The Northumbrian art and craft of harvesting (howkin) turnips By Donald Clegg A field full of memories There’s a field in the Upper North Tyne that I pass almost daily as I travel to and from my home near Kielder Water. As soon as I see it, memories take me back almost 60 years and … Read more
Background by Clive Dalton Graham Batey is the third generation of the Batey family of builders in Bellingham that traded under the name of ‘Joseph G. Batey and Sons, Builders and Contractors’. Graham was the last partner in the business along with his Uncle Arthur when he must have received an order from Robert Allen … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Saturday – day of play Saturday was the best day of the week for us Noble Street ‘yunguns’ – because there was ‘nee school’ and we were free from the terrors of Jean Milburn in the Juniors, before progressing to Joe Lumley in the seniors. Here you knew that the dreaded … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton St Cuthbert’s church in Bellingham, Northumberland. I was christened here, tolled the bell and pumped the organ. Photo: The Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne St Cuthbert on the Net It’s staggering how much information there is about ‘ Saint Cuthbert’ on the Internet – he would be gay pleased aboot that … Read more
The Pentland Press Ltd (1977)ISBN 1-85821-479-3 Dennis’s tales of life on the farm, are a priceless historical record of all aspects of farming at that time – and especially of the people involved and their attitudes to employment and life in the Dales. He writes with the sincerity and wry humour of a true Dalesman. … Read more
Note by Clive Dalton: In the North Tyne valley of Northumberland, there’s no such thing as a ‘stone’. They are all ‘staens’ (pronounced steens). And it’s similar on the Scottish side, so when ‘Borderers’ set off to meet at a noted landmark Staen, like the one near Kielder – they all arrived at the same place … Read more