Yarkshire…October 2015

Up here in Yorkshire for a few days, Mother should have been here as its a bit of circle completing…

Staying with cousin Jen & Bob’s at their new pad ( over the years they seem to have lived in every part of North Yorks and Cleveland!!) here at Liverton Mines.  

Why a circle I hear you ask?

St Hilda's 28th July 1949

Well, Liverton is next to Loftus, which is next to Skinningrove, which is where Grandma & Grandad were living  when Dad met Mum…in a railway house.  And where they were married in 1949 at St Hilda’s Church (which is now derelict)…So Skinningrove, Carling How ( where Dad worked after the navy), Brotton et al have special memories for Mother.  

When Grandad retired, Grandma and him moved into a downstairs flat in Loftus, which is where i come in !!  

My Christening...as I remember them ...

My memories are of a warm kitchen, yorkies, walking down to Skinningrove, marvelling at all the Pigeon Lofts, playing with The Dale family, paddling (even then i recognised that The North Sea is bloody cold ), fishing with Dad.  

As I grew, and we moved from Eaglescliffe to Chesham and the trips became holidays and we stayed with Aunty Dorothy in Eaglescliife, or Great Aunt Doris in Whitby, the buses became important. And the trains from Eaglescliife!! 

But after Granddad & Grandma died in the mid ‘60s, Loftus became a place we passed through, rather than stopped at.  

Over the years, the places we've stayed at have been the various homes of Christine (Rounton and The Pig Farm), Auntie Dorothy (Eaglescliffe and Whitby), Jennifer (Eaglescliffe  - (from where they moved whilst I was bringing a then girlfriend in the RAF for a visit…Peter the Prat going strong), Thornaby, Whitby..at least 3 different addresses  - best 2 being one overlooking Sandsend and a little cottage off Blue Bank)

I DO like Whitby…not sure I could live there full time.

Right, so what ‘ave we been doing this visit.

First, Mother should have been here, idea was to show her J & B’s new abode, but she caught a bug, was told she was very contagious, and had to be quarantined!! Gladly, nothing to do with her op.

Day 1 Saturday- drove up via A1… as it appeared did EVERYBODY else in the south…rammed!  Stopped for brekkie ( well brunch) at Northallerton, then a lovely meander around the Mooors to arrive here sat evening.  PUB - Camerons Strongarm Ale…

Day 2 Sunday - walked the dog with Suzie, down to Skinningrove Beach.  Still cold, still windy, lot less pigeon lofts, looks as if there is a bit more pride in the place ( we have often been to the CHIPPIE on our trips top north, as Mother has memories of it being the BEST CHIPPIE in the western hemisphere - as did I to be true, along with the one at the bottom of Sycamore Road, Yarm…and anywhere else north of Chesham!!)

Early lunch as Stephen and Mandy were paying a visit…which made the day very long! (no, not Stephen and Mandy ...having lunch early!!)

Day 3 Monday - Had a long walk with Roxie…mainly ‘cos we got our selves a tad lost in the wood by the beck!!  Felt good afterwards…Then a trip to Whitby in a bus. A tad different to the old United ones I grew up with!!  Whitby - packed, not a fun place at all now, cant move along Church Street, and Aunt Doris’s Kiln Yard looks very wrong in Blue..oh um, move on…

Day 4 Tuesday - Walked to Guisborough along The Cleveland Street Trail - is also the route of The Ironstone Heritage Walk…nearly gave up at North Skelton, when couldn't find the route, postie pointed me in the right direction and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!  Felt very good at the end…coffee and a beer!

Went out after tea (cooked by my goodself and a bottle of red!!). Intention was to have a drink in the pubs Dad & Mum drank in when they were courting/first married.  Soooo, rang Mum - The Angel said she…Its now ‘The Angel Café !!  SO, across the road to the Britannia…no ale…Next, The White Horse - here I am in North Yorkshire, their ales…Charlie Wells and Ringwood!! Had a pint of the latter, watched a bit of footie, then moved onto The Golden Lion, which I recall Dad talking about…WOW, strange place!! Very cheap Sam Smiths ale, very cheap. odd, okay, eccentric, customers…left me beer and went back to The Holywell - Camerons Strongarm.

Day 5 Wednesday - Took Roxie out for a last walk - to Skinningrove beach and back up ‘The Lane’ -which was exactly as I recalled - red brick building at the top et al…

My Nappies...My first home...

Another one of those lovely Picture Stories..

Another lovely Picture Story...