My six novels published by Headline are all set in the northeast coal mining village of Ryhope, in 1919.
Ryhope is where I grew up and what's amazed me more than anything else while I've been researching the village before writing my novels, is how much I don't know about the village where I was born and bred.
With the help of Brian Ibinson and Peter Hedley of Ryhope Heritage Society, of which I'm now a member, I've been trying to fill the gaps in my knowledge of Ryhope's coalmining and farming past.
I took a walk around Ryhope's old pit, saw the remains of Cauld Knuckles School and Leechmere Hall. You can read all about that walk here, and see some pictures.
Brian and Peter took me on a walk that took in the site where Ryhope Asylum once stood. It was also known as Cherry Knowle hospital.
It's now been demolished and in the same proximity stands a new purpose-built NHS mental health hopsital. One hundred years ago, those who were given over to the asylum included single, pregnant girls; those with epilepsy; 'unmanageable women'; and more. These days, thank goodness, much more is understood about mental health and how to manage those who suffer from illness of the mind.
From the site of the Asylum, we walked around the village green and Brian was very generous with his time and his memories, showing me where the old farms were and where the farmers lived. We were even called into one house (not an original farmhouse, but on the site of one) to take a look in the back yard. Ryhope folk are very friendly!
From the village we then walked to St. Paul's church, which is featured in all of my books. The vicar at the time I write my novels in 1919 was called Canon Knight. And in his honour, I call my fictional vicar Reverend Daye.
Knight - Daye. See what I did there?
In the stone wall that runs along the pavement in front of St, Paul's church, are these peculiar coping stones with holes at the top. Brian explained to me that the coping stones of the churchyard wall (shown below) are salvaged stone ‘chairs’ taken from the Ryhope Colliery railway. Many of them still show the holes where the iron spikes were secured. These are my pictures I took on the walk today.
After visiting St. Paul's, we passed the site of the old police station and saw the Grand Cinema, which is awaiting its fate after decades boarded up. It'll soon be making its way to Beamish museum, brick by brick. This makes me feel very proud. You can read more on that on the Beamish website.
Then the plan was to continue our walk to where the Co-op once stood in all its glory on the colliery bank. My dad used to work at the Co-op as an insurance collector, it was his first job after leaving school. Here it is in its hey-day.
And here's what is in its spot now.
This bland, uninspiring building was built as the "new" Co-op when the old one was demolished in the 1970s. I know which one I prefer and it's not the second one.
The "new" Co-op, above, is now a bathroom and kitchen showroom, and it's currently up for sale. You can't see it in the photo above but it has the logo...
CO
OP
...built in brick relief at the front. If I won the lottery, I'd buy the land, demolish it and build some affordable, family apartments with a communal garden and I'd call the development The Old Store.
However, we never made it to the site of the Co-op on our walk today. It was hot. We'd walked for two hours and we'd chatted all the way. To say we were in need of a sit down and a cold drink was something of an understatement and so we called it a day.
I am indebted to Brian Ibinson and Peter Hedley of Ryhope Heritage Society for their help.
(Note, walks and talks below were held in 2019)
I'm giving a free guided walk around Ryhope on Saturday 14 September as part of Heritage Open Days. The walk will take in the locations used in my novels set in 1919 and booking is required.
I'm also giving a talk as part of Heritage Open Days about the farming and mining communities of old Ryhope. This takes place on Friday 13 September. No booking needed, just turn up!
You can find out all about Heritage Open Days at their website here.
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Glenda Young
Twitter: @Flaming_Nora
Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor
2 comments:
Lovely to see these old photos, my grandparents lived in the Village and I was born and lived till I got married in Fee Terrace which is just behind the "Store Field " i.e. the old Co-Op shown in the photos.
My Mum used to go Smiths farm ( in the Village ) after school to help with the horses.
Really enjoyed the photos and memories. I was born and raised in Ryhope. My nanna born in 1902 was a big church goer and member of St Paul’s. She always talked about Rev. Knight. My parents and my husband and I were married in St Paul’s. I was a Sunday school teacher and head chorister. My father worked as a butcher in ‘the store’ and it was their venue for the wedding reception.
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