2 December 2025: Commemorative Wall: Update
The grant application was successful. Weather permitting, we will commence next year.
PAST EVENTS
27 & 28 SEPTEMBER: THE RANDOLPH COMMUNITY CENTRE, EVENWOOD
“COAL & RAILWAYS IN THE GAUNLESS VALLEY”
Together with the Gaunless Valley History Trust, we held an exhibition to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. We were delighted with numbers and the response. 16 September – we hosted a guided walk along the Haggerleases Line from Spring Gardens to Ramshaw and again, we were pleased with the turn out. Thanks to all who attended.
21 & 22 JUNE: PARISH HALL: The NOW & THEN display was held using the many old views and our newly acquired archive of aerial photos from 1964. Liam Dobinson helped us with this project by taking some aerial photos to compare with the 1964 ones.
2025 MAY VE DAY 80: There was a small display in the foyer of the Randolph Community Centre which commemorated VE Day. Not forgetting that the Evenwood Cemetery Volunteers who have done a tremendous job around the cenotaph.
2025 MARCH:
Sadly, we have to announce the passing of 2 of our members, George Green and Jill Swinbank. Our condolences go out to Jean and Dave.
George attended Ramshaw School, married Jean (nee Watson) many years ago and they ran a fishing tackle business at Gainford then Darlington. George and Jean have been great supporters of our efforts since we began.
Jill, from West Auckland, worked at Evenwood (C. of E.) Primary School, what seemed like forever until retiring a couple of years ago. Many pupils and teachers will have come across her indomitable spirit and can-do attitude.
Both were a mine of information, would help our group “at the drop of a hat” and both will be greatly missed.
15 & 16 MARCH: 160 SCHOOL DISPLAY & 50 YEARS OF EVENWOOD WEIGHTLIFTERS CLUB
We were delighted at the turn-out on both days. There was a great “hum of conversation” for much of the time. Thanks to John & Rebecca for their efforts and catering and everybody who attended.
18 October 2024: THE COMMEMORATIVE WALL: AN UPDATE
The history group is delighted to announce that we have received permission from the Cornerstone Christian Fellowship to erect a commemorative wall along the entrance to the sensory garden.
We believe that the foundation stone rescued from (the late) Russell Place’s yard belonged to the Primitive Methodist Chapel of 1860 which was the original chapel in Chapel Street. This became the home of the Evenwood Pentecostal Church, the congregation of which now forms the Cornerstone Christian Fellowship. It seems entirely appropriate that this foundation stone will be incorporate into the design.
The wider purpose is to pay due respect to the many people from our area who worked in the construction industry. What better symbol than the humble brick to represent the building trade? Bricks were manufactured locally at Hilton Tarn brick & tile works, Evenwood Gate brick & tile works, Randolph brick works and at Butterknowle brick works. Most bricks have the manufacturers name or a unique mark on the bed of the brick. We would lay the bricks to form panels and expose the names. Other reclaimed bricks would be used, incorporating brick piers for structural support. Below is an image of what the brick panels will look like.
We have already received a good number of bricks. Thanks to those who have donated them – Graeme Lamb, Jim Atkinson, John Weir, Billy Francis, Nigel Ord, Lee Sams, Malcolm Bainbridge, Kenny Bowen, Carina Parmley, Russell Bell, Phil Metcalf, Julie Anne Sixsmith, Joseph Maddison, John Teesdale, David Swinbank, Lou Carruthers, Brian Hutchinson, Ian Hutchinson, Evenwood Cricket Club, Jeff & Paula Leonard and Peter from Station Terrace (Ramshaw).
We may need more. If you can supply old, reclaimed bricks then we would be pleased to have them. If we get too many, we would use them to form a pathway. Nothing would be wasted.
We propose the provide a numbered plan with notes relating to the brick manufacturers and those who have helped with the project.
6 August 2024: EVENWOOD WAR MEMORIAL
After 100+ years, the war memorial was suffering from discolouration probably as a result of the build-up of algae from the surrounding trees. ER&DHS received a grant from our 2 County Councillors, Robert Potts and James Cosslett, to pay for a facelift. Specialist monumental sculptors, William Allison & Sons were contracted to power wash the memorial. Care was taken not to damage the stonework or the lettering.
Thanks to Aline Waites for organising the project and our 2 local councillors for securing the finance.
Prior to this, another improvement had been fashioned by Joe Said – a metal rail surround to the base which will keep in place the wreaths and crosses.
Thanks to all concerned.
About Evenwood, Ramshaw and District History Society (ERDHS)
Evenwood, Ramshaw and District History Society (ERDHS) is a voluntary, non political organisation with a constitution, membership and officials. We are open for all to join regardless of age, gender, ethnic origin, disability or whatever and all are welcome. We do not hold charity status. We are a non-profit making organisation. Any funds we do procure will be ploughed back into our society for the benefit of our local community.
Our aim is to collect documents, stories, photos, images and objects in order to pass on memories and artefacts to the generations that follow. We organise displays and exhibitions to share our findings to all. Many people have allowed us to copy photographs, documents and articles in the knowledge that they would be used for display purposes. We would like to thank them publicly here although, in many cases, we can not identify the actual person who loaned the artefact.
We are based at the Randolph Community Centre, Evenwood. Our officials are:
Chairman: Kevin Richardson
Secretary: Jackie Dodds
Treasurer: Brian Carter
Committee Members: Philip Walker; John Bogle; Jean Green; Robert Linsley, Joan Rutherford, Joan and Dave Evans, Aline Waites, David Swinbank, Graeme Lamb, Liam Dobinson.
We meet every Tuesday at 10.30am at the Randolph Community Centre. Why not call in for a chat and a cup of tea. We’ll try to get John to bake some of his excellent cheese scones! If demand requires it, we can meet on evenings.
If you can contribute with information then, please do so.
1) By email: K.Richardson2022@outlook.com
2) On the Facebook page: I Come From Evenwood and Ramshaw – post on the ICFEAR Facebook page. This Facebook account is not under the umbrella of ERDHS, it is a separate entity. In the past, historically related stories and photos have been posted by ERDHS members and many others. We understand that such contributions are welcomed by the admin team and long may this continue.
3) By hand: Randolph Community Centre. We meet every Tuesday between 10.30 and 12. John Bogle, manager of the Centre is always happy to receive artefacts on our behalf.
If you have any information to give, either correction of comments or additional details then please feel free to contribute. We’d rather have correct information than not.
If you intend to use any details, no problem but please acknowledge the source – Evenwood, Ramshaw and District History Society. If you need to see any referenced articles then please contact us and these can be viewed in the Randolph Community Centre.
NEW STUFF
It will take time to post a reasonable amount of information therefore, it may well be worth checking out the website from time to time. We will provide details of NEW POSTS in the NEW STUFF section.
Some Background to Our History Group
Randolph Coke Works closed in 1984 and this stimulated some interest in “times gone by.” The following year, a group of residents including myself, Mike English, Elsie Anderson, Bill Cowie, Jennie Heseltine, Nancy Bell with the help of the Wesleyan Chapel members, held a local history display over a weekend but such was the interest, it lasted the week. During the late 1980s into the 1990s, Durham University Department of Adult and Continuing Education ran a series of evening classes under the tutelage of John Smith in the Community Centre. The result was the publication of 2 books:
“Evenwood in 1851” 1990: Contributors were Elsie Anderson, May Birch, Tom & Rachel Bryce, Norma Clennell, Anne Davison, Raymond Gibson, Bernard & Joan Hannon, Jenny Heseltine, Judy Illingworth, Kathleen MacMillan, Eric Proud, Kathryn & Kevin Richardson, Valerie Walker, Bob & Nora Welford and Ian Welsh. Many of whom are now sadly departed.
“Evenwood’s Heyday: A Colliery Village 1896-1918” 1997: Contributors were Elsie Anderson, May Birch, Kathleen MacMillan, Kathryn & Kevin Richardson.
The history group in its present form was established by Brenda Robinson, Jackie Dodds, Brian Carter and Kevin Richardson. The ICFEAR Facebook page helped to rekindle interest and provided a platform for residents of the villages and those who had moved away to keep in touch and share memories. It followed that we should take advantage of this wealth of knowledge and form a local history society.
We had a desire to pay tribute to those on the Evenwood, Ramshaw and Lands War Memorial who fell in the First World War. With the 100th anniversary of the start of the war coming ever closer, we collaborated with the Gaunless Valley Local History Trust and others, to apply for Heritage Lottery Funding. It was necessary to formalise our group in order to attract funding. This was done and the result was the production of our film, “In the Pink” which was released in 2018.
Over the years, we have organised displays on various topics at various venues, we use our noticeboard on the Parish Hall (the former Church Hall) to display photos, produced a walks leaflet, we used ICFEAR to promote the 75th Anniversary of the end of WW2 and have produced a number of Photobooks. These books are held in the Randolph Community Centre.
The Future
We have to move with the times and take the next step to develop a website using the information we have collected over many years. This we will do but it is a “work in progress.” The Home Page illustrates a number of topics and within each we will attempt to post items in some logical order rather than posting unrelated photographs and articles. However, some sections will take the form of a hotchpotch of images. In launching the website, we have posted a limited number of items which need to be added to, such as – on many photos we need to identify people, provide dates and locations. This will take time and we invite others to help and get involved.
OTHER RECOMMENDED WEBSITES & ORGANISATIONS
COAL MINING
The DURHAM MINING MUSEUM is based in Spennymoor Town Hall and it is superb. We recommend a visit. It has loads of information on its brilliant website which can be found at:
We thank them for allowing us to use their research facilities.
LOCAL INFORMATION OF A GENERAL NATURE
The Fitzhugh Library at Middleton-in-Teesdale, run by volunteers, is an exceptionally helpful facility.
Also, we have to thank the Gaunless Valley History Trust, based at Butterknowle, for collaborating in many of our ventures. We share resources and information.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & REFERENCES
The following references have been used extensively. We acknowledge the work of the authors and thank them for their efforts.
LOCAL PUBLICATIONS:
Those mentioned above have been extremely useful. Both are now out of print.
“Evenwood in 1851” 1990: Elsie Anderson et al.
“Evenwood’s Heyday: A Colliery Village 1896-1918” 1997: Elsie Anderson et al.
Others are:
“Little Ireland: A Family’s Journey from Co. Sligo to Co. Durham” 2004 Philip Lees
“The Story of the Gaunless Valley: A North Pennine History” Niall Hammond, printed under the banner of the Gaunless Valley Heritage Landscape project
“The People’s History: Gaunless Valley” 2001 Tom Hutchinson
“The People’s History: Return to the Gaunless Valley” 2006 Tom Hutchinson
COAL MINING
“The Coalminers of Durham” 1992 Norman Emery
“The Collieries of Durham Vol.1” 1994 David Temple
“Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: An Industrial and Social History of the South West Durham Coalfield” 2015 Brian Turner
“Shafts of Light: Mining Art in the Great Northern Coalfield” 2022 Robert McManners & Gillian Wales
RAILWAYS
“Stockton and Darlington Railway 1825-1975” undated P.J. Holmes
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
“A History of OK Motor Services” 2007 David Holding
GENERAL INDUSTRY
“Who was Who in the Nineteenth Century Cleveland” 1997 David M. Tomlin & Mary Williams
FOOTBALL
“Northern Goalfields Revisited: The Millennium History of the Northern Football League” 2000 Brian Hunt
“The Miners’ Triumph: The First English World Cup Win in Football History” 2014 Martin Connolly
SCHOOLS
“A Lifetime in Schools 1910-1966 in Bishop Auckland, Crook, Wolsingham, West Auckland and Evenwood.” Barbara Laurie (undated, probably 1993)
SHOPS
“Bishop Auckland Industrial Co-operative Floor & Provision Society Ltd 1860-1910 Jubilee History”1910 T. Readshaw
GENERAL
“Bishop Auckland & District” 2018 Tom Hutchinson
EVENWOOD RAMSHAW & DISTRICT HISTORY SOCIETY 