pea farm towlaw

[justmej]

If it is the same Pea Farm, at Oxhill, Stanley that JenB identified on the streetmap and Rewcastle mentioned (that lila was looking for a LONG time since!), it does have a bit of history...

On 20th December 1908 the body of 10 year old Mary Donnelly was found in the hedgerow in the field behind the Pea Farm.  The body of the child was taken to Pea Farm and remained there for 2-3 days.

How shocking that must have been

At the time Mr and Mrs J Cowan lived at this farm.

justmej

[lila]

i remember this story my gran told me

[justmej]

Oh well lila, that confirms it was the same farm then

My Great Grandfather (the one in my avatar on the left) was the Police Inspector in charge of the murder investigation.  A horribly gruesome murder of a small girl and it seems she lived not far from the farm where her body was found.  The lodger who lived with Mary's family was found guilty and sentenced to death.

justmej

[Suex1]

Hi Lila

My Name is Sue, nee Ward

My family (WARD) currently own Pea Farm, Oxhill, Stanley on which I was born in 1962 and grew up there and I believe my Grandad, William Ward Took over in approx 1952 from the Coal Board and then he bought it outright sometime in the 1970's.

My Husband and I redeveloped 2 of the farmworkers cottages and made 1 house from them approx 18 years ago and we still own it today although we don't live there now, my brother, the now farmer looks after it for us.

Ironically we had someone looking round a couple of weeks ago tracing their roots.

A little late in response but have only just seen it, Hope this helps

[justmej]

Hi Sue

Welcome to RootsChat!  How interesting to learn the farm now belongs to your family.  I recently received copies (23 pages!) of newspaper articles on the terrible murder of 10 year old Mary Donnelly in 1908, which go into great and somewhat gruesome detail.  The farm is mentioned and was where the inquest was held, after the discovery of Mary's body, in the first field behind the farm.

The copies of the articles were so kindly sent to me by a relative of another police officer, who was also involved in the case, along with my great grandfather.

Of course, should you be interested in seeing these, I'm sure I can copy them for you.

justmej

[Suex1]

Hi Justmej

Thanks for your contact. It would be interesting to see the papers and I would be happy to pay for the copying and postage and wondered if you could send to my Mother Mrs M Ward

If you are agreeable to this, please let me know and I will sort something out

Many thanks


Sue

[justmej]

Hi Sue

No problem... give me a few days to get them copied and I will send them off.

May be wise to 'edit' your previous post and delete the address off, which I have now made a note of.  Should have mentioned that after you have made 3 postings on RootsChat you are then able to send a PM (personal message) by clicking on the small green scroll on the left.

justmej

[McTalbert]

I don't think that there is any doubt that your Pea Farm is the one at Stanley. If your grandmother stayed there she very probably visited the small former pit village of Tantobie because that was the home of the local Co-operative Society which finally closed in the 1950's.

Pea Farm is also very close to the former Oakey's Cottages of Cat Pie fame (a poem written by the pitman poet Tommy Armstrong between 1890 and his death in 1922).

I note that James VICKER's mother was Jane Reay GLADDERS. The GLADDERS family have been present (and still are) in the Tanfield, Tantobie, White-le-Head, Flint Hill and Tanfield Lea area since the mid 1800's. Presumably you have traced Jane's ancestors.

[justmej]

Pea Farm is also very close to the former Oakey's Cottages of Cat Pie fame (a poem written by the pitman poet Tommy Armstrong between 1890 and his death in 1922).

I believe Tommy Armstrong also wrote something about the Pea Farm murder of Mary Donnelly.

justmej