Robert Bewley
Born in 1939, Robert Bewley grew up at No. 3 Burnopfield Road. His family lived on the top floor of the second tenement block which stood along from the bank which lead down to the Bottoms. In the sixties, Robert’s dad, Robert Bewley senior, who'd learned to cut hair in the army, ran a barber’s shop on Burnopfield Road. |
"Most men would back their horses then leave their bets with their wives to be collected later on by the bookie’s runner” he recalls.
Glenburn Terrace which stood by the railway line was also on Robert's round: "If I remember rightly, there were six houses in Glenburn Terrace; Mr. Balls who had the fruit and veg shop on Burnopfield Road lived in one of them and all the houses had a yard but no garden, there was a rubbish tip nearby".
Glenburn Terrace which stood by the railway line was also on Robert's round: "If I remember rightly, there were six houses in Glenburn Terrace; Mr. Balls who had the fruit and veg shop on Burnopfield Road lived in one of them and all the houses had a yard but no garden, there was a rubbish tip nearby".
THE GAMBLING SCHOOL
Gambling in many shapes and forms was invariably popular in mining communities for in addition to providing a little ‘side’ interest, it gave men a chance to come by a bit ‘pocket’ money as in most families, there was not much left after bills had been paid and food put on the table. |
As in most mining villages, there was a ‘gambling school’ in the Bottoms – not a building as such – just an area where men and young lads of working age would gather to ‘have a bet’.
“The gambling school in the Bottoms”, Robert recalls, “was along the field by the river. Gambling was illegal and there’d always be a look-out up on the top road, even though most people knew where the school was – most likely the local policeman too, but he probably just turned a blind eye. 'Pitch and Toss' - tossing coins and predicting the outcome - was a popular game::one day a man who’d been cheating and using a double-headed coin ended up in the Derwent – it was my dad who threw him in!”
“The gambling school in the Bottoms”, Robert recalls, “was along the field by the river. Gambling was illegal and there’d always be a look-out up on the top road, even though most people knew where the school was – most likely the local policeman too, but he probably just turned a blind eye. 'Pitch and Toss' - tossing coins and predicting the outcome - was a popular game::one day a man who’d been cheating and using a double-headed coin ended up in the Derwent – it was my dad who threw him in!”
A TRADGIC INCIDENT ON ‘THE FIELD’
The ‘field’, however, was also the scene of one incident which was particularly sad for Robert and his family, for it was right in the middle of the field, when returning from his shift at the pit one day that his grandfather, was killed during a storm - just yards from his home in Strathmore Terrace.
A bolt of lightning struck the watch Robert’s grandfather was carrying in his top pocket!
The ‘field’, however, was also the scene of one incident which was particularly sad for Robert and his family, for it was right in the middle of the field, when returning from his shift at the pit one day that his grandfather, was killed during a storm - just yards from his home in Strathmore Terrace.
A bolt of lightning struck the watch Robert’s grandfather was carrying in his top pocket!