View Larger Map It seemed to happen overnight. For us Bellingham Noble Street laddies it was the most exciting thing that we could have dreamed of. We had quietly been training with our home-made wooden guns and bayonets to annihilate the “Hun” when they landed, with the village Home Guard as role models. We quietly realised that they … Read more
Northumberland Farming History – a village childhood remembered. By Clive Dalton When I see my grandkids, constantly within sight of a carer, playing in protected areas approved by Health & Safety authorities, I often wonder how we Noble Street (Snoggy Gate) kids ever survived. The “fell” (field/moorland) was our playground – and it provided a … Read more
Northumberland Farming History – a village childhood remembered. By Clive Dalton The Noble Street nettie shared by Davidsons( No 5) & Daltons (No 6). When visited in 200o it had been made into a feature with cat entrance! On the left of the nettie was the ash pit with its solid walls & rounded coping … Read more
Northumberland Farming History – a village childhood remembered. By Clive Dalton The Blue Heaps from the Woodburn road, the blue shale now covered in grass Over the Woodburn road were the Blue Heaps which had a special significance in our imaginary world and a mystery all of their own. We imagined them as all sorts … Read more
Northumberland Farming History – a village childhood remembered. By Clive Dalton Photo: courtesy of Google Maps, the village of Bellingham. The marker is on Noble Street. To the West you can see the modern Golf Course, just to the North of Noble Street is the Blue Heaps, and in the bottom left the North Tyne river. … Read more
Northumberland Farming History – a village childhood remembered. By Clive Dalton The two oak trees on the boundary between the Breckons’s and the Demesne fells were an important part of our play. Some of the older lads had put big nails in the trunk of one tree so we could climb into the branches, again … Read more
Northumberland Farming History – a village childhood remembered. By Clive Dalton Photo shows Clive holding Bobby Hutton outside No 5 Noble Street, where the Davidson’s lived (Bobby’s grandparents). The Daltons lived at No 6 in about 1940. One game we played was very serious work. Over the fell were sheep tracks that we imagined were our main … Read more
Northumberland Farming History – a village childhood remembered. By Clive Dalton The trains were a major part of our lives so “playing trains” was another serious game. I was never the greatest sportsman, but by heck I knew about trains with my father being at guard at that time on the Wanny line which ran … Read more