Beamish Museum Rally - June 2019
What a surprise when we arrived, we were met by Robert and Bridget in costume befitting the ethos of the Beamish Open Air Living Museum of the North. There is so much to tell you – a wonderful site, so much to see in 4 days and a super rally with lots of happy events to keep us occupied in the evenings. The welcome “meet and greet” with 3 new ralliers and a guest was a huge success, not least because of Bridget’s homemade refreshments. There were a couple of new activities to try in the evening, one night was a “wellie wanging”
competition, I didn’t realize how many ways there were to throw a wellie and just how difficult it was. One evening there was a ‘fun mystery raffle’, we had been given a raffle ticket on arrival and different to the normal raffle, the prizes were all wrapped with written clues to the package contents, helping you to choose, e.g. ‘wobbly children’ was a packet of jelly babies and the top prize sussed out by Val Dobbins with the clue ‘time at Beamish’ leading to the lovely prize of a wooden clock, crafted by Robert with personalised Swift and Beamish logos.
One of the evenings’ highlights was a group meal at the local pub. Marilyn ordered a pasta dish, which when it arrived, she thought was for 2, then the garlic bread, followed by chips, followed by veg and then to be on the safe side more dishes of veg were scattered around the tables. My “small” mixed grill fed us both for another 2 days!! Apparently, they always have large meals to give them warmth in the winter, being so far north!!!!
The Museum, a 350 acre site, is an amazing place, we were told some buildings have been moved brick by brick from their original site and others are faithful replicas of their period. There is the 1900’s Pit Village, coal was king in the North East a century ago and the Pit
Village shows life in a mining community in the years leading up to the First World War. There is an 1892 school where reading, writing and arithmetic-the 3 R’s- were the basis of elementary teaching. Children learned by rote and repetition, a method which was still in use at my Junior school, I remember it well. At least a full day is needed to see everything here, the winding engine house and the demonstration of its working, was particularly interesting and of course the Pit Pony Stables with their occupants. Going down the mine where you were almost on all fours in the dark was a daunting experience.The 1900’s town was another full day, with the shops from the Co-op to the sweet shop (lots of tasty samples were tried here) the bakery, the smell telling everyone that the bread was ready. The Bank, Stationers, Printers, Masonic Hall, Sun Inn (serving real ale) and Town Stables, all enjoyable experiences, but the Garage!!!!! well, I thought it would be
best if we called back the next day to collect the menfolk – so enthralled were they.
However, there was still the 1940’s farm, 1820’s Pockerley Old Hall, 1820’s Pockerley Waggonway and the Railway Station from where you can take a steam train ride ( we did it twice).Despite the large area of the site, it is easy to get around using the free veteran trams and buses.
Our farewell, raffle and chat evening came around all too soon. We had all enjoyed such
a fantastic week of sights and activities. Many, many thanks to Robert and Bridget who
worked so hard to give us all such an enjoyable experience.
What a surprise when we arrived, we were met by Robert and Bridget in costume befitting the ethos of the Beamish Open Air Living Museum of the North. There is so much to tell you – a wonderful site, so much to see in 4 days and a super rally with lots of happy events to keep us occupied in the evenings. The welcome “meet and greet” with 3 new ralliers and a guest was a huge success, not least because of Bridget’s homemade refreshments. There were a couple of new activities to try in the evening, one night was a “wellie wanging”
competition, I didn’t realize how many ways there were to throw a wellie and just how difficult it was. One evening there was a ‘fun mystery raffle’, we had been given a raffle ticket on arrival and different to the normal raffle, the prizes were all wrapped with written clues to the package contents, helping you to choose, e.g. ‘wobbly children’ was a packet of jelly babies and the top prize sussed out by Val Dobbins with the clue ‘time at Beamish’ leading to the lovely prize of a wooden clock, crafted by Robert with personalised Swift and Beamish logos.
One of the evenings’ highlights was a group meal at the local pub. Marilyn ordered a pasta dish, which when it arrived, she thought was for 2, then the garlic bread, followed by chips, followed by veg and then to be on the safe side more dishes of veg were scattered around the tables. My “small” mixed grill fed us both for another 2 days!! Apparently, they always have large meals to give them warmth in the winter, being so far north!!!!
The Museum, a 350 acre site, is an amazing place, we were told some buildings have been moved brick by brick from their original site and others are faithful replicas of their period. There is the 1900’s Pit Village, coal was king in the North East a century ago and the Pit
Village shows life in a mining community in the years leading up to the First World War. There is an 1892 school where reading, writing and arithmetic-the 3 R’s- were the basis of elementary teaching. Children learned by rote and repetition, a method which was still in use at my Junior school, I remember it well. At least a full day is needed to see everything here, the winding engine house and the demonstration of its working, was particularly interesting and of course the Pit Pony Stables with their occupants. Going down the mine where you were almost on all fours in the dark was a daunting experience.The 1900’s town was another full day, with the shops from the Co-op to the sweet shop (lots of tasty samples were tried here) the bakery, the smell telling everyone that the bread was ready. The Bank, Stationers, Printers, Masonic Hall, Sun Inn (serving real ale) and Town Stables, all enjoyable experiences, but the Garage!!!!! well, I thought it would be
best if we called back the next day to collect the menfolk – so enthralled were they.
However, there was still the 1940’s farm, 1820’s Pockerley Old Hall, 1820’s Pockerley Waggonway and the Railway Station from where you can take a steam train ride ( we did it twice).Despite the large area of the site, it is easy to get around using the free veteran trams and buses.
Our farewell, raffle and chat evening came around all too soon. We had all enjoyed such
a fantastic week of sights and activities. Many, many thanks to Robert and Bridget who
worked so hard to give us all such an enjoyable experience.