Teesdale Talk: Details of dale posties from Down Under (From The Northern Echo)

Teesdale Talk: Details of dale posties from Down Under

11:18am Saturday 16th February 2008 in Search By Jim McTaggart

EFFORTS to trace details of Teesdale postmen of years gone by have led to information arriving from a surprising source - Australia.

Richard Greene logged on from there to the Royal Mail website to tell about John Walton, who was a delivery man around Middleton from about 1889-1921. He was born in 1860, the son of Nancy Wholah Walton and Joseph Walton.

Nancy died in 1905 and is buried in St Mary's churchyard, in Middleton.

John, a popular local figure, used to ride a horse around his long delivery route. He lived at one time next to his mother, at 18 and 19 Chapel Row in the village.

Nancy was the sister of Mr Greene's great-grandfather, John Wholah, who emigrated to Australia.

Dave Charlesworth, manager of the Royal Mail delivery office in Barnard Castle, where the historic details are being gathered, said: "To get information like this from Down Under about a dale postie who worked long ago is truly remarkable.

"Some of the other details we have received have come quite a distance, but this is the furthest so far. It was a lovely surprise and we are delighted."

There was further good news when Mr Greene recalled that a photograph of Postie Walton on horseback had appeared in Tom Hutchinson's book The People's History of Barnard Castle and the Tees Valley, which is now out of print. Mr Charlesworth got in touch with the author at his home in Chester-le-Street, and he sent a copy of the picture so it can go into the archives.

"We are thrilled to have it," said Mr Charlesworth. "It is incredible that we heard about it in a message from 12,000 miles away."

Other reports about the men and women who have battled through all weathers over the decades to put mail through dale letterboxes can be found on royalmailteesdale.piczo.com CHRISTINE MASON, a retired teacher who lives in Middleton, may well have done the Teesdale tourist trade a power of good by writing a poem, God's Garden, which is to be included in a book being published next month.

It gives a glowing description of some of the area's best features, including High Force, Raby Castle and rare flowers.

"I hope it will attract some extra visitors to the dale," said Ms Mason, who is also well known for her paintings of local scenes. She penned her 19 lines of verse last autumn after seeing a notice about the forthcoming volume in The Northern Echo.

"I'm delighted about it being chosen as I've been told there were thousands of entries from gifted poets all over the country, and only a small percentage could be selected," she said.

The publishers, United Press of London, are bringing out the book, entitled People and Places, on March 28. It will be priced at £17.70. But the poets are being offered it at half price, so Ms Mason has ordered four copies for her relatives.

"I missed out on a prize of £1,000, but I'm happy that my words might now be read by thousands of people," she said proudly.

IAN DOUGLAS, of Cotherstone, has good reason to feel nostalgic as he arranges a coach trip to the Classic Bike Show and Auto Jumble, being held at Stafford on Saturday, April 26.

It was a private trip by car to that event 28 years ago that gave him the idea of organising regular coach outings. They have become hugely popular with people all over the North-East, raising thousands of pounds for cancer research.

He enjoyed that initial trip with three friends so much, when the show was held at Bellevue in Manchester, that he decided to hire a bus and take more enthusiasts to it the following year. It became an annual outing and continued when the event switched to Stafford.

Then other attractions and destinations were added, plus weekends at hotels in London and short holidays elsewhere, including some overseas.

"It all started by chance from that first bike show, which I enjoyed greatly," said Mr Douglas, who has owned some fine motorbikes, such as a 350 AJS and 197 James in the past.

"It is now a huge event, with classic bikes from all over the world. We have more than six hours to look round, and every minute is fascinating. Some folk have come to every show since we started the trips."

Prices have had to go up over the years. Tickets, including admission to the show, are now £25, while senior citizens pay £22 and under 15s £17. But he expects to get about 100 bookings, so two coaches will be needed from Burrells of Newsham. Bookings can be made to him on 01833-650638 or to Burrells on 01833-621302.

He has lost count of how much he has raised. "But I am glad to have helped as they put the money to good use and are making advances in the fight against cancer," he said.

AN interesting art exhibition is being held from 10am to 4pm today and tomorrow in the Witham Hall, in Barnard Castle. On show will be the work of 15 local artists, members of the Art Forum that meets in the hall on Thursday mornings.

They produce a wide variety of paintings, including watercolours, oils and mixed media, under the watchful eye of tutor Geoff Hewitt, of Cotherstone.

"But I'm just there to help things along," he told me. "They use their own ideas and this is all their own work."

The pictures will be for sale, some with modest prices, so visitors could walk away with a bargain.