New Member
 

Hello All, My name is Jim Ross my family are from Red Row Chevington Drift and area, I used to visit my relatives in the Tin Potts! are they still standing? I live in Alberta Canada now, I emigrated as a coal miner to the Smokey River Mine in 1969

Hi Jim, welcome to the forum, we have a few Northumbrian miners on here but not many Canadian! 'Tin Pots' are long gone I'm afraid!

Tin Potts
 

I'm sorry to hear that they have gone, it sure is nice to hear that somebody still remembers them though. My cousin Ronny Morton used to live there I believe.

Tin Potts
 

He did Jim, along with his parents Jim and Peg and his sister Marilyn.
Don't think you will remember me, Derek Sillet, but possibly my brother Jack.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Tin Potts
 

Thanks for the reply Derek, sorry I don't remember you or Jack although the name Sillet does seem familiar, it must be more than 50 years ago now since we used to roam around that area, I did see Marilyn in Morpeth once when I was back on holiday (1975) I'm starting to get homesick these days I don't know why all of a sudden, I have an uncle Jack still lives in Red Row, I used to work in his garage on the Drift road, next to the blacksmith and the Willows, I remember one character by the name of Funny Willy he lived there.
happy days, so where do you live now? Happy Christmas to you and your family (are you still allowed to say that over there, it's taboo here now, not supposed to mention Christ any more, it's just happy holiday now hahahahah.

Re: Tin Potts etc
 

Hi again Jimmy. Thank you for the Seasons Greetings. Yes, we can still say that, at the moment, may you and yours have a happy Christmas too.
If you worked in the garage near The Willows you probably remember the surname because my Grandfather, Sam, used to have his invalid chair serviced there. He asked me to collect it for him after school once - nearly killed myself!
My wife comes from Amble. We have been married for 53 years now. I joined the RAF in 1959 and did 26 years. We now live in Norfolk but regularly head back to Northumberland. We still tell everyone we are going back home. So, you aren't the only one who longs for the old days, and it's trappings - both the area and the people are very special.
Obviously I haven't seen your cousins for some time. The last I heard of Ronnie he was working for a brewery and like a 'House end'! Probably the quota of free beer he got every day. Great job.
Once again Happy Christmas to you all.