesday and Lent

What do you remember about celebrating Shrove Tuesday and Lent, does it differ from how you celebrate today ?

What things did you do ?

Did you get involved in any festivities ?

 

Shrove Tuesday (also known as Pancake Day) is the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Shrove Tuesday is observed mainly in English speaking countries, especially Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and Canada but is also observed in Philippines and Germany. Shrove Tuesday is linked to Easter, so its date changes on an annual basis.

In most traditions the day is known for the eating of pancakes before the start of Lent. Pancakes are eaten as they are made out of the main foods available, sugar, fat, flour and eggs, whose consumption was traditionally restricted during the ritual fasting associated with Lent.

In England, as part of community celebration, many towns held traditional Shrove Tuesday football (‘Mob football’) games, dating as far back as the 12th century.

Shrove Tuesday was once known as a ‘half-holiday’ in England. It started at 11:00am with the signalling of a church bell.  On Pancake Day, pancake races are held in villages and towns across the United Kingdom. The tradition is said to have originated when a housewife from Olney was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the service. She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan and pancake. The pancake race remains a relatively common festive tradition in the UK, and England in particular, even today. Participants with frying pans race through the streets tossing pancakes into the air, catching them in the pan whilst running. In Olney today, a pancake race still takes place every year on Shrove Tuesday.

From Wikipedia

 

 

 

Ushaw Moor Church Boys Brigade

Boys Brigade

Posted on behalf of Peter Clarke

Ushaw Moor Church Boy’s Brigade with Ronnie Allinson wearing collar and tie. Apparently Mr Allinson ran the brigade for many years.

Can anyone identify any members of the brigade ?

This photograph came to me by way of a distant relative Ray Wilkinson who I am sure will be on the photographs somewhere.

Cheers Peter Clarke

Ushaw Moor Historical Website – Religious History (Catholic)

Catholic Church

The first St.Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church (Click to VIEW) was established in Ushaw Moor and opened on December 19th 1909. It was a corrugated iron structure and cost £474. Father Beech and his curate, Michael Shelley, were the priests responsible, travelling from Newhouse on horseback or by train, for the first two years. The first baptism took place on January 16th 1910, the infant being named Thomas Nugent, and the first marriage took place on April 15th 1911 between Matthew Rutter and Edith Webster of New Brancepeth.

Attendances at Mass were averaging 320 with 203 at Benediction. In December 1911 Father Shelley came to live in Durham Road where a house was built which accommodated the priest until 1931 when a new presbytery was erected with the new church. On May 23rd 1925 Ushaw Moor became an independent parish consisting of Ushaw Moor, Broompark and New Brancepeth. Bearpark came into the parish in 1935. On June 19th 193O Bishop Thorman laid the foundation stone for a new, church. Most of the ground clearing and digging of foundations was carried out by parishioners. The bell for the new building was given by the people of Ballingarry, County Tipperary. Almost a year later on April 21st 1931, the new St. Joseph’s Church was opened by Bishop Joseph Thorman, with the first marriage ceremony taking place four days later between William Regan and Imelda Cairns and the first baptism being performed on Eileen Veronica Illand on April 26th.

After seven years the church was free of debt and on 17th May 1938 Bishop McCormack performed the ceremony of consecration.

The following year, as a result of war being declared, children from high risk areas were evacuated and St. Joseph’s welcomed children from St. Wilfred’s, Gateshead and St. Philip’s, Dunston. At the evacuation of the troops from Dunkirk the school and hall were taken over to accommodate the soldiers.

On April 22nd 1946 Michael Shelley, the well-loved parish priest, died. A short while previously he had been created a canon of the diocese. His thirty-seven years of dedication having seen many changes in the mining community who were greatly influenced by his presence.

Father Whitaker succeeded Canon Shelley and under his guidance the Sanctuary was altered in 1955. Shortly after it’s completion he died on April 7th, 1956. The third parish priest to be appointed was Father L.V. Thompson.

A new hall was built on the foundations of the old church and was opened on 21st July 1979.

Paul Clough o^o

via Ushaw Moor Historical Website – Religious History.

Ushaw Moor Historical Website – Religious History (Baptist)

Baptist Church

The Baptist Church at Ushaw Moor Colliery was formed in 1881. It’s first meetings were held in a hut which was loaned by the colliery company. This building which was poorly lit and badly ventilated, was probably one of the structures erected to house the first workmen.

It is recorded that at that time preaching became dangerous and, if one remembers that this was the year the strike took place at Ushaw Moor, it can be realised that many of the community were in no mood to accept teachings of compassion and non-aggression. The little group held together however, and particularly remembered was a little Welshman, David Price, and his wife who stuck to their convictions even though they were contrary to the spirit of the striking miners. In 1894 Pease & Partners, the new colliery owners, were approached for help.

They granted land some distance from the mine, in the expanding village of Ushaw Moor, and in addition gave building materials.  This church was completed by 1897 at a cost of £700 (Click TO VIEW).  The Sunday School room was added in 1925 and dedicated to the Esh Winning pioneer, Mr. John Raw. Robert Dixon, who was employed as a winderman at Ushaw Colliery, is remembered as a Sunday School superintendent of many years standing, along with Mrs. Henderson who was it’s secretary.

Paul Clough o^o

via Ushaw Moor Historical Website – Religious History.

Ushaw Moor Historical Website – Religious History (Methodist)

Methodist

The Wesleyan Methodists at Ushaw Colliery are first recorded as holding their meetings in 1894. Two leaders of the movement from New Brancepeth, Robert Bottoms and Isaac Wood are remembered as helping with the first services which were held in the colliery house of Mrs Metcalfe. Later the mine owners, Pease & Partners, allowed them to use ‘the huts’ , a row of 12 wooden houses which had been used to accommodate the first workmen.

The last two of these miserable dwellings (they had earth floors and were dark and cold) had been united to form a single large room which later became the first miners institute. Two years later the Wesleyans were allowed the use of the colliery office which was situated in the centre of South Street. A request was made to the colliery owners for a site on which to build a permanent church. Pease & Partners presented them with land and bricks , a gift valued at £125.

The new church was erected, and opened on the 1st September 1900 by Mrs Philipson, the total cost being £360, a debt which was cleared by 1912. As further consolidation it was included in the Crook Wesleyan Methodist Circuit. A harmonium was loaned by one of the members until 1903 when a larger American organ was purchased. In 1920 a small pipe organ was installed and dedicated to the memory of the men who died in the first world war. Ralph Wilson held the position of organist for 37 years The Chapel On The Hill as it became known locally or Esh Road Methodist Church which was its official name, held its last service on the 28th July 1954, after which the membership transferred to the Durham Road chapel in Ushaw moor.

Paul Clough o^o

via Ushaw Moor Historical Website – Religious History.