Memories
relived
This page is intended for
you the visitor to relive your memories, and pass them on to the younger
visitor. Let them know what is was like to live in the old days.
Go on tell them........
if you wish you can remain anonymous
post your memories to
my marras
here's some
to get you started
The writer's name
has been changed to Dolly for her own good but the story is true.
1930's Juvenile Delinquency:
Dolly
(child) nicked a turnip from a
farmer's field, just outside the village of New Herrington. Caught by the
farmer. Next thing is:-
The New Herrington village
policeman PAT MALONEY who lived in the houses behind the Herrington Co-op
formally delivered a summons to our house for Dolly. She got a right talking
to from Pat Maloney, her Dad and her brothers. She was fined 5 shillings,
which was a lot of money in those days, and their lads paid it. Her big
brothers teased her awful about it, saying it was no good running or hiding
from the law - as the bobbies would only swoop and get her on the normal pick
ups they bided time for, when everyone went to the Durham Miners Gala.
Her brother was the main teaser, he used to say "Dinna worry Hinny, I'll
gan and pay the fine sometime."
anon
MR ARTHUR HOOD: Also lived
behind the Co-op, used to grow vegetables.
MR PARFITT: Lived behind the
Co-op, grew vegetables and always produced good parsnips, used to stand
guard against the bairns raiding his parsnips.
Another story
LANTON STREET: Just off Lanton Street, a path
that opened up in to a little lane, that took you to the pit. That is where
the young men went to do the illegal gambling.
Card Games, Pitch & Toss. Usual age group: 18 -20
year old men.anon
Houghton feast.
It was a big thing, something to
look forward to, it was an official holiday day. Everybody used to go from
the village (New Herrington) special buses were laid on. If you
missed out and didn't get to go, it was very lonely in the village (New
Herrington). There was nobody about, they were all at the Feast,
and the village was unusually quiet.
Everyone used to dress up to go to
the feast, the Tiernan tribe used to go, and their Ma (just like the other
women) used to wear her lovely big hat with the huge exotic feather pinned in
it. There was lots to see and something for everyone at the Feast, and there
used to be a big get together hymn singing. There was either an ox-roast, or a
pig (the Aunts differed on which beast) and it was a huge carcass roasted on a
huge spit. There was goodies to eat, and Pease pudding. In their family's
case, one of the older boys got the job of herding the tribe around the fair,
mostly it was their John-Joseph. Lily (my Mam, rest her soul) was very good at
choosing the moment to approach the older brothers, with "Have you got any
ha'pennys" - a good trick she did one time was to follow Jim (Titch) who was
trying to follow a lass, and she was calling him "Da", Jim paid them to get
lost.
All the folks went to the feast
from around their villages, and it was a really good day out, everyone looked
forward to it. The mining lads loved it, as they got the chance to "put on
the style, miners like nice things" and get the fresh air.
Da and older
lads would end up at the Wheatsheaf at Shiney, then make the way home "Three
sheets to the wind."
A Zeppelin over Philli.
I can remember a bomb being dropped in a farmers
field near to Herrington woods. I remember it was a Saturday night. I believe it
was 1916, King George V and Queen Mary, were visiting Herrington Hall at the
time. It was thought the power station was the target at Philli, two German
workmen, who were working at the power station were taken away.
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