Elba

Elba as a place no longer exists. It was located approximately one mile due-east of modern-day Burnmoor at grid location 54.8564, - 1.5085

The origin of the name Elba is uncertain. It was traditionally pronounced ‘Elbay’ by inhabitants and locals alike. One theory suggested that Elba took its name from the local dialect for ‘elbow’, as the few houses there were built in an arc shape. However, further research has thrown up another possible explanation. The name may be borrowed from the Mediterranean (Italian) island named Elba, where Napoleon was exiled in 1814, possibly around the time of (Co. Durham’s) Elba’s creation and therefore a topical news item at the time. The word Elba is derived from the Latin term ‘Ilva’, itself from the Greek ‘Aethale’, meaning soot / grime. Based on its relatively remote, isolated location (like an island?) and contemporary reports, this seems to be a very apt name for the place. Elba has been described as a “hamlet”.

A definition of a hamlet is: ‘a small settlement, generally one smaller than a village and strictly (in Britain) one without a church’. From what we know of Elba, this is indeed a fitting description

(Source: http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/the-oxford-english-dictionary)

In the course of my research, the earliest ‘official’ mention of Elba I have found so far is in 1828 in the publication ‘History, Directory, and Gazetteer of the Counties of Durham and Northumberland’, by Wm. Parson and Wm. White:

Figure 1: Extract from ‘The History, Directory, and Gazetteer, of the Counties of Durham and Northumberland’, 1828

The earliest mention of Elba found on a map so far is on that of 1839 by William Colling Hobson. On this map, it is marked as being located a few metres further south than where more modern maps place the village. However, on the 1851 census for Burnmoor, there is a lady who claims to have been born in ELBAY in 1771 (1851 HO107/2394, folio 37, page 9), thereby making this the oldest reference to the existence of Elbay found so far.

EMMERSON, William, 75, Independent, Born Durham yes

EMMERSON, Martha, 71, Independent, Born Durham yes

ROBSON, Mary, 70, pauper, Independent, Born Durham yes

ROBSON, Robert, 45, joiner, Independent, Born Durham yes

GEE, Mary Ann, 8, female servant, Independent, Born Durham yes

RAMSHAW, John, 25, waggonman, Independent, Born Durham yes

RAMSHAW, Margaret, 30, Independent, Born Durham yes

CUTHBERT, George, 35, pitman, Independent, Born Durham yes

CUTHBERT, Elizabeth, 3, Independent, Born Durham yes

FOSTER, John, 20, pitman, Independent, Born Durham yes

FOSTER, Ann, 20, Independent, Born Durham yes

FOSTER, Robert, 1, Independent, Born Durham yes

GOLLIGHTLY, Isaac, 45, pitman, Independent, Born Durham yes

GOLLIGHTLY, Mary, 36, Independent, Born Durham yes

GOLLIGHTLY, John, 15, pitman, Independent, Born Durham yes

GOLLIGHTLY, Sarah, 15, Independent, Born Durham yes

GOLLIGHTLY, James, 10, pitman, Independent, Born Durham yes

GOLLIGHTLY, Ester, 6, Independent, Born Durham yes

GOLLIGHTLY, Margaret, Independent, Born Durham yes

HINDMARCH, Charles, 60, engineman, Independent, Born Durham yes

HINDMARCH, Carolina, 15, Independent, Born Durham yes

HINDMARCH, John, 15, brakesman, Independent, Born Durham yes

DEIGHTON, William, 50, roper, Independent, Born Durham yes

DEIGHTON, Margaret, 50, Independent, Born Durham yes

DEIGHTON, Maria, 1, Independent, Born Durham yes

DEIGHTON, William, 6, Independent, Born Durham yes

RAMSHAW, Thomas, 50, waggonman, Independent, Born Durham yes

RAMSHAW, Margaret, 15, Independent, Born Durham yes

CLARK, Thomas, 30, pitman, Independent, Born Durham yes

CLARK, Mary, 30, Independent, Born Durham yes

CLARK, John, 5, Independent, Born Durham yes

CLARK, Maria, 2, Independent, Born Durham yes

CLARK, Peter, 1m, Independent, Born Durham yes

ROBSON, Robert, 30, woodman, Independent, Born Durham yes

ROBSON, Isabella, 25, Independent, Born Durham yes

ROBSON, Henry, 7, Independent, Born Durham yes

ROBSON, William, 5, Independent, Born Durham yes

ROBSON, Maria, 2, Independent, Born Durham yes

WALLACE, Grace, 40, (???), Independent, Born Durham yes

WALLACE, Thomas, 19, waggonman, Independent, Born Durham yes

WALLACE, Joseph, 18, waggonman, Independent, Born Durham yes

WALLACE, Elizabeth, 12, Independent, Born Durham yes

WALLACE, John, 7, Independent, Born Durham yes

Figure 2c: 1843 map by John Thomas William Bell

In 1862, the hamlet of Elba itself consisted of a cluster of buildings arranged in the shape of a letter “U” with a central “courtyard”. It is not possible to tell how many buildings there were at this location from the old maps, though they appear to be all joined.

Figure 4: 1862

To the east and south of the buildings there were strips of land, presumably gardens or allotments. Such land had to be located here, as Elba was enclosed on all other sides by the railways/tracks. A path/track leads from the point where the Mineral Line passes below the NER line in a (more-or less) easterly direction, passing to the south of Elba and there is also the trace of a path leaving Elba in a south westerly direction.

1871 census:

Schedule 249, Elba

GOODWINN, Benjamin, boarder, unm., 40, brick burner, b. Durham

Schedule 250, Elba

THOMPSON, Robert, hd, m, 40, cokeburner, b. DUR/Chester

THOMPSON, Mary, wi, m, 40, b. DUR/Pensher

THOMPSON, Mary Elizabeth, da, u, 13, b. DUR/Pensher

THOMPSON, Ralph Harry, so, u, 12, b. DUR/Pensher

THOMPSON, Robert, so, 9, b. DUR/Pensher

THOMPSON, Hannah Jane, da, 7, b. DUR/Pensher

THOMPSON, Ann, da, 5, b. DUR/Houghton

THOMPSON, Thomas, so, 2, b. DUR/Elbay

Schedule 251, Elba

PESCOD, George, hd, m, 26, firebrick maker, b. DUR/Swalwell

PESCOD, Mary Ann, wi, m, 22, b. DUR/Shields

PESCOD, Joseph, so, u, 1, b. DUR/Elbay

GOODWINN, Benjamin, bd, u, 33, firebrick labourer, b. Surrey/Shalford

Schedule 252, Elba

FENWICK, Alexander, hd, m, 68, coalminer, b. DUR/Wapping

FENWICK, Jane, wi, m, 65, b. DUR/Wapping

Schedule 253, Elba

COOPER, William, hd, m, 22, coalminer, b. NBL/Blyth

COOPER, Eleanor, wi, m, 20, b. DUR/Burn Moor

COOPER, Alice, da, 1, b. DUR/Burnmoor

COOPER, Margaret Ann, da, 2m, b. DUR/Burnmoor

Schedule 254, Elba

ELLISON, John, hd, m, 37, firebrick maker, b. DUR/ Blaydon

ELLISON, Ann, wi, m, 40, b. DUR/Blaydon

ELLISON, William, so, um, 16, coalminer, b. DUR/Blaydon

ELLISON, Frank, so, um, 13, coalminer, b. DUR/Blaydon

ELLISON, Anthony, so, 7, b. DUR/Blaydon

ELLISON, John, so, 4, b. DUR/Lambton

ELLISON, Mary Ann, da, 3, b. DUR/ Lambton

ELLISON, Luke, so, 1m, b. DUR/Lambton

Schedule 255, Elba

THOMPSON, Robert, hd, m, 40?, horsekeeper, b. DUR/ Consett

THOMPSON, Mary, wi, m, 39, b. DUR/ Sherburn

THOMPSON, Alice, da, um, 21?, b. DUR/Elbay

THOMPSON, Jane Ann, da, 16, b. DUR/Elbay

THOMPSON, Isabella, da, 14, b. DUR/Elbay

THOMPSON, Margaret, da, 12, b. DUR/Elbay

THOMPSON, Robert, so, 10, b. DUR/Elbay

THOMPSON, John, so, 4, b. DUR/Elbay

THOMPSON, Joseph, so, 2, b. DUR/Elbay

THOMPSON, James, so, 1m, b. DUR/Elbay

PARTON, John, hd, m, 31, coalminer, b. YKS/Halifax

PARTON, Margaret Ann, wi, m, 31, b. DUR/Durham City

PARTON, Elizabeth, da, 9, scholar, b. DUR/Witton Park

PARTON, Joseph Laidler, so, 8, scholar, b. DUR/Witton Park

PARTON, Margaret Jane, da, 6, Scholar, b. DUR/Elba

PARTON, Sarah, da, 4, Scholar, b. DUR/Elba

PARTON, John, so, 2, b. DUR/Elba

PARTON, Hannah, da, 2m , b. DUR/Elba

FOSTER, John, hd, m, 64, coalminer, b. DUR/Fatfield

FOSTER, Jane, wi, m, 55, b. DUR/Nova Scotia

FENWICK, Jane, hd, w, 75, b. DUR/Burnmoor

JOHNSON, Ann, g.da., m, 25, dressmaker, b. DUR/Burnmoor

JOHNSON, Joseph, lodger, m, 65, coalminer, b. CUL/Alston

Folio24, page 8

HEWITT, James Walker, hd, m, 32, coalminer, b. DUR/Ebchester

HEWITT, Ann, wi, m, 32, b. DUR/Burnmoor

HEWITT, Eleanor Ann, da, 4, b. DUR/Elba

HEWITT, Margaret, da, 3, b. DUR/Elba

HEWITT, Sultana, da, 2m, b. DUR/Elba

MASON, Tho., unc, w, 63, coalminer, b. NBL/N. Shields

ARMOUR, George Hunter, hd, m, 36, engineman, b. Durham

ARMOUR, Mary Elizabeth, wi, m, 34, b. DUR/Whorlton

ARMOUR, William, so, 8, scholar, b. DUR/Sunderland

ARMOUR, Elizabeth, da, 6, b. DUR/Newbottle

ARMOUR, Sarah, da, 1, b. DUR/Elba

WINTER, Robert, hd, m, 41, coke drawer, WES/Tebay

WINTER, Ann, wi, m, 36, Cumberland

WINTER, Jane Ann, da, 13, Scholar, UR/Murton

WINTER, Elizabeth, da, 10, Scholar, DUR/Murton

WINTER, Robert, so, 5, DUR/Birtley

WINTER, Mary Ellen, da, 1, DUR/Elba

GREENWELL, Joseph, hd, m, 27, labourer, DUR/Shincliffe

GREENWELL, Annie, wi, m, 27, DUR/Sunderland

GREENWELL, Margaret Elizabeth Annie, da, 4, DUR/Bear Park

GREENWELL, Joseph Wm., so, 2, b. DUR/Bear Park

GREENWELL, Frederick Augustus, so, 1, b. DUR/Bear Park

GOODWINN, Benjamin, hd, m, 49, fireman at brickworks, b. SUR/Shelford

GOODWINN, Elizabeth, wi, m, 48, b. DUR/Lumley

MASON, Margaret, spda, 13, DUR/South Hetton

1891 census:

No.1 Elba,

PARTON, Margaret Ann, hd, w, 40, b. DUR/Witton Park

PARTON, Elizabeth Ann, da, u, 19, dressmaker, b. DUR/Witton Park

PARTON, Joseph Laidler, so, u, 18, coalminer, b. DUR/Witton Park

PARTON, Margaret Jane, da, u, 16, domestic servant, b. DUR/Witton Park

PARTON, Sarah, da, u, 14 domestic servant, b. DUR/Elba

PARTON, John, so, 12, scholar, b. DUR/Elba

PARTON, Hannah, da, 10, Scholar, b. DUR/Elba

PARTON, Robert Poole, so, 7, scholar, b. DUR/Elba

WOOD, John H., br/law, m, 21, coalminer, b. NBL/Stanley

WOOD, Ellen, sis., m, 21, b. DUR/Shield Row

WOOD, John W., np,1m, b. DUR/Elba

SMITH, John, nurse child, 3, b. DUR/Sunderland

No.2 Elba

FOSTER, John, hd, w, 74, retired coalminer, b. DUR/Chatershaugh

OWENS, Elizabeth, da, w, 49, general domestic servant, b. DUR/Elba

No.3 Elba

FENWICK, Jane, hd, w, 84, b. DUR/Burnmoor

No.4 Elba

HEWITT, James Walker, hd, m, 42, b. DUR/Ebchester

HEWITT, Ann, wi, m, 42, b. DUR/Burnmoor

HEWITT, Eleanor Ann, da, u, 14, dressmaker app., b. DUR/Elba

HEWITT, Margaret, da, u, 13, b. DUR/Elba

HEWITT, Sultana, da, 10, Scholar, b. DUR/Elba

HEWITT, Elizabeth, da, 8, Scholar, b. DUR/Elba

HEWITT, Edward Walker, so, 2, b. DUR/Elba

No.5 Elba

ARMOUR, George Hunter, hd, m, 46, engineman, b. DUR/Elba

ARMOUR, Mary Elizabeth, hd, wi, 44, b. DUR/Whorlton,

ARMOUR, William, so, u, 18, labourer, b. DUR/Sunderland

ARMOUR, Dorothy Jane, da, 14, Scholar , b. DUR/Elba

ARMOUR, Sarah, da, 11, Scholar, b. DUR/Elba

ARMOUR, Margaret, da, 8, Scholar, b. DUR/Elba

ARMOUR, Mary, da, 6, scholar, b. DUR/Elba

BROWN, Dorothy, mo/law, s, 76, retired laundress, b. YKS/Pierce Bridge

No.6 Elba

WINTER, Robert, hd, m, 57, coke drawer, b. WES/Tebay

WINTER, Ann, wi, m, 49, b. CUL/Coteshill

WINTER, Elizabeth, da, s, 20, gardeners assist., b. DUR/Murton Colliery

WINTER, Robert, so, s, 15, labr. brickworks, b. DUR/Birtley

WINTER, Mary Ellen, da, 11, b. DUR/Elba

WINTER, Alice, da, 8, b. DUR/Elba

No.7 Elba

GREENWELL, Joseph Thos. hd, m, 37, firebrick labr., b. DUR/Shincliffe

GREENWELL, Annie, wi, m, 37, b. DUR/Sunderland

GREENWELL, Margt Elizb da, 14, outdoor worker, b. DUR/Autonstile

GREENWELL, Joseph Wm. so, 12, scholar, b. DUR/Autonstile

GREENWELL, Fred Augustus so, 11, scholar, b. DUR/Autonstile

GREENWELL, Edith Blanche da, 8, scholar, b. DUR/Elba

GREENWELL, Geo. Douglas, so, 5, b. DUR/Elba

GREENWELL, Surtees, so, 1, b. DUR/Elba

No.8 Elba

JOHNSON, Robert, hd, m, 27, coalminer, b. NBL/Wooler

JOHNSON, Margaret, wi, m, 24, b. DUR/ D. Pit, Burnmoor

JOHNSON, Charles Henry, so, 2, b. DUR/Silksworth

JOHNSON, Thos. Dorman, so, 9mo., b. DUR/Elba

The 1896 OS map (figure 6) gives the clearest indication yet regarding the layout of the buildings in Elba. The map shows eight individual units. This corresponds with the 1891 census. From this map it is also possible to make out that there is a bridge, or tunnel, along the footpath to the east of Elba where it passes below the railway lines.

Figure 6: Elba in 1896

By 1898 (see figure 7), the two paths/tracks mentioned above are more clearly defined, though the “U” shape of the buildings is less so. The path/track which leads to the south east from Elba looks to lead directly to the coke ovens which have now appeared to the south east.

Figure 7: 1898

Just to the east of Elba, yet another line is now shown, hemming in the village even more. This, according to the 1898 map, was the Lambton Railway, which branched off from the main NER line just north of New Lambton and continued north, running to the east of the NER line and crossing the Burnmoor to Shiney Row road (now the modern A183) at Burnmoor crossing. It is not clear from the 1898 map whether the path/track to the south of Elba passes over or below this “new” line, though to the east of the line, it is clearly marked as “F.P.” implying that it was for pedestrian use.

1901 census:

Schedule 22

BROWNLEE, Geo., hd, u, 31, coalminer hewer, b. NBL/Newcastle on Tyne

BROWNLEE, Marg., mo., w, 60, b. NBL/Newcastle on Tyne

Schedule 23

POWNEY, Thos., hd, m, 51, coalminer, b. DUR/Chester-le-Street

POWNEY, Marg. Ann, wi, m, 51, b. DUR/Chester-le-Street

POWNEY, Thos., so, u, 15, coalminer pony driver, b. DUR/Lumley

PARTON, John, so, u, 22, coalminer onsetter, b. DUR/Burnmoor

PARTON, Robt., so, u, 17, coalminer onsetter, b. DUR/Burnmoor

SANDERSON, Robt., so, m, 22, coalminer hewer, b. DUR/Lumley

Schedule 24, folio 67

BAKER, Jos., hd, m, 33, coalminer deploy, b. DUR/Bishop Auckland

BAKER, Bertha, wi, m, 29, b. Norfolk

BAKER, M. Green, da, 8, b. DUR/ Burn Moor

BAKER, F. Louisa, da, 6, b. DUR/ Burn Moor

BAKER, Ada Eliz., da, 4, b. DUR/ Burn Moor

BAKER, George Jas., so, 2, b. DUR/ Burn Moor

Schedule 25

NAISBITT, John, hd, m, 52, coalminer hewer, b. DUR /Chester-le-Street

NAISBITT, Barbara, wi, m, 49. b. NBL/Newcastle on Tyne

NAISBITT, John, gr.so, 8, b. DUR/ Morton Grange

Schedule 26

WINTER, Robt., hd, m, 25, sanitary pipework labourer, b. DUR/Birtley

WINTER, Isabella, wi., m, 24, b. DUR/ Lumley

WINTER, Mary E., da, 5m., b. DUR/ Burn Moor

Schedule 27

WALBY, John S., hd, m, 42, sanitary pipework engineer, b. DUR/ Middle Rainton

WALBY, Sarah E., wi, m, 36, b. DUR/ Elemore Vale

WALBY, Luke S., so, um, 17, masons apprentice, b. DUR/East Rainton

WALBY, Jos., so, 15, coalminer pony driver, b. DUR/ East Rainton

Schedule 28

JEWITT, Jas. W., hd, m, 52, coalminer hewer, b. DUR/ Ebchester

JEWITT, Ann, wi, m, 52, b. DUR/Wapping

JEWITT, Sultana, da, um, 20, b. DUR/ Elba

JEWITT, Eliz., da, um, 18, b. DUR/ Elba

JEWITT, Edw., so, 12, b. DUR/ Elba

Paul Robson, June 2012 Page 16

Schedule 29

THORPE, Thos., hd, m, 59, railway surface labourer, b. Yorkshire

THORPE, Jane, wi, m, 61, b. NBL/Newcastle-on-Tyne

1911 Census:

MILLER Joseph, Hd, m, 28, Coalminer hewer, born DUR/Winlaton

MILLER Alice, Wi, m, 29, DUR/Fencehouses

MILLER Violet, Da, 6, DUR/Fencehouses

MILLER Sophia Ethel, Da, 4, DUR/Fencehouses

MILLER Caroline Annie, Da, 3, DUR/Burnmoor

MILLER Alice May, Da, 10m, DUR/Burnmoor

P42, Elba

JEWITT James Walker, Hd, m, 62, coalminer hewer, DUR. Ebchester

JEWITT Ann, Wi, m, 62m, DUR/Burnmoor

JEWITT Sultana, Da, s, 30, DUR/Burnmoor

JEWITT Edward Walker, So, s, 22, elementary school teacher, DUR/Burnmoor

SIMMONS Jane Ann, Gd, 14, DUR/Burnmoor

P.44, Elba

WALBY John Stark, Hd, m, 52, engineman, DUR/Middle Rainton

WALBY Sarah Elizabeth, Wi, m, 46, DUR/Elemore Vale

WALBY John Anderson, So, s, 19, oil hand dye products, DUR/Middle Rainton

Coke Ovens

P.46, Elba

TOWLER James, Hd. m, 33, colliery bricklayer, DUR/Monkwearmouth

TOWLER Mary Isabell, Wi, m, 30, DUR/Birtley

TOWLER Beatrice Maud, Da, 9, DUR/New Lambton

RAMSHAW Robert William, Bd, s, 20, miner putter, DUR/Fatfield

P.48, Elba

BLAKE Frederick John, Hd, m, 30, coalminer hewer, County F, Lomerage?/Peardown

BLAKE Annie Isabella, Wi, m, 28, DUR/Lumley

P.50, Elba

SWINNEY Joseph Naylor, Hd, m, 33, coalminer hewer, DUR/New Lambton

SWINNEY Alice, Wi, m, 28, DUR/Newbottle

SWINNEY John Jackson, So, 9, DUR/New Lambton

PEARSON Eliz. Ann, Niece 16, DUR/Newbottle

P.52, Elba

PARTON Robert P., Hd, m, 27, coalminer hewer, DUR/Burnmoor

PARTON Mariah, Wi, m, 23, DUR/Newbottle

PARTON Elizabeth Ann, Da, 4, DUR/Burnmoor

PARTON Thomas S., So, 3, DUR/Burnmoor

PARTON Margret A., Da, 1, DUR/Burnmoor

POWNEY Thomas, Bd, wid, 61, coalminer shifter?, DUR/Chester-le-Street

By 1921, some of the buildings at Elba had been demolished, leaving only the western “range”.

1939 October

#292, BAINBRIDGE, Robert, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#293, BAINBRIDGE, Jane, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#294, BAINBRIDGE, Annie Haswell, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#295, SAUNDERS, Frank Amos, No.2 Elba, New Lambton

#296, SAUNDERS, Susannah, No.2 Elba, New Lambton

#297, SANDERSON, Mary Ann, No.2 Elba, New Lambton

#298, PARKS, Andrew Coulson, No.2 Elba, New Lambton

Above: colliery offificals loading obsolete chaldron wagons with small coal from the stock pile near Elba during the 1926 miners' strike. Officials, being supervisory staff, were not on strike and were employed in a variety of manual jobs to keep the collieries and other works in good condition. One of the buildings at Elba can just be made out at top-right.

In 1940, the remaining two buildings (“west range”?) are still clearly visible with the path/track running just to the south.

Figure 9: 1940

Figure 10: one of the two remaining houses at Elba c.1940’s

Figure 10 is a picture of one of the two houses at Elba. This is the southermost house and consists of two stories, substantially built of brick. The tall “rockery” in front of the house was actually a disguised dugout, built by Mr Frank Saunders in 1939 using skills from the trenches of WW1 and lined with bricks for the family’s protection.

Figure 11: Elba Path and Tunnel c.1940’s

Although not intending to be a picture of Elba as such, the photograph in figure 11 is taken from a point just south of the two remaining houses at Elba, looking east towards the cokeworks.

Figure 12: close-up of Elba from the 1940 map

In figure 11, the edge of the southern-most house is visible to the left and beyond this, the demolition rubble of the other buildings that once adjoined. The path towards the tunnel which passes under the railway line is also visible as it threads its way between the demolition rubble and coal (or coke?) heap. The western end of the tunnel itself is also visible in the centre-distance.

The 1945 Electoral Role for Elba was as follows:

1945 May (Civilian Registers)

#275, BAINBRIDGE, Robert, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#276, BAINBRIDGE, Jane, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#277, FLETCHER, Annie Haswell, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#278, WILLIS, Jane, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#279, SAUNDERS, Frank Amos, No.2 Elba, New Lambton

#280, SAUNDERS, Susannah, No.2 Elba, New Lambton

The 1951 Electoral Role for Elba was as follows:

1951 (labelled March 1950)

#344, BAINBRIDGE, Robert (snr), No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#345, BAINBRIDGE, Jane, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#346, WATSON, William, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#347, WATSON, Ada, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#348, SAUNDERS, Frank Amos, No.2 Elba, New Lambton

#349, SAUNDERS, Susannah, No.2 Elba, New Lambton

We are now in the realms of living memory and here are personal recollections of Elba from local people:

Alan Vickers:

I can remember in the 1940s and '50s going for a walk from Lambton D pit, through the Coke Works and then through a long dark tunnel that went underneath railway lines etc. After leaving the tunnel the road continued more-or-less in a straight line and the house that we knew as Elba was on the right-hand side, I think that it would be no more than about 250 yards ahead from the tunnel and possibly a little less than that. I can only ever recall one house at this location. I can vaguely remember that there may have been some small 'outbuildings' on the left-hand side of the track opposite the house. From the house at Elba, you went down two or three steps and on to the railway line that ran towards Lumley 6th pit. I recall that after you left the tunnel, which I remember as being about 60 to 100 yards long, there was quite often a stockpile of coke waiting to be sold, in a very large pile. My father knew this area from about 1922 as he was a very keen walker in that area. The tunnel that I remember was quite a long one and, from memory, was quite dark and a bit wet inside. The railway line that passed over the bridge was the line that ran from Fence Houses to Penshaw, via Wapping Bridge. When this line was originally constructed it formed part of the 'Durham Junction Railway' and for a number of years it formed part of the 'main line' from London King's Cross to Newcastle over the Victoria Bridge, until the line from Durham to Newcastle via Chester-le Street was constructed. Elba was therefore the location of some very busy railway activity with the Lambton Railway and its busy junction at that point and the main line railway passing above. I can only remember the two houses being there and I seem to remember that there were hens being kept there but I cannot recall pigs. In regard to the second photo (figure 10), I do not recall coke being tipped there, although it obviously was. I can only recall it being tipped on the other side of the road.When the coke had to be loaded up they used to install temporary rail tracks to bring the trucks along and then used a portable conveyor/elevator to load the coke into the trucks. Regarding the tunnel, it was very dark and miserable inside there. There were drainage tracks along each side and I think that there were one or two raised manholes in the centre of the road, presumably for the drainage and/or sewage system. The road itself was not made up, there was no hard core or tarmac or anything like that. I can remember the large rockery shown in the photo (figure 10) but I did not know that it was an air raid shelter.

Christine Rickerby:

My maternal grandparents, Sue and Frank Saunders were probably the last Elba residents - they were re-housed to Great Lumley. My mother, now 91, spent most of her young years there, with her parents and maternal grandmother and remembers her neighbours - The Bainbridges, who lived in the other larger house and the two families who inhabited the tiny cottages - The Blakes (who kept goats) (on 1911 census) and The Somervilles. She knew the legendary Miss Keep (St Aiden's?) and was married to my Father (now 89) at St Barnabas by 'Rev. Daddy Gadd' What happened to the other buildings? Dad doesn't remember the two cottages being there after WWII and the residents had gone by the start of WWII. Although Mam thinks they were brick, I reckon the cottages were stone - one of the photographs of the big house shows a small stone annex (this was Grandma's pantry). That - and the rockery makes me think Grandfather helped himself when they were demolished, as he was into DIY. In Mam's memory, another single rail track was laid on that waste land where the chickens had been let out, behind the garden. The little line was built very close to the house, as previously mentioned. The LNER was very close too; you can see the rails above the house, on one of your photographs. It is fair to surmise the other buildings in the hamlet were demolished to make way for track. In 1924… Frank (Amos Saunders) came north to take charge of the nearby Lambton Brick Kilns. He often went back to the kilns at night with food Grandma had prepared for the tramps who slept there because it was warm. Grandad got the Elba house because of his job, on the site of the Lambton Coke works circa 1929. By then there were only two two-storey properties and two tiny two-roomed cottages on the site, right next to the Lambton, Hetton and Joicey railway line, which was solely used for shunting coal. The LNER line was above that. The Bainbridge House was facing the railway line, Grandma’s house was attached but facing the Coke works. The adjoining two cottages were brick built and faced the same way as Grandma’s house. Mr (Bill) Bainbridge worked at the pit, Mrs Bainbridge was a plump lady and always baking. They had a piece of land between the two railway lines, where they kept pigs and hens and were self-sufficient. They had one daughter (Nancy?) and three sons (one called ‘Bob’ + ??) who were miners like their father. One son became the landlord of a pub, by the old tram terminus, in Wrekenton, Gateshead. The Somervilles? (sorry no Christian names) lived next door with their son Frankie, born circa 1924. His parents were older than my Mother’s so there may have been older children, no longer at home. In the far cottage was ‘Auntie’ Annie Blake and her husband, Frank, a retired, or almost retired miner. Annie had no family but had miscarried nine children! There was a picture entitled ‘Suffer little children to come unto me’ in St Barnabas Church, donated by Mrs Blake, in memory of all those children. Not sure where the Blakes moved to. When she was young, Grandad had kept pigs and hens in their garden – a fenced off area at the side of the railway line, opposite the front of the house. The Co-op van would come down The Black Road, under the long tunnel to the house. The Black Road started at The Coke Works Offices and ended some yards from the house. Mam can’t remember when the ‘cottagers’ left, but she thinks they would have been gone by the time she left home, to join the WRAFs in 1939. Half way between Elba and the white crossing gates, at Sixth pit, on the right side of the railway was ‘Langton’s Farm’. There was a stile to cross to go down to the farm, which had a house and barns. The Langtons delivered the milk, walking down the railway line. My favourite walk was across the little railway line, over a stile, across Lousy Hill Field, up the steps to the main road, where you could turn right to go to Hindson’s Crescent or Shiney Row, or left, towards the post office and St Barnabas Church and the cricket ground. On that subject, Rev ‘Daddy’ Gadd always refused to walk around the ground, but would walk diagonally across the field, straight through the middle of a cricket match, to get to the road. In bad weather the shunting engine would stop in front of the stile to take Mam as far as the White Gates, on her way to school. The driver would cook bacon on the coal shovel, put it between two slices of bread and give Mam her breakfast. On the day of Mam’s wedding, on 12th April 1947, she drove down the Black Road to The Boundary, and turned left towards Burnmoor. The men in the signal cabin closed the gates to give the bride a chance to change her mind! Great Grandma Saunders' adage 'We all have to eat a peck of muck before we die' is certainly true of Elba. They ate more than their fair share, I'm sure. In my memory there were pit heaps everywhere. They were fairly stable, however and I picked wild flowers on them. The only bad one I remember was the one right next to the coke works buildings, which, if you climbed too high, was rather warm! Amazingly, Grandma's house was immaculate and I wasn't aware of visiting a dirty environment at all! The orientation of the Bainbridges and Saunders properties was the Saunders facing the Coke Works with dugout and garden at front. Bainbridges, facing the railway line. (My grandfather persuaded the landlord to install a back door, for access to the drain outside the scullery). The Tunnel was 250' - 300' long and unlit. Dad did get the car down it (I have a photograph of my brother in front of the car at Elba), with less than 1' leeway, either side. You had to drive along the two ruts worn in the earth, or you were in trouble. Pedestrians had to walk down the middle because the ruts were usually filled with water. There was a line on top of the tunnel, probably belonging to Lambton, Hetton & Joicey. From the 1911 Census it looks as if most of the properties in the hamlet were the two-roomed type, like the Blakes and Somervilles of Mam's day. Certainly the house my grandparents had was a good size - their living room was huge compared to our Low Fell semi! The problem would have been the cost of installing electricity and a proper sewerage system to a property in the middle of nowhere. Andrew Coulson Parks (Electoral Roll 1939) was a young man who worked for Grandad in the Brick Kilns. He was having problems at home so was taken in by my grandparents until he got himself sorted out. He wasn't there by the time Mam joined the WRAFs, having moved to lodgings in Station Avenue, Fence Houses.

On the 1958 map (figure 13), of the two remaining buildings at Elba, the one to the south is marked as “ruin” and is shaded differently to the adjoining property.

Figure 13: 1958

The east/west footpath which once passed south of Elba now no longer reaches Elba from the east but there is now a “tunnel” marked, which finally (in map form) confirms that the path/track passes below the lines as shown in figure 8.

The 1958 Electoral Role for Elba was as follows:

1958

#317, BAINBRIDGE, Robert (snr), No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#318, BAINBRIDGE, Robert, No.1 Elba, New Lambton

#319, BESTFORD, John, No.2 Elba, New Lambton

Regarding further electoral rolls, there are no entries for Elba for 1959 or 1960, therefore it is assumed that after 1958 the remaining houses were demolished, Elba ceased to exist, and the people were rehoused in Burnmoor or Great Lumley.

By 1971 (figure 14), all traces of the village had vanished though the path/track and tunnel to the east remained.

Figure 14: 1971