A Durham Lad Through And Through

A Memory of Durham.

Yes, I remember this street so well as a young boy, I lived up Crossgate at the Angel Inn then Claypath at The Wheatsheaf. I was Christened at St Margarets half way up Crossgate and went to school at The Blue Coat, then Wnney Hill Sec Mod ( Sadly I have just been informed it has been torn down for a housing estate... ). Silver Street was my center of gravity just after the war and I spent many happy hours with my brothers Bryan and Jimmy staring in the shop windows, particularly the sweety shop by the bridge, Woolies at the top near the market, Dewhursts the butchers and so on. The early Beilby family were silversmith engravers near the back lane, a shortcut behind Silver Street that went to The Advertiser. I could go on for hours with memories of this wonderful city, the Miners Gala Day down at the race course, our own fish and chip shop up Claypath by the Post Office and The Palladium. Playing in the park by the railway station, watching the Flying Scot on it's way to and from London and Edinburgh, sitting on the fence in the fields by the station tracks. Walking every Sunday with my dad and brothers up Crossgate past St Margerets School past the Bow School and Observatory Hill, down through the white gate to the riverside up to the the cathedral down past Elvet Bridge into the Market Place, past the corner where Bimbi's Fish and Chips are now, down Silver St and home up Crossgate. Gone are, Jasper Peart, Headmaster, Whinney Hill, Scratchy Holland, Mr Watson, Bill Rickaby (teachers), Skip Chalmers the scoutmaster, Icy Smith, the Ice Rink, the Carpet factory, The Wheatsheaf (our pub) where the new bridge is now!! Fowlers, the Coop, Woolworths and so on. But the charm of this ancient city remains forever in my memories.
I am retired now in San Clemente, California, a seaside resort, and live quietly with my dear wife Sandy and spend time with the grandkids and paint watercolors. Sometimes I return to England and visit with my dear old friends James and Sybil Bimbi and James' brother Albert who still live in Durham City, an old schoolfriend Tony Chapman who lives in Whaplode, Linc's. Peter Driver who used to be a mechanic at Macintyres in Elvet.