Blyth Cricket & Rugby Club

[Phodgetts]

OK. This is Blagdon Terrace.

I knew you'd be surprised! I was too.

P

[Phodgetts]

I found it eventually by following the Enumerator through Blyth and he went along Belgrave Crescent followed by Twizell Street, Ridley Villa's, Link View Villa, Blagdon Terrace and then along Wensleydale Terrace to the Tile Sheds. I never thought it'd be the Hotel. I had no idea it was a terrace of houses before it became the Gwentland Hotel and then the Ridley Park Hotel after that. Such a shame it was demolished last year, but thankfully, online mapping hasn't been updated yet for that road so I was able to identify the building by the old name board.

I am guessing now, but I suspect that the playing field would have been behind Wensleydale Terrace, rather than on the coarse grass of the Links. I have trawled through all of my maps and through online maps too, but there is no mention of a playing field at that location between 1895 and 1938.

There was at one time an old racecourse for horses nearby, but I doubt that would have been used for football or rugby.

At least we know where the Terrace was for now.

P

[c-side]

The links wasn't always course grass - they used to play cricket and golf on there before a lot of it was taken over by the harbour commission.  They could have played rugby there too though I never saw any reference to it when I was researching the links.

Well found though 

Christine

[Phodgetts]

I can also tell you that originally Blagdon Terrace was three individual houses.

In 1898 no. 1 was a school run by a Mrs Bowman.

On the 1901 census;

No. 1 was occupied by William Soulsby the Draper along with his wife and brother.
No. 2 was occupied by Margaret Tweedy along with her brother and Uncle.
No. 3 by Charles Barron, a Building Contractor and his family

The 1911 census;
No. 1 was occupied by George Moffat a Tax Collector
No. 2 still Miss Tweedy
No. 3 still the Barron family.

During WW1 No. 1 was used to accommodate soldiers. Only no. 1 got mention for that use.

I'd now like to know when the terrace was converted into the Gwentland Hotel, and when it changed it's name to Ridley Park Hotel

Fascinating stuff.

P

[BlythSpartan]

That's really good stuff, love it!
The mention of Blagdon Terrace as a playing field, from what I read, was used prior to 1893. The Blyth Rovers established that year, weren't the "pioneers of rugby in Blyth" as rugby had been played at Blagdon Terrace a few years previous, according to one clipping I've come across.

[Phodgetts]

Please post the clippings and your research progress with us. Others out there in time will come across this subject and might be able to add more to it.

P

[c-side]

I've been looking at an old photograph which shows a cricket match taking place on flat(ish) land right next to Blagdon Terrace.  I don't know the exact date but it must be earlier than 1905 which is when Wright's Timber Yard took over that piece of land.

Christine

[Phodgetts]

If you are unable to share it c-side, please email it to me and I will compare it with what I have here in my collection, because it may be an image I have, but no other information. It will help add to the knowledge base.

Ta very much

P

[BlythSpartan]

I'll get everything I have uploaded as soon as I'm able - most of what I've gathered is all print offs of things. Whether you're fans of Rugby, Cricket or not a fan of anything like that at all, I think this all adds to building the picture of Blyths history.