Northumberland, history, memories, Bill Charlton, immigration, travel By Bill Charlton Australia boundWith our emigration application approved, and after the medicals etc, we were given six weeks to prepare to go. It was a very big decision time for us. Do we or don’t we go, was the question. We decided to go, and after two … Read more
Northumberland, history, WWII, crashed planes By Bill CharltonCrashed Mustang on HareshawDuring the war years we kids used to go out to view the crashed planes and collect souvenirs if we could. We’d push bike out to Hareshaw Head late in the afternoon then walk over the moors to get a glimpse of a plane which … Read more
Northumberland, Bellingham, history, dialect, humour, childhood memories By Bill Charlton I was born in July 1927 and my father, Robert Lowther Charlton ( known as Bob) and mother Lilian ( known as Lily) named me Anthony William Charlton (to be known as Bill). I had a brother Cliff and a sister Joan. The family lived … Read more
Northumberland, history, humour, wartime 1939-45 By Bill Charlton The bridge over the North Tyne at BellinghamThe tiny cottage at the end of the bridge, (which at one time must have been a toll house) was nicknamed ‘the rabbit hutch’ and the nice lady who occupied it (who nobody knew much about) was inevitably called ‘The … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Thompson’s North Tyne Haulage Thompson’s haulage wagons were icons in the North Tyne, and the following article which Bill Charlton found in a newspaper cutting (probably the Hexham Courant) in ??? when the late Tommy Thompson retired gives a good account of the company’s history. There is no name of the … Read more
Northumberland, history, humour, childhood memories, wartime 1939-45 By Bill CharltonSmoking experimentsIn our junior years in 1940/41 Cliff and I experimented in smoking by collecting dog ends off the road, looking in empty cigarette packets for a cigarette or cards which we used to save for a collection and swap with other lads in the village. … Read more
Norhumberland, history, childhood memories, 1940s By Bill Charlton Cairnglastenhope – a great kids’ adventureGoing back a couple of years before the 1939-1945 war started, my Dad (Bob Charlton) planned a great adventure for us kids (me and brother Cliff and our cousin Tom Thompson). It was to cross over the fells and visit Cairnglastenhope Lake … Read more
Northumberland, history, humour, memories, wartime 1939-45 By Bill Charlton Dad’s call upI can remember when 12 years old coming home from school and having to go into Hesleyside woods to collect my father’s gear and bait bag, as he had had an urgent phone call to report for duty to Wylam along with a few … Read more