so that we can make sure

that we can plan for the

right number of people –

telephone 0191 389 3143

or email catherine.button

@btinternet.com.

At last we are able to

celebrate the completion

of the re-furbishment of

t h e t r a i l , a n d h a v e

planned a launch event in

April for this. At the time

of writing, all works have

been completed except

the installation of the

new boards, and the

team have assured us

that this work will be

done soon. The new ‗Mill

Lane‘ sign stands proudly

at its location next to the

path up to Viador from

the Market Place, the

information leaflets are at

a wide range of locations

i n t h e t o w n a n d

throughout the region at

tourist and hospitality

v e n u e s , a n d t h e

directional studs in the

p a v e m e n t s a r e a l l

correctly sited, f irmly

fixed, and facing in the

right direction! The celebratory launch

event will take place at

the Parish Centre,

Church Chare, on

Friday 20th April from

3.00-4.00pm. Kevan

Jones MP has agreed to

attend and say a few

words, and we expect

good attendance from

the range o f i nv i t ed

guests. There will be a

display board of photos, a

slide show, and a chance

t o l oo k a t t he n e w

Heritage Trail website.

W e h o p e f o r s o m e

representation from the

p r e s s i n o r d e r t o

publ icise the tra i l to

residents and visitors

alike. The event is not

open to the public in

g e n e r a l , b u t g r o u p

members and Friends of

the Heritage Group are

a l l we lcome . I f you

would like to attend,

please let me know by

Wednesday 18th April

Heritage Trail – Launch Planned

M e e t i n g 2 n d

November 2011.

Margaret Headley from

Wheatley Hill Heritage

C e n t r e g a v e u s a n

excellent talk about the

Victorian Pit Women of

1881.

These l ad ie s had no

schooling except what

they had learned at their

mothers knee. Once they

were married to their

miner husband they were

expected to take care of

the home, have and care

for the children, nurse

any ailments or injuries,

make ends meet and be

virtually the only parent.

The miner himself took

very little part in the

h o m e o r p a r e n t i n g .

Although he worked a 12

hour shift, his wife was

on call 24 hours a day.

Newsletter Date 21st March Volume 2, Issue 2

Chester le Street Heritage Group Newsletter

Special points of

interest:

Chester le Street a city

in the world continues.

Bullion Lane School

Inside this issue:

―The Speed of

the Cape‖

2

99 Years Ago 3

Chester le Street

A City in the

World. Part 7

4

Chester le Street

A City in the

World cont

6

Bullion Lane

School

7

Forthcoming

Events

10

Victorian Pit Women

earlier, at Chester-le-

Street, P.C Shields had

s t o p p e d a n o t h e r

runaway for which he

had received 12/6d. It was a fairly common

o c c u r r e n c e f o r

policemen throughout

t h e C o u n t y t o b e

awarded an average of

12/6d for their ‗pluck and

promptitude’ in stopping

runaways. The powers

that be must have been

impressed by the speed

displayed by P.C Shield

in awarding him an extra

2/6d. In 1917, Cpl. Shields was

wounded in action as a

soldier in WW1. He

returned to police duties

i n 1 9 1 8 . O u t r u n a

horse ? Yes. A bullet ?

No !!.

H an d cu f f

Key.

Page 2 Chester le Street

She kept their tiny pit

c o t t a g e ( a t y p i c a l

example of which can be

seen at Beamish) spik

and span. She took great

pride in that and in the

few precious articles

they possessed. The

miners would ―follow

the coal‖ moving to

different fields and his

wife would pack and

orchestrate the move

then unpack and start all

over again. This could

happen regularly. Strong

and resilient ladies, no

schooling but a wealth of

Victorian Pit Women cont

ability they could expect

no longer than a 60 year

lifespan which in 1881

was not bad considering.

They knew no different

way of life having come

from a pit family them-

se l ve s s in ce m iner s

always married miners

girls as they knew the

life. If a miner was killed in

the pit the family was

homeless and penniless.

The wife would have to

find a husband quickly

but by the same token if

the wife died the miner

would also have to find

another quickly. Margaret also told us

about Pet e r Lee . A

gentleman, a miner who

later did much to ease

the l i f e o f a m in ing

family. He was so well

thought of that years

after his death, when a

new town was built, they

named it Peterlee. He is

buried in Wheatley Hill

Cemetery and his grave

is a listed monument.

Ann

The Speed Of The Cape

I t i s c o m m o n

knowledge that during

the early decades of the

20th century the horse

played a key role in the

delivery of goods and

transport of people .

N e e d l e s s t o s a y

numerous acc ident s

occurred when horses

w e r e s t a r t l e d a n d

galloped off. One such

incident at Chester-le-

Street demonstrated the

a th le t i c ab i l i t y o f a

p a r t i c u l a r l o c a l

Constable. In January 1915 a horse-

drawn North Eastern

Railway delivery wagon

was standing in Front

Street, Chester-le-Street

when a motor furniture

van approached from

behind. The horse which

was not wearing blinkers

was a la rmed by the

vehicle and suddenly

bolted with the cart. Enter the gallant P.C

John G. Sh ie ld . The

patrolling officer, who

was wearing his cape,

spotted the incident and

r a n a co n s i d e r a b l e

d i s t a n ce b e f o r e h e

over took the horse

which had just got into

i t s s t r i d e wh e n h e

reached it. P.C Shield

running alongside seized

the harness and stopped

the runaway. A l o c a l c o u n c i l l o r

witnessed the incident

w h i c h , b u t f o r t h e

p r o m p t n e s s o f P .C

S h i e l d , c o u l d h a v e

resulted in serious injury

or fatality to the horse

or pedestrians, due to

the density of the traffic

in the main street. The

Counc i l lo r wrote a

letter of praise to the

local Superintendent. In February 1915 P.C

Shield was awarded the

princely sum of 15/- in

acknowledgement of ‗his

pluck and promptitude‘. A c o u p l e o f y e a r s

Page 3 Volume 2, Issue 2

ground. No damage

was done and no one

was injured. If the same

And We Think Roads Are Dangerous Today !

Volume 2, Issue 2 Page 3

99 Years Ago – March 21st 1913 As reported by Chester le Street Chronicle

In October 1932 the

C h e s t e r l e S t r e e t

Chronicle reported—

While William Willey, of

South Pelaw Colliery,

was driving a colliery

horse along Front Street,

Chester le Street on

Thursday, the animal was

startled by the noise of

the engine of one of

L o r d S c a r b r o u g h ‘ s

motorcars. It backed and

collided with a horse and

cart belonging to the

Chester le Street Urban

Council, both horses

being thrown to the

happened today I‘m sure

someone would have

suffered whiplash !

Motor Bus Service Gateshead and District

T r a m w a y Co m p a n y

intends, at an early date,

t o c o m m e n c e t h e

running of a service of

motor buses between

Low Fell and Chester le

Street. The step has

been taken at the urgent

r e q u e s t o f t h e

i n h a b i t a n t s o f t h i s

particular district. Three

or four buses will be

engaged in the service

a n d t h e p r i n c i p a l

stopping stages will be

Low Fell, Teams Colliery

Waggon Way, Coach &

Horses Inn, Station Lane

Birtley, Barley Mow Inn,

Lambton Park Gates and

Chester le Street. The

fare from Gateshead

High Level to Chester le

Street will be 6d. The

buses are timed to make

the journey in half an

hour each way and will

run from 8 o‘clock in the

morning to 11 o‘clock in

the evening. The buses

w h i c h a r e o f a

substantial as well as

smart appearance have a

seating capacity for 34

passengers, 16 inside and

18 outside and they are

30 horse power. The

first two buses arrived

at the Sunderland Road

T r a m w a y d e p o t

G a t e s h e a d o n

Wednesday afternoon

Where there

is blame,

there is a

claim !

Modern reproduction of a bus of this period.

Can you

Help ?

Wanted !

Bicylcle for

Malcolm !

No, don’t worry,

it’s not a “swap”

Malcolm is

looking to acquire a late

1930’s early

1940’s bicycle to

go with his

WW2 “display”

which features

his trailer pump and

his “appliance” !.

If anyone has or

knows of anyone

with such a bicycle please

get in touch with

the heritage

group.

The Deanery of Chester

- le-Street cont inued

under one crown until

on July 26 1608, King

James I by letters-patent

under the Great Seal

granted to Sir James

O u c h e t e r l o n y a n d

Richard Gurnard Esq.,

(or Green), citizen and

clothier of London, and

to their heirs etc., the

Deanery , P rebends ,

Rectory and Vicarage of

the Collegiate Church of

Chester- le-Street in

trust for the family of

Hedworth. Thus for generations

the Hedworths were

spoken of the Decanal

House with its barns,

buildings and granaries,

― n o w w a s t e a n d

ru inous‖, and of the

―Thrussel tithes,‖ tithes

of lamb and wood within

the parishes of Chester,

Tanfield and Lamesley

usually known as the

―Thrush Tithes.‖ For many generations

the Hedworths were

spoken of locally as ―The

Deans of Chester‖ and

the patronage or, as it‘s

t h e n s t y l e d , ― t h e

impropriation,‖ of the

living of Chester-le–

Street remained with

them until 1747 when

John Hedworth , the

great great grandson of

the John referred to in

1614, died leaving two

daughters one of whom

marr ied S i r R ichard

Hylton of Hylton, Bart,

f o rm a l l y M u s g r a v e ,

Mary and St. Cuthbert,

but I decided to do so a

few weeks ago. Alas, I chose a most

unfortunate day, and not

only because the work

of the restoration was in

full spate ! Din, dust and

smoke pervaded the

precincts; the Lumley

warriors lay under a pall

of grime; the Anchorage

was locked up as it is

apparently used partly as

a boilerhouse; the nave

was filled with planks

and scaffolding, and even

the sky was overcast to

increase the gloom. However I did manage

to pick my way into the

chancel to admire, as

f a r a s I m i g h t t h e

i n t e r e s t i n g m u r a l s

which epitomize the

long history of the site,

the beautiful reredos,

windows ancient and

modern, piscinal, clergy

s t a l l s a n d o t h e r

remnants recalling the

e a r l y C o l l e g i a t e

C h u r c h . W h e n

conditions permit, we

Chester-le-Street A “City of the World” Part 7

Cambridge. After 1604

the stipend of the living

was reduced to £10 per

annum without house or

glebe; in fact, as we shall

see later when we deal

with the Anchorage, the

Rev . Mr Wi l l i s , t he

perpetual curate in 1616,

was so poor that he was

forced to claim quarters

i n t h e A n c h o r a g e

attached to the church

tower.

GEORGE WATSON

It was not until the Rev.

N i c h o l a s C o n y e r s

m a r r i e d B a r b a r a

H e d w o r t h o f t h e

Deanery in 1715 that

he r f a t he r re s i gned

certain tithes he passed

as impropriator for the

augmentat ion of the

living. I have forgotten how

many years ago it is

since I last visited the

Parish Church of St .

Page 4 Chester le Street

whose daughter Eleanor

married William Joliffe,

Esq., M.P. The younger

d a u g h t e r o f J o h n

Hedworth married Sir

Ralfe Milbanke. Thus in 1850 we find

their grandchi ldren,

Charles Joliffe and Lady

Byron, exercising joint

o w n e r s h i p o f t h e

D e a n e r y . T h e

impropriation passed

through various hand

until it finally rested

with the University of

shall return to enjoy the

many treasures to be

found here. In the churchyard, now a

garden o f rest , i s a

tombstone which stands

amid the debris behind

the incongruous war

memorial . It is erected

t o t h e m e m o r y o f

George Watson. The

inscription reads :- ― In

m e m o ry o f Geo r ge

Watson , an eminent

mathematician of the

County of Durham, who

died 9th July 1853, aged

“The

Deans of

Chester.” A Title won

by the

Hedworths

Lady Byron One time

owner of the

Deanery

Caricature of

―Wor‖

Geordy‖

64 years. Erected by his

pupil George El l iott .

M.P.‖

REMEMBERED. Sir George Elliott, the

famous mining engineer,

o n c e r e s i d e d a t

H o u gh t o n H a l l a n d

Rainton Hall. At Shiney

Row, where he was

born in Chandler‘s Row,

he is still remembered as

―The Bonnie Pit Laddie‖

who climbed the ladder

of fame. At ten years of

age he became a trapper

b o y a t W h i t e f i e l d

C o l l e g i a t e C h u r c h

consisting of a Dean ,

seven prebendar ies ,

three vicar-chaplains and

four vicar-deacons. The present church

clearly contains much of

this edifice which lasted

until the Suppression—a

fact proved by the Early

Engl ish architecture,

though it is doubtful if

any portions of the first

stone church of 1040

s t i l l rema in , except

perhaps in the deep

foundations and here

from the building by the

monks, who fled from

Lind isfarne with the

body of St. Cuthbert, of

the first wooden shrine

and Cathedral Church at

Chester-le-Street on a

site provided by Prince

Guthred and King Alfred

the Great. Some 50 years after the

removal of the See to

Durham a larger stone

Rectorial Church served

the parish until 1285.

T h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r

Bishop Bek founded the

a n d t h e r e i n t h e

masonry.

BEFORE 1286 It has been customary to

ascr ibe the ex i st ing

building to Bishop Bek

apart, of course, from

t h e v a r i o u s l a t e r

restorat ions . Boy le ,

however, who is by far

the best o f Durham

County historians points

o u t t h a t w i t h t h e

exception of the spire

(1409), the architecture

shows that it was built

Page 5 Volume 2, Issue 2

Colliery, near Penshaw

Stat ion and actua l l y

owned this colliery in

1864 and worked it until

it closed in 1879. In

Wales he acquired a

wire rope and cable

business and laid the first

Atlantic cable from the

s.s. Great Eastern. He became M.P . for

North Durham in 1868

and a baronet in 1874.

The tower and spire of

West Rainton church,

the stained glass in the

e a s t w i n d o w a t

Houghton Church and

the north wall of the

nave by some friends

from Canada.

FIVE STAGES The h i s to ry o f t h i s

interesting church falls

easily into five stages: 1.The Episcopal Church

from 863-995; 2. The f irst Rectorial

church from 995 -

1286; 3. T h e C o l l e g i a t e

Church from 1286 -

1547; 4. The PARISH Church

under a perpetual

curacy from 1547 -

1865; 5. T h e S e c o n d

Recto r i a l Church

f rom 1865 to the

p r e s e n t d a y a n d

including the Millinery

F e s t i v a l a n d

Restoration of 1883. Stages 1 and 2 have

been discussed already

and cover the period

the chancel windows at

Penshaw are instances

of his liberality. George Watson‘s red

g r a n i t e t o m b s t o n e

m a r k s h i s g r e a t

g r a t i t u d e t o a n d

appreciation of one who

by his teaching enabled

Sir George to ―hitch his

wagon to the stars‖. Sir

George was buried in

the old cemetery at

Houghton-le- Spring in

1904. In the churchyard are

steps leading up to the

Lambton pew gallery

built by Bonomi in 1829,

beneath which lie the

first Earl of Durham,

John George Lambton,

the f i rst Governor-

General of Canada and

his son Master Lambton,

better known as the

―Red Boy.‖ It is strange that no

other epitaph marks

t he i r r e s t i n g p l a ce

except for a plaque in

m e m o r y o f t h e

Governor set up on

Sir George Elliot

John George

Lambton

As Governor

General of

Canada

Master Lambton

The

Red Boy

long before 1286. The most ancient parts

are the north and south

walls of the chancel and

to these it is impossible

to assign any definite

date with certainty. The

south wall for instance,

conta ins three 13th

Century windows, but

theses, says Boyle, ― are

evidently insertions‖. M o s t o f t h e

pre-Conquest stones

found here were taken

from these walls and so

may constitute a portion

of Eglerc‘s first stone

church; though there are

no definite architectural

features belonging to so

early a period. However , the three

windows in the chancel

mentioned above and

the three eastern bays of

the nave arcades are all

o f t h e s a m e d a t e ,

probably about the year

1210 , and some 20

years later the two

western bays of the nave

and tower were added

though the octagon and

spire are of much later

date and belong to the

Decorated period, the

date of the spire being

1409. A window in the west

end of the nave south

wall as well as the three

c h a n c e l w i n d o w s

illustrate the develop-

m e n t o f w i n d o w

tracery. Each consists of

Page 6 Chester le Street

two l ancet s w i th a

containing arch above

and the wa l l space

above the lancets and

w i t h i n t h e a r ch i s

pierced , in one case by

a circle, in another by a

quatrefoil and in a third

by a lozenge– shaped

aperture. In the capital

of one of the outer

s h a f t s n a i l h e a d

moulding appears. How

rewarding a carefu l

survey of an ancient

church can be.

Chester-le-Street A “City of the World” Part 7 cont

The Old Rectory Chester-le-Street

as it is today

An image of

the Great

Eastern used

by George

Elliot to lay

the first

Atlantic telegraph

cable

It was in the first week

of December when the

Group received an e

mail from Bullion Lane

Primary School asking

for our help in putting

together an exhibition to

c e l e b r a t e t h e 8 0 t h

birthday of the School

building in January 2012.

At short notice we were

able to help and the

celebrations went off

very well. The School

presented Dorothy with

a bouquet of flowers in

appreciation of the work

involved. The Intermediate School

at Bullion Lane became

C h e s t e r - l e - S t r e e t

S e c o n d a r y M o d e r n

School in 1945. In June

1947 the School was

i n s p e c t e d a n d t h e

following abstracts give

a n i n s i g h t i n t o t he

School at that time.

Introduction The Chester-le-Street

Modern Schoo l was

opened in January 1932

a s a S e n i o r S ch o o l

though originally planned

as a Junior School. It

became a Secondary

Modern School on 1 st

April 1945. The School

serves the whole of the

town of Chester- le-

Street and in addition

d raws a number o f

pupils from Sacriston,

Pe l ton , B i r t l e y and

E i gh ton Banks who

apply for admission as

vacancies occur. Some

ten pup i l s a re thus

admitted each year from

out s ide the norma l

recruiting area. There

Bullion Lane Primary School

one to enter an office. The Head Master is in

close touch with local

e m p l o y e r s a n d t h e

Juvenile Employment

Officer. Each year some ten

pupils are transferred to

the Grammar School at

the age of 12 or 13.

P r e m i s e s a n d

Equipment T h e m a i n p r e m i s e s

consist of a Hall, ten

form rooms, an Art

room, a Science room, a

Handicraft room and a

furniture for the Art and

Science rooms is on

order. Pupils visit this

block for half a day or a

whole day. Four classrooms and a

Metal workroom are to

be prov ided on the

School site under the

HORSA scheme. Plans

have been passed for a

D i n i n g H a l l t o

accommodate 480 in

two sittings. The School is naturally

m u c h b e l o w t h e

standards laid down in

are at present 407 pupils

on roll, 204 boys and

203 girls. This figure in-

cludes two Forms which

r e s u l t e d f r o m a n

e x a m i n a t i o n h e l d

following the issuing of

Circular 1654 and which

were housed in th i s

School because there

was no accommodation

at the Grammar School. Chester-le-Street is an

urban area with a very

mixed population from

the occupational aspect.

Of the 80 boys who left

Page 7 Volume 2, Issue 2

School l ast year , 10

entered coal mining, 24

entered engineering and

building industries, 11

the distributive trades, 9

took up some form of

c l e r ica l work and 4

started work on the

land. Of the 70 girls who

entered employment 11

o b t a i n e d w o r k i n

Clothing factories, 9 in

the distributive trades,

17 in commerce and

clerical work and 17

e n t e r e d d o m e s t i c

service. It is interesting

Domestic Science room.

Since 1941 there has

b e e n a d d i t i o n a l

accommodation in the

form of a ―pract ica l

b lo ck‖ i n what was

formerly a Church of

England School, situated

about ten minute walk

from the School. This

b u i l d i n g h a s f o u r

p r a c t i c a l r o o m s :

Handicraft, Domestic

subjects, Science and

Art. Only the first two

named are at present

f u l l y e q u i p p e d b u t

to note that the 22

members of the Fifth

Form (the first entrants

under Circular 1654)

have plans as follows,

16 intend to become

t e a ch e r s , t wo a r e

sitt ing the entrance

e x a m i n a t i o n t o

S a n d h u r s t , o n e i s

enter ing the Roya l

O rd n an ce F a c t o r y

u n d e r a s p e c i a l

apprenticeship scheme,

one hopes to become a

chartered accountant,

one a draughtsman and

“Larceny of an

apple”

No messing

about by the

Magistrates in

Durham City on

23 June 1904,

when Lily

Gilbert

appeared before them for

stealing an apple, valued at

1d, from a fruiterer's shop

in Silver Street.

She was sent to

the Reformatory

School for

5 years'.

Cuffkey.

the building regulations

1 9 4 5 . T h e r e i s n o

g ym n a s i u m an d t he

Assembly Hall which at

the moment has to serve

as gymnasium and Dining

Hall is only 1440 square

feet as compared with

the regulation size of

3000 square feet. The School site including

p l a y i n g f i e l d s i s

approximately three

a c r e s a g a i n s t t h e

required minimum of 17

acres. Negotiations are

in progress to acquire

some eleven acres of

land adjoining the School

site. On this land is a

l a r g e h o u s e w i t h

outhouses, greenhouse

a n d a l a r g e w a l l e d

garden. This presents an

excellent opportunity for

d e v e l o p i n g a r u r a l

science side, for the

keeping of livestock and

the remedying of the

present unsatisfactory

provision for gardening.

The Head Master has in

mind the desirability of

using the upper part of

t h e h o u s e a s a

housewifery unit, where

girls could pursue an

intensive course in their

last year at School. T h e a c t u a l t e a c h i n g

e q u i p m e n t i s g o o d .

Visual aids include a film

s t r i p p r o j e c t o r , a n

e p i s c o p e a n d a

diascope. Mention should

be made here o f the

generous gift from the

Parents Association of a

radiogram and extension

loud speakers to sixteen

rooms. The usual deficiencies in

text books and reference

books were noted. Times

are d i f f i cu lt and i t i s

r e c o g n i s e d t h a t t h e

School is doing its best to

Without exception the

staff are conscientious

and hard working and

are on excellent terms

with the pupils. Their

genera l a t t i t ude i s

indicated by the fact

that fifteen of them

F u l l y a w a r e o f t h e

i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e

corporate l ife of the

School he has achieved

much in this direction.

His sympathetic handling

of his staff is seen in the

way the seven members

o f s t a f f w h o h a v e

r e t u rn e d f ro m wa r

service have fitted into

the scheme of things

again. His sincerity and

leadership have won him

the regard of his pupils

the staff and the parents.

H e h a s t h e

wholehearted support

and confidence of the

G o v e r n o r s o f t h e

School. The assistant staff is an

excellent combination of

experience and youth. It

consists of fourteen

M a s t e r s a n d e i g h t

Mistresses. Four of the

Masters and one of the

Mistresses have degrees.

With the exception of

two men awaiting entry

t o a n E m e r g e n c y

Training College all are

qua l i f i ed a s s i s t an t s .

Page 8 Chester le Street

remedy this. Good use

is being made of the

facilities provided by

the County Library.

Staff The School owes much

to its Head Master.

Appointed to the staff

as an assistant master

when the School was

opened in January 1932

h e b e c a m e H e a d

Master in November of

that year. A capable

organiser, he has his

finger unobtrusively on

the pulse of the School.

assist with various club

activities. The spirit on the staff is

remarkable in view of

the fact that during the

war years over f i f t y

changes took place. Corporate Life of the

School The morning service is

s im p l e i n f o rm and

reverent in character. It

is usually conducted by

the Head Master, the

lesson being read by a

pupil, Hymns are chosen

by the various Forms

and special services are

held at Christmas and

Easter. The School is divided

into four Houses, the

system being used chiefly

i n co n n e c t i o n w i t h

sport s and Phy s i ca l

E d u c a t i o n . A t t h e

moment the Fifth form

provides the School

Prefects. Mention should

be made of the smooth

w o r k i n g o f t h e

arrangements for School

d i n n e r s . T h e m e a l

p rov ide s a p le as an t

social interlude in the

d a y a n d i s b o t h

Arr an gem en t s h a ve

recently been made for a

number of Forms to

h a v e s w i m m i n g

instruction. With the return of the

members of the School

staff from war service it

has been found possible

to revive the School

Societ ies. There is a

l ively Scientif ic Club,

Drama Club, Choir and

Swimming Club. Thirty

boys and three Masters

are to spend a fortnight

two of its members on

the Board of Governors.

The in teres t o f the

parents in the School is

very real and has been

expressed on several

occasions in tangible and

generous fashion. T h e O l d P u p i l s ‘

Association which has

e x i s t e d s i n c e 1 9 3 3

e m b r a c e s a l l t h e

activities of past pupils.

The clubs attached to it

vary according to the

wishes of the members

themselves. At present

Page 9 Volume 2, Issue 2

appetising and adequate. T h e S c h o o l h a s a

successfu l record in

sport. This season the

Assoc iat ion footba l l

t e a m h a s w o n t h e

of the summer vacation

at a Harvest Camp. Speech day, Parents Day

and the annual Nativity

P l a y a r e im p o r t a n t

features of the School

year. There i s a v igorous

P a r e n t T e a c h e r

Association. Formed in

November 1945 it has

run very successfully.

The o rgan i s a t ion i s

c o n t r o l l e d b y a

committee of sixteen

parents, eight of each

there is a football Club,

a B o y s ‘ P h y s i c a l

Educat ion and C lub

Night (with canteen), a

G i r l s ‘ C l u b ( w i t h

canteen), a Drama Club,

an Army Cadet Platoon

and an ATC unit. These

are all linked together by

o c c a s i o n a l s o c i a l

evenings. Tribute should

be paid to the member

of staff whose interest in

t h e O l d P u p i l s ‘

Association led him to

take the Diploma in

Youth Se rv i ce . The

general high quality of

the work in the School is

paralleled in the conduct

of the pupils. They are

courteous, friendly and

at ease with visitors.

Under the guidance of

an exceptionally sound

Head Master, supported

by a willing and capable

s t a f f , t he S choo l i s

m a k i n g a v a l u a b l e

cont r ibu t ion to the

d e v e l o p m e n t o f a

S e c o n d a r y M o d e r n

tradition

sex, together with four

teachers representing

the staff. The parents

provide the Secretary

and Treasurer and the

H e a d M a s t e r i s

P r e s i d e n t . A f u l l

Association meeting is

held every month with

a committee meeting

falling midway between

each full meeting. It is

pleasing to learn that

the Associat ion has

b e e n g i v e n

representation through

district league and two

knockout competitions.

There i s no cr icket

league because of lack of

suitable pitches. There is

an Annual Sports Day.

Steam Trains

On The Main

Line.

Did you know

that you can

occasionally still

see Steam

Trains operating

on the mainline

at Chester-le-

Street ?

Special tours

pass through

from time to

time and

although they do

not stop, they

make a

spectacular sight

as they pass

through.

Trains scheduled

in the near

future are :-

Saturday 21st

April -

No 60007

Sir Nigel

Gresley

Saturday 19th

May

No 60009 Union of South

Africa

Wednesday 6th

June

No 60163

Tornado.

For times etc

check http://

www.uksteam.

info/tours/

CONTACTS

Events Diary

Chester le Street Heritage Group

Chairperson -

DAHALL52@aol.com

Information requests/web

heritage.group@virgin.net

Friends friendsclsheritage@hotmail.co.uk

Newsletter

brian.k.pirrie@btopenworld.com

Date Time Event Location

27th March, 3rd, 10th,

17th, 24th, April, 1st,

8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th

May, 5th, 12th, 19th

June.

10:00-12:00 Drop In Session

All Welcome

Salvation Army Citadel Low Chare , Chester

le Street.

25th April (Provisional) 19:00-21:00 Training Session

(Private)

Ch-le-St Library

4th & 18th April,

2nd & 16th May

6th & 20th June.

19:00-21:00 Members Mtg

(All Welcome)

Ch-le-St Library

Next Newsletter

20th June 2012

Contributions

required by

6th June 2012

HELP We are in need of names and information and ask for your assistance. Our

resident Fire Archivist has collated quite a number of names, photographs

and general information relating to our local Fire Brigade from the Parish

Council era through Urban District era and World War 2 AFS and NFS

eras.

No doubt we are lacking in names and photographs of local men and

women who served with the Auxiliary Fire Service and later the National

Fire Service or as Firewatchers etc., in the Chester-le-Street area during

the WW2 period. Can you have a ‗scrat about‘ and rummage through the

drawers and cupboards for any information relating to ‗Uncle Billy or

Aunty Mary‘ who may have been connected with the local Brigade.

Any information by way of anecdotes, photographs or printed forms etc.,

would be gratefully appreciated and acknowledged. If we could copy any

treasured family photos of fire personnel such photos would be treated

with care and returned. It is important to have a record of locals who ‗did

their duty‘ and performed an important function during a dark period in

our history, and have that information available for future generations.

Your assistance would be appreciated.