The Northern Echo | Cockfield

The ice storm…

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:09:19 +0000

If you looked out of your window this morning you probably thought it was just another cold, wet and dark day, it wasn’t until you stepped outside you realised that everything, paths, roads, walls and gates were covered in a thick layer of ice.

An apology…

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:10:16 +0000

In last weeks blog ‘Weight up’ I told the story of how Peter Barnes had cycled to Woodland and called at all the pubs on the way back. After a chat with Peter on Sunday, it seems I got a few facts wrong!

Weight up!

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:27:19 +0000

People have many different ways to lose weight, diets, exercise, saunas etc but after a chat with Mally Barnes this weekend I can tell you a couple of ways NOT to try!

The Queens Head; 1930 to the Early 60’s: By Christine Mapp.

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:47:40 +0000

Had an interesting phone call from a chap called Robert Bainbridge, who lives in Texas USA. Roberts ancestors built the Bottom House (Queens Head) in or around 1851 and he was asking me if I had any information on the pub from that time. As I haven’t got any contact details and I’m still researching the pub, here is an account of life there from the 1930’s from my cousin Christine Mapp.

A bit of a do…

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:08:40 +0000

The festive season in our household was a quiet affair, mostly down to the fact that my mum, June Dowson, has spent a lot of that period in and out of hospital.

On the busses…

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:26:57 +0000

There was a fear of having no bus service to Darlington after Arriva announced it was axing its service but, ‘Scarlet Band’ - a company from Doggy (West Cornforth) - has taken over the route with effect from the 3rd January.

Critical Risk Assessment of People and Presents at Yuletide… or ‘C-R-A-P-P-Y Christmas!’ Co written with Ali Milroy.

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:24:36 +0000

Over the last few weeks I’ve been reading about the ’cut backs’ by Durham County Council, that will affect the lives of people in Cockfield. Health and safety initiatives are one of the so called reasons for cutting services, like the proposed closure of the Crag Wood amenity site, or Cockfield Tip to you and me!

You Ken do it!

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:06:14 +0000

Football supporters in Cockfield are generally split into four camps, Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and ‘the rest’ i.e.: Man U, Liverpool etc. Tupper falls into the last category and being a Man U supporter, the lad likes nothing more than giving the rest of us a bit of stick but, Tupper being Tupper, he never gets it quite right!

Where’s that year gone?

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:15:56 +0000

This time last year the Middle House was closed, a cold and desolate looking place surrounded with drifting snow. Then, Andrew Pattison and his partner Sandra took on the tenancy and the rest, as they say, is history!

The luck of the… err… seat!

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 21:59:13 +0000

I was lucky enough to be invited to this years Local Hero’s awards on Thursday night, held at Hardwick Hall and hosted by Peter Barron, the editor of the Northern Echo. Amongst a whole host of sporting celebrities including Alan Pardew and Tony Mowbray, Mr. Barron saw fit to clock me right next to David Meyler and Matt Kilgallon, two of Sunderland AFC finest and, despite being an avid Newcastle fan, I have to say, they’re a couple of great guys and I owe one of them a big THANK YOU. Let me explain.