Howden Le Wear, Main Road c.1960

Photo ref: H186016

Hello, I have just come across this site and have been reading some of the memories about Howden, I went to Howden Primary School, I lived in Wear valley Junction or the Junction as it was known to us kids. I remember Mrs Heslop at the primary, we used to call her fatty Heslop, but I do not think that she was fat compared to some people now. I also remember Mr Moore who I think was the Head Master, he used to ...see more

Seeing Frank Golden being carried shoulder high by his team mates back to the pub after a successfull result thanks mainly to Jonty Raine who was a local star at the time.The Carnivals were great fun.Howden Juniors won the County Junior Cup a year or two later.

Bryant's Post Office with Mrs Robson, a Queen Motherish figure always dressed in a black two piece, dishing out pensions, stamps and postal orders from the aloof position behind her cage. Duggie Bain's cobblers, the warm oily smell, my first football boots were bought there for 13/6d. The proprietor ever smiling, with his gold rimmed glasses, shiny bald head, gammy leg and leather apron, he could have been Pinnochio's ...see more

I know records will prove me wrong, but summer seemed to start around the beginning of May and last until getting on to Bonfire night. We walked to Witton-le-Wear night after night to swim then walked home or, if we were lucky, got a lift in an empty meat van, not unlike the one driven by Corporal Jones in 'Dads Army'. When it got too cold to swim we set about building and guarding our bonfire in the park. There were few ...see more