A Community Newspaper Delivered Free To Over 4500 Homes in Coulby Newham

Jan / Feb 2003 Archive

Hello again,

I hope you all had a nice Christmas and New Year, and got lots of nice pressies. Talking about presents, I treated myself to a new radio. I thought I would try a digital one. (Great, no foreign stations trying to join in, especially at night.) Quite by chance I read an article in an old Good Housekeeping book,, it was from the 1920s period. I thought it was quite relevant, I hope you like it.

Wireless For The Home by J. C. Genner. Some of the marvellous possibilities of broadcasting, and its far reaching effect upon our lives in the near future, are dealt with in this article, which explains how, among other achievements wireless makes it possible to listen, in your own home, to an opera or concert taking place hundreds of miles away.
That broadcasting will be welcomed by all, and especially by people who value their homes, is not to be doubted, because it offers people every encouragement to receive entertainment in their homes.
Broadcasting is, in reality, the sending out of messages from a central station. These messages are not sent out in code, but are actually spoken into special telephone transmitters. The sound of the voice is carried by means of delicate and costly apparatus into the air, so that you may, with the aid of your listening equipment listen in, and actually hear the voice of the speaker, no matter where he is.
At the transmitting stations, daily programmes will be arranged, and will be published in newspapers. (Was this the start of the BBC?)
It is advisable to purchase a Crystal Set with which to experiment and practice. This set is for use within a radius of 12 to 25 miles of the transmitting station. Be prepared to pay at least £5 for a set, which will be in a polished mahogany case. A pair of headphones will also be needed, then you can sit back, and listen in your own armchair.
When the amateur has mastered the crystal set, he will then wish to progress to a Valve Detector Set, which is apparatus of higher quality. This set is both delicate, and accurate, and will give better results.----------

Did you, like me, find it interesting to read about the start of radio? The excitement of Mr Genner comes through, as he describes this wonderful thing called broadcasting. What would he have thought, had he known about the advances that were in the future. Do you remember what you first watched on Television? I was at a relative's house, and we all watched a tiny little black and white screen, there was a circus on, and we thought it was great. Bye for now, happy listening, and viewing. Yvonne

CHANGES IN PENSION AND BENEFIT PAYMENTS

Letters from Benefit Agencies explaining changes will be sent to you. Your choice to be
paid by a book is to be removed.. You may be concerned but........

REMEMBER THAT.. ..You still have choices.

Consider carefully. If in doubt, ask a relative to help you decide.
You can choose to have a Card Account at the Post office even if you have an existing
Bank Account.

You do not have to have your Pension/Benefit paid into an existing Bank Account.
Take your time to make your decision.

Then draw it and "Spend Spend Spend"

STREET WARDENS ARE NOW WORKING IN YOUR AREA

Hi Folks.

As you will be aware by now Middlesbrough is celebrating its 150th birthday. Yes it was 150 years ago, 1853, when the then Middlesbrough Councillors wrote to the Crown and successfully acquired a Royal Charter. In the beginning Middlesbrough was but a small farmhouse with a few houses and tenants situate on the border of the River Tees, until our pioneers, the industrialists, the Quaker families and others set foot on our land and turned the area into a thriving industrial empire. Recognised world wide for its steel, ships and bridgebuilding technologies. And it is thankful for these same pioneers, these great industrialists, that the population of the town grew tremendously. Immigrants from far and wide, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, all the four comers of England and even from foreign parts came to Middlesbrough seeking work in the new industries. Of course this vast influx of immigrants created some overcrowding of housing but with the industrialists, housing developers, and the council working alongside each other, some of the problems were alleviated.

And now, how we see how some of those days have changed as we look back in nostalgia. Some people say, 'for the better', others still feel for those, 'good old days.' How I laugh when I think of the comedian who was talking of those 'yesterdays' when he quipped, 'yes those were the good old days, you could leave yer front door open/unlocked then and no one would come in yer house,' and he finessed by saying,' yes, cos yer had nothing worth pinching then.' Ha! Ha!

I remember as a young snotty nosed kid living in a two up, two down, terrace house down Calthorpe Street, near Cannon Street, we folk never had much money, but we got on with life and helped each other out in times of need. Everyone sailed the same boat. Mam stayed at home looking after the five of us, whilst dad went out to earn the bread. I think we drove mum mad often as never did a day seem to go bye when I remember mum would throw pots at the wall in anger and I would sweep them up and put them in my little wooden wheelbarrow that someone had made for me. 'Poor mum,' we would say and give her a cuddle. Yes we kids must have caused mayhem in those days. Gran lived in the same street, two doors down, and for some reason I would be always pulling everything out of her sideboard cupboard. Gran's sister lived down the road. She had a 'Pie and Pea,' shop. I went down there often with a bowl to buy our dinner. Her pie and peas, and not forgetting the gravy was beautiful. I often saw mum going out with a bowl, covered by a tea-towel, and thought she was off for pie and peas, until, as I grew older, that she was taking bets around to someone's house. I had to laugh. Mum was such an innocent women, I would never imagine her doing anything like that.

My first days to Marsh Road School must have been terrifying as I had to be pushed there in a push chair to get me there. I don't remember a thing about the school at all.

Playtimes always took place in the street. String or thin rope was often tied around the top of the gas lamppost and we would swing round and round for hours at a time. Other games we played were 'Queenie, Queenie, who's got the ball, Tiggy, Chasies, Tip-Tap or Cannon (I think you put a tin can with sticks on top in the middle of the road, children were on either side of the road and would throw a ball at the can to try and knock it over, then you had to run or something. It was quite safe to play in the street those days as there weren't as many cars around then. And behaviour, we may have been boisterous, but we knew right from wrong, and if the local bobby came down the street you would scarper. You respected coppers in those days.

1953 saw the year of the Coronation and just about every street in town competed with each other for the best decorated street. Our street kerbing was red and white from one end to the other, bunting ran from house to house, and a line of tables were set in the middle of the road, covered with table cloths and set with an abundance of sweets, cakes, foods, etc. All the kids in the street sat down to a party. Some mums and dads looked after us, some played a piano, accordions and other musical instruments. I remember getting a silver spoon with a crown on the end to keep as a souvenir. Somehow, I remember seeing a little model of a golden horses and carriage, like the one the queen was in at the procession, but can't remember if we kids got one.

Around the same year we had an Aunt and Uncle and their two daughters living in the same street and they had bought a black and white television. Not many people had such a thing those days. I remember going there one day to watch it and I'm sure Robin Hood was on starring Richard Todd. That became one of my favourite movies of the time. And it still is.

And now here I am, fifty years on, and how things have changed. Yes I often think some people are right when they quote, 'the good old days.'

Still, keep your chin up folks, keep smiling.

Till next time . Geoff Wishart

COULBY NEWHAM COMMUNITY COUNCIL PAGE

Best Wishes to everyone in Coulby Newham for a good and healthy 2003.
The winter weather should begin to improve any minute. The bulbs on the verges will soon
burst into flower and in no time at all we shall he well into 2003. Where did 2002 go?

What's the situatlion regarding SAFEWAY and a possible takeover? Didn't Morrisons'
bid surprise everyone? Plus the others. All permission has been given and all is set flor the
SAFEWAY superstore development to go ahead on the Iceland side car park outside the
Parkway Centre. The plans will hold good for five years. Watch that space.

The Stainton Way Footbridge of Sighs {half size!) .Won't be long now.
Middlesbrough Council Engineers tell us that tenders for the job are in and the
contractor will be appointed 1st week in February. Repairs will have to be made
to the 2 supporting columns first then 2 concrete beams have to be cast which
will take 4- 6 weeks to cure (set) then one Sunday morning in March a massive
crane will come trundling along to set it all in place. (Hope it doesn't demolish
another footbridge in the process!) Tell the kids to watch out for this, it promises
to be spectacular. The hold-up has been the Government question of whether
the angle should be raised or not (no) and of, course, it's an Insurance Job. Bridge
to open end of March

Langdon Square Alcohol Free Zone signs will soon be going up. Next move - an ad.
in the Gazette to announce this and invite comment. We're sharing the cost of the ads.. with
Brookfidd and Kader Community Councils as they're being given AFZs too.. We'll let you
know how tlie situation progresses.

We are delighted to have new Neighbourhood Wardens based in and
patrolling Coulby Newham also Hemlington. You may have seen them around
the area. Give them a wave, they're canny lads. They will attend the next
Community Council meetings so come along and find out more about them and
their duties. They've sorted a few problems already.

Let's not forget our Policemen in the wave of excitement about the
Wardens- Thanks to them crime figures in Middlesbrough are going down,
(Mayor Mallon said that just last week) including in Coulby Newham.

What do you think about your Wheelie Bins? Big aren't they? Don't fall in. There were
a few hiccups to start with but things mostly seem to have sorted themselves out. Most
residents are chuffed to bits about them but a very few residents perhaps don't realise that black
bags will no longer be removed by the Council and are still putting them out. Please be good
neighbours and wheel each other's empty Bin in if you can.

What do you think about Fireworks? The Questionaire page in the
Coulby News was sent to the Community Council for comments. Unfortunately
the deadline for returning the paper is before the first meeting of 2003 so we
hope you will give your opinions here and pop the replies in the boxes in the
Rainbow Library or Langdon Square Community Centre ASAP. Everyone we've
talked to has very strong opinions on this Whatever yours is, it's important.

.Thank you in advance. ..

Another topic we've been asked to comment on is Regional Government. Do you want! a vote
on whether or not to have a Regional Government? There would he 6 Regions, ours North East. The
electorate (us) would vote for 25-30 members from which a Leader and a Cabinet of 6 would be
chosen. Quote 'Their main function will be to produce and deliver a regioinal strategy that will improve
the quality of life in the region. The regional strategy will cover the following 10 areas: sustainable
development, economic developmcnt, skills and employment, spatial planning, transport, waste, housing
health improvement, culture and biodiversity' . If you would like any more information (there's
loads) please contact Joanne Cornfield, Corporate Information Officer PO Box 99A Town Hall.
MIDDLESBROUGH TS1 2QQ -Tel 729221
Deadline for responses directly to the Government is 14 March

Regional Policy Unit (regions soundings exercise) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Zonel/A6, Eland house, Bressenden Place, LONDON SW1E 5DU
(please send a copy to Joanne too)

There's a lot of Information on

www.regions.odpm.gov.uk/governance/whitepaper/index.htm

www.local-regions.odpm.gov.uk/consult/assembly-bill/pdf/prepbill.pdf

www.regions.odpm.gov.uk/governance/prepbill/index.htm