Northumberland Voices: Recent Episodes
Northumberland Archives
A podcast to accompany our true crime blog series:
Murder at Bigges Main: Part One - Northumberland ArchivesMurder At Bigges Main: Part Two - Northumberland ArchivesMurder At Bigges Main: Part Three - Northumberland ArchivesMurder At Bigges Main: Part Four - Northumberland ArchivesLisa researches the life of Elizabeth Phillipson, a witness to the murder and cousin of the victim. By using online sources, Lisa pieces together the evidence in a way that is sure to appeal to true crime enthusiasts and family historians alike.
The Illuminated Sheep Project is taking the opportunity to produce a series of Podcasts from the oral history archive created by Sheep Tales in 2011 and 2013. https://www.sheeptales.org.
This is the third podcast, Short Baaaack and Sides; Northumbrian shepherds talk shearing and dipping.
Northumberland Archives and Libraries have planned a series of events from September to December 2022 as part of the Illuminated Sheep programme, inspired by the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to the North East in 2022. https://laingartgallery.org.uk/lindisfarne-gospels-2022
Funded by North of Tyne Combined Authority.
The Illuminated Sheep Project is taking the opportunity to produce a series of Podcasts from the oral history archive created by Sheep Tales in 2011 and 2013. https://www.sheeptales.org.
This is the second podcast, Births, Bottles and Blizzards, Northumbrian shepherds talk about lambing.
Northumberland Archives and Libraries have planned a series of events from September to December 2022 as part of the Illuminated Sheep Programme, inspired by the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to the North East in 2022. https://laingartgallery.org.uk/lindisfarne-gospels-2022
Funded by North of Tyne Combined Authority.
The Illuminated Sheep Project is taking the opportunity to produce a series of Podcasts from the oral history archive created by Sheep Tales in 2011 and 2013. https://www.sheeptales.org.
This is the first podcast, Some Men and their Dogs, Northumbrian Shepherds talk about their Border Collies.
Northumberland Archives and Libraries have planned a series of events from September to December 2022 as part of the Illuminated Sheep Programme, inspired by the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to the North East in 2022.
https://laingartgallery.org.uk/lindisfarne-gospels-2022
Funded by North of Tyne Combined Authority.
Hetha Butler lived at Ewart Park, Northumberland from the age of one in c.1897 until 1937. She was the grand-daughter of the social reformer Josephine Butler.
In this podcast she describes her childhood at Ewart Park. She talks about the servants in the household and being brought up by a governess. Hetha was not very interested in academic learning and describes the other activities that she enjoyed as a child, including roller skating! She also recalls the parties and entertainments thrown by her family for the "estate folk".
Online exhibition about Josephine Butler:
https://northumberlandarchives.com/exhibitions/butler/1.html
Blogs about the St Paul and Butler families of Ewart Paul:
https://www.northumberlandarchives.com/2016/10/18/of-international-importance-the-st-paul-butler-families-of-ewart-park/
https://www.northumberlandarchives.com/2016/10/25/of-international-importance-the-st-paul-butler-families-of-ewart-park-part-two/
Peter Connelly, Northumberland Archives intern and third year history student at the University of Strathclyde, introduces his podcast for Northumberland Voices. Peter revisits some old favourites from the series and presents some new voices to give listeners a flavour of life in the mining communities of Northumberland during the 1920s.
A blog about the 1921 Miners' Strike by Peter can also be found here:
https://www.northumberlandarchives.com/2022/03/30/the-1921-coal-miners-strike-part-one/
Jean Mather talks about her life in Craster where she was evacuated during the Second World War. She talks about her grandparent's house where she lived and of the food that her grandmother cooked. She describes clootie dumplings and proggy mats as well as Christmas time treats.
Bob Hepple was born at Sook Hill Farm, Cawburn, near Haltwhistle in 1891. Bob dedicated his life to shepherding on the hills in the Tynedale area. In the first of these oral history extracts Bob talks about the hirings, when farmers engaged farm workers. He also describes sheep dog training and even reads some poetry!
For more about Bob Hepple's oral history, see our blog post:
https://www.northumberlandarchives.com/2021/11/15/bob-hepple-shepherding-in-tynedale/
Extracts from an Oral History interview with Tom Easton.
Tom was born in 1896 and lived in West Sleekburn as a child. He joined the Tyneside Scottish Brigade during the First World War. After training at Alnwick, Tom fought in France and Flanders until he was captured in April 1918. As a prisoner of war, Tom opted to work down a German coalmine near Brambauer in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Margaret Elizabeth Palmer attended school in Throckley, Northumberland. She did well at school and passed exams that allowed her to become a student teacher. From the age of 13 to 18, Margaret travelled into Newcastle to a teacher training centre. She gave up her job when she got married, but was persuaded back during the First World War.
Here she talks to Amanda Arrowsmith, archivist from Northumberland Archives, about becoming a teacher in Northumberland at the beginning of the twentieth century.
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.
Trigger warning: some description of animal remains
William Hall was born in Netherton on 3 May 1892. He claims to have started school at the age of three years and was helping his father and grandfather to shoe horses by the time he was seven.
In this oral history recording that was made on 15 October 1971 (T/10), he talks about the family blacksmith business and the fate of his favourite horse.
You can also read about his experience as a scout master on our blog: https://www.northumberlandarchives.com/2021/04/28/mr-william-hall/
You can listen to the complete recording at Northumberland Archives: https://www.northumberlandarchives.com/contact-us/
Northumberland Voices
Archie Dagg was born in Coquetdale at the very end of the nineteenth century. His father and grandfather were shepherds and when he left school at 14 years of age, Archie joined the family trade. Many of the tasks related to the job were dictated by the seasons and the weather.
This is an extract of Archie's oral history recording that was made in 1978 by Northumberland Archives.
In 2011, Berwick Record Office (part of Northumberland Archives) was involved in an oral history project to collect the memories and experiences of sheep farmers and shepherds in Northumberland. Links to the website and clips of the interviews can be found below:
Sheep tales website
Sheep tales website oral histories
Women's History Month, March 2021
Recorded in 1975, Northumberland Archives holds a fascinating oral history recording of Norah Balls, a suffragette. Norah talks to the archivist Amanda Arrowsmith about her life and campaigning. She reminisces about joining the Women's Social and Political Union and the people that she met, including the Pankhursts. She describes brushes with the law and the end of the struggle at the beginning of the First World War. After the war, Norah threw herself into the Girl Guide movement and local government.
Hear her story in her own words by downloading this podcast.
Northumberland Voices
Northumberland Archives actively collects oral histories to document the experiences of people living in the county. We hold a collection of recordings from the 1970s to the present day. Many more can be heard by visiting Northumberland Archives at Woodhorn or Berwick (see website below).
Do let us know if you have enjoyed this podcast or if you have any suggestions for future episodes!
Northumberland Archives website
Northumberland Archives blog
Twitter: @NorthldArchives