Meeting Notes September 2018

Meeting Notes September 2018

There was a half term break in October so there are no notes to follow up. However the notes for September have two very interesting articles; John on a very special Railway Engineer and Peter has provided us with an insite into the Co-Op. 

Our next meeting will be at the Into Newcastle University Cafe at the Haymarket on Wednesday 14 November  10:30. Please bring along any work you have been doing to share with the group. We also have a little  fun with judging who is who from old photographs of each other so bring along an old photo and if you have time perhaps you can find a historical or interesting local history fact the happened on your birthday.

TIMOTHY HACKWORTH. RAILWAY ENGINEER. 1786-1850

There are two reasons why I chose to put a few words together about Timothy Hackworth. First three generations of my Brother in law's family have Hackworth as their middle name and it appears the family are in some way related to the Hackworths. Secondly in this period of the Great Exhibition of the North, much attention has been to the a achievements of Stephenson and "the Rocket and little if any mention made of the Railway achievement of Timothy Hackworth. Timothy Hackworth was born in 1786 in Wylam just 5 years after George Stephenson who was also born in Wylam. .

A cartoon published in 1876 — 100 years after Timothy Hackworth was born shows a number of eminent railway engineers laying about each with umbrellas. The cartoon was entitled:" The Battle of the Blast Pipe" a satirical comment on the controversy raging in that century of a great achievement in railway locomotion engineering and a comment on the grievance that George Stephenson was acclaimed an idol while others were neglected.

Arthur Mee in "Durham" one in a series of published guides covering English Counties, writes: ” The really great man of Shildon was the locomotion engineer and Methodist preacher Thomas Hackworth. He is sometimes called the Father of Locomotives and was certainly one of the first in the field”

Certainly it is on record that between 1813-15 Hackworth was introduced to Locomotive construction while cooperating with William Hedley in the building of locomotives known as:

"Timothy's Dillies" and “Puffing Billies". Stephenson didn't build his first engine until 1814.

Hackworth left school in 1800 aged 14 years (old for the time) and after serving an apprenticeship to his father the Master Blacksmith at Wylam Colliery he was appointed to succeed his ailing father responsibility for men much older than himself. His father died two years later leaving Timothy with additional responsibility for the welfare of his mother and younger family members. Hackworth's working life can be divided into two clear halves, each 25 yrs duration. From 1800 to 1825 when he was a colliery blacksmith and 1825 to his death in 1850 when he was railway engineer and manufacturer of locomotives.

A vital factor in Hackworth's life was his conversion to the Weslyan branch of Methodism in 1810 and his marriage to Jane in Ovingham Parish Church in 1812. Jane was a deeply committed Methodist and their marriage was a happy one. In 1817 his religious conviction forced Hackworth to leave his post at Wylam Colliery as he refused to work on Sunday.

So Hackworth moved to Walbottle Colliery to take up a similar job he had held at Wylam. Hackworth was contented and unambitious. ln 1821 George Stephenson met the Darlington Quaker and Banker Edward Peace and Pease was persuaded to accept the used of steam power locomotives as well as stationery locomotion on the Stockton and Darlington Railway. To construct such engines an engineering works was opened in Forth Street under the name of Robert Stephenson, George's son. With George Stephenson involved in surveying the new Liverpool to Manchester line and Robert in South America, George Stephenson selected Timothy Hackworth to stand in as supervisor of engine construction at Forth St. until his own return in December 1824.

At this point the Board valuing Hackworth's knowledge and skill offered him a 1/10"‘ interest in the Forth St. firm but Hackworth refused, instead returning to his post at Walbottle.

Early in 1825 Hackworth had decided that his future lay in the construction of locomotives rather than foreman colliery blacksmith. He handed in his notice at Walbottle with the intention of setting up his own locomotive construction business. Stephenson fearing a competitor negotiated with Hackworth to employ him with Stockton and Darlington Railway Co. He was offered charge of the static and locomotive engines. His salary would be £150 (small in comparison with others in similar roles) and a House. He was sent to New Shildon the Engineering Headquarters of the Stockton and Darlington Railway Co. Here alongside official duties, he set about loco construction of his own. During this time he constructed the ”Royal George" which some claim saved the day for locomotives. With the Stephensons away, otherwise engaged, it was on Hackworth's shoulders at this time depended many of the critical engineering and practical judgements which insured the future of steam powered locomotives. When the Directors of the Liverpool to Manchester Line held trials at Rainhill in 1Q29 to discover the best locomotive for their project, Hackworth's "Royal George" was not considered. His engine Sanspareil was considered but thought too wasteful of coke. In the event "Rocket" designed by Rbt. Stephenson won. "Sanspareil" was afterwards purchased by the Manchester to Liverpool line Directors for £500.

Between 1829 and 1837 Hackworth designed 17 locomotives for S.& Darlington Railway. In 1836 a Hackworth locomotive was delivered in parts to Russia and reassembled by Hackworth's son for use on the Tran-siberian line. In 1838 the first locomotive used ln Nova Scotia, Canada was built by Hackworth.

ln May 1840 Hackworth broke all ties with S. & D.Railway and set up his own business in what he called Soho Engine Works. This was the first works in the world specially built to make railway locomotives. Here he built Sans Pareil No. 2 which Hackworth himself considered his master piece.

During all this time Hackworth and his wife were building up large and vibrant Methodist circuits in and around Bp. Auckland. While still very active as a Methodist Preacher, and Engineer, Timothy Hackworth died in 1850.

I end by quoting from Geoffrey Milburn’s short life of Hackworth. "In the light of all this

achievement, and also the relative obscurity of Hackworth's name today, one is forced to the conclusion that his work as a locomotive engineer has not received the appreciation it deserves."

Sources: G. E. Milburn Pamphlet 1975 repr. 2000: An Encyclopaedia of N. E. England, Lomas and

Arthur Mee’s Durham.

The Co-operative Wholesale Society Pelaw Works

The Co-operative movement as we know it began with the Rochdale Pioneers in 1844. Working people had long suffered adverse conditions in urban shops - profiteering, false descriptions, shoddy goods passed off as superior, lack of hygiene, and the adulteration ofproduce. Chalk in flour, other dried leaves in tea, ground nutshells in pepper, chicory in coffee, red-lead to colour cheese were just a few common practices. 

The ethic of the Co-operative Societies was to trade by a few basic rules for the benefit of members. Every member must buy shares (often one shilling each) and be issued with a Share Number. All goods would be sold at a fair market price with profits returned to the society for expansion and to members in a dividend related to the amount purchased. Each society would have its own trading name, its own shop premises and be called a ’store’, with elected committees to manage it.

Initially the co-operative movement was entirely made up of retail stores sited in industrial areas, mostly in the North of England. In the 1870s a change to manufacturing began around Manchester. The Co-op saw the advantage of producing its own goods. Soon it needed to expand its manufacturing base and Tyneside was seen as a splendid place to establish a new works. The Pelaw group of factories was established by the Lancashire cooperative movement, to spread the commercial principle of co-operative trading into the North-east.

In 1896 The Ecclesiastical Commissioners agreed to lease 3.75 acres of land between Heworth and Bill Quay for 999 years at 2d per square yard ground rent. It lay conveniently between Shields Road and the North Eastern Railway near Pelaw Junction. Prior to the factories being built, there was nothing between Heworth village and Bill Quay but fields, the odd cottage, a stream called the Catdean Burn, bridle paths and a wagonway. Within ten years a whole new community grew around the works, using the name Pelaw.

A workforce had to be found and skilled men came from Lancashire to start this process. There are still families in Pelaw today whose grandfathers came and settled to work for the rest of their lives in the C.W.S. works.

 The first factory to open was the Drugs and Drysaltery in 1902. Houses began to be built in the former fields. Red brick terraces stretched from Heworth to Bill Quay. The bricks almost all came from William Foster’s Pelaw and Stoneygate brickyards.
Between 1902 and 1912 a series of factories went up in good red brick, most of them Foster’s. He was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and his brick works flourished.

The factories included drugs and dry goods, clothing, quilts and bedding, cabinet making, engineering and printing and behind them were sidings directly onto the railway providing excellent communication links nationwide.

Other manufacturers resented the Co-op’s high moral approach to trade, its lower prices and its success in taking their customers. Pharmaceutical companies began to withhold supplies to the C.W.S. The Co-op responded by purchasing its own bulk raw materials, making its own pharmaceutical preparations and selling them in its own chemist shops. One particular item was used by its opponents in a 1906 court case, namely Iron Oxide tablets. They were accused of copying another commercially popular iron tablet but at a lower price. The C.W.S. lost the case and had to take care to avoid similar incidents.

 

By 1912, one of the most popular products ever made was well established at Pelaw, with sales rising dramatically. This was Pelaw Polish. Millions of tins of it were sold every year all over the world, and Pelaw Polish became a household name.

In the clothing factory women at their sewing machines turned out shirts, nightwear, underwear, coats and suits, and industrial clothing - overalls, boiler-suits, and pit clothes.

Cabinet making became as important as clothing and then upholstery followed. Pelaw was the third cabinet works of the C.W.S. and all followed the same rules: no luxury furniture, all union labour, all time served men, no bought-in timber or ready-made pieces, and every upholsterer was C.W.S. trained and tested. In 1936 the works was also making commercial furniture, for offices, hotels, cinemas and boardrooms. During the Second World War, the whole factory was switched to war work, in particular the building of gliders and aircraft parts.

Pelaw’s famous Down Quilts were first made in 1914. Within County Durham women there was an ancient tradition of quilting. The Durham quilts, though popular, were later eclipsed by eiderdowns, filled with the soft, warm and light down feathers. The covers were in satins and silks of deep, lustrous colours and strong patterns.

The Pelaw Quilt factory had its own buyers, who travelled the world to find the finest materials. In the Second World War the quilting works made uniforms and flying suits.

The tailoring factory was extended twice, in 1933 and 1937. The women who worked there were all expert machinists and tailoresses. All the female workers were paid less than the male staff, as was the general rule. There were wage disputes at times even in this benevolent regime.

In the clothing factory women at their sewing machines turned out shirts, nightwear, underwear, coats and suits, and industrial clothing - overalls, boiler-suits, and pit clothes.

Cabinet making became as important as clothing and then upholstery followed. Pelaw was the third cabinet works of the C.W.S. and all followed the same rules: no luxury furniture, all union labour, all time served men, no bought-in timber or ready-made pieces, and every upholsterer was C.W.S. trained and tested. In 1936 the works was also making commercial furniture, for offices, hotels, cinemas and boardrooms. During the Second World War, the whole factory was switched to war work, in particular the building of gliders and aircraft parts.

Pelaw’s famous Down Quilts were first made in 1914. Within County Durham women there was an ancient tradition of quilting. The Durham quilts, though popular, were later eclipsed by eiderdowns, filled with the soft, warm and light down feathers. The covers were in satins and silks of deep, lustrous colours and strong patterns.

The Pelaw Quilt factory had its own buyers, who travelled the world to find the finest materials. In the Second World War the quilting works made uniforms and flying suits.

The tailoring factory was extended twice, in 1933 and 1937. The women who worked there were all expert machinists and tailoresses. All the female workers were paid less than the male staff, as was the general rule. There were wage disputes at times even in this benevolent regime. 



 

 

The lifetime of the Co-operative Wholesale Society Pelaw Works has proved to be a similar span to that of many people - about eighty years.

Older people who were once members of "The Store" can still remember their check number, even after as long as 60 years.

Peter Sutherland

Acknowledgements: -

Joan Hewitt - Felling Local History Society

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ChronicleLive

Meeting Notes for July/August 2018

Meeting Notes July/August

In order to catch up on the meeting notes I have added August in with July. On both meetings we had  a good turn out, we had two entreating and informative quizzes from Irene who also supplied us with some goodies and the quiz rounds were also very informative. John, Moira, Val, Maureen and Peter read out the research work they had done which I will try and write up as soon as I can, the topics were quite diverse but none the less informative and entertaining some of them are included below.

We still have on the agenda a trip to the Railway Museum at Shotton, this had to be postponed because of the the groups holiday commitments. There are plenty of exhibitions and events coming up in September. Check out our members work below and if you have any comments or suggestion please get in touch.

Following our them of entertainment here is article from Iris about Pigeon Racing





 Pigeons have long been considered an archetypal Northern working class male sport or hobby. This is disproved by finding Queen Elisabeth has pigeon lofts and is keenly interested in pigeon racing. It has been an important part of male working class culture in northern industrial areas.

Wooden pigeon lofts, made from waste wood and painted in bright colours to attract the birds have long been part of the working class landscape. predominately on allotments. Historians have mostly overlooked this activity and therefore missed the opportunity to study something central to the history of working class culture.

Pigeons offered not only the thrills and excitement of racing, but also the more intellectual interest and skills of the breeders and the rearing of Doves - Pigeons are indeed Doves.

Gentle handling by the breeders is necessary to enable them to be trained, contrary to 'Racers' who discard ruthlessly if they fail to win. In 1760's fancying pigeons, birds butterflies and bees developed from an increased interest in natural fauna. By 19th century the natural world was less threatening and once man wasn't in a constant struggle with nature he could enjoy his doves. However  'fancying' gave way to racing due to mans use of birds for business rather than pleasure.

At the end of the Victorian period, King Leopold of Belgium gifted pigeons to the Duke of York and the Prince of Wales, who showed great interest in racing their birds. The 'Times@ in 1899 claimed @since the Prince of Wales won the race from Lowick it is shown by announcement in daily papers there is every indication the sport will become more popular.

Long distance racing developed a new more 'reptable clientelle' The Newcastle upon Tyne Homing Society formed in 1892 and not untypically it included local Business men, Doctors, Innkeepers and Colliery officials. Yest the majority of long distance racers before the First World War were probably working class.


By 1905 North Eastern trains ran 'Pigeon Specials', so popular was the sport carrying 7 million birds during the racing season! During the 'Great War' the service of pigeons was very valued. They are loyal creatures and 'Come home to root' some manging to return with bullet wounds.

In the 1920's a decent bird cost 25 Shillings though the best one record was £225! so obviously 'Family' did without a lot in favour of the pigeons which mus have caused immense stress in hard times.

The pigeon loft was, for the most part, an escape and also a masculine enclave, through for some an opportunity to share family time. Though though to be associated with flat capes and whippets, as signifies of the working class northern male, in reality its geographical base is far wider, None the less it was an important part of male working class culture in the late 19th century early 20th century.

For allot of working class families, open displays of emotion towards pigeons contracted uncomfortably with the more suppressed relations men showed their women or children. In 1934 as one racer put it 'We fanciers are deprived of the joy of following the course and cheering on, our own favourites. Anticipation is the sole quality that holds us magnetically in bounds of faith and hope, for we only see the final outcome of our own birds efforts. Aye1 and what emotions are aroused thereby !'

When this racer received the telegram announcing his bird had been released on their race, he felt 'a throb of exhalttation' When he saw his bird approaching, he became 'Transfixed, Electrified; almost simultaneously, upon the small platform at the entrance of the loft, 'There is the bird of his dreams.'

Our next meeting will be at our usual venue The Into Newcastle University Cafe, 10:30 Wednesday 12 September.

Meetings Notes for June 2018

Another good attendance for June at the Into Newcastle University Cafe. One of out topics for discussion was leisure activities during the early 19 century and we again had a great contribution from all that attended. Below you will find a selection of topics written by our members, more to follow in next months Blog. We also had a quiz from Peter and this has prove very popular to the extent that we will be having one each session form various quiz masters.

The Leek Club by Val

When the R.H.S was founded in 1804 its flower show set off a spate of similar events throughout the whole country. Improved living standards, increased leisure time, the development of the suburbs, public parks and botanical gardens as well as the Plant Hunters’ who searched the world for new species that commercial growers then made generally available all helped to stimulate a growing interest in hobby horticulture during the course of the nineteenth century.

Eventually virtually every city, town and village has its own particular version and one of the biggest and earliest took place on Bull Park in Newcastle in 1846. It was a grand affair with 'every accomodation' offered to visitors including music and refreshment. Admission to the show was one shilling, tickets for the Pavilion Dinner cost ten shillings and included a pint of wine.

Growers were keen to measure their achievements against those of their fellow enthusiast and in 1861 formal rules were set by the R.H.S for judging the quality of vegetables whereas in previous years the only criteria had been size.

Amongst the working classes in the North East there was an emphasis on showing leeks, an interest apparently due to a large influx of Welsh miners into the Northern coal fields and it became an important feature of the regions mining culture.  After a hard day underground the garden offered pit men fresh air and contact with the natural world. For those without gardens, tending allotments was viewed by many Victorians as a productive use of time by keeping the poor away from the evils of drink whilst at the. Same time providing wholesome food for the work force.

The Smallholding and Allotment Act of 1881 and further legislation in 1908 required local authorities to make land available for this purpose.

19 century leek growing was a science as well as a passion. Homemade fertiliser made from an assortment of slops left to stew was tipped into a jam jar at the base of the plant. The jar had its bottom removed by putting an inch of old engine oil into the jar, plunging a red hot poker into the oil and then lowering the jar into cold-water. The glass base dropped off leaving an open ended tube into which the fertiliser was poured. A roll of newspapers tied around the base of the growing plant kept the sun off and kept the base white. The blanched length of the leek could measure no more than 6 inches from its base to first leaf joint and an identical. Set of 3 was needed to stand any chance of winning a prize. Growers often slept in the garden, guarding their precious crop just prior to the showing season as sabotage was not uncommon.

The annual show was an important event involving months of planning and fund raising. As well as being a leisure activity the leek show gave the growers a sense of purpose with targets to aim. For and by offering a range of family attractions was a welcome source of entertainment for the whole of the community.

Ashington was sufficiently populated to support over 30 leek clubs. Small villages like Monkton, south of Jarrow had to co-exist with neighbouring societies. The origin of Monkton Society is not well known but it existed in 1864 as. The photograph of its committee illustrates. Membership of the most prestigious clubs was but invitation and it was said ' you would no more eat a prime leek than you would eat the winner of the derby.

Image from https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/historic-cup-went-missing-82-13319949

Photo the leek show

Newcastle Horticulture show 1846

The Hopping’s. Moira

The Hoppings is an annual travelling funfair, held on the town moor in Newcastle upon Tyne, it is one of Europe’s largest travelling funfairs.

Hopping's were originally known as the Newcastle Temperance Festival, and today it is still a Temperance Festival, as there is no alcohol sold on the festival site. The Newcastle Temperance Society was launched on. The October 1 1839. Prominent in the Temperance movement was Dr John Hunter Rutherford, who was said to be a skillful and effective mouthpiece and was one of the original founders of the North of England Temperance League. After his death a drinking fountain was erected in St Nicholas Square, but was removed to make way for Queen Victoria’s Statue. Ironically his statue was then placed in the centre of the Big market. Famous for its number of public house and. Excessive use of alcohol

Due to a dispute between the corporation and Gosforth park racing company, the races moved from the town moor to Gosforth. In 1882,the largest travelling fair was launched on the town moor, by prominent temperance movement workers. It was designed to be a counter attraction to the drunken orgies of the Newcastle race meetings. Because of these races which included, betting, gambling, thieving and alcohol abuse, parents took their children away from the town during race week.

The fair started as a roundabout and freak show with temperance stands. It lasted two days and the rent income was £10 as compared to the rent income of £60,000 in 1991 For nine days.

During the first world war the fair moved to Jesmond Dene, bit returned to the town moor when the war ended. There were no fairs in. The city in the early 1920's,but they returned in 1924 and have continued since.

The Hoppings takes it name from an old word meaning to. 'dance' but there is also the suggestion that it may come from the clothing which the travellers wore, sack like tops and pants. This clothing often became infested with fleas, and people were seen 'jumping' and 'hopping' itching from the bites. The dance version is the one more widely accepted.

It is written in Geodie Folklore that when the hoppings came to. Toon, so does  a deluge of rain.

Leisure pursuits pre and post 1st World War Irene

The photographs show my mams mothers family the Pearsons. The photo with the wooden shed or maybe an old railway carriage was taken at Tarset around 1912.In the photo are my grandma aged 13, my great grandad Samuel Pearson, great uncles Sammy and jack Pearson, Jacks wife Georgina, great aunty Meggie and husband Tommy Siree, (killed in the 1st World War). The other photo shows great uncle Jack Pearson with brother Sammy and friends, this was also taken at Tarset, looks like there was some sort of competition going on. The wooden shed belonged to the Pearsons, it was well used in. Summer months by the family. As they were all working class I presume that it would be more used on a Sunday as they got very little time off work for leisure.

Tarset is four miles North West of Bellingham, in 1831 the population was just 169. Tarset was served by Tarset railway station on the Border Counties railway which linked the Newcastle and carlise railway near Hexham with the Border union railway at Riccarton junction. The first section of the route was opened between Hexham and Chollerford in 1858 the remainder opening in 1862, so this is one form of transport as to how the Pearson sand other people on the site got there.

I could not get any information about the site at this time, but obviously this type of leisure was pre caravan sites. In 1956 the railway was closed by British Rail, part of the line is now beneath the surface of Kielder Water. Tarset today is partly located within the Northumberland National Park and also within the international dark skies park, wonder what my Pearson family would have thought of that.

Music Halls Maureen

 

'Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums'

Music halls often began in an adjoining premises of a public house or in rooms set aside in the 1830's. By 1850's they had become so popular that the Tavern landlord had moved the entertainment into purpose built halls. A typical Music Hall bill would consist of 9-10 acts of different appeals. These would include trick cyclists, performing animals and impersonators. Comic vocalists singing the lyrics of many of Marie Loyd's songs such as 'She sits Among Her Cabbages and Peas' were also very popular. There was an. Entrance fee and a chairman would keep order using a gavel as he introduced the acts. The audience were able to consume food and alcohol as well as smoke Tobacco. The growth of the Hall were rapid. By 1870 there were 31 large Halls listed in London and 384 in the rest of the country. However there was a gradual decline by the end of the century when cinemas became more dominant.

The Music hall of 1838 in Nelson Stree built by Richard Grainger was a replacement for the one he had built on Blacket Stree in 1830. It was used for exhibitions, concerts and lectures. It was was known as the lecture Room and was where Charles Dickens read from his works. It changed its name to the New Concert hall in 1879 when it. Was recognised as a 'Music Hall'. From 1884 it was known as the Gaiety Theatere of  Varieties. It was taken over by the Temperance movement in 1890 and renamed it Central Hall. In 1911 it became a cinema. Most of the building was demolished in 1964 leaving the facade with  a tablet above the door.

The Wheat Sheaf Inn, 3 Cloth market was constructed in 1840. Its landlord John Balmbra. By 1848 a large roomon the first floor of the Inn was being used for concerts. By 1850 it was drawing crowds every night and known as Balbra's. Music Saloon. A new owner in 1884 changed it's name to Balmbra's Music Hall. This continued until it was renamed the Oxford Music hall when new owners took over in 1865. Around 1891it became the Oxford Restaurant and Public hall. The building was completely destroyed by fire in 1899.

 

Our Next meeting will be on Wednesday August 8 at 10:30 in the Into Newcastle University Cafe