It is worth loading this blurred photograph as it shows the original build of Milton Street. The small window behind Norman was the pantry window which had shelves where the food was stored. With no fridges in those days you can see some sort of ventilation in the frame. The next door house that you can see was inhabited by Mr & Mrs Dinning, and on the opposite side to Grandma was Beattie and Charlie Newland who had four sons John, Eric, Michael and Barry. Next to the Dinnings were Alf and Bessie Redman, and next to them were the Charlton's, Ethel and her mother.
Circa 1954 Back Yard 16 Milton Street - Dorothy aged 11, Norman aged 44 and Maggie Stafford aged 79 |
A recent picture of 16 Milton Street - a new window frame where the pantry frame was - the small coal house door on the outside wall, the coal house and outside toilet have all gone.
Norman is again a best man, this time for his best friend Jack Robinson, on this day Jack married Lilly, unfortunately I don't know the date. They lived in Greenside in either Meldon Terrace or Stanhope Street, opposite Greenside School. They had two sons Jeffrey and John.
Original Circa early 1940s Norman Best Man for his Best Friend Jack Robinson |
Restored slightly less blurred and less sepia |
Holiday with Jack, Lilly and John Robinson Circa 1963 on a caravan site in Devon (or Cornwall) |
Original photograph Norman in his early twenties outside his home 16 Milton Street |
Restored |
Norman and Jean never went abroad but visited many parts of Scotland and England because of his love of driving.
I have never met anyone who was as "happy with his lot" as my dad, as long as his wife, Jean, and bairns, Dorothy and Pauline, were fine, he was happy. However, he was politically and socially very astute, One of his many sayings was "you cannot fight the establishment." but he did try. Norman became "Union Man" fighting for the rights and jobs of the employees of the Venture Bus Company, I vaguely remember him travelling to Cirencester for training.
Like many ordinary working men, who retired in 1991, Norman's job wasn't 'pensionable' so Jean and Norman lived very frugally on the "Old Age Pension." until they died.
In 1991, at the age of 81, Norman died in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Gateshead through the effects of Lewy bodies Dementia.
By this time, his wife Jean had died, but thanks to his caring sister Eleanor (Eleanor and Norman had seen each other every day of their lives until the day he died). Norman was a difficult patient. He was still well cared for and was able stay at home for some time, before he was taken into a very uncaring hospital. It was a relief to us all that he was no longer left suffering.
I am forever grateful to Aunt Eleanor for allowing me to continue to work. With sharing the onerous job of caring for Norman between us, we became very close
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