Burradon Pit Village Timeline 1895 - 1915

1896 - The Cramlington and District Co-operative Society purchased land, from Eustace Smith, to erect a purpose built store. This was opened on 17th July 1897, a large tea and entertainment being provided. The building had two floors consisting of a grocery department, shoe sales and repairs, a drapery department and a dance hall. Eustace Smith had purchased a large land holding in Weetslade from the Brandling family at some time between 1842 and 1896.

1896 - A poorly attended meeting of the Burradon Parish Council had discussions on annexing Camperdown, including Hazlerigge and Fryers Terrace, into the parish of Burradon. This would have brought the colliery village together as one administrative unit. Other matters such as street lighting provision and creating a road to Killingworth Village were also lobbied for.

1897 - Kelly's Directory

Burradon

Board school (formerly colliery school) mixed; average attendance 372 [previous attendance 1872, 164 pupils]. Thomas Dougal, Master [Also listed 1891]; Mrs Margaret Fryer, Mist.

• Anderson, Thomas; Blacksmith [John Anderson 1891; premises north of PM chapel]

• Atkinson, John; Watchmaker and Grocer [Fryer's Terrace?]

• Bolton, Alexander; Grocer and Draper [Also listed in 1871, to the north of the school]

• Burradon and Coxlodge Coal Co. (Jethro Longridge, Manager)

• Cramlington and District Co-operative Society Ltd (George Hunter, Secretary)

• Dorricott, Jonathon; Beer Retailer [Travellers Rest]

• Hardy, Elizabeth (Mrs); Postmistress [Also listed 1891, Weetslade Terrace]

• Hardy, James; Joiner and Cartwright [Also listed 1891]

• Lambert, Nathanial and Co; Colliery Owners

• Morrison, Joseph; Collier Lad P.H.

• Robson, John; Quarry Owner [1858 Adam Tate]

• Thew, John; Grey Horse P.H.

• Thompson, Patrick; Butcher [Also listed 1891, Weetslade Terrace Clough's shop]

• Wardle, Michael; Sub-Manager Burradon Colliery

• Younger, James; Farmer [Also listed 1891]

1900 Sep - The "Co-op" felt that a butcher's shop was required for their business and Mr Morrison's shop in Camperdown was leased. After only a few weeks this was felt to be inadequate so more land was purchased to the side of the existing store from Eustace Smith. The Co-operative Society had purchased 880 square yards more than was necessary. This land would not be utilized for some time.

1901 Dec - The Burradon and District Working Men's Social Club was opened. A photograph from around this time shows the Grey Horse to be a smaller building than the present one and also to be of stone construction. Another photo of the Halfway House, probably of the same date, shows it also to have been constructed in stone and be of a simpler design. It is also around this time that the Collier Lad became the Camperdown Inn, which possibly indicates a rebuilding of the pub into the spacious and grand building that still remains today. In the following decade both the Grey Horse and Halfway House would be rebuilt, enlarged and made grander. The owners of these pubs were responding to higher expectations from their customers and the competition they felt from each other.

1903 May 26 - The first coals were drawn from the new colliery at Weetslade [Lizzie Pit]. This pit was connected underground to Burradon Colliery.

1904 - The school was extended to be able to hold 750 pupils. This followed Balfour's education act of 1902 which took education into state control and funding. The extension is clearly visible as it was done in brick as opposed to the stonework of the original school of 1861. Two houses at the end of Middle Row were demolished to make way for the extension. However, two houses were added on to Burradon Terrace in compensation for this. These houses incorporated a proper staircase and upstairs windows.

1904 - Parliamentary Registers

Ownership Voters

OWNER; ABODE; PROPERTY

• John Anderson; Anderson's blds; houses, Andersons Buildings [north of P.M. Chapel on Burradon Road]

• Jonathon Dorricott; 3 Ivy Tce; houses, Burradon [1891 publican of Travellers Rest]

• Charles Straker; Hexham; land and buildings Burradon Farm, Burradon Colliery, Burradon Quarry

• Stephen Taylor; Taylor's blds.; houses, Burradon

• Joseph Thompson; Forest Hall; houses, Dodds buildings

• Joseph Bolton; Front St. Budn.; cottages, Weetslade Terrace [Shopkeeper]

• William Brady; Seghill; houses, Wood's Houses

• George Carr; Leeds; houses, Carr's Cottages [Front Street, Camperdown]

• John Hardy; Lamesley; houses, Rueben Terrace

• William Swanson; Gateshead; houses, four cottages Budn.

• John Younger; Burradon Farm; land

• James Younger; Burradon Farm; land

Occupation Voters

• James Younger; Burradon Farm; land and tenement

• Henry Henderson; Hillhead Farm

Buildings (Burradon)

• New Row [Strawberry Terrace?], Dorricott's Buildings [Ivy Terrace?], North Row, Farm, Post Office Row, Mean's Buildings, Anderson's Buildings, Office Row, Front Street, Bolton's Buildings, Burradon Terrace, Quality Row [formerly part of Double Row], Pit Row, Taylor's Buildings, Middle Row, Store Buildings, Quarry Cottages, Wilson's Buildings

Buildings (Camperdown)

• West Row, Short's Cottages, Weetslade Terrace, Front Row, Carr's Cottages, The Square [Wood's Buildings] Fryer's Terrace, Rueben Terrace, Chapel Cottages, Wood Houses, Wardle's Cottage, Swanson's Cottages/Weetslade Terrace, Pugh's Cottages, Burradon Crossing House

1905 Apr 29 - Rate Book for the relief of the poor in the Parish of Camperdown

PROPERTY; OWNER; GROSS RENTAL; NO. OF HOUSES

• Dents Buildings; James Dent; £9.00; 5

• Rueben Terrace; John Hardy; £10.00; 9

• Hill Head Farm; John C. Straker; £93.10s; 1; Robert Aynsley (farmer)

• Camperdown; Pugh White and others; £5.00; 6

• Halfway House (Inn); Pugh White; £66.00; 1; John Ferguson (landlord)

• House and shop; Pugh White; £12.00; 1; Thomas Fynes (keeper)

• Camperdown; Mary Dodgson; £7.00; 20

• Travellers Rest; Stephen Taylor; £30.00; 1; John Scott (landlord) [1897 landlord of Halfway House]

• Camperdown; Hugh Howard; £4.10s; 2

• Camperdown Inn; Hugh Howard; £81.00; 1 [formerly Collier Lad]; Henry Oubridge (landlord)

• House and shop; Isabella Morrison; £24.00; 1 [now a bookies on Front Street. 1897 Joseph Morrison was also publican of Collier Lad]

• Camperdown; William Brady; £8.10s; 6

• House and shop; John Hann; £14.00; 1 [beside Grey Horse]

• Grey Horse Inn; W.B. Reed and Co.; £70.00; 1; Margaret Littlefair (landlord)

• House and shop; Joseph Latimer; £30.00; 1 [Fryer's Terrace]

• Fryers Terrace; John Fryer estate; £5.10s; 8

• Fryers Terrace; Joseph Latimer; £10.00; 2

• Fryers Terrace; Burradon & Coxlodge coal Co.; £5.10s; 13

• House and shop; John Atkinson; £20.00; 1 [1897 Watchmaker and Grocer, Fryer's Terrace]

• Weetslade Terrace; Thomas Maddison; £7.10s; 3

• Weetslade Terrace; Lewis Lundi; £10.00; 10

• Weetslade Terrace; Stephen Taylor; £8.15s; 4

• House and shop; Edward Simmon; £18.00; 1

• Weetslade Terrace; John Cook; £8.00; 1 [x1897]

• Co-op; Cramlington Co-op Society; £124.00; 1

• Burradon W.M. Club; Trustees of Club; £90.00; 1

• Front Row; Burradon & Coxlodge coal Co.; £5.00; 24

• The Square; Burradon & Coxlodge coal Co.; £5.00; 40

• West Row; Burradon & Coxlodge coal Co.; £5.00; 16

• Wood Houses; Burradon & Coxlodge coal Co.; £5.00; 8

• Chapel Cottages; Alexander Bolton; £4.00; 3

• Wagonway and siding; Seaton Burn Coal Co.; £126.00

• Camperdown; Masters of Balliol College; £18.5s

• Stable; John Bruce; £3.00

1906 - Kelly's Directory

Hazlerigge (locally called Camperdown)

• Howey, Joseph; Police Constable [Listed 1891 residing at Fryer's Terrace]

• Brown, Ralph; Grocer

• Charlton, Frances; Shopkeeper

• Cross, William; Camperdown Inn

• Ferguson, John; Halfway House Inn [Listed in 1905]

• Fynes, Thomas; Grocer [Listed in 1905, shop beside Halfway House]

• Hann, John; Grocer [Listed in 1905 shop beside Grey Horse]

• Morrison, Joseph Burn; Butcher [1905 Isabella Morrison listed as the owner in premises now a bookies on Front Street]

• Musgrove, William; Greengrocer

• Scott, John; Beer Retailer [Also listed 1905, Travellers Rest]

Burradon

Average attendance at the school 450 [372 in 1897]

• Master, Thomas D. Forster

• Mistress, Miss Margaret Fryer

• Anderson, Thomas; Blacksmith [John Anderson in 1891, premises north of P.M. chapel]

• Atkinson, John; Watchmaker and Grocer

• Bolton, Alexander; Grocer and Draper [Also listed 1871]

• Longridge, Jethro; Pit Manager [Also listed 1897]

• Social Club (Michael Wardle Sec. [Also listed 1897])

• Cook, John; Grocer

• Culverson, Henry; Bootmaker

• Dent, James; Quarry Owner

• Hall, Michael; Shopkeeper and Beer Retailer

• Hardy, Elizabeth; Postmistress [Also listed 1891 Weetslade Terrace]

• Hardy, James; Joiner and Cartwright [Also listed 1891 Weetslade Terrace]

• Johnston, James; Butcher [Weetslade Terrace?]

• Littlefair, Margaret Ann; Grey Horse Inn [Also listed 1905]

• Mason, James; Cycle Repairer

• Mechanics Institute (James Littlefair Sec.)

• Smith, Ralph W; Sub Manager Colliery

• Thompson, John; Smith [site of Burradon Road garage]

• Younger, James; Farmer

1908 - A United Methodist chapel was built beside Fryer's Terrace. The United Methodist movement had been born the previous year.

1910 - Kelly's Directory

Camperdown

• Ainsley, Robert and sons; Farmer [x1905 Hillhead]

• Atkinson, John; Grocer [x1897 Watchmaker and Grocer in Burradon]

• Cook, Jane Ann; Shopkeeper [1897 John Cook a grocer in Weetslade Terrace]

• Co-operative Store (George Bolton Manager)

• Cuthbertson, Henry; Newsagent [lost a leg in a pit accident then had a barber's shop in a hut on the site of the club car park. Became a newsagent working from Norah Place]

• Dorricott, Jonathon [Travellers Rest, Listed 1897]

• Ferguson, John; Halfway House Inn

• Fynes, Emily (Miss); Grocer

• Hann, Mary; Grocer [John Hann in 1905 beside Grey Horse]

• Hardy, Alfred; Fried Fish Dealer

• Johnson, James; Butcher [Also listed 1906]

• Knox, Stephen; Hardware Dealer

• Littlefair, George; Grey Horse Inn

• Morrison, Joseph; Butcher [Also listed 1891]

• Parker, William; Camperdown Inn

• Taylor, George; Shopkeeper

• Wright, Elizabeth; Shopkeeper

Burradon

Average attendance of School 473

• Thomas D Foster, Master

• Miss Margaret Fryer, Mistress

• Anderson, Thomas; Blacksmith [Also listed 1906. John Anderson in 1891]

• Bolton, Alexander; Grocer and Draper [Also listed 1871]

• Burradon and Coxlodge Coal Co.

• Burradon and District W.M. Social Club (Edwd. Dodd Sec.)

• Cook, John; [x1897 Weetslade Road]

• Culverson, Henry; Bootmaker [Also listed 1906]

• Dent, James; Quarry Owner

• Hardy, James; Joiner and Cartwright [Also listed 1891 Weetslade Terrace]

• Johnston, James; Butcher [Also listed 1906 Weetslade Terrace]

• Littlefair, Margaret Ann; Grey Horse P.H. [x1905]

• Osborne, Hugh M.B; Physician and Surgeon

• Thompson, John; Smith

• Thompson, John James; Cycle Repairer

• Wilson, William; Grocer [north end of Ivy Terrace]

• Younger, James; Farmer

1911 Sep 04 - An electric water pump was installed and started in Burradon Colliery. The water from the colliery was pumped down a gutter at the side of where the recreation ground now stands towards Burradon Terraces. The Times reported on 12th July:

"An electrification scheme is nearing completion at the Burradon Colliery, Northumberland, belonging to the Burradon and Coxlodge Coal Company (Limited), of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in which the plant, which has been supplied by Messrs. Ernest Scott and Mountain (Limited), includes a three-throw pump, with rams 10in. in diameter and 15in. stroke, arranged to deliver either 270 or 400 gallons a minute, against a head of 900ft. A three-phase slip-ring motor, working at 2,750 volts, 40 cycles, drives the pump through two reductions of gearing. Two pinions and shafts are provided of different sizes to give the required speeds on the crankshaft. The motor drives on to the pinion shafts through a flexible coupling, the pinion shaft being run between two pedestal bearings.

There are also installed two 250-h.p. slip-ring motors, arranged on one cast-iron bedplate, with an intermediate rope pulley mounted between them. Each motor drives through a flexible coupling on to the rope pulley, which is utilized to drive a ventilating fan. The ventilators of the pit will depend on this fan, and therefore the two motors have been provided so that there may always be a spare motor to be put into commission by merely inserting the pins in the flexible coupling. Two motors, each of 100-h.p. capacity, are also used for driving compressors inbye."

1914 Mar 02 - The first steam bus ran from the Camperdown Hotel to the tram interchange at Benton a few miles to the South. The trams ran into Newcastle. Tickets could be purchased from Harry Anderson, the local shopkeeper and businessman. It was a multi-function vehicle carrying mostly passengers at weekends and goods during the week.

1915 Apr 15 - A German zeppelin, this being wartime,  flew over the SE of Northumberland including  Burradon, which caused a certain amount of panic.

1915 Nov 06 - The shopkeeper and lay preacher Alex Bolton died. A memorial in his honour was unveiled in the United Methodist Church on March 4th of the following year. The article at the foot of this page appeared in the Morpeth Herald during 1904 and refers to Lay Preacher and shop owner of Burradon Alexander Bolton. A well-known local character he owned a shop and post office on Burradon Road near the school - now a men's hairdresser. his son Joseph took over the business shortly after this date and was still being listed on trade directories in 1938. He became a business owner after being blacklisted from working in the collieries. He wasn't the only one in the Northern Coal District to follow this course.

Next Article - Pit Village Recreation