26 April 2011
Speakers Programme 2011 - 2012
15th September 2011
"PONT" Alex Melville-Mason
Pont renowned cartoonist with Punch Magazine. An account of a life of extraordinary artistic talent cruelly afflicted by illness. Graham Laidler, known as "Pont" was a member of the Glendenning family who once owned Warkworth House, Warkworth. Alex relies on her late mother's research into the life of her relative who lived in the early 1900's
20th October 2011
"OFF THE BEATERN TRACK" Kevin Dunlop
A photographic wander around the country. Kevin assisted the late Edwin Grieve with his lecture tours and in providing images for his work.
17th November 2011
"VINDOLANDA" Dr Andrew Birley
Recent discoveries and future research in the heart of the Roman Frontier. Andrew has been Director of Excavations since 2007 having worked on the site for 20 years. His published works include Vindolanda Excavatrions reports 1997 -2007, the 'Eyeopener' series, Following the Eagle, and a fascicule on Roman locks and keys from the vindolanda site.
19th January 2012
"OUTPOST ROMAN FORTS" Dr Adrian Bint
A presentation from one of our own society members.
16th February 2012
"HISTORY THROUGH RECORDINGS" Ray Stephenson
15th March 2012
"NORTH EAST AIRFIELDS- AVIATION HISTORY 1910 -2003" Dr Alan Fendley
19th April 2012 - AGM
"BEDLINGTON IRON AND ENGINE WORKS" Barry Mead
"PONT" Alex Melville-Mason
Pont renowned cartoonist with Punch Magazine. An account of a life of extraordinary artistic talent cruelly afflicted by illness. Graham Laidler, known as "Pont" was a member of the Glendenning family who once owned Warkworth House, Warkworth. Alex relies on her late mother's research into the life of her relative who lived in the early 1900's
20th October 2011
"OFF THE BEATERN TRACK" Kevin Dunlop
A photographic wander around the country. Kevin assisted the late Edwin Grieve with his lecture tours and in providing images for his work.
17th November 2011
"VINDOLANDA" Dr Andrew Birley
Recent discoveries and future research in the heart of the Roman Frontier. Andrew has been Director of Excavations since 2007 having worked on the site for 20 years. His published works include Vindolanda Excavatrions reports 1997 -2007, the 'Eyeopener' series, Following the Eagle, and a fascicule on Roman locks and keys from the vindolanda site.
19th January 2012
"OUTPOST ROMAN FORTS" Dr Adrian Bint
A presentation from one of our own society members.
16th February 2012
"HISTORY THROUGH RECORDINGS" Ray Stephenson
15th March 2012
"NORTH EAST AIRFIELDS- AVIATION HISTORY 1910 -2003" Dr Alan Fendley
19th April 2012 - AGM
"BEDLINGTON IRON AND ENGINE WORKS" Barry Mead
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16 February 2011
Ponteland Historian February 2011
Ponteland Historian
Newsletter of Ponteland Local History Society
17th February 2011
CHATTING ABOUT ANTIQUES
Our speaker this evening Andy Burman is no stranger to Ponteland and is very well known for his expertise in antiques. Formerly the resident expert on BBC Radio Newcastle Andy has appeared on “The Antiques Roadshow” and with Arthur Negus on “Going for a Song”.
CIVIC SOCIETY
Further meetings in their programme are:
28th March AGM followed by Richard Pears – “Architectural Oddities”
18th April Chris Jones – “Historic Villages in and around Northumberland National Park”
ANLHS DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
26th February
Council Meeting
St. Nicholas’ Church Hall, South Gosforth at 1.30 pm (for 2.00). There will also be a presentation on “North East Labour History’s Popular Politics Project”
26th March
One-Day School in Wooler
“Women at Work”
There will be 3 guest speakers focusing on the role of women and girls in fishing, domestic service and farming and an exhibition by Glendale LHS portraying the work of the Women’s Land Army.
Katrina Porteous – “Women & Girls in the Northumbrian Fishing Community, 1300-1950”
Pamela Sambrook – “Women in Service in the Great Country Houses”
Dinah Iredale – “Bondagers: The History of Women Farmworkers in Northumberland & South – East Scotland”
The closing date for applications to this event is 12th March and forms are available this evening or from the Secretary at localhistory@virginmedia.com
COMMUNICATION
If you have an email address please leave it on the list provided. It makes for quick & efficient contact with you between meetings.
18TH June 2011
Round the County Day hosted by:
Corbridge Village Trust
David Waugh will talk on “Historic Corbridge” & there will be tours of St. Andrew’s Church, the village & Dilston. Frances Dickinson will be leading the tour of Dilston.
The closing date for applications to this event is 21st May and forms are available this evening or from localhistory@virginmedia.com
OUTINGS
Arrangements have been made to visit Markenfield Hall near Ripon on Wednesday 18th May. The 14th Century moated Hall, said to be “Yorkshire’s Best Kept Secret” is only open to the public for 28 afternoons per year but we have arranged a private guided tour with free time afterwards to wander around the Chapel, Great Hall, Undercroft and Moat. The visit, which will take around 2 hours, will start at 2.00pm but as we are travelling by coach we will have some free time in nearby Ripon beforehand, where Members will make their own arrangements for lunch.
The coach will leave Ponteland at 9.00am and return at 6.00pm. Application forms are available this evening and should be returned as soon as possible together with a deposit of £5. The total cost for the visit will be £16 inclusive of coach travel and entry to the Hall.
Following the success of the January Meeting and the interest shown in the Archaeological Investigations at Bamburgh arrangements have been made with Graeme Young to visit the site on Friday 1st July. We will however be required to pay the £6 admission fee to the Castle to gain access to the “dig” and therefore arrangements have been made for a guided tour beforehand starting at 10.30am. The tour will take about 45 minutes or so after which we shall meet up with Graeme. Members will then be free to make their own provision for lunch after which it has been suggested that we meet up for a group visit to the Grace Darling Museum. If there is sufficient interest in this option then this will be arranged beforehand for 2.30 pm. There will be a small entrance fee of £1.75 for concessions.
It is proposed that we travel by car to Bamburgh. There is list available this evening to declare your interest and to indicate your preference for the optional visit to the Grace Darling Museum.
THE OUSEBURN TRUST
The Ouseburn Trust, set up in 1996 to protect the unique heritage and character of the Lower Ouseburrn Valley is offering guided tours along specific sections the 19th century waggonway known as the Victoria Tunnel. These organised tours take place on Thursdays at 6.30pm and Fridays & Saturdays at 10.00am & 1.00pm. It is essential to check availability on these by telephoning 0191 261 6596 or visiting their website: www.ouseburntrustoorg.uk.
If these times are not convenient then tours can be organised on other days for private groups of between 6 or 12 people. There is a list available this evening to gauge interest for an alternative visit.
11 February 2011
ARCHIVE DESK
OPENING HOURS
1st Friday in every month
from 2pm until 5pm
at Ponteland Branch Library, Thornhill Rd.
ARE YOU...
*doing a school project?
*researching family history?
*needing historical information on a date, building or person in the Ponteland Area
* looking for an old local photograph? Then perhaps we can HELP!
Our AIM...
· to make our archives available for use by the public
· to help with local history inquiries
· to encourage people to share their private collections with others.
Our HELPERS...
· are members of Ponteland Local History Society
· are all volunteers who are in attendance during opening hours · are not local history experts, but local enthusiasts
Our ARCHIVES consist of ...
· A Main Collection
· Two Special Collections (Henderson and Langton families’ donation)
· A Photographic Collection
The collection can be inspected outside the regular hours by appointment
1st Friday in every month
from 2pm until 5pm
at Ponteland Branch Library, Thornhill Rd.
ARE YOU...
*doing a school project?
*researching family history?
*needing historical information on a date, building or person in the Ponteland Area
* looking for an old local photograph? Then perhaps we can HELP!
Our AIM...
· to make our archives available for use by the public
· to help with local history inquiries
· to encourage people to share their private collections with others.
Our HELPERS...
· are members of Ponteland Local History Society
· are all volunteers who are in attendance during opening hours · are not local history experts, but local enthusiasts
Our ARCHIVES consist of ...
· A Main Collection
· Two Special Collections (Henderson and Langton families’ donation)
· A Photographic Collection
The collection can be inspected outside the regular hours by appointment
30 January 2011
Pont View
An enquiry has been received about the development of Pont View and hence we would like you to post your recollections and photos".
As far as we know, Pont View was built around 1962/3 by a Scottish builder. The houses came equipped with so-called "Scottish bins" which were little metal dustbins perhaps for ash.
There was a plan to extend the estate over the river - to Eland Haught and that the plan involved a road bridge across the Pont in place of the houses that face you as you come down the hill from Jackson Avenue.
There was a plan to extend the estate over the river - to Eland Haught and that the plan involved a road bridge across the Pont in place of the houses that face you as you come down the hill from Jackson Avenue.
There was a footbridge in the area near the Cloggs at the end of the path down to the river bank and this was removed in the 1950's.
Ponteland Historian
Newsletter of Ponteland Local History Society
20th January 2011
Sadly the introduction to the first meeting of 2011 begins with the announcement of the death of Tom Hughes. We offer our deepest sympathy to his wife Joan. A Service is to be held in St. Mary’s Church, Ponteland at 12 Noon on Thursday 27th January.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT BAMBURGH
Our speaker this evening is Graeme Young Director of the Bamburgh Castle Research Project. Graeme will give an account of discoveries to date and future proposals.
CHRISTMAS SOCIAL EVENING
Members will recall that because of bad weather in early December we cancelled the programmed Social Evening. Initially it was anticipated that the event would simply be deferred by introducing an additional evening in the programme sometime during February. Your Committee believe this is not practical and have therefore taken the decision to offer a full refund to those who purchased tickets in advance. Our Treasurer, John Angel, has prepared his cash float accordingly and is available to start making refunds, on presentation of tickets, from this evening. Refunds will also be available at subsequent meetings.
ANLHS - “TYNE & TWEED”
Members will recall the interesting presentation given by Jane Bowen (Belford History Society) on “The Poor Little House” earlier in this year’s programme. Jane has now taken over the editorship of Tyne & Tweed and is making the following appeal for articles for future issues:-“…..The Association has published Tyne & Tweed since 1967. It was intended to provide a means of allowing member societies and their members to publish articles and photographs about local people, places and events, which have had
an impact on their part of Northumberland, the County as a whole, or indeed at national level. Over the years, however, the mistaken view seems to have grown that the Journal and its contents are of interest only to academics, and that contributors should have a background in higher education. As I take over the editorship of the Journal, this is a request to consider sharing interests and knowledge with us by contributing to Tyne & Tweed……”
Jane can be contacted by telephone on 01668219653 or by email at boward@hotmail.co.uk
PONTELAND CIVIC SOCIETY
Members are welcome to attend all meetings of the Society which take place on selected Monday evenings in St. Mary’s Church Hall from 7.30 pm. The next meeting on 31st January covers the regeneration of a lost landscape design by prepared Northumberland’s famous son, Capabity Brown. The original plans for Kirkharle were rediscovered recently and a new lake and other landscape features have been created. John and Kitty Anderson, the present owners, will be telling the full story in: “Capability Brown’s Landscape Created at Kirkharle”.
For your diary further meetings in their programme are:
28th March AGM followed by Richard Pears – “Architectural Oddities”
18th April Chris Jones – “Historic Villages in and around Northumberland National Park”
FEBRUARY MEETING
At the February meeting “Chatting about Antiques” our speaker A. S. Burman is prepared to offer valuations. If you have a prize possession or collectors piece that is readily transportable then bring it along on the night.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
26th March 2011
ANLHS One-Day School in Wooler
”Women’s Work”
18TH June 2011
ANLHS Round the County Day hosted by:
Corbridge Village Trust
DONATION
A family bible, which is in very good condition, was recently donated to the Society but as it has no connection with Ponteland it is of little historic interest as an addition to our archives. It also has no intrinsic value particularly as the family detail pages have been removed. The Committee have therefore decided to dispose of it free to a good home. If you are interested please contact Jean Robson or John Turner.
NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
The University has provided a very limited number of copies of the programme cards for the forthcoming Insights public lectures, Live music concerts and the Coming of Age art exhibition. These cards are available this evening. Further information is available at:
BAILIFFGATE MUSEUM
The following is a selection from the programme of special exhibitions to be held in Alnwick this year:
Until 11th February
“Now & Then” - Photographic scenes of Northumberland.
February 15th to April 1st.
“Robert & The Railways” - The Art of Robert Stephenson
July 19th to September 2nd.
“What’s in a Name” - Discover the unusual jobs done in Alnwick over the years.
A Good Read
The Ponteland U3A have published a compilation of 34 Members’ recollections in “Our Wartime Memories” which is available at £5.
24 January 2011
Former Spitfire pilot and Prisoner of War dies
This month's edition of PONT NEWS AND VIEWS includes an item By Muriel Sobo
Tom Hughes was a 19 year old when he volunteered for the RAFVR in 1940 and won his wings the next year. He was initially disappointed to be sent to theCentral Flying School in Wiltshire to instructnew pilots but many of his fellow officers losttheir lives in missions at this time.
He went to North Berwick to train on night fighters, the Blenheims and Beaufighters but his ambition was to fly Spitfires. This was soon realised after further training at Grangemouthan d Biggin Hill. Tom was part of the vast assembly of air power built up in North Africa and Malta in 1943 to cover the invasion of Sicily. After the German retreat from Sicily Tom was testing a captured German Messer Schmidt when the plane crashed into a vineyard but fortunately he had bailed out.
Surviving a crash by using his parachute made him eligible for membership of the unique Caterpillar Club, whose members were awarded a tiny gold caterpillar by the owners of the American firm who made the parachutes, IRVIN.
As the Allies pushed into Italy, Tom was No 2 in the 43 Squadron, commanded by a Polish pilot, and he was flying very long hours. On 18 December 1943, he was on a mission around the fiercely contested Monte Cassino when his Spitfire took a hit from the German anti-aircraft batteries.
The next thing he knew he was in a Field Hospital with a German padre saying prayers over him. At least they had saved his life! Tom suffered severe injuries with badly burned lower limbs and a cracked head.
He was eventually moved to a prison hospital in Stuttgart where he spent over a year before a prisoner exchange brought him back home. He was highly amused to find that he was swapped for three Germans.
After the war Tom went up to Cambridge to read Mechanical Sciences and at the same time he was chief instructor to the undergraduates in the gliding school. These three years helped both his recovery from wartime trauma and to readapt to civilian life.
In 1947 Tom met Joan when his sister invited some girlfriends for the weekend. Ever the beau, he hired a plane for the afternoon and took the girls flying. They were terrified and thrilled! He said that Joan ‘passed muster’ and last June Tom and Joan celebrated their diamond wedding.
Flight Lieutenant Hughes worked for a number of major companies before coming north in 1968 to work for Ronson. He died aged 89 years on the last day of 2010.
Joan, of Old Station Court, Darras Hall, said: “He was such a kind man and would help anybody – people often asked for his help and he would always give it.”
Tom was a most hospitable gentleman and a great raconteur. Loved by all who knew him, he will be greatly missed. Joan was awarded the MBE in 1983 for her work as county organiser of the WRVS and she is a former Captain of Ponteland Ladies Golf Club.
A Service of Thanksgiving was held on January 27 at St Mary’s Church, Ponteland, followed by a flypast by members of Fl Lt Hughes’ squadron. We’re hoping to bring pictures in the March issue.
Tom Hughes was a 19 year old when he volunteered for the RAFVR in 1940 and won his wings the next year. He was initially disappointed to be sent to theCentral Flying School in Wiltshire to instructnew pilots but many of his fellow officers losttheir lives in missions at this time.
He went to North Berwick to train on night fighters, the Blenheims and Beaufighters but his ambition was to fly Spitfires. This was soon realised after further training at Grangemouthan d Biggin Hill. Tom was part of the vast assembly of air power built up in North Africa and Malta in 1943 to cover the invasion of Sicily. After the German retreat from Sicily Tom was testing a captured German Messer Schmidt when the plane crashed into a vineyard but fortunately he had bailed out.
Surviving a crash by using his parachute made him eligible for membership of the unique Caterpillar Club, whose members were awarded a tiny gold caterpillar by the owners of the American firm who made the parachutes, IRVIN.
As the Allies pushed into Italy, Tom was No 2 in the 43 Squadron, commanded by a Polish pilot, and he was flying very long hours. On 18 December 1943, he was on a mission around the fiercely contested Monte Cassino when his Spitfire took a hit from the German anti-aircraft batteries.
The next thing he knew he was in a Field Hospital with a German padre saying prayers over him. At least they had saved his life! Tom suffered severe injuries with badly burned lower limbs and a cracked head.
He was eventually moved to a prison hospital in Stuttgart where he spent over a year before a prisoner exchange brought him back home. He was highly amused to find that he was swapped for three Germans.
After the war Tom went up to Cambridge to read Mechanical Sciences and at the same time he was chief instructor to the undergraduates in the gliding school. These three years helped both his recovery from wartime trauma and to readapt to civilian life.
In 1947 Tom met Joan when his sister invited some girlfriends for the weekend. Ever the beau, he hired a plane for the afternoon and took the girls flying. They were terrified and thrilled! He said that Joan ‘passed muster’ and last June Tom and Joan celebrated their diamond wedding.
Flight Lieutenant Hughes worked for a number of major companies before coming north in 1968 to work for Ronson. He died aged 89 years on the last day of 2010.
Joan, of Old Station Court, Darras Hall, said: “He was such a kind man and would help anybody – people often asked for his help and he would always give it.”
Tom was a most hospitable gentleman and a great raconteur. Loved by all who knew him, he will be greatly missed. Joan was awarded the MBE in 1983 for her work as county organiser of the WRVS and she is a former Captain of Ponteland Ladies Golf Club.
A Service of Thanksgiving was held on January 27 at St Mary’s Church, Ponteland, followed by a flypast by members of Fl Lt Hughes’ squadron. We’re hoping to bring pictures in the March issue.
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