Double Row

[Michael Dixon]

734641,

 I suggest you post it. Some folk may be interested in the buildings, some in the motorbike, some in the people,  in the photo !

Michael

[pityackafromblyth]

I had forgotten all about this subject, and when having a look at it I found I had also added to it sometime back. I will have to have a studied read of it all again, later on today.  And as regards posting photographs - where did cavvytri (the originator of this thread) get the photograph of the Bella Pit Heap covered in snow for his avatar ?   The heap could look like that in winter.  I recall one winter there were German students over on an exchange visit.  One was staying with a Margaret (forgot surname) who lived at Bedlington/Ashington area, and who came to Blyth Grammar School.  Snow had fallen before her arrival and when she got to the house where she was staying, she saw the local pit heap which was covered with snow, and remarked, with a German accent of course, " Ah, you also hav ze mountains here."  I think when things were explained she vas a leetle disappointed.

[734641]

Ok will did them out and post it although there is little of the buildings

[villageguides]

I thought that it might be useful to post a map from the 1920's showing the streets that have been discussed in this post.

Then I have come across an aerial photograph from about 1948 which actually shows Double Row. I have tried to duplicate this using Google Earth to show where the street would have stood today. And then finished it off with a Street . on the ground. Double Row would have stood roughly aligned with the footpath with stretches back from the small building in the foreground.

I hope that you find it useful!

copyright image removed

[villageguides]

The rest of the images...

[villageguides]

The map image has been removed. Please follow this link to see the map.

https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/430755/581466/12/101116

Tip! You will have to zoom out a couple of times using the - marker on the side of the map before you will be able to see the Un-subscriber view.

[Southernman]

I have an interest in the Patterson family which lived at 11 Double Row, Cowpen during the first 15-20 years of the 1900s.  By 1914 there were at least 9 children, the two parents and a lodger living there.  Earlier in this thread Michael described the houses as having three rooms, but I'd be grateful for advice as to the layout - ie was there (a) one large room downstairs and two upstairs, (b) two downstairs and one upstairs or (c) were they all on the same level.

When the father, Tom John Patterson serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers was killed on on the first day of the Somme, 1 July 1916, would his wife and children been forced to live elsewhere? 

[c-side]

Hi Southernman, Welcome to rootschat 

Sorry for the delay in responding - I thought I had some hand-drawn plans of the usual layout of colliery houses but can't find them anywhere

Three roomed houses had one large room downstairs and two up.  Others I have been in had two rooms downstairs - a smaller front parlour (used only for special occasions) and a larger living room at the back.

As for 'security of tenure' - the houses went with the job so if there was no miner living in the house then the family would have to find alternative accommodation.  I don't know whether there was some kind of 'amnesty' during the war - if the head of household was away fighting then it is to be hoped that the house was retained for his return but I haven't been able to find out as yet.

Christine

[Southernman]

Thank you, Christine.  I suspect, given the number of people living in the house, it would have been the one down, two up version.

My main interest is in the youngest child, Hannah.  I know she was educated at Blyth Secondary (later Grammar) School circa 1926-1932, but after that she disappears from the radar until receiving an immediate commission on joining the WAAF in September 1941.  When she died of meningitis the following April her estate amounted to over £400 (equivalent to £15000-18000 today), not bad for a lass with her beginnings.  I'd love to know what she did after leaving school.

Brian