Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
[ Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum' ]

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Newtown Co-op

Posted by Brian on 8/8/2024, 8:16:16

We often see the picture of the Quay Co-op and the bomb crater but I can remember the Newtown Co-op, if I remember rightly it was foodstuffs on the South side and a shoes and haberdashery on the North side. There was also a Co-op hall I was in there once and it was for my Aunt Betty's wedding reception and that's all I know about it as I was about 8 or 9 at the time. You'll probably know an awful lot more about it than myself and put me right if I was wrong.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Sheila on 8/8/2024, 8:43:27, in reply to "Newtown Co-op"

Such memories Brian. My Mum bought just about everything at the Co- op. The butchers was further along Tennant Street near Station Road end. How I hated having to go and stand in the queues. I remember Jessie in the Bread and cake shop. Martin in General grocery, Nellie in the Green grocery. Lots more faces but I’ve forgotten their names. My friend and I used to love watching the brides arriving at the Store Hall for weddings on a Saturday and dream we would get married there and walk up the stairs in our “Posh Frock” we must have been about 8/9 at the time. I can still laugh at the memory, sadly my dear friend is no longer here to share it.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Brian on 8/8/2024, 9:02:44, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

I thought the hall was up a flight of stairs but wasn't sure, My dad worked at the Co-op for a couple of months before his apprenticeship as a welder but don't know which branch, thanks you for filling gaps for me Sheila.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Sheila on 8/8/2024, 9:41:47, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

Yes Brian, it was above the drapers the entrance was in Shamrock Street.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Allan Campbell on 8/8/2024, 8:53:47, in reply to "Newtown Co-op"

I was often in there pre 1952 getting food for my Grandmother.

Her daughter, Dads sister worked there as well as my Aunts school friend.

They I understood were often sent to work in the Quay store in a few times to the Jarrow one.

I think that they worked for the Co-op probably from leaving school maybe 1938 ish until the late 40’s.

I know that my Aunt was in the Land Army during the war and returned to the Co-op afterwards.

The main thing that I remember was the money being put into tubes and sent up the cashiers, some sort of vacuum system?

Allan C.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Brian on 8/8/2024, 9:07:59, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

The Co-ops had those systems, Shepherds in Gateshead and Farnons had a system too,but not sure if they were the same type I am sure I saw a cable system almost like a monorail in a large shop but cannot remember where, you put the money into the canister screwed it onto the cable, pulled the handle and it shot off to the cashier depth.

Brian

Posted by Allan Campbell on 8/8/2024, 9:23:55, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

Yes I remember a system using cables but where was it and the vacuum type system was that in the Hebburn Co-op ?

Allan C.

Re: Brian

Posted by Brian on 8/8/2024, 9:29:30, in reply to "Brian"

Allan we weren't bothered which shop it was , watching these systems were probably the best bit of the visit to the shop.

Re: Brian

Posted by Alan Young on 8/8/2024, 9:35:10, in reply to "Re: Brian"

Bet everyone can remember theirs or parents CO-OP number - I certainly can -22459.

Re: Brian

Posted by Sheila on 8/8/2024, 9:51:50, in reply to "Re: Brian"

Alan Young, my parents Co-op number was 5155. I can also remember friends and relatives.

Re: Brian

Posted by Brian on 8/8/2024, 9:58:19, in reply to "Re: Brian"

Sorry not a clue what mams or my nanny's numbers were and I used accompany both when shopping.

Re: Brian

Posted by Maria Ratheram on 8/8/2024, 10:27:11, in reply to "Re: Brian"

Me to Coop Lyon St went every Saturday no idea now.

Re: Brian

Posted by Stan Wears on 8/8/2024, 14:53:41, in reply to "Re: Brian"

Mams was 13450 and grans was 2564.

Re: Brian

Posted by Marie on 8/8/2024, 18:37:54, in reply to "Re: Brian"

Hi Sheila,
I too can remember my mams coop number. It was 5469, very close to your mams.

For Marie

Posted by Sheila on 8/8/2024, 21:17:39, in reply to "Re: Brian"

Marie, I hope you are well, I owe you an email. I will be in touch soon.

Re: Brian

Posted by Allan Campbell on 8/8/2024, 9:40:50, in reply to "Re: Brian"

No watching the Blue bags being filled and the butter packing.

Watching the bacon slicer was always a bit frightening, were the fingers going to be sliced off!

The cash systems loved watching those in Fenwicks etc. in Newcastle.

Another thing that I watched was the road sweepers first the chap with barrow and brush then the sweeper wagons.

Odd thought just struck. Horse droppings, I was told by Dad to gather any dropped near home to collect and put near Dads greenhouse. Droppings usually from the rag and bone man’s horse.

Happy days.

Allan C.

Co-op Milkman

Posted by Sheila on 8/8/2024, 9:57:02, in reply to "Re: Brian"

Alan, the Co-oP Milkman delivered his milk on his horse and cart. If the horse performed people immediately collected it as most had an allotment.

Re: Co-op Milkman

Posted by Brian on 8/8/2024, 10:01:30, in reply to "Co-op Milkman"

Dad used to earn pocket money helping the milkman on his round, he said there was days where the milkman just sat sparked out after a hard night at the pub and the horse used to stop at the houses as it knew the round from doing it for so long.

Our Milkman was local

Posted by Allan Campbell on 8/8/2024, 10:10:37, in reply to "Co-op Milkman"

Our milkman was Mr. Cram who live about 50 yards away from us before he moved to Monkton.

He was a pal of Mum and Dad’s probably because they all moved into Crawley Ave at about the same time in about 1939.

During the War Dad got The Cram family out of their house as a fire bomb had gone through the house roof into the main bedroom. Dad was an ARP warden.

I was told that Mr. Crams nightshirt had got burnt.

Allan C.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Sheila on 8/8/2024, 9:39:36, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

I remember Shepherds had that system for sending money to the cashiers, but can’t remember it at the Co-op in Tennant Street. Probably a memory lapse, as I can’t remember a cash register either. I also remember Harlands in Tennant Street having jars of sweets when they came off rationing.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Norman Dunn on 8/8/2024, 11:15:23, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

The Co-op were spread out on Tennant St.
In 1910 there was one at No 17 Tennant St and it had Andrew Colqhoun recorded, so was he the Manager>

Then two more Co-ops at 50 & 67.
No photos of it sadly.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by John Shearer on 8/8/2024, 12:14:32, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

Shepards in Newcastle had a cable system and the Shepards money. Do I remember Farnons having a similar system.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Brian on 8/8/2024, 12:48:43, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

I can remember Shepherds in Gateshead but not Newcastle

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Sheila on 8/8/2024, 12:16:45, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

Norman, on Tennant Street, if you are facing towards Station Road, on the left the CO-OP shops were the Drapers, next the Shoe Shop, then Bread and Cake Shop. On the right was General Grocers, next the Fruit and Veg Shop. On the right nearer Station Road end of Tennant Street, was the Butchers.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Stan Wears on 8/8/2024, 14:50:59, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

Anybody remember Peggy in the shoe shop?! Cigarette holder, red high heels and winged glasses. A dead ringer for Dame Enna Everage! The guy in the wet fish shop which was painted blue. He had a fish tank in the side window where the water was green and it stank! I do recall little Martin too where he sent the sugar and butter and lard upstairs by a rope lift ! Great days eh?!!

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Maria Ratheram on 8/8/2024, 16:30:01, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

The fish and chip shop must have been good in the Newtown.My job on a Thursday night dad worked overtime at pyrotenix was to go rain hail snow over the railway bridge got to bottom turned right I think always seemed to time it well got home with the supper he was in washed and waiting.Remember Renes fish and chip shop Cuthbert St where I had walked from had to be New town.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Brian on 8/8/2024, 16:32:52, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

That was almost certainly Danns fish and chip shop, it's probably close to 60 years since I tasted them but they fantastic.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Maria Ratheram on 8/8/2024, 16:54:04, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

Worth the walk Brian would also be about the same number of years .Happy days.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Sheila on 8/8/2024, 18:11:21, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

Stan, I remember Peggy lovely longish hair would describe her as voluptuous woman, very nice and friendly manageress. I was never in the fish shop but do remember it, painted blue. On the opposite corner to Harland, who took over the shop after WW2. I was always told to go to Dann’s in Charles Street for our fresh fish. Always the best.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Stan Wears on 8/8/2024, 18:27:12, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

So true Sheila. Better days but gone forever.

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Lorna Lakey on 9/8/2024, 21:27:35, in reply to "Newtown Co-op"

I had my wedding reception there in 1963

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Rhoda on 10/8/2024, 8:48:49, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

Me too Lorna

Re: Newtown Co-op

Posted by Tom Barker on 10/8/2024, 11:56:02, in reply to "Re: Newtown Co-op"

I remember in the 1950s when my mother gave my twin brother and my self part of her DIVI to go to buying us New sandshoes for our walk with the church Easter parade along Argyle.street. Happy days my mothers Divi number was 26742

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