THE TEESDALE MERCURY Wednesday, 10th February, .19/1

PROFILE OF A REMARKABLE PREACHER Peeps into the George Forster—The Memory Man Past M in i - B u s A S l o g a n F ebruary people to the church in his 60 years 100 YEARS AGO c o u l d b e f o r B u s e s When George Forster was in, just as clearly as the dates of An agreeable and much needed 11. Coffee EvenL:g, Cotherstone of preaching—some from the pulpit seven years old he saved his all the ancient Teesdale tales, of change has taken place in the t h e a n s w e r Village Hall. but others just through meeting Thank you for printing my letter • which he has a marvellous fund. weather. The temperature has 16. Whist Drive, Boldron Village pennies until he had three them and talking to them at work about the bus profits last week. After leaving school he worked changed from the frost of winter to As I was driving from Darling­ H all. half-crowns, and then he on a farm at Hunderthwaite for or elsewhere. ton to Barnard Castle on Friday Further to it, can you tell me ;f the genial warmth of spring. 16. Boldron Village Hall, Whist went out and bought a fine nine years before joining the rail­ One was George Bradley, who afternoon I had to spend some there is any truth in the rumour that nanny goat. He thinks now arrived to start work as a railway the company is to have the follow­ Drive. ways at the age of 24. He started at The Rev. T. Witham, who gave time following a United bus which that it may be this 7s. 6d. porter about the age of 17, with a ing slogan painted in big letters on 19. Jumble Sale. Newgate Chapd Barnard Castle and also spent his each labouring family in Lartington appeared to be completely empty. animal which has kept him reputation for gambling on Cock- all its buses—“United we stand, Schoolroom. last working years in the town, with and Cotherstone a load of coal at It did not even have a number or going strong tor another field Fell. After talking to Mr For­ subsidised we move.” spells in between at Scorton, Rom­ the start of the winter, has within place name indicated at the rear to 19.20. Evening of Comedy, Tees­ eighry years! ster he took an interest in the It would be a good slogan for all aldkirk and Cockfield. He retired in the last few days given each family show what service it was. It dale School, Barnard Castle.. ihe goat, and the gallons of its church and eventually preached at the staff to wear as well, so perhaps 1949. a second load. stopped at the first bus stop in 19. C oncert and Dance, Bowes milk which he drank, can certainly chapels in the dale. Later he became United will have it made into None of the Forster family had Gainford and I was able to get and Gilmonby Parish Hall. have done him no harm. He is fit an Anglican minister and was ap­ badges which can be pinned to their done any preaching or public speak­ The ironstone works of Messrs past. 20. Coffee Morning and Bring and and active at 87, and he has a pointed vicar of Charlton in Wilt­ jackets. ing as far as George could find out Pease at Park End, Middleton-in- I had to stop just along the Buy, Congregational Hall, Bar­ 2 memory that would be remarkable shire. JAMES McKILE. (and he checked back as far as he Teesdale, are now opened out, and road and when the bus passed me nard Castle. T«l for a man of any age. could) before he went into the pul­ Another convert was Rhoda Dent Barnard Castle. large quantities of iron ore are ; e- I saw that it was in fact a normal 26. Barnard C astle R.A.O.B. Mr Forster, of 17 Woodlands of Bowes, who became a successful pit himself in 1911. ing sent by rail from Middleton service bus on its way to Barnard Jumble Sale. Road, Barnard Castle, lived with his He reckons that since then he has evangelist. She married one of her station. Castle. There appeared to be two sister and parents on their little many converts, Emold Dixon, who covered well over 80,000 miles to passengers up near the front, March farm at Bail Hill, Romaldkirk, preach. He went round on a push is now a minister at Paulton near Clover and meadow hay at £6 though there might have been three W h i t e h a l l when he used his whole fortune to bike for the first few years, then Bristol. at the most. 10s. per ton and oat straw at £4 per d e m a n d s 3. Bowes Agricultural Society buy the goat from Adam Lee, fath­ after his marriage went by pony and Apart from preaching regularly at This is by no means an uncom­ ton, delivered anywhere on the rail­ Supper Dance, Bowes Parish er of Ben Lee who runs a fish busi­ trap with his wife to some chapels. all the chapels in Teesdale and mon sight. Most of us have seen a t h e p r o f i t way route, are being offered Hall. ness in Barnard Castle. Then 50 years ago he took out a Weardale, he has visited many United bus at some time with only through Mr Anthony Dent of Rom­ Your reader who wrote so bitter­ 4. Barnard Castle Ladies:’ Circle “It was a really grand goat,” he driving licence and got a motor others ranging from Newbiggin in one passenger or none at all. It is aldkirk. ly last week about the £400,000 Fashion Show by B.B. Boutique recalls. “For two or three years 1 cycle. He later added a side-car, and Northumberland to St. Ann’s ip little wonder that money is lost surplus made by tlhe United Auto­ King’s Head Hotel, Barnard just about lived on its milk. It gave Teesdale, and in fact all over the then in 1928 bought a motor car. Lancashire. on this country service. Fares for sea passages to the mobile Company, and their dis­ Castle. a lot but my mother would not use North. He’s had one ever since (the present At times, in the severest of wint­ We cannot in fairness blame United States are announced: Cab­ appointment at no* achieving an 5. Women’s World Day of Prayer, it for anything but coffee and milk He has also done without notes at one is his 17th) and he’s never had ers he has battled his way through United for the fact that so few in passage from £15 15s., including even larger surplus, did not Barnard Castle Parish Church. puddings, so 1 used to drink it all. the scores of talks he has given ;.o an accident or been on a driving to chapel to find congregation of people want to travel, but at the provisions. Limited number of pas­ mention one important fact. 5. Dance, Y.F.C., Barnard Castle. I’ve often thought that my good clubs and groups about Teesdale charge. only two. But he has never, as some same time it is only right that some sengers in each steamer from £9 9s. 5. Lawn Tennis Club Jumble Sale, Pi health might be due to all that history, and at the many lectures » e Despite the tough Teesdale wint­ preachers have done, found any service should be continued for This company is not run by including beds, bedding and all Congregational Hall, Bd. Castle m ilk.” has given on poetry, especially that ers, he has only failed to turn ip chape] still snowed-up and deserted. profit-hungry businessmen, as your necessary utensils, dining apart those one or two people who want 6. Jumble Sale, Village Hall, His good health has helped him of his favourite, Burns. for four services at which he was Mr Forster was married in 1916 reader implies, and they are not out from steerage. to make a journey. Cotherstone. to lead a really busy life as farm “I just have an idea at the start due to preach. Three of them were in and has been a widower since 1957. Would there not be a large to make themselves rich at the 18. Coffee Evening, Highficld, worker, railway signalman, lecturer,| about what I'm going to talk about, 1947, when for weeks it was impos­ His daughter, Mrs Bessie Capstick, saving by using much smaller expense of the travelling public. 50 YEARS AGO Darlington Road, Bamafd story teller and lay preacher, and and I'm luck enough to be able to sible to travel at all, and he missed lives at Bishop Auckland. buses at some times of the day? They are civil servants and they Castle. thanks to his memory he can give remember all the details as I go the one other in the previous 35 He has no real idea of why e Trade was excellent at the local' A mini-bus for eight to twelve take directions from the Govern­ 12. Jumble Sale, Parish Hall, Bar­ an astonishing number of details along,” he says. “I don’t suppose years. started preaching, except that one mart this week for finished cattle, “>ar.sengers would be more than ment in London, as do all other nard Castle. about people and events. I would be able to use notes now, “I’ve always just set out, no mat­ day he “got the call.” which made £5 5s. to £6 per cwt. adequate very often, and surely it operators of transport companies Later this year he will complete even if I wanted.” ter what the weather, without think­ He has no plans now to sit back live weight. Sheep made 2s. 4d. per which are owned and controlled 19. Woodland Agricultural Societ/ would be much- cheaper to run than Annual Supper and Dance,4 sixty years* service as a lay preach­ He can still reel off the names of ing how I was going to get to any and stop visiting so many chapels lb. these large buses for 50-odd pas­ by the State. Bishop Auckland Town Hall. er. Y ou get a good example o f Lis all his pals at Romaldkirk School— chapel or get home,” says Mr For­ at the end of his sixty-year stint. He Bach year the Government sets sengers. 89. Jumble Sale, Congregation Hall. memory when you ask him where of whom, alas, only his good friend ster. “I’ve often enough had to dig has a busy diary and preaching The new silver coins which are i i It seems such a waste to drag out a profit target for the United This figure is based on i *9- Whist Drive and Dance, Bowes . and when he started. Without hav­ Charlie Jackson of Middleton-in- myself out of a drift, but I’ve always dates fixed up for the rest of this circulation have not escaped critic­ these empty seats all over Teesdale company. Hand Gilmonby Parish Hall. ing to stop to think he replies: It Teesdale is still alive. got there and back, and never taken year. His one rule is that he can't ism, although generally speaking riving a fair return for capital em- I so regularly. As I have a brother 16. Jumble Sale, Catholic Hall. was on 25th October 1911 at Win­ As he talks about his early days, any harm. Having to get through add any new chapels to his list, bs they have been kindly received. The who is a bus driver and who might I ployed. A large proportion of the 26. Concert, The Bell Family,- ston Methodist Church. A Sunday when so many families around bad weather is part and parcel of he has plenty of “old friends” »o coinage is about 50% poorer in be embarrassed by my “interfer­ surplus is paid in tax in the same Eggleston Methodist Chapel. afternoon service, 2—3 p.m. My Mickleton and Romaldkirk were preaching.” keep him going. silver. ence” 1 will sign myself: [way that private companies pay Concert by Newcastle Keel Men text was . . .” living in poverty, he quotes word- During his railway years his pals It is typical of George Forster tax. Another large share of the MOTORIST. Wesley Church, Middleton-in- Because of his fine memory, re perfect verses to illustrate Lis were always helpful in arranging that when anyone describes him f»s Mr R. T. Richardson was in the money goes into providing new (name and address supplied) Teesdale. has never needed to use notes at points. Sunday shifts to let him get away remarkable, he shifts the credit on chair for the annual meeting of buses. 29. Lartington Methodists—Concert any of the hundreds of services 1 e He remembers the exact dates of to preach. to the goat he bought eighty years stint owners of Bowes Regulated By giving United a surplus target by Teesdale Male Voice Choir. has conducted at chapels all over all the events he has been involved He believes he has converted 38 ago for three half-crowns. Pasture. It was decided to ask for that must be aimed for each year, the ling to be burned in February ihe Government ensures that it is R* A Pleasant April and March instead of autumn. run as efficiently as possible. Any f, \ lr'5' S u r p r i s e modem private company has to 9. Badminton Jumble Sale, Parish At the annual Greta Bridge brew- for Visitor have this same sort of target each Hall, Barnard Castle. <§> | ster sessions it was reported that year if it wants to make any head­ 16. Jumble Sale. Congregational there were 24 fully licensed houses [ must confess that I had never way. Hall. ' in the division. No proceedings I re Tales of Teesdale Told Anew aallv heard of the town of Bar- If United did not have these 23. Jumble Sale. Congregational were taken against licensees, and I naj-j Castle until I came here on targets, and was allowed to run at Hall, Barnard Castle. St there was no report of drunkenness, business for two days this week, a less if it wanted, all efficiency | 23. Whist Drive and Dance, Bowes IbutI UUt 1I haveUUIVQ beenl so impressed that would disappear, and the losses and Gilmonby Parish Hall. The monthly meeting of Middle- j j j bad A GHOST PAYS £1 FINE to write a word of ap- would, scon hi iremendcus. 30. Concert, Bowes and Gilmbriby I ton Parish Council, at which Mr 7.1I preciation U »x>- the local newspaper They would have to be paid by Parish Hall. Thomas Deighton was like many Windows were banged and rattled. They inspected the smashed glass. IR. Gowling presided, decided to before leaving. the public and there would soon other Teesdale farmers when it came Occasionally there was a scream. At Sergean; Taylor came up with a | press the county council over land | j~he standard of building in the Lej be an outcry. Surely it is better to May. mo to ghost stories. By day, he was far times there were sobs and sighs. But theory that seemed elementary—as j for allotment gardens. main streets is exceptional; so ensure that the company runs at a Rei too sensible and hard-headed to be­ every time anything happened the all the glass was on the outside, he many of the houses and shoos have profit, and that the profit should be Spring Fair, Newgate Chapel; lieve them. But at times, for instance farmer rushed round the house and window had been smashed from the 30 YEARS AGO j a grace and dignity that is absent j as large as possible. School. We on a wild winter’s night, he liked saw nothing out of place. inside. Re< Mr E. Place presided at ihei from the glossy structures now be- j Anyone who does not agree nothing better. As if to convince everyone, he ers, This was the sort of thing that he j annual meeting of Middleton-m-J ing put up in London and other with this should not blame United. Then, with the wind whining smashed another window from the al i and his friends spoke about in their j Teesdale British Legion in the ciAcs,. The blame should be put on the round his house and the trees groan­ outside, and all the glass fell into ghost stories. They made out that j Cleveland Arms. Mr G. H. Wear- The old town hall is an outstand­ Government which gives the Toj ing outside the window, he would house. So the culprit had been spirits could do strange things, that mouth was elected chairman. ing feature in its own right; how orders. alt* huddle with his family and friends houses near at hand were haunted. inside all the time. But would inis wise your town elders must have FARES PLEASE. BARGAINS around a log fire in the kitchen. But in their own minds they knew not have been so if the culprit was, been to let it remain there in the Gainford. They would spend a happy hour The Cotherstone contingent of that none of this could be true . in fact, a ghost? the Home Guard had a pleasant middle of the road while other AT TATES or two, doing their best to frighten Taylor was not having any non­ or could it? evening at a dance arranged by the towns we. e sweeping away their themselves and each other with an sense like that. He began question­ 1NDESIT FRIDGES He and his eldest son began sit­ commandant, Mr G. M Pearson, I charming items such as this to give exchange of eerie tales. And often, ting up in turns at night, with a ing everyone in the house and more room to the motor car! H a p p y 334 gns* (save £5/15/0) when they moved away from the Startforth, assisted by his deputies. t t l loaded shotgun ready. At times checking exactly where they were Messrs F. J. Nevison and B. Stod- The castle ruins, set on that ♦ warm glow of the fire to the darker, they would hear strange bangings at the time of the smashing. F a c e s IN DESIT FULLY dart magnifiicent rock, arc as fine an chillier parts of the house, they The servant girl, 17 year old Mar­ AUTOMATIC WASHERS even while on guard, but as the asset as any historical town could Thank you for brightening up the J would feel a little uneasy. noises echoed round the old house garet Rowe, was brought in. She De Luxe. Only 69 gns. The Rev. N. C. Leece, curate oi possess. week with your photographs of so j The Deighton family, as it enjoyed it was impossible to tell exactly appeared terrified, as she always Romaldkirk, who has for some time In addition to what can be seen, many happy-looking children. In these occasional ghost-story evenings where they came from. did after one of the regular haunt- NEWHOLM ELECTRIC been associated with St. Cuthbert’s Barnard Castle has a “feel” of these days when there is so much in its kitchen at Winston, was no And then, most baffling of all, ings. But nobody could verify SEWING MACHINES Church, Cotherstone, has accepted tradition and character about it; bad news from many places, and different to most other families m windows began to be broken, as if where she had been a few minutes only 24 gns. the vacant living of Bowes. vou can sense that for centuries | everyone seems to have a grumble the area. Everyone looked on them by nothing at all. There would be a earlier. life has been lived to the full in about something, it is nice to see as harmless fun. crash, they would rush round look­ Also TVs, VACS, GRAMS The arrest Mrs Metcalfe and Mr J. M. Stab­ these streets, and in the fine solid that the youngsters at least haven’t ing for the window that had been houses. No Deposit-2 years to pay Sudden trouble The sergeant had a lot of expe.i- ler arranged a military flag whist forgotten how to smile. broken, and then they would find It probably seems silly to people So when Thomas Deighton arrived ence with wrong-doers.- He had drive in the reading room in aid of Let’s hope you print a lot more the shattered glass, with nothing in Barnard Castle that a stranger at home one day from a short business dealt with many petty thieves in Lis Barnard Castle Mechanics’ Institute. of these happy young faces. School and nobody near it. should come here for a day or trip, and was told that his house had The Deighton children began time, and he knew when they were days are the happiest days. The Bro. William Peat was installed two and then write these things, TATES RADIO CO Ltd suddenly become haunted, he sleeping together in one room, with telling lies. As he spoke to young children may not realise it while W.M. of the Barnard Castle Lodge as they are so obvious to residents 16 MARKET PLACE thought only one thing: that his ’eg cudgels by their sides, and with a Margaret Rowe, he was convinced in their classrooms but the older of Freemasons, the ceremony be­ and visitors alike. was being pulled. His wife and lamp on all night. Their mother she was the “ghost” who was haunt­ they get the truer they will find this BARNARD CASTLE ing conducted by W.Bro. F. I. But I felt I should write them saying. children tried to convince him that began talking ~ moving away. ing farmer Deighton. He arrested Tel. 3277 strange things had happened on the her. Nevison and other past masters. as I had no real idea of what or GRANNY. But Thomas Deighton, still sure where Barnard Castle was, and all nights he was away, but he wasn’t that there must be some earthly She collapsed to the floor, shriek­ Barnard Castle. going to be fooled. ing, screaming and kicking. The this came as an enormously reason for it all, called in the police. H o u s e F ire pleasant surprise to me. 1 shall That night he had just settled into He went to Supt. Thompson, head Deighton family thought they Firemen dealt quickly with a fire make a point of telling as many bed when he heard a faint wailing of the Barnard Castle division— recognised those screams as the in a radiogram in a house in High people as I can in other parts of noise echoing round the house. He who, as it happened, was dealing same ghostly noises tha£ had terri­ Row, Gainford. on Sunday. They the country about Barnard Castle. and his wife sat up in bed, his wife with two murder cases within six fied them for so many weeks. prevented the flames from spread­ J. VEITOH. clinging on to him in fear, while miles of the Deighton farm at the Later she calmed down, and when ing and causing much damage, and Easter Drylaw Drive, they strained to hear more clearly. time—the summer of 1875. she was alone with Constable Hann T h e ft But there was only silence. she admitted to him that she had nobody was hurt Edinburgh 4. They were about to settle down House watched been secretly causing the trouble for again, almost convinced that the After these cases ended with two several months. Teesdale Mercury noise had been a trick of the wind, people being executed, Thompson But why? Earlier that year VICAR GIVES VIEWS ON BUSES when the stillness was shattered by was able to give more thought to Thomas Deighton had prosecuted a Shop The Rev. John Gibson, Vicar of He points to the fact that few a blood-curdling scream. Deighton the Winston ghost. He decided to local man for trying to stab his son. Ingleton. enters the controversy people in his parish want to travel sprang from his bed. His wife, too have the house watched. This man’s mother had then con­ fn about the United bus services in the to Crook. A service from Darling­ scared to be left alone, clutched his At times, when a policeman was tacted Margaret the servant girl, fn ton to Evenwood, Cockfield and on arm and went with him. hiding outside or in the house, and persuaded her to break the area by writing about them in the DON’T FORGET February edition of his parish to Staindrop, connecting with the They lit all the lamps and went banging or wailing would be heard. windows and generally annoy the 7 * newsletter. service 75 (Barnard Castle to Dar­ round the house, but none of the But Thompson was not convinced household. Margaret had been VALENTI NE’S DAY iSsi/Ui lington) might suit them better. children appeared to be awake. The that this was some supernatural cul­ promised a lot of money, but He says that people in the village are grateful for the reprieve that has If this arrangement was made, servant girl was also curled up in prit. He ordered the watch to con­ though she had made a thorough THIS SUNDAY j says Mr Gibson, people wanting to Ray her bed. After checking that all the tinue. job of terrifying the family, she had been granted to Ingleton, following doors and windows were locked, On the night of 5th October 1875 not been paid. the council decision to subsidise the travel to the Aucklands would be 1 1 route on which it stands. able to change buses at Evenwood. they went off to bed, but they slept Thomas Deighton went to Gainford She was brought up in court at SEE OUR little. and returned home in mid-evening Barnard Castle the next day, 6th But he points out that this He goes on to suggest that if this reprieve is only temporary, as the type of service was provided it Next day farmer Deighton went with a friend. About 9-30 p.m., not October, charged with wilfully dam­ LARGE SELECTION round all his buildings looking for long after he got home, the banging aging the window. She pleaded not question of whether the services might also save the county educat­ a sign of an intruder. There was started on a window. Then there guilty, saying she was just as terri­ should be subsidised will arise ion authority from having to pro­ OF none and his animals did not appear was a crash as the glass shattered. fied of the strange noises as anyone again next year. vide buses for children going to to have been disturbed. He began Deighton and his son both grabb­ else. She was found guilty and fined In the meantime, says the Vicar, schools in Barnard Castle' and VALENTINE CARDS thinking of a feasible exp.lanatibn ed double-barrelled shotguns and £1. the whole question of the frequency Staindrop. for the wailing and scream . dashed towards the source of the Thomas Deighton was given «he of the buses, and the routes they The Vicar also makes a sug­ could one of the children have banging. They met, coming from the court’s permission to break Mar­ take around the district, should be gestion about fares, on a point made the noise during g.nigbtmgr.e.?. other direction, two policemen who garet’s employment contract and closely examined. which has been causing annoyance 24 Market Place In the nights that followed more had been hiding outside watching sack her. As she went away from In his opinion the Ingleton resi­ to a number of Ingleton people. strange things happened. A tap-tap­ the house and who had also heard the district peaceful nights returned dents would be satisfied with one He thinks there should be some Barnard Castle tapping sounded round the house. to Winston. bus every two hours, or an even less adjustment so that people travelling the smashing—Sergeant Taylor and Telephone 2140 Constable Hann. frequent service, rather than the from Ingleton to Darlington do not two buses every three hours which have to pay the same ts those pass through at present. travelling . from West Auckland and Evenwood to Darlington/