Memories of Thurnscoe
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Year: 1947
Another Thurnscoe Lad
Born 24th February 1947 at 66 Church Street Thurnscoe, one of the worst winters or so I was told. I went to Houghton Road Infants and Junior School. I remember Mrs Cook she was a little woman, her favourite weapon was the spindle from a chair, Mr Carr was a good bloke, he never hit me. I went to the Thurnscoe Hill in 1958 and left in 1962. Mr Buck had a bat with "Ouch" on one side and "Wow" on the other, Young Mr Haigh used the slipper or the knuckle on the head, Old Mr Haigh the Headmaster was very adept with the cane, he got you on the upward stroke and on the downward stroke, so when you went for 6 you got 12, aah the good old days, but they were respected. I left school at 15 and worked as a pony driver at Dearne Valley Colliery until I was 17 and a half, when I joined the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. I served for 13 years and 31 days. I spent 2 years on the buildings as a joiner, I went back to work at Hickleton Main Colliery then on to Bentley Colliery. I received a back injury in 1992 and I had to finish work. I was co-ordinator of a Neighbourhood Watch until 2002, when I set up a group to look after Thurnscoe Cemetery called the Dearne Memorial Group. Over the past 6 years we have raised and spent £150,000 on memorials to 970 babies buried in paupers' graves, a memorial to 164 miners who were killed at Hickleton Main Colliery, 2 memorials to soldiers who died in service, and one sailor who died on the submarine HMS Affray, we have a website www.cemeteries.org.uk and I have just secured a grant for 10k to put on the burial data of all the 20 cemeteries in the Barnsley area. So far the data of 11 cemeteries have been backfed from burial registers on to digital format which is over 140,000 names. Thurnscoe has changed for the worse in my mind, since the pits shut the heart has been ripped from the villages in our area, the majority of schools, pubs, cinemas, buildings which we used as children, the Baths, Scout Hut, Snooker Hall, everything has been knocked down for town houses, even Church Street and Chapel Street looked better when the Dole Backs were there, at least we had a few Blackclocks for pets. I always thought progress was for the good of the community, well I am afraid someone made a serious mistake here. I remember Thurnscoe as a busy and thriving community, when the gardens at the top end were well kept and full of home grown veg, Houghton Road in spring was a picture with the cherry blossom in bloom, now there is one single tree, the avenue of trees leading to the park which Rev Thornley Taylor donated to the village, the beautiful park and bandstand with the pagodas near the pond and sunken garden (I had a few snogs in the pagodas) but these were all taken down or filled in when Barnsley Council took over. Thurnscoe has been neglected and all the bits and bobs that have been put up in the village and the other villages in the Dearne Valley won't hide the systematic destruction of the communities in the Dearne. We can never go back to how it used to be, but I am glad I spent my youth in the 60s because I wouldn't like to be growing up in these times, the young are on a road to nowhere, they are all painted with the same brush. I used to nick the vicar's apples from his trees, stick a penny banger in a key hole and run off, these were the dangerous games we played, today it's drugs, guns and knives, the kids of today should be pitied not scolded. Only government policies will change the rot which has set in, there is too much greed, too much emphasis is on money, even Christmas is being spoilt by money grabbing shops, who start selling Christmas cards in September. Gone are the days when you looked at the end of your bed at the pillowcase with all your toys in, at least they were appreciated, those were the Good Old Days. I hope the youth of today can say the same thing, that's if they can remember them. Last edited: 29/09/2008 10:21 by First Name Last Name |
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Year: 1948
Memories Of A Thurnscoe Lad
1948 was the year I was born and lived at 39 Taylor Street, ajacent to Thornley Crescent, School Street, Garden Street and John Street. In 1953 I attended the Thurnscoe Infants School on Houghton Road straight across from Stone Brothers garage I remember that some of the teachers were called Miss Davidson, Miss James and Miss Rose and the Headmistress Mrs Brown. 1955 came around and I moved up the road to the junior school remembering again the teachers, Miss Gregory. Cook, Mr Sammy Carr, Allsop, Fletcher, Hargreaves, Ellis and Head Mr W E Hill. 1959 saw me moving up to the Thurnscoe Hill School at the top of Tudor Street, this was the time you started to grow up because you met with the kids who went to the Hill juniors. I remember playing football up on the school field or cross country which you ran to the vicarage at Clayton, down the hill then across the fields, by Stotfold Farm, back to the playing field, then run round it, Rain, Snow or Blow. Again remembering some of the teachers, they were Mr Buck, Lewis, Haig, Dolan, Neal, Jones, Hacker Hurst, Schofield, Smithson, Mace, Venables and Owen and Headmaster Mr Haig aka old Haigy. 1963 saw me leaving school and I had no job to go to, no way was I going down the pit, I wanted the fresh air and everything that went with it. I got a job working in the Co-op at the bottom of John Street for 2 years which I hated. When finally I got the job I really wanted, working on the Hickleton Main Welfare Ground on Houghton Road with my brother who was the groundman. We looked after the bowling greens, cricket and football fields and the red gra running track. I worked there when Val Peet ( Wild ) and Dorothy Hyman trained there. It was great looking after the place and I loved it and it was a no go area once the main gates were locked. It was a pretty sacred place, well known throughout the country and the people of Thurnscoe respected it. It was their little pot of gold. Weekends were great too, "The Drum" with it's ultra lighting and banging out tamla motown music, or the "Corra" if you wanted a more sedate night out listening to the turns. "The Bomb" which was the same but later on put on the stage some very nice strippers. "The New Un" which was sods law there was going to be a fight. The "Winwood" where the first woman in Thurnscoe wore a topless dress and yes I was there eyes bulging. There was always somewhere to go or do on a weekend something to please everyone, even when I was a young un there was the pit youth club, music,table tennis, boxing, snooker at the "Stute" which was situated between the now Thurnscoe Station and the "Drum". The swimming baths which were great through the summer holidays and closed in the Winter months, covered over with a false floor and allowed dances to be held on Saturday nights. The market where you could buy almost anything, including boot laces, polish, cat gut, to sow up your old "casey" that was splitting, all bought from "Little Harolds" stall. Thank You for taking the time out to read this, I hope I havent bored anybody, I have really enjoyed writing this and I still have a lot more memories of Thurnscoe or as folk used to say Thunsca. Posted: 21/08/2008 01:50 by Keith Riley |
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Year: 1900s
John Eaton
John Eaton (1832-1914), my great great grandfather, is buried in St. Helen's churchyard along with his wife Jane (Siddall). The memorial stone was originally near the gate and surrounded by iron railings, which were most likely removed during WW II as part of the 'war effort', and is now located near the right hand boundry of the church yard. There is a stained glass window in the church dedicated to John & Jane Eaton. John Eaton was a renowned Mining Engineer responsible for the 'sinking' of many mines throughout the country and particularly in Derbyshire and Yorkshire. He was a churchwarden and vice-chairman of the Parish Council. Anne Giles (nee Eaton). Last edited: 20/06/2008 16:26 by Nigel Giles |
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Year: 1957
Vincent Terrace
I was born at Vincent Terrace in my grandmother's house in 1949, opposite the pit. Have some happy memories of Thurnscoe, my grandad always went to the {Corrie} for a drink on Sunday afternoon, I still have his membership card as a keepsake. Found lots of old pics of neighbours who were friends, Kath and Nick and Mrs Mellor, I would love to send them the pics, if you know them let me know. We lived with my grandparents until my parents got a house in Highgate. I went to Highgate School then to Goldthorpe until my last year, then we moved to Wigan. I remember the pit lane and going to the baths and going to the skating rink at Goldthorpe{roller skating}, and going to the matinee on a Saturday afternoon, watching the Lone Ranger and Tonto {can you guess my age?}, playing in the backs behind Vincent Terrace, all happy memories, it used to be such a friendly place. Does anyone know if Vincent Terrace still stands? Regards Joy Last edited: 15/04/2008 09:04 by Joy Calderbank |
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Year: 1950
Early 1950 Before I Left For Australia
Thurnscoe was where I was born, back in 1941, and I attended the Hill secondary school, these are some of my fondest memories. Last edited: 04/03/2008 08:51 by Thomas Steele |
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