Month: December 2023

XMAS Steelworks and Charity

Christmas is a time for giving, not only to friends and family but also to those whose festive season may not be so comfortable or so happy.

Looking back through the Consett Iron Company Magazine, steelworkers and their families supported many good causes both at home and abroad. Collecting silver paper seems to have featured strongly in the late 50s, with Gas Plant operative JG Robson’s daughter Patricia collecting a colossal quantity for the WVS appeal in 1957. The Evening Chronicle Sunshine fund for blind children also asked for donations of silver paper in 1959, and this was enthusiastically supported by the workers in the Boiler Shop.

Irene Hope seems to have been a familiar figure in the Pay Yard on pay day, with those picking up their wages putting money in the tin for various causes including Barnardo’s, the Salvation Army and the Poppy Appeal. Here she is in all weathers in 1958. More formal pay day giving schemes are nothing new as this snippet from 1966 shows: Miss Nora Bell in Invoicing set up a group amongst her colleagues to pledge 3d a week, or a shilling a month, to Oxfam to contribute to overseas relief efforts. In the four years the scheme was in operation they had raised over £100.

It wasn’t just money that the people of Consett gave. In 1963 there was an appeal for additional blood donations, with a shortfall in supplies. It is interesting to see that the supply to the hospital seems to have been locally organised rather than as a national blood donor service as now.

Fundraising activities also took place, some more enjoyable than others! In November 1967, members of the congregation of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Blackhill set off on a sponsored walk from Blanchland back to the church, only to find that the day that had chosen was the start of the winter blizzards. Soldiering on, a good amount of money was raised for church funds.

A more comfortable event to raise money was held in aid of the Slabbing, Blooming and Billet Mill in 1964 with a dinner and entertainment for the retired workers fund. It sounds as though a very jolly time was had by all, and the evening included a chicken and turkey dinner, musical and comedy entertainment and dancing – all in the warmth and out of the snow!

Consett’s kind heart continues to be a feature of the town still, with some excellent schemes to help and support local people. Here are a few local organisations who are working hard to collect food, toys and money for distribution to local people and families this Christmas time:

Glenroyd House Community Pantry

The Consett Salvation Army Toy Appeal

Morrison’s Consett Community

Steelworks Christmas Cards- Have you got one?

Sending Christmas greetings is important in any year, and particularly so in times of difficulty, such as the year that has just passed. In 1967 the Consett Iron Company Magazine featured a Christmas card that had been received from Alberta, Canada from a previous employee whose fond memories of Consett were still very present 56 years on.

The Despatch Office was the featured department in the December 1963 magazine, with a suitably festive addition to the image of Despatch Officer Manager, Mr Maurice Collins. Mr Collins, with the help of an army of men, women and juniors, supervised the sending and distribution of post throughout the Works. In an average day, the Despatch Office handled in the region of 1000 items to and from the UK and abroad, and many young people entering the administration of the Works started their career here.

As well as staff delivering mail to departments on foot, there was also a company van, known affectionately as Wells Fargo. Here is an image of driver, Mr Billy Hale about to set off to the Consett Post Office sorting office with the heavy evening delivery of mail for despatch to all four corners of the globe.

The December edition of the magazine was also used by the Chairman to send Christmas greetings to all staff. It is telling that these started with light-hearted and sunny cheer in the first edition in 1957 but rapidly descended into missives of impending gloom. However, the workers at Consett were consistently praised for their determination and work ethic and were always acknowledged as the key to Consett’s success, whatever was going on in the outside world.

Anyone got a CIC XMAS Card- if so please do share a picture

Steelworks XMAS- Animals

Geordie Dodds and Cat from brickworks

In the Christmas story, the stable at Bethlehem has its fair share of animals, and so did the Christmas editions of the Consett Iron Company Magazines. As well as the inevitable turkey picture – from a local farm in Knitsley – there are tales of race horses and escaped wolves to name but a few.

The most charming story is that of Geordie Dodds in the December 1958 magazine. Geordie was a rigger at Templetown Brickworks and the resident cat at the brickworks had selected him as a particular favourite. Every morning the cat would run specifically to Geordie, jumping onto his shoulders and snuggling in. Geordie was equally soft, visiting the cat even when on leave from work. As the magazine notes, this is indeed friendship.

Any Steelwork family pictures of animals and pets for example Pigeon keeping and racing was a common past time away from the “Works”.

Any whippet racing memories?

Any work outings to the races or greyhound racing?

Consett Park Bowls Club and the Steelworks

The club was formed in 1923 and has just celebrated their centenary

More on the formation on the link below and the link with the Steelworks from the start

https://www.consettparkbowlingclub.co.uk/club/history/1920s/1923-04-formation

Also here is a video made by Digital Voice

What are your memories or those of your family of the club?

Did you play in any inter departmental games?

Sport and The Steelworks at XMAS

Sport has always been a feature of Christmas, with football on Boxing Day a chance to get out of the house and socialise with people who you may not also be relations. Consett has a strong tradition of enjoying and encouraging sport with many notable sporting names hailing from the town.

The Works was a hub of amateur sport, with departmental football and cricket teams, athletics, rugby and even some more niche sports, many of which continue today. As the Consett Iron Company Magazine proudly stated in January 1965:

“Company men are not far behind, and, in indeed, are often out in front in the local sports world.”

The same edition featured two strapping lads, Gavin Walker and Colin Eade from the Plate Mill and Pattern Shops respectively, who had gained the prize of ‘Mr Consett’ and ‘Mr Junior Consett’ in bodybuilding. Both are indeed built like oxen, and look justifiably pleased with both their physical condition and prize-winning achievements. If anyone has any more information about either we’d love to hear.

In January 1960 there was an announcement for the new swimming baths in Sherburn Park, still a focus for sport in Consett. The swimming baths referred to are where so many of us learned to swim either with school or family, and have themselves now been replaced by the new Leisure Centre.

Church and social club teams were also popular, with organised sports days and meetings to keep all entertained and active. I am grateful to Simon Cotterill via the Co-Curate website for this 1920s image of his Grandad, Thomas Taylor’s, team, Consett Church AFC.

With thanks to Simon Cotterill, Co-Curate and Consett RFC for some of the images and information.

Watch out for more posts with a Consett RFC theme in the coming months

Thanks to Consett RFC

Thanks to RFC

Please do get in contact to share your own “sporting” memories and pictures

Children’s parties and nativities

Children’s parties and nativities are such a great part of the festive season, hopefully enjoyed by parents and children alike! A visit to see Santa was always keenly anticipated by children, as can be seen on the face of the little girl above.

Consett Iron Company organised many children’s events throughout the year, including trips to the seaside in the summer and the party at Christmas, held at the Freemason’s Arms in Consett. Here is an image of Santa kindly decorating the tree before the party in December 1963.

Do you have any memories or pictures of XMAS Childrens Parties at the Steelworks?

Were you or a family member/colleague ever Mr or Mts Santa ? any pictures?

Steelwork XMAS Parties part 2

In a normal year, it’s about now that everyone is thinking of dusting off their gold lamé jacket and hunting for those novelty earrings: yes, it’s Christmas Party season!

The CIC Magazines from 1959 and 1966 show that this is a tradition that has been going on for many years and back then they really knew how to celebrate on a grand scale. Each department had its own annual dinner, a chance for colleagues, friends and their families to get together and celebrate the achievements of the year. Formal dinners seem to be the order of the day, and here we have a selection of the parties from those years.

Most lavish seems to be the Blast Furnace party in 1966 but the one I quite fancy going to is the Brick Works party, where (very elaborate!) novelty hats added to the overall festivities of the occasion. More down to earth was the Spiracon department, who settled for a darts competition and a round of dominoes.

What are your memories of the Steelworks XMAS parties?

From Jan 1959 CIC Magazine

Victorian XMAS Traditions and Notes from Steelworks at that time

So many of the familiar features of our current Christmas date back to the Victorian era, when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert introduced German Christmas traditions to the country. These include Christmas trees, cards and crackers as well as the classic depiction of St Nicholas as a toy-laden and white-bearded old man. It would take the Coca-Cola Company in the 1920s to dress him only in red.

https://greekreporter.com/2023/12/07/prince-albert-christmas-tree/

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a25619292/queen-victoria-prince-albert-christmas-tree-holiday-tradition/

Hard winters in 1836, 1851 and 1878 saw rivers and ponds freeze and people take to the ice, an activity that was resonant of the earlier tradition of the frost fair.

Victorian Christmas traditions were present in Consett. In Leaves from Consett Iron Company Letter Books 1887 – 1883, William Jenkins, the General Manager, is very concerned in 1889 that some Christmas greenery is brought into the infirmary to cheer the workers who were in-patients over the Christmas period (as well as asking for some for his own home):

To Mr W Brown, Traffic, 16 December 1889

The Matron and patients at the Infirmary ask for a little holly for brightening the premises on Christmas Day. Could you get a little of this for them, and while you are at it could you send me a little to my own house?

As well as the greenery, he is equally concerned that the patients’ festive lunch is arranged:

To Nurse Keenan, Infirmary, 16 December 1889

Mr Brown will provide a little holly etc for you for brightening up for Christmas time the wards etc. It has been usual to provide some little extra for Christmas time for the Infirmary. I will send you a goose or a turkey and a little fruit, and if you will get for Christmas day a suitable joint of good roast beef and plum pudding this will probably cheer the hearts of the patients who will be able to be regaled in this way.

Thank you to Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums, Stephen Bridgewater @stephenbridgewa on Instagram and Durham Weather for the images.

Do you have any family XMAS Traditions please do share/get in contact if you have

Stephen Bridgewater shared on Instagram