As well as visiting the new 1950’s bit (which you can read about HERE) we called in at some of the older bits and took a few photos round and about.
In the 1900’s town there is an Edwardian Photographer, JR & D Edis Photographers where you can dress up in period costumes and have a traditional photo taken. There’s a really good piece on the place HERE.
JR & D Edis Photographers (fujiX100F)
You can see cars, motorcycles and bikes from the collection at the Beamish Motor & Cycle Works, which is a replica of a typical early 1900s garage.
Garage (fujiX100F)
in for a service (fujiX100F)
Stepney Tyres. (still trading!) (fujiX100F)
I took a couple of people shots on the way to the 1900 town, some of the volunteers who dress up in period clothing.
Bank Manager and Policeman Plod (contax aria and silbersaltz 35)
Transport Manager (contax aria and silbersaltz 35)
We love to see the trams and busses
(contax aria and silbersaltz 35)
(contax aria and silbersaltz 35)
(contax aria and silbersaltz 35)
(contax aria and silbersaltz 35)
and of course we had a ride back on a bus, couldn’t resist this shot
(fujiX100F)
There’s also a 1900’s Pit village showing a colliery community at the time of peak coal production in the North East. The Francis Street cottages came to Beamish from Hetton-le-Hole, on Wearside, and were originally built in the early 1860s by Hetton Coal Company. Six of the original row of 27 homes were moved to the museum in 1976 and rebuilt in our 1900s Pit Village.
Francis Street (contax aria and silbersaltz 35)
downstairs (contax aria and silbersaltz 35)
upstairs (contax aria and silbersaltz 35)
(fujiX100F)
Oops I’ve gone on a bit so I’ll stop there and leave it at that. There’s a few more photo’s I took, so if you want to see the whole shebang it’s on my Smugmug site HERE but that’s it for the blog.
Details of the museum can be readHERE in Part 1 This week we’re looking at the new bits, that is the 1950’s town. It isn’t finished yet, so far there’s the Front Street Terrace, which is open but will eventually also include a cinema, toy shop, police houses, electrical shop, semi-detached houses and a bowling green and pavilion.
A new fried fish shop which is a replica of a shop from Middleton St George, near Darlington. Beamish has worked with the community of Middleton St George to create a 1950s-style newspaper on specially-printed paper that is used to wrap the fish and chips.
Middleton’s, serving chips only. (contax and silversalz)
No.2 is the home of Norman Cornish, which has been recreated, telling the story of the celebrated North East artist and the Spennymoor Settlement (some sort of community thingy with a theatre). Beamish has been working with Normanâs family on recreating the house from Bishopâs Close Street in Spennymoor. Upstairs in the exhibit is an accessible art space with lift, where visitors and groups will be able to take part in arts activities.
At the hairdressers visitors can look the part by getting a 1950s hairstyle, and take their photo under dryers from Beamishâs collection. Elizabethâs is based on an end-terrace shop from Bow Street in Middlesbrough. Visitors can book an appointment at the salon on the day of their visit on a first come, first served basis, and cost ÂŁ5. We did not.
Front Street (contax and silversalz)
inside No.2 (fujix100F)
No.2 (fujix100F)
a peek in the pantry (fujiX100F)
No.2 staircase (fujiX100F)
The Hairdresser’s was closed for lunch when we got to it so I just got a shot through the window
Hairdresser’s (fujiX100F)
As well as the street there was a fence up with 50’s advert boards on it
I don’t think you can get Guards Trousers nowadays. I wonder why. (contax and silversalz)
And it seems they’re collecting doors and more advert boards.
Sophie and I go to Beamish most years, and we went this year to see how the new section of ‘1950’s Town’ is coming along, but of course we photographed other bits too on our way around the place.
A little History Bit âïž đȘ
Beamish is a world famous open air museum which brings the history of North East England to life at its 1820s Pockerley, 1900s Town, 1900s Pit Village, 1940s Farm, 1950s Town and 1950s Spainâs Field Farm exhibit areas.
Beamish was the vision of Dr Frank Atkinson, the Museumâs founder and first director.Frank had visited Scandinavian folk museums in the early 1950s and was inspired to create an open air museum for the North East. He realised the dramatically-changing region was losing its industrial heritage. Coal mining, ship building and iron and steel manufacturing were disappearing, along with the communities that served them.
Frank wanted the new museum to âillustrate vividlyâ the way of life of âordinary peopleâ and bring the regionâs history alive. I think he did a cracking job.
That was short and sweet so on to some pictures, a combination of digital and film shots.
The first place we visited was the new 1950’s Farm. Spainâs Field Farm, from Eastgate, near Stanhope, tells the story of upland farming in the North East during the 1950s. The farm was kindly donated to Beamish by the Jopling family and around 1,170 tonnes of the farm’s stone and timber were moved to the museum after being thoroughly recorded. During the dismantling of the building a good few objects were discovered, a Georgian bread oven, and 17th century cannonball to name a few. Fragments of 1950s Farmerâs Weekly magazines, furniture and farm tools were also found. Samples from the remnants of internal paint, lino and wallpaper were also taken.
Spain’s Field Farm (contax aria, silbersalz 35)
plough thingy (contax & silbersalz)
milk-0! (contax & silbersalz)
View of the 1900’s Pit Village from the farm (contax & silbersalz)
Happy Christmas Bull! (contax & silbersalz)
From the farm we went on to see Rowley Station, as we can never resist old train stuff! The station was originally in Rowley, near Consett, County Durham, in 1867. It has never had gas or electricity and was always lit by oil. The station was the first relocated building to be opened at the museum and was officially unveiled in 1976 by Poet Laureate Sir John Betjemin. A wrought-iron footbridge from the 1900’s town crosses the railway line and leads towards the signal box, dating from 1896. Across the tracks in the Goods Yard is a Goods Shed, dating from 1850.
North Eastern Line (fuji X100F)
ticket office (FujiX100F)
Tracks (contax & silbersalz)
signals box (FujiX100F)
inside the box (contax & silbersalz)
adverts (FujiX100F)
left luggage (contax & silbersalz)
I think that’s enough for this time, but
because we’ll be going back to Beamish next time. đ
Coming to the end of our day out now and first off some WW1 Nurses
Nurses and Burgers
There were quite a few horse-drawn buggies with WW1 re-enactors driving them
as well as the odd motor vehicle
and a genuine WW1 airplane, though it might need some restoration yet
We had lunch in one of the cafe’s
and rode on this bus to take ‘aerial’ shots đ
Quick March
Madam Formidable calls a taxi
They had some horses ploughing fields
not much scattering going on.
and I used my telephoto to take some pictures of the horses and owners
true love
Bored now
Chocolate Chip Cookies (the horse pinched one đ )
smiley man
When we got off the bus we stood and watched everyone and everything go by
it’s a dog’s life..
Bus conductor-ess
The 114 to Byker
but mostly I just loved all the horses
and that’s about it, except for my award for most appropriately dressed person of the day goes to…
Geordie Shore đ
Well if you’ve got it, flaunt it! đ
So that’s the end of our trip to Beamish this time, there’ll be others I’m sure as they have a lot of events on, and once you buy your ticket, you can go as many times a year as you want.
All pictures can be clicked on to embiggen where they look even better cos you can see more stuff in them. đ
The full album (which has a fair few more photo’s) can be found HERE
The museum is currently undergoing an ÂŁ18million expansion, to include a 1950s Town and coaching inn. Â They have a huge store cupboard where they’re getting stuff together for it.
I have no idea what this is
A feed the baby race. đł (the x-box of it’s day đ€ŁÂ )
This next shot is of a contraption that was used by hairdressers to perm ladies hair!
perm machine (aka death’s head!)
apparently they would sometimes, catch fire, or blow up, and some ladies were severely burned or died!
Keep smiling!
Wall to wall retro!
a 1950’s icon
Still going strong today
Well that’s it for a look round the museum’s store cupboard, not usually open when we’ve been before, can’t wait to see the 1950’s town when it’s up and running.  Who remembers any of this stuff! Not me of course, I’m far too young! đ€Łđ€Ł
Stay tooned loads more to come!
All images can be embiggened for extended perusal of their magnificence đ€Ł
We came across a lot of horses, and people whilst we wandered around the museum
pink hair day
mini~horse
The 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1759 and notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. These chaps were acting the part.
In April 2016, Sophie and I went off to visit Beamish Museum as they have an annual Steam fair with WW1 vehicles as well as the usual trams and olde worlde stuff. Lovely spring day, warm and sunny, and lots to see.
love these trams
don’t think he was happy at having his photo taken, but I’m thinking he works there so it must be par for the course!
lovely happy smiley people and great motorbike & sidecar
great old steam thingy
oops engine trouble
back on the road
A 1916 Albion A10
mellow yellow hotel bus
Loads more to come, but these will do for a start.
Don’t forget to follow Fraggles Other Place for the 1000 miles 365 đ
Today I’ve been to Beamish Museum with Sophie again for a WW1 vehicle & Steam fair. Â Lots of pictures taken and there will be a Fraggle report (eventually when I’ve sorted them all) but for now, a macro shot of a cockerel figurine attached to the bonnet of one of the old cars. Â (Hood ornament in U.S, Bonnet Mascot in U.K.) đ
Beamish Museum is a living history museum and there is so much to see and do there. The vision of one man Dr.Frank Atkinson, it illustrates the way of life of âordinary peopleâ and brings the regionâs history alive. It was raining, sleeting, and snowing on and off, but Sophie and I were determined to go out with our camera’s for the day, and at Beamish, the weather doesn’t matter as there’s plenty of indoor stuff to see.
There’s a lot of shots but am putting them in galleries so you can click on the 1st one and scroll through if you want to see them embiggened.
We started out in the 1820’s visiting Pockerley Waggonway and got a ride on Puffing Billy
Train depot
Work Place
weather vane
Coal
Puffing Billy
Our driver
I’m sure he was happy really.
down the tracks
Control room
details
Puffing Billy
The invisible man
After our ride, we walked up to Pockerley Old Hall which replicates how tenant farmers would live.
abandoned carriage
the cat with the curly tale
The Dining Room
Pantry
pulses and beans
Apprentice’s room
storage room- the long box is a coffin.
Kitchen
Home Brew
Then we caught a tram (<3 trams!) to 1900’s town and first visited the railway station where we were allowed into the signal box.
Tram
More trams
Inside the 196
drivers view
old Rot
signal station
a machine
sign of the times
Then back up to 1900 Town, and first we had lunch in the Tearooms, lovely Vegetable broth with rustic bread.
In the park by the tea room
Tearoom
on the way to the tearoom
Parked up
Austin badge
Tram again
Barclays Bank,tram & bus
Then we visited some of the shops, as it was raining.
undies
Vote now!
Co-op store Grocery dept.
Spicy
Beamish Motor and Cycle works
At the printers & Stationers
The Columbian Printing press
Stationers.
Then it was time to go home. Still loads more to go back and visit, there’s a pit village, a farm, & Â a colliery we didn’t get round to, and they are now building a 1950’s Town and upland farm, Georgian coaching inn and more. Â It is a great place for a day out, all the staff are dressed in period costumes, and they are all really friendly and knowledgeable so we learned a lot on our way round. How to pick one for the daily shot??
fraggle ~ rocking a camera across the Universe 
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