Children's Cottage Homes

New Web site launched.
http://www.childrenscottagehomes.org.uk/ponteland_cottage_homes.html

The website aims to build up the first dedicated encyclopaedia of life in children's cottage homes. Over the years, thousands of children spent time in the cottage homes and yet we know very little about life in these institutions.

This site is an opportunity to learn about what life was like in the cottage homes. Some basic facts are included but the siteaims to record what life was like for people living in the cottage homes. If you would like to share memories, family stories, photographs and other information about the cottage homes, please see the page on 'Getting involved'.

The details given for Ponteland are as follows:
Ponteland Cottage Homes
Ponteland is a village to the north-west of Newcastle - not far from where Newcastle airport is now. Cottage Homes were established there in 1903, initally taking in children from the workshouse which was on Westgate Road to the west of Newcastle.

The cottage hmes were made up of around 14 large semi-detached cottages which together could house around 300 children at a time. There was also a school, infirmary and workshops on site. The latter would have been used for general upkeep and maintenance in the homes and also for training the boys in specific skills.

Ponteland Historian September 2011

Ponteland Historian

Newsletter of Ponteland Local History Society

15^th September 2011

PONT – NORTHUMBRIAN ARTIST & CARTOONIST

Our speaker on 15th September, Alex Melville–Mason is a member of Warkworth Local History Society.  Alex, a relative of Graham Laidler who worked under the pen name “Pont” for a variety of magazines, including “Punch”, illustrated the brief career of this most talented cartoonist.

ANLHS AGM

22^nd October 2011

Longhorsley Village Hall.

Further details of the programme for the day will hopefully be made available to us in due course. Anyone interested in attending should leave their details with Ann and we shall endeavour to provide the necessary information in due course.  In any event this should be with us in time for our next meeting on 20^th October.

CHRISTMAS SOCIAL EVENING

This annual event on Thursday 8^th December will be “An Evening in Harmony with Imagine 5”.  There will be the usual quiz prepared by our resident quizmaster Dennis Oliver, a raffle organised by Jean Robson, with the assistance of Charles Wesencraft, and the evening will be rounded off with an excellent finger buffet and glass of wine.  Tickets are available from this evening at £8 each. 

THE OUSEBURN TRUST

It was originally intended to include an organised visit to the Victoria Tunnel in our outings programme for the summer months but the successful outings to Markenfield and Bamburgh took priority.

Because of limited space in the Tunnel tours are limited to a maximum of 12 persons and as so many members have expressed an interest it has been necessary to rearrange the programme.

The Lower Ouseburn Valley is a hidden gem of the industrial heritage of Newcastle and therefore provides the opportunity for a very interesting heritage walk. 

It is proposed that the visit is arranged with 45-minute tours of the Tunnel at 10.00am and 1.00pm.  The full group will therefore be limited to a total of 24 members with 12 on each tour.  Anyone wishing to take the heritage walk on a self-guided basis may elect to do so with the aid of an excellent guide published by the Trust.  If you are allocated an afternoon Tunnel visit you could do the heritage walk in the morning.  Otherwise if you visit the Tunnel in the morning you could take the heritage walk in the afternoon.  The Cluny pub nearby is an excellent place for lunch.

It is envisaged that the visit will take place on either Friday 18^th or 25^th November subject to availability.  Please indicate your preference on the list available this evening.  The cost is £4 excluding lunch.  Places will be allocated on a “first come first served” basis.

Anyone wishing to make their own arrangements for a visit may wish to join one of the organised public tours, which take place on Thursdays at 6.30pm and Fridays & Saturdays at 10.00am & 1.00pm.  It is however essential to check availability on these by telephoning 0191 261 6596 or visiting their website: www.ouseburntrust.org.uk.

CATCHING THE EAGLE

Members will recall the article “The Strange Mystery of the Robbery at Kirkley Hall” by Karen Charlton, which appeared in the 2010 issue of Pont Island News. 

Karen has now written a historical novel based on her research for the article and it is to be published by Knox Robinson later this year. 

The book is to be launched on 8^th December initially in hard back at £19.99.  Karen is holding a book launch at Kirkley Hall on Sunday 8^th January 2012, 2.00–4.30.  Mulled wine and mince pies will be served and all members are invited.

Book Signings at Waterstones:-- Middlesbrough

Saturday 10th December,    1-3pm Wallsend, Silverlink

Sunday 11th December 1-3pm Hexham

Saturday 17th December starts 1pm

Newcastle, Emerson Chambers Blackett Street

Saturday 14th January           1-3pm

COMMITTEE MEETING NEWS

At the committee meeting last week it was resolved that from time to time as space allowed in issues of Ponteland Historian, Members would be brought up to date with abridged detail of topics discussed at meetings.  This is the first such report.  

Earlier this year a member submitted 3 proposals to be considered by the committee:-

1.  That all archive material held by the Society should be passed on to Woodhorn for safe storage.

2. That the Society takes an active role with others in the restoration of Birney Mill.

3.  That the Society prepares for the 300^th anniversary of the writing of Richard Coates’ will in 2019.

The committee resolved that;-

        1.  The Society will continue with its practice of passing suitable material to Woodhorn only after copies have been taken for local access.  This work will be accelerated by the acquisition of suitable scanning equipment.

        2.  The restoration of Birney Mill was considered by the Pele Tower Working Group some 10 years ago.  It was at that time rejected because of problems relating to ownership, sustainability and funding.  The committee saw no reason to depart from this decision.  

        3.  There is ample time to prepare for 2019.  It is foreseeable that the subject could be the theme for other events and no further action is taken at this stage.

COMMUNICATION

Please let us have your email address.  It makes for quick contact with you between meetings.contact the Society Secretary

Christmas Social

Thursday 8th December 2011

7.30pm

St Mary's Church Hall

Ponteland

"An evening in Harmony with Imagine 5"

followed by buffet

Tickets £8

The Famous Rainhill Trials- The Sawdust Jacks

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

Ponteland Historian February 2011

Ponteland Historian

Newsletter of Ponteland Local History Society

17^th 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:

28^th March AGM followed by Richard Pears – “Architectural Oddities”

18^th April Chris Jones – “Historic Villages in and around Northumberland National Park”

ANLHS DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

26^th 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”

26^th 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 12^th 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.

18^TH 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 21^st 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 18^th May.  The 14^th 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 1^st 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 19^th 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.

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