The Adventures of Trevor Corner… Part 1 (From The Northern Echo)

The Adventures of Trevor Corner… Part 1

1:46pm Monday 5th April 2010 in Cockfield

The ‘Cockfield Blog’ is reaching far and wide and I love it when our ex-pats get in touch to keep the rest of us informed of what they’re up to!

I’ve had an e-mail from Trevor Corner, whose parents used to own ‘Corner’s’ shop next door to the club. Trevor now lives near to Dubai and I have to say he’s led an interesting life since leaving the village.

Here’s Trevor’s story in his own words…

Since leaving the village I’ve been lucky enough to move about a bit, but I don’t want to sound clever, as I’m just a fell man at heart.

So, born at my grandparents house in 1946 at 14 Coronation Terrace where Neil Watters lives now, then moved to 2 Mayfield Terrace next door to Barry Williams. I then moved to 35 Front St. when my parents built the house and combined it with the shop. (next door to Nigel and the club).

Went to the top school until I left at 15 and went on to Bishop Tech, along with Wesley Waldock and Ronnie Williams, (from the Fallows) I think that was his name, we always called him Scranny!

It was at this time, when I was 15, that my father unfortunately died leaving my mother with 3 kids all needing jobs.

A bit like Dick Whittington, we went to the big city to find our fortunes although in this case it was Newton Aycliffe!; the emerging place to be!

My brother and I got apprenticeships where my father used to work, the now closed, ‘Bakelite’, with a few other fell men.(Ray Everett & Tom Walton - known as Tot).

From there I went to Eaton’s at Aycliffe and worked with other fell men; the one I remember most was big Colin Sumpton!

I ended up as the works manager.

Got married, had kids, all the usual stuff! I moved to Shildon and finally settled in Bishop Auckland, where my 87 year old mother, Gladys, still lives.

At 47 the kids and wife had all left the nest so, I was free to please myself!

Still at Eaton’s, I told them I would take on any projects they wanted, and so aged 49 I went on my roust about!

Went to Manchester, then to Cramlington, back to Manchester then to Turkey and on to Poland for three and a half years, until I retired aged 55. Then to Cambridge and I’m now living in Ras al Khaimah, which is 60 miles from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

On the way, I got married again on my 60th birthday and the reason I am in Dubai now is my new wife, 20 years my junior, got a job here. (she’s from Accrington originally!).

The last time I was in the UK I went to cockfield club - on a Sunday night! - with Neil Watters and my class photo, to try and find out the missing names. There are about six I cant remember but I met some old faces; John Close, Arnold Tuck, Neil Pinkney, Alan Milroy and a few others I cant remember.

I thought it would be a good idea to have a 50yr reunion and get all the remaining ones to put £10 in the pot and last man standing wins the lot, but its too difficult to organise from here!

I’ve got a few interesting blogs on the way, a lot of which are set in the Emirates, where my wife now provides for me! (sort of!) Unheard of in the Arabic world!

If any of my old friends would like to get in touch, my e-mail address is… trevorcorner@hotmail.com