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.