Red Row Picture Hall
 

My Grandfather, John Kellett, lived in Red Row with his family until the early 1930s. He was a deputy overman and shotfirer at Broomhill Colliery. He was also a founding owner, in 1913, of the Red Row Electric Palace, which became the Red Row Picture Hall in 1923. His partners were John Bell and Thomas Gibson.
In 1914, despite being over-age and exempt from military service because he was a coal miner, he volunteered for the Army and in 1915 went to France with the 14th Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers. He was awarded the Military Medal, in recognition of which he was given an engraved gold pocket watch by the Broomhill and District Heroe's Fund. He was wounded and captured by the Germans in May 1918, spending the last seven months of the war in Gothenburg POW camp.
After the war he returned to Red Row and continued to operate the Picture Hall until 1931 when he sold his share in the business and moved the family to Chester-le-Street, where his son, my father George Kellett, started a building and contracting business.

"11914 L./C. J. Kellet, North'd Fus. (Broomhill)."

London Gazette 12th December 1917. 100 years and 5 days ago?

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...pplement/13014

Don't think we've come across this chap before?

Did you find out what the events were that won the medal?
I think that publication date is a little early for Passchendaele

11914 L./C. J Kellett
 

My grandfather never disclosed what he did to earn the Military Medal. I personally asked him about it and he deflected my questions. It was probably won at The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde or The Second Battle of Passchendaele - all of which involved the 14th Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers in 1917.
After the war he became a fierce competitor in the annual leek show which I believe was held at the Red Row Working Men's Club. According to family legend he won so regularly he was made a judge, to eliminate him from the competition.
Do you know what caused the eventual demolition of the Picture Hall? Was it the same fire as that which destroyed the Grey Arms?

Then and now Red Row
 

Taken 2yrs ago, maybe the 60s the old one

Rather sad. Like it the way it was. :(

Can you remind me what this one was in its heyday (next door to the old Country Parks pub):


http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-...-52779807.html

Wasn't that a butcher's shop on the left corner?

Re. Butchers shop.
 

Yes Janwin, right again. It was all part of the Central Store complex, the Head Office of stores at The Drift, Red Row and North Broomhill. (I am not sure if it had closed prior to Hadston Co-op opening in what is now The 'Tute on Druridge Avenue.
Re The central Hall, I was introduced to Jackie Milburn, circa 1954, when he came for a presentation ceremony. (Almost my total claim to fame. lol)

The Co-op Red Row
 

The Co-op and the Primrose Hall. No date, not sure if it was called the Primrose Hall when this was taken

When I lived at the Warkworth house hotel, we were good friends with "Jimmy and Leila Bruce", they had the Harbour fish bar, at least 71 to 76, she was Italian, and was told off my dad, she was related to Sir Charles Forte, the hotelier, he was of Scottish decent, I think

Peter

I went to school,, Allendale Middle school. the lad I knew there (as we were both boarding) was a Michael Manders, so Stuart must have been his father. I remember he was the person to get me to go to the same school as his son. He had a new Audi 80, then

Michael Manders was the last person in the Manders family to run the amusements in Amble. I was suprised to see nothing left of the site . There building chalets there now I think . Michael in still in the area but not in Amble.

My memory is failing me, OF course it was Michael that I went to school with, he is a few years older than me. I remember him buying part of my train set from me, when we lived at Warkworth

The general store up from Nardidi's was owned by Effie - can't remember the surname. Her husband was Wilf. Just remembered. Effie Erskine.

Erskins shop had 2 entrys .main one at the front and the other from the back yard.

Morpeth Herald November 1919 Red Row Picture Hall
 

In 1919 three lessees of the Electric Palace Theatre were fined £10 each when in breach of the loathsome Entertainment Tax Act of 1916 where a percentage of each ticket sold went in tax. This tax was finally abolished in 1960

Betty Mackenzie
 

Is Betty still about?? Where does she live?? I was engaged to her in the 50's but alas it fell through and I often wonder how she was.

My father , Hylton Young , used to describe his childhood in Amble thus , ” I was the luckiest lad , as my Uncle John ( Young) owned the picture hall in Red Row in the 40s , and my best mate , La Craiggs, his Dad owned the buses , so we would go to the pictures for free whenever we wanted ..... !” Simple pleasures ....

I also have memories of the infant school , as my Grandma , Annie Young from Amble , was deputy head there . I have vague memories of going with my Granda , Norman Young, to pick her up after school, and meeting Miss Bell the Headteacher. Decades later , it was quite a shock to see the school had become a garage .

Hylton also used to say that when he was a kid , (30s and 40s) he and his Amble pals wondered whether , one day , Amble would grow to the extent that it would join up with Radcliffe , North Broomhill etc ...... they weren’t far wrong were they , even if it is the 2030s , 2040s or 2050s before it actually happens .....

Red Row Bakery
 

Who owned the bakery which was behind the shops at RedRow next to the big school?

Corner Shop
 

A photo of my dad outside the 'Buffs' (though my memory may be faulty)
with Hetheringtons on the other side of the road.

Red Row Bakery
 

Hi

I am trying to find some history about the bakery too. Does anyone know anything or have pictures?

It is now a large house.

TIA

Gary