MEMORIES 229 was stationed on Hurworth Green, looking at the original Sherwoods garage workshop, which is now a cluster of houses called Greenside Court. Sherwoods’ offices, we established, were in a couple of end terraced houses which faced onto the green and which, before taken over by the garage, had been the village’s first post office.

Or so we said.

“I don't think that it was Hurworth's first post office – I think it was the second one,” says John Buxton, who lives in the village. “The first PO is shown on the first Ordnance Survey map of about 1855 as being in the building that was facing the green behind the National School. The 1897 OS map shows the post office as being where Sherwoods had their office.”

John, of course, is correct. This snippet allows us to use this brilliant picture of football played on Hurworth green in about 1902. The walled garden, with the arched gateway, behind the footballers is where the 1855 map says the first post office was.

After the office closed, it became the village reading room, and then it was demolished so that the garden wall could be created.

What we now know to be the second Hurworth post office can be seen on the far right of the picture – the house with the square signs on it. It was this building that became Sherwoods’ office. Today it has reverted back to being a couple of cottages.

This snippet also allows us to publicise next Saturday’s Gardens on the Green, when seven beautiful and historic gardens will be open from 1pm to 5pm as part of the National Gardens Scheme. One of them was known 100 years ago as the Teesside Pleasure Gardens, and the pump house and tower which brought water from the River Tees to feed the water feature, can still be seen. The garden also includes a Victorian ice house in which river ice was stored so it could be used to chill summer drinks.

There will be stalls, homemade teas, music from The Northumbrian Pipers, and a chance to see some history.