Podcasts

Oral history interview of William Pattinson (with some help from Mr Sullivan).

William Pattinson decided not to follow the route that most boys in the area took when they left school; to the docks or down the mine. Instead, he chose to work on the land. At 17 he started at the Cowpen Colliery Company farm, Malvin’s Close Farm, where he took care of the pit ponies.

Robin Gard, the County Archivist at the time, made this oral history recording with Mr Pattinson in 1974. Mr Pattinson had just retired from his job the year before and obviously enjoyed reflecting on his working life with Robin.

In the extracts that we have chosen here, he talks about the scope of his job and how many ponies he looked after. He goes into some detail about his day-to-day responsibilities and the process of getting a new pony down the mine. At the end of the podcast he describes the ponies’ holiday during the pit shut down in the summer and the problems that it caused.

Bob Reay was a retired miner from Coxlodge, Newcastle upon Tyne. He was 78 years old when he was interviewed by Northumberland Archives in 1971. Bob was born in Seaton Terrace, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, around 1894. He spent some of his early years at Seghill, Northumberland before moving to Dinnington at the age of 15 years and finally to Coxlodge, Newcastle upon Tyne (then Northumberland) where he lived for 63 years. He spent over 50 years working at the Hazelrigg mine, retiring in 1958. The mine closed in 1964.

In her podcast, Archives Assistant Suzanne, talks about working on Bob Reay’s oral history and a surprise connection.

Mary Keaney worked as a maid from the time she left school at 15. After several positions, she eventually worked as the head maid for the Adamson family of Linden House (now known as Linden Hall). On her marriage she left her job but stayed on the estate with her husband who managed the farm for the Adamson family.

This is her story, in her words. Mrs Keaney was interviewed by Northumberland Archives in 1975 when she was 78 years old.