Gordon Terrace West,
Stakeford,
Northumberland, NE62 5UD
Contact: Phyllis McGraw (Secretary)
Email: wansbeckbranch@ndfhs.org.uk
Meetings on 1st Wednesday in the month at 1.30 pm
(No meeting in August)
Non-members are always most welcome to attend the meetings and the coffee and chat afterwards
| Date | Subject of Talk | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 4th September 2024 | The Birtley Belgians | Valerie Greaves |
| 2nd October 2024 | ‘Pails and nails at Smails’: a history of the Family Ironmongers in Morpeth | Robert Young |
| 6th November 2024 | The Rise & Fall of Seaton Delaval Hal | Liz Finch |
| 4th December 2024 | A brief history of Bingo & buffet | Phyllis McGraw |
| 8th January 2025**Note Date Change | AGM & Members’ Forum ‘The Street Where We Lived’ – my Street, my village, my community. A world lost. | – |
| 5th February 2025 | Happy Days – digging up Northumberland’s past | Barry Mead |
| 5th March 2025 | The History of the Northumbrian Pipes | Kim Bibby – Wilson |
| 2nd April 2025 | Members’ Forum – A Piece of Paper | – |
| 7th May 2025 | A History of Blyth | Alan Fryer |
| 4th June 2025 | Beamish – Snooping on Snaps | Julian Harrop |
| 2nd July 2025 | Members’ Forum – ‘Remembering the end of WW11 and my families part in it’ | – |
| 6th August 2025 | Visit ( possibly Newbiggin Rocket House& Maritime Museum) | – |
Reports of meetings
August 2024
Minutes for Wansbeck Branch meeting 7.8.24.
18 members and friends were able to attend the summer visit to Cresswell Pele Tower and Walled Garden. This was a most successful afternoon led by Steve, a most knowledgeable, interesting and entertaining guide. We all learned a great deal about the history of the Pele Tower and enjoyed strolling in the delightful garden.
Our next meeting will be ‘Birtley Belgium’s’ led by Valerie Greaves on September 4th.
Michael would like to pass on his thanks for all of the best wishes sent to him. He is making steady progress and the orchid is flourishing!
July 2024
Minutes for Wansbeck Branch of NDFHS 3.7.2024
Apologies: 7
Attendance: 17
Business:Due to the sad news that our Chairman, Michael Murphy, has had to withdraw from his role in the Society and Branch, this meeting became an Extraordinary GM. All members expressed their very best wishes to Michael and his family.
Phyllis McGraw will be Acting Chair; Veronica Lisle will be Trustee and Christine Westerback will take on the role of Meetings’ Organiser. The new officers will work to support each other in these new roles so ably undertaken by Michael.
The meeting closed at 2:30 The next meeting will be August 7th at 1:30 meeting at the entrance to Cresswell Pele Tower.
June 2024
Minutes from NDFHS Wansbeck Branch meeting 5.6.2024
Attendance: 21
Apologies: 5
Business:
· Chairman reminded members of the NDFHS AGM to be held on Saturday July 13th in The Learning Room of South Shields Museum. (Further details will be available)
· Discussion took place about a possible topic to celebrate NDFHS’s 50th anniversary in 2025
· Information given about the 5 topics covered in the NDFHS videos
· August 7th meeting will now be a visit to Cresswell Pele Tower and Walled Garden starting at 1.30
· Group member Geoff Glass supported by his wife Marjorie gave a highly illustrated and interesting talk about his life as an underground miner and Deputy in the Northumberland coalfield
· We wish Geoff well for his upcoming operation
Next meeting is Wednesday
July 3rd
A workshop session’Using the 1939 Register’
May 2024
Attendance: 22
Apologies: 6
Business: No outstanding matters
Meeting: A talk with the title, ‘Locating Records in a a Family History Trail’ was given by Michael Murphy. This was a well prepared, fascinating and insightful account of the origins and location of records looking for reasons and patterns in a life’s passage. The links to the life of Michael Porter, with clear handouts brought the subject to life and will be most useful aids to many members.
The meeting closed at 3:30
April 2024
Attendance: 18 members braved the awful weather!
Apologies: 3
Business: Durham County Records Office will reopen on Friday June 14th at Mount Oswald, a short drive from Durham City. DLI Museum will be housed there too.
NDFHS Head Office will be relocating to New England House which is near the Haymarket.
Health & Safety was refreshed for new members
Meeting:
This members’ forum, My Family & the Military, produced much interesting, and often previously unknown, information throwing up several requests for support in investigating this area which will be addressed in future meetings. Members produced a range of artefacts, photographs, military documents and information which fleshed out the theme leading to animated talk during refreshments.
The meeting closed at 3:30
Next meeting:
Wednesday May 1st will be, ‘Locating Records in a Family History Trail’: using the life of Michael Porter’s life as a case study. This talk will be led by Michael Murphy
March 2024
Meeting 6th March 2024. Attendance: 28, Apologies: 2
Business:
A reminder was given about a talk to be given at Morpeth Literary Festival on March 24th by Dr Dan Jackson about the history of Northumberland. Tickets can be booked online.
Talk:
Hilton Dawson gave a most interesting and informative talk about The Newbiggin Genealogy Project which he helped to initiative in 2010 and is now thought to have created ‘the world’s largest family tree’ involving a record of almost everyone who has lived in Newbiggin and is still growing with contributions from people around the U.K. and wider world.
The meeting closed at 3:30
February 2024
Meeting held on February 7th 2024
Attendance: 26
Apologies: 4
Business:
* The annual financial report was presented. Finances are in a healthy condition
* The death of Michael Porter at the age of 102 was reported. A history and celebration of his life, demonstrating how to find and use a variety of records, will be presented by Michael Murphy later in the year
* The proposed move of headquarters from MEA House to Sutherland House will not now take place. A permanent site is being sought and more details will follow
Talk:
We were fortunate to have an excellent, erudite, informative and witty talk about Cresswell Pele Tower & Walled Garden given by Barry Mead. Barry and a group of volunteers began the hard work of raising funds to restore the Pele Tower, a listed building and scheduled monument, in 2014 which was brought to fruition in 2021. A fascinating afternoon.
January 2024
Meeting 3.1.2024 which was attended by 20 members and 3 apologies for absence.
Matters arising:
* Report given regarding some members’ health issues
* Nominations were taken for the roles of Trustee, Chair, Secretary and Treasurer
* The current Trustee, Chair, Secretary and Treasurer were reappointed
* It was reported that Wansbeck Branch finances are sound. A statement of accounts will be presented to members.
A Members’ Forum entitled, ‘Surprises, Secrets & Lies’ followed the AGM. Many members contributed interesting facts discovered during their family research.
December 2023
The attendance at the meeting on the 6th December was 19 with 6 apologies.
Business: The Chairman updated the group on the move of NDFHS headquarters which it is hoped will be in the Spring of 2024.
Phyllis McGraw gave a short talk about curious Xmas facts, followed by a Xmas related group activity and Xmas quiz.
November 2023
Wansbeck Branch Meeting held 1.11.2023
Attendance: 19
Apologies: 6
Business:
Meeting: A most interesting, well organised talk and interactive session entitled, Children’s Street Games & Rhymes, was led by Michael Murphy.
The next meeting will be a Christmas talk, ‘Did you know?’ and a quiz led by Phyllis McGraw
October 2023
Minutes from NDFHS Wansbeck Branch meeting 4.10.23 which was attended by 18 members plus 5 apologies.
Business: Stuart Lawson offered DVD copies of several census records to members
Meeting: This was a most successful members’ forum related to the theme, ‘How We Came to Be Here’. Several members brought interesting oral history, photos, documents and artefacts to illustrate their ancestors’ journey to South East Northumberland.
The next meeting will be on Wednesday November 1st. This will be a talk given by Michael Murphy with the title, Children’s Street Games & Rhymes.
September 2023
Attendance: 18 members and apologies received from 7 members
Meeting: A talk and workshop session entitled ‘Pitmatic Dialect’ was led by Phyllis McGraw. Branch Chairman kindly wrote these minutes.
The session dealt with the links between coal mining and dialect in the Northumberland and Durham coalfield. An informative outline of the mining background was punctuated with ‘Pitmatic’ poetry delivered in an authentic ‘Eshington’ accent by Phyllis. There followed a structured, participatory workshop on Pitmatic dialect that members really engaged in as evidenced by the lively group discussion and in the feedback session. ‘It wez canny gud’.
The meeting closed at 3:15.
The next meeting will be Wednesday October 4th. This will be a Members’ Forum entitled ‘How We Got Here’, a look at how our ancestors arrived in the North East. This will be a follow on from the previous Forum when, due to time restrictions, only a small number of members were able to pass on their interesting family research. Bring along any photos, documents you feel able to share with the group. If you are stuck with your research other members may be able to suggest next steps to sort out problems.
Last updated 20th August 2024
