In an earlier blog, we looked at the different planning applications which were being submitted in the early part of the 20th century. Our work in cataloguing the planning files for Castle Ward Rural District Council has now reached the 1940’s and it is not surprising to note that the nature of applications began to change, to prepare for war.
We have come across the planning application, dated July 1940, from the Newcastle Education Committee, to install air raid shelters in the houses on the Cottage Homes site. Interestingly, these shelters were not below ground but were reinforced rooms on the ground floor of each building, beside the external side wall. They were only 5-6 feet wide, and each shelter had an emergency exit to the outside. I suspect these rooms were used as stationary cupboards or storage when the site became Police Headquarters. Another interesting point to note is that the plans cover all the houses occupied by the resident children, but the Masters House (which became the Chief Constable’s Office) was not included. Perhaps the Headmaster received an upgraded shelter!
It is also quite apparent from the applications, that the Ministry of Agriculture was keen to maximise home food production. In August and September of 1941, they made three separate submissions of plans to build hostels for agricultural workers at Whalton, Stamfordham and Ponteland. The plan for Middle Drive, Ponteland is dated 14th August 1941 and marked with the official stamp from the planning office, however the word ‘approved’ is clearly crossed out. We have no indication that any of these hostels were built.
However, in 1943, the same Ministry submitted plans for houses this time, planned for Capheaton, Belsay, Whalton and Stamfordham. The plans were approved on 8th April 1943, however using Google Maps & Earth, we can see that the Capheaton and Belsay plans never made it off the paper. The other plans were both for a pair of semi-detached homes at Stamfordham and Whalton. Stamfordham is easy to confirm, as the location was marked on the plan and the houses can clearly be seen at this location on Widdrington Drive in the village. Whalton was more difficult as the plan of the location does not appear to have survived, however further detective work suggests that these are the four houses appropriately named Castle Ward Cottages on the edge of Whalton, as the road heads towards Belsay.
Having planned for safety, and to house the agricultural workers, there was one slightly more unexpected matter to take care of – that of increasing numbers of prisoners of war. In May 1942, The Ministry of Works and Buildings submitted a plan for a proposed P.O.W. Camp, No.69 to be built on Middle Drive, Darras Hall. Records show that the camp was in use between 1945 and 1947. Once the prisoners had been repatriated, the development of housing in Darras Hall could continue and these days there is almost no sign that the camp ever existed. We say almost because the existence of this camp probably explains why some residents of Darras Hall have found German coins when digging their gardens.
