Blyth Cricket & Rugby Club

[c-side]

If it was mine I'd have posted it on here by now    but I will email it to you.

It's regularly on view at the battery as it forms part of three display boards showing the beach before WW1, between the wars and after WW2.  It's amazing how much of the links have disappeared in the last 100 years or so.

Christine

[TriciaK]

Good find PHodgetts - it's been niggling at my mind too as the name was very familiar.

[Phodgetts]

The thing that is bothering me now, (as pointed out to me by a friend whilst discussing this topic) is that football is mentioned as being played at Blagdon Terrace, but not actually rugby.

P

[Phodgetts]

Thanks to c-side for pointing me in the right direction, I can now show you some postcard scans from my collection showing Blagdon Terrace playing field. I shall call it a playing field because it would seem various games of sport and recreation were played there. The pictures date to pre WW1, probably before 1910. I got myself in a bit of a knot, because I wasn't thinking of the Blagdon Terrace area as part of The Links, when in fact at the time they were pretty much one and the same place! Thrilling to be able to see what was there so many years ago, and what the land and buildings were used for. Thanks c-side 

Enjoy

P

https://www.flickr.com/photos/51893012@N05/24267802396/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/51893012@N05/23926129809/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/51893012@N05/24185765962/in/dateposted-public/

[Phodgetts]

And after a bit more research and little bit of effort I was able to reunite two old images that got separated a long time ago. See what you think.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/51893012@N05/23927846889/in/dateposted-public/

P

[TriciaK]

That building of the hotel has jogged my memory - if you were walking to the beach from Park Rd. turn right at the Park, and the hotel was on the left a few 100yds along. Then on the right was the Wellesley Nautical School, now just a wasteland, and then the beach along the left.
Is that right?

[Phodgetts]

Yes, you are correct. The site of the Wellesley Nautical School is now a new build housing estate, and not a pretty one at that. They cram 'em in and stack 'em high these days. They're turning that part of town into a mini city in it's own right! Hardly an inch of ground left undeveloped, and no greenery.

P

[dolly dimples]

 As usual you did it again PH,  great work !
     I have just been along that road today,and we parked in that little Blagdon Terrace... so different with the Ridley gone, On Wensleydale road, there is still the little row of 4 terraced houses just past the end of the park , which I'm sure must be some age now,
  They were there when I was a child, and I wondered if they too belonged to Lord Ridley at some time?     Are you scratching your head PH?   Dolly

[Phodgetts]

Yes, that little row on old maps was called Ridley Place, and the detached house on the census in 1911 was Link View Villa, I think the gate posts have that name carved into them.

Scratching my head? I have no hair left after that lot! 

P