Hodgson's Mill

[Phodgetts]

I have been looking through some of the older and completed subjects for Blyth and Cowpen and there is one for Hodgson's Mill that interests me greatly. I have got an old 1853 plan of the area which shows Buck's Hill Mill and Hodgson's Mill close by Cowpen Square, long before development of the harbour destroyed Buck's Hill and the old Cowpen Quay. The mills are shown as small circles. Hodgson's Mill was very close by the bend in the modern day Hodgson's Road set within the square of streets made up by Crawford Street, Ann's Row and the no longer extant Ferry Street.

Hope you folks of Blyth and Cowpen enjoy seeing the old plan.

Philip

[c-side]

Good one!

I'm sure you've got maps for all occasions, Philip 

Christine

[Phodgetts]

Hi c-side, I do try my best.  Where others have the local life experience and knowledge of the old town I try and find as much as I can in the way of maps, images and books. Not easy, but I do my best. Hopefully we all make a great team pooling resources.

I also have two images of Hodgson's Mill! No date and no name of artist which is disappointing, however the first image (a) is older than the second (b), but from what I can gather they are both well over 100 years old! A very lucky find indeed and the way they have been stored they are as crisp as the day they were done. Just a shame that I had to sell my mother-in-law into slavery to be able to afford them  . I only just got them three weeks ago in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

Enjoy

Philip

[c-side]

Fabulous - I particularly like the first one and wonder whether it was done by the same man who did the drawing of Bishop's Quay just over the river.

It's in a book in Blyth library, dated 1834 (the drawing, not the book) but I can't remember the artist's name now

Christine

[Phodgetts]

Is this image you are referring to? Circa 1840.

Philip

[c-side]

The very one!  The single large white building to the forefront of the group is the original Seven Stars, then there's 'the little cross house' and the row of cottages slightly futher back.  I'm particularly fond of this one because quite a few of my family lived in those cottages up till about 1850-60.

Christine

[pityackafromblyth]

I have seen an old map in the last few months which showed Hodgson's Road, as an old waggon way.  I think on the map it was shown as Hodgson's Way or Waggonway.  Presumably it was for taking coal down to the river, from the Cowpen Colliery (?) and possibly the Bebside colliery (?).  I think it was the same map which showed Cowpen Estate as all open fields, but with a large dwelling shown as Red House.  Could that be where the pub on Cowpen Estate got its name ? (Now called the Percy Arms).

[Michael Dixon]

PYfB,

 Loads on the internet about north-eastern colliery waggonways.

To see Bedlington/Cowpen/Blyth "old" waggonways, waggonways and railways
(all horse-drawn) see these online maps.

 The first two also show Red House farm, in isolation.

 http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/007179FS/htm ( Fryers map of 1820)

 006972FS   ( Greenwoods of 1828)

 004890FS  ( 1860 Ordnance Survey map  6")

~~~~~~~~--
  Cowpen Colliery "B" Pit (also called North Pit- Bates to us lot) used to get its coal to the river near Hodgsons Mill, then later took it to river near the Flanker.

 Cowpen Colliery "A" Pit ( also referred to as the South Pit- maybe just known to us as Cowpen Colliery) took it's coal straight eastwards to the harbour.

The third Cowpen Colliery pit, the Isabella, got its coal to water at South harbour, as did the fourth Cowpen Colliery  pit, Crofton or Mill Pit.

Bebside Colliery was sunk in 1850s, adjacent to an already established goods and passenger steam railway line- so no need to use any  waggonway.
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Back to Mills.

Philip,


I could see one circle for one mill, but I couldn't see circle for Hodgson's Mill !.

Trivia Moment ( from Newcastle Courant, 11th Dec 1868)

" BIRTH IN A FERRY BOAT AT BLYTH.

On Sunday night a woman belonging to to "Bogie" High Pans, North Blyth, came from Shields to Blyth by the 8.20 train. On reaching the lime kilns, Cowpen Square, she complained of being unwell, but was able to get into the ferry boat with a number of other passengers.

While crossing the river she gave birth to a fine healthy child ( a boy). The boat was put back and on reaching the shore, she was taken to the Golden Fleece, where every attention was paid to her by the kind landlady and the servants. She is doing as well as expected. "   ( I have been refreshed many times in the Golden Fleece- in late 1950s- great jukebox ! )
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Michael

[Phodgetts]

Hi Michael, fascinating story about the birth on the high ferry. 

I have marked the 'circle' of Hodgson's Mill  for everyone to see with the red diamond.

Philip