ww2 building? on amble links.

[george gray]

Im sure that this building will be recognised by some of our senior members,
but what was its function?
If im correct it stood somewhere along the links between wellhaugh and hauxley pit.
The photo was taken on a hot day in the early1950s I was digging around for old rubbish even then.
George Gray.ww2 bld.jpg

[Coquet]

There's a massive concrete floor eroding out of the dunes on the first part of the 'big shore' - I wonder if this is the same building? There is a glimpse of it on some postcards - I'll see if I can find something. Doesn't help identifying what it was though as it's always been a puzzle to me!

[Coquet]

is that it on the right?

[Coquet]

Not sure what that thing in the foreground is - one of the Wellhaugh gun auxiliary buildings I think.

[george gray]

Thats an interesting photo Coquet,
Apart from the gun emplacement building/sea view cafe building, and maybe a couple of pillboxes, I cant remember any other structure of that style along that stretch, so I feel thats the one, if so with steel doors like that it might have contained ammunition or something!
If thats the floor you mention, theres a fair bit of the dunes gone.
Regards,
George.

[Rodney Burge]

My dad used to say that it was an old isolation hospital or something like that. I think it was demolished during the 60s and a young boy was crushed under one slab of concrete.

[george gray]

Hello Rodney,
Good to hear from you,
Because there has been recent discussion on this site about the whereabouts of the isolation hospital, it crossed my mind that it could be that building
Your dad might have been correct.
Anyway, Im sure you and I probably climbed around it.
Regards,
George.

[Alan J.]

Yes I knew it as an isolation hospital but obviously of a more modern build than the one mentioned in a previous submission as the fever hospital. It was part of the army camp and was the very last building as you went toward the sandpit. It was gadually undermined by erosion until it was unsafe and as Rodney says it was finally demolished in the 60's.

[Morph]

If you look at the right hand side of the map on this link, it shows you exactly where the isolation hospital was http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/006706FS.htm.

Just below Turnaway Hill apparently!

[hollydog]

Originally Posted by Coquet

is that it on the right?

Am I right in thinking that the picture has Hauxley Colliery in the background (take a look at Billconn's album picture 37) in the background? or have I got this completely wrong as it is way before my time on this earth?

[Coquet]

Originally Posted by hollydog

I am I right in thinking that the picture has Hauxley Colliery in the background (take a look at Billconn's album picture 37) in the background? or have I got this completely wrong as it is way before my time on this earth?

Yes Hauxley colliery. It's been taken with a long lens compressing the depth of field, so everything looks lumped together. The photographer is probably just a hundred yards or so past Signal Cottage.

[hollydog]

Thanks Coquet, that explains it, thought I was going daft!

[leslie]

Brick building on links as I said in another thread one was in middle of caravan site along from sea view cafe . it was used as a shop by coulson . for caravans I remember this in fifties as a lad,it stood right on the edge of dunes almost used to collect the empty pop bottles laying round caravans and take them back there . he use to mark labels so he knew they had been from his shop, he had a fruit n veg business on main st and a travelling shop, , a path to left went down to beach , the sand dunes in that area were full of used rounds . from .22 to 303 . used to have biscuit tin of them collected as a lad ,

[billconn]

Originally Posted by Alan J.

Yes I knew it as an isolation hospital but obviously of a more modern build than the one mentioned in a previous submission as the fever hospital. It was part of the army camp and was the very last building as you went toward the sandpit. It was gadually undermined by erosion until it was unsafe and as Rodney says it was finally demolished in the 60's.

The Isolation Hospital was part of what was call Battery Camp, where there is now a small car park. All that area had buildings on prior to the 1953 storm which knocked a lot of the war time Nissan huts down. These huts and buildings were used as homes for returning servicemen and a lot of people from Amble were born down and lived down there. I have very fond memories of living there and what a great play area it was. Billy and Peter Hatch great friends also lived there with their Grandmother. In 1955 my family moved to Centre Row in Radcliffe where again I have good memories of.