Bournmoor: Old Images

 Above: This picture is from a postcard posted from Sunderland in 1905 and shows what was termed the National (mixed) schools, built using the same red(ish) and brown bricks used in the church and parish hall. It was built in 1874 for 141 boys and 141 girls and enlarged in 1897 for 161 boys and 177 girls. It closed as a school in 1929. Since 1929, the building has been the headquarters of Bournmoor Cricket Club, however it seems cricket has been played on the present site since 1873. This date can be arrived at based on a report to the club's AGM held on December 5th, 1896 which stated that the past season had been highly successful, in the club's 23rd year. It is also home to Bournmoor Tennis Club, founded in 1910. 

Above: The old Cricket Club Pavilion c. 1905. This building no longer exists, but was located on the eastern side of the cricket ground and is marked on old maps of the area. In 2013 a new pavilion was constructed very close to where this building once stood.

Above: This picture is of the old Church Hall which stood on the opposite side of the road to St. Barnabas Church. It was built in the same brick-style as the church. Church Close now stands on this site, the old church hall having been demolished in the 1980's.

 Above: This postcard was posted to an address in Gateshead from Fencehouses in August 1906 and appears to be an 'artist's impression' of the 'soon-to-be' church hall. On the reverse is an interesting hand-written message: "Dear Frank, I think you will be calling me everything for not writing before now. This is the Parish hall we are going to have built. Love from Annie". 

Above: This is a view of Long Row in the early twentieth century. It stood along the north side of what is now the A183 road, in front of where Burnmoor Garden Center once stood. Long Row appears on many of the old maps of the area and according to an interview held with a local person in June 1997, was demolished in 1926. However..... documentary evidence has also come to light in the form of a marriage certificate which gives the bride's residence as Long Row in April 1929. Can anyone shed any light on the actual demolition date of these houses?

Above: another view of Long Row, this one from an old newspaper article. 

Above: this is another postcard showing Long Row on the left and from this picture it is not hard to see where its name originates! It was posted from Fence Houses in1906 and is taken looking east, in the direction of Shiney Row. The photographer must have been standing almost in the doorway of Wylam's shop. Note the three figures in the centre of the picture and the unmade road. The row of houses on the right is Short Row.

 Above and Below: This is the approach to the village from the east, along what is now the A183. The houses to the right are Long Row and feature in the photographs above. To the left is the row of houses known as Short Row. Bournmoor filling station now stands here. It is a tranquil, rural view, far removed from the busy traffic-congested view today. 

Above: this view of the village approach from the east is little changed today and shows Bournmoor schools to the left with its distinctive spire. The road in the foreground is on the line of the modern A183. The building on the far right is what was Wylam's store for many years but is now a private residence. 

 Above: This is a closer view of Wylam's shop, now a private residence, taken in the early twentieth century. The cottages to the right have long since been demolished. Note the unmade road and the characters just visible in the photograph. A tragic accident occurred here on 28th April, 1940 when two sisters, Elsie and Margaret Coonan (aged 28 and 33 respectively) were killed by an army lorry while saying goodbye to their niece, Edna Smith, who was boarding a bus. They lived at 13 Estate Houses. 

Above: Bowes House is located near Burnmoor on the southern edge of Lambton Park. Very little has changed today in comparison to the above scene, apart from the clothes worn by the playing children! Note the railway line to the right which was used for transporting large and heavy items into and out of the Lambton Estate. A similar picture is below. 

 Above: Another view of Bowes House on a postcard kindly supplied by Mr Geoff Robinson, formerly of Fence Houses. 

 Above: Bowes House Lodge. Could these be the same children as in the 'Bowes House' photograph further above? 

Above: Very little has changed in this view - date unknown - taken from outside the Old Rectory (right) looking in the direction of Houghton Gate / Chester-le-Street. It might date post-1935. Rev. Gadd of Bournmoor Vicarage was provided with a car in 1935 by the Dowager Countess of Durham in order to help him to carry out the many duties in his parish. Could this be the busy Reverend in the picture in an Austin 7 (manufactured between 1923 and 1939)?

Above: The two pictures above are taken looking north, with the church of St. Barnabas on the right and 'the lodge' in the centre of the pictures. The St Barnabas housing estate is on the left today. Both date from the early years of the twentieth century and emphasize how rural Bournmoor was at that time. 

Above: A close-up of Burnmoor Lodge from c. 1920 and today. Little has changed, other than the disappearance of the grand lanterns from the gate pillars. In days-gone-by, these gates were an important entrance to the Lambton Estate, frequently used by the Lambton family when travelling to the nearest railway station - at Fencehouses - as this was the closest point of the park to the station. It was also known as Sunderland Lodge Gate. A road from these gates led northwards to the Black Drive within the park and access to the castle was via the Lamb Bridge. The first map below (of 1895) shows the position of the Lodge as well as the road which ran northwards into the park. The second map shows Sunderland Lodge marked in blue.

As well as being an important exit-point from the park, it was also an important entrance point. A November 1913 newspaper article states that the King and Queen themselves, George V and Queen Mary, were to pass through these gates:

Excerpt:

"Royal Visit to Lambton

Queen to Inspect Aged Miners’ Homes

The following arrangements have been made for the visit of the King and Queen to Lambton Castle next week, as the guests of the Earl of Durham. 

Monday – their Majesties will arrive at Fence Houses station at 4.35 p.m. and drive to Lambton, entering the park by the Burnmoor Lodge. "

Above: this unusual photograph is taken from a field and shows the west end St. Barnabas church to the right. Burnmoor Lodge is the building in the centre and Bournmoor Rectory is partly visible to the left. Today, the lodge still belongs to Lambton Estates, the Old Rectory is privately owned. 

Above: this is an interesting view looking towards the north east from the pit heap of Lumley Sixth Pit. On the left can be seen the row of cottages known as Primrose Hill cottages, pictured elsewhere on this page. Just right-of-centre the road forks left towards Houghton Gate and the right-hand fork leads towards St. Barnabas Church which is visible at top-centre. Bournmoor Parish Hall is visible towards the centre-right and further right, the Bournmoor schools building is just visible. Almost all of this area now contains housing. 

 Above: compare the above picture to the previous one. It is estimated that this picture dates from the late 1940's and the recently-constructed housing to the east of the road to St Barnabas church is visible. Note the unusual "kink" in the road - does anyone have any ideas what the reason for this was? The white markings on Floater's Mill Bridge were visibility markers for use during wartime black-outs. Note the narrow width of the road and the original Floater's Mill Bridge before the road - and bridge - was widened. 

 Above: The above view shows Floaters Mill as a working farm. It was a corn mill in the nineteenth century but became a farm in the early twentieth century. See the Floater's Mill page of this website for more information. A mill race ran through the field just to the south of today's pub and powered the mill wheel before rejoining the Lumley Park Burn nearby. This mill race can be seen on old maps. At the top-centre of the photograph, Penshaw Monument is just visible. To the right, buildings at New Lambton. Note also the tall chimneys of industry. 

Above: Floater's Mill Bridge with Floater's Mill Farm centre left, looking in the direction of Fence Houses. Dating from 1906, this is another peaceful, rural scene. 

 Above: Another very rural view taken looking towards the Lumley Park Burn and Bournmoor. Floater's Mill Farm is on the right.

 Above: Floater's Mill Farm c.1950's. Picture courtesy of Mr George Nairn

 Above: this is a closer view of the row of cottages which are visible in the rural 1920's scenes above. It dates from the early twentieth century and the houses are still surrounded by fields. Originally built and owned by the Lambton Estate in the mid-1800s, they became derelict during the 1960s and were 'rescued' by local builder Isaac Berriman around 1970/'71. Mr Berriman that carried out similar restorations to houses at Houghton Gate in 1972/'73. 

 Above: an old postcard of Bournmoor Rectory. This building is now privately-owned and dates from 1879.

Above: More old views of Bournmoor Rectory

Above: an old multi-view postcard of Fence Houses and Burnmoor. It was postally used in 1915

Above: a 1970s aerial view of Burnmoor Cricket Club buildings and old (original) pavilion