Eddy Huntington talking about Keith Woodhouse

28.07.24

In Peterlee’s early days, there was such a growing population, and Keith encountered many people.
He baptised and confirmed me in Peterlee, and I helped Keith run the Church’s Youth Club both as a
part of it and for the group after I had left. I was proud to have him as the best man at my wedding. My
wife’s father is a Pastor, but Keith was my best man, so I didn’t get married at St Cuthbert’s, but we got
around it that way. Keith was also a godfather to all of my children.

Keith was born in Mansfield, Nottingham, at a big hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield. He came to Peterlee
as an ordained priest and quickly became part of the community. He was a curate in Stockton-on-Tees
and Manchester before he came to Peterlee to be a vicar. He was at St Cuthbert’s from 1964 to 1999
before he retired. He was given an award to celebrate 35 Years of Community Service. He went to
Washington as a retired vicar just to help out and soon became part of their wider team. He did much
work in Washington until he fully stopped his ministry. He was Rural Dene, now known as Area Dene
of Easington, which includes Peterlee, who also looked after all of the Parishes in the area.

He was involved in all the schools in Peterlee, both primary and secondary, including the former
Grammar School in its day. He used to judge prizes at the Labour Club and was involved with the
Rotary Club. He also went on to become an honorary canon of Durham Cathedral, where he joined
the rota to lead services there. Over the years, he’s met some interesting people. He met Cliff Richard
when he was in Manchester. The Queen came to Peterlee. She came to the Church, and Keith said
Prince Philip was amused by the triangle shape of the font and wondered if we had strange-shaped
baby heads in Peterlee. (His humour will never die).

There was always a celebration at the Church. He used to celebrate midnight mass, and he’d get up,
do his service at midnight and then do two more services on Christmas morning. He was skilled at
youth work and trained all the curates to lead it; some went on to specialise in it. Within the youth
groups, not many were churchgoers, but that didn’t stop them from attending and enjoying the Youthie
[Youth Club].

Keith had strong relationships with the Methodists and Catholics. He’d go to Peterlee Carnival with the
Church and was involved in the Carnival Queens, like Miss Crimdon and Miss Peterlee. It was very
much a part of the community in those days.

He was very good at visiting people’s houses and was very much a part of the community. My family
weren’t churchgoers, but he used to call and check in on us. He would go around all of Peterlee,
whether you were churchgoers or not. If you were baptised, he felt it was important to check-in. All the
curates would have house visits, too. He trained 18 curates in his time at Peterlee. When the new
curates came to town, Keith would send them out into the community. You’d see them going past on
their bikes – Keith had a motorbike in his early days. My parents never went to Church. I did, with my
sisters. I was aware that Peterlee and Keith did a lot for me growing up, and I always wanted to give
back.

We’re not blood-related, but Keith is like family. When I was 18, I moved to London, and he came to
ensure I was alright. He bought some furniture for me and checked I had everything I needed – things
above and beyond anybody’s duty. We’ve always kept in touch and checked in. My kids have always
called him Uncle Vic. Vic for Vicar. So they think of him all as family.

Woodhouse Park in Peterlee was named after Keith when he retired. There were hundreds on the
Church’s electoral roll. When I was a teenager, Keith knocked on my door and asked to speak to my
parents. He said I was at an age where I could become an Altar Server. Brian, down the road, was in
the Choir. We were all caught up somewhere. Keith lived in Cumbrian Way first and then moved into
the house attached to the Church. He lived there for many years, and it’s been rebuilt since. So he
was always at the centre and convenient for the community. Anybody who was passing could knock,
and he was there at all times for the community.

Keith even got me free tickets for the Eurovision Song Contest in Norway (1986), so I flew to see it. He
had so many contacts and still has an amazing memory for all of the inhabitants’ past and, more
recently, of Peterlee.