Saturday 16 August 2014

the one when we went to Beamish

Beamish the Living Museum of the North

Yesterday we visited Beamish and had a fabulous day looking around the museum, we were doubly lucky with the weather as we only had the occasional light shower.

There are many attractions at the museum and we started with a tram ride to travel to the 1900's town and  visited to the dentist's house, where we were informed that most of the equipment and tools today remain pretty much unchanged.



Then we visited the Piano Teacher's and Solicitor's houses followed by a quick look at the Sun Inn, Jubilee Confectioner's and the printer's/stationer's before a cup of tea in the Tea Room.

Once we'd had our refreshments we looked in the Garage where there were several cars and tons of tools and engines...



and the Co-Op Store's three departments: Hardware, Drapery and Grocery...



where there are so many products that are no longer in use but still within living memory that they bring to mind memories of the olden days...Virol anyone?

A quick stop at Herron's Bakery to see bread being made, the smell of fresh bread drawing in hoards of visitors. 


We then hopped on a tram to visit the 1900's Pit Village as grandson desperately wanted to visit the school.  The classrooms are set up to allow everyone to have a go at writing on a slate and to try pen and ink using old fashioned ink wells.
Outside of the school the playground was filled with children and adults trying to master a 'Booler' (a metal hoop and stick).  Grandson got the hang of it but I didn't manage to master it!


The promise of fish and chips nearby from Davy's Fried Fish Shop was enough to drag us away from school.  
Fish and chips cooked the old fashioned way on a coal fired range using beef dripping, yummy.  
You could have fish and chips or chips - no kebab, pizza, sausage, patty or burgers here...


Not quite served up in newspapers (apparently modern inks are the problem) but served in paper with no sign of polystyrene.
We then visited some of the miners' homes in Francis Street and had a good chat with one of the 'residents' who told us that up to 13 people would have lived in the house - how would we handle that nowadays with no mod cons or opportunity for privacy?

Before leaving we visited the fun fair to have a ride on the Merry-Go-Round and a go on the Coconut Shy...we didn't win a coconut but the horses more than made up for it.

A wonderful day out with lots more to see and do than we managed to fit in.  

We ran out of time to go down the mine or visit the 1940's farm, 1820's Pockerley Old Hall or manage a ride on a steam train at Rowley Station.  It's just as well our tickets allow us unlimited access for the next 12 months...we'll be going back soon I'm sure!

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