St Cuthbert’s Church
One particularly fond memory I have from my tenure at St Cuthbert’s is New Year’s Day in 2016, when I went for a sponsored dip in the sea at Whitley Bay with members of the community. I love the water. That’s where I feel nearest to God. I swim regularly, especially sea swimming, regardless of the temperature. On this occasion I roped in our church wardens and members of the choir and servers. We were all robed-up in our ecclesiastical gowns.
The sea may have been cold, but it was bracing. Getting out of our cold wet robes on a windy north-east beach was, well difficult! So the hot broth and buns on our return was welcome. It really was a memorable day and I think we raised around £5,000 in sponsorship for our desperately need roof repairs.
Reverend Elaine Jones
The ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone of the Parish Church of St Cuthbert’s in Peterlee was held on 7th July 1956, with the consecration taking place on 12th December 1957. Vicar at the time was the Reverend Theodore John Lee Warner.
Reverend Keith Woodhouse (front and centre) came to Peterlee as vicar of St Cuthberts Church in 1964. Retiring in 1999 he was the Parish’s longest serving vicar.
Reverend Reginald Beevers (centre). Back row, left to right: Eva Hunter, unidentified, Ena Raine, Olive Dutton, Audrey Hewitson, unidentified, Elizabeth (Betty) Brown, unidentified.
To raise funds for the Anglican Church building fund, we were given a card with eight pockets on the front. The pockets held one old penny and eight bought a brick. I used to run messages for my mother to the shops. In those days, while playing out, those that had very young, or no children would ask us to run a message to the shops. This was usually rewarded by a few coppers or in Mr. Thomas Illingworth senior’s case, who lived opposite us, a bright sixpence or even a shilling was the reward. This was the same as Miss Ellery, who was a teacher at the infant’s school. She gave piano lessons and later became head mistress of the Infants school. In those early days the message run was generally for cigarettes. Miss Ellery smoked Du Maurier, packed in an orange and silver flat box with a lift-up lid whilst Mr. Illingworth smoked Players Navy cut in a flat box. He would never have the “crushproof” packs as he said they did not taste the same. Miss Ellery always had a small tea trolley with the various denominations of coins in separate chocolate boxes on top. It was always at least sixpence or a shilling, sometimes two for going. Two shillings was big money, so the Church bricks got one and I spent the other shilling. Sweets were a rare treat in those days.
Reverend Beevers moved to a new position and was replaced by Reverend Warner. Rather young and full of ideas for raising the funds. He introduced a covenant to pledge five shillings a week. To most, this was not achievable and eventually this was dropped to two shillings and sixpence a week. My Father was one of the canvassers, treading the streets for pledges. Many could only manage one shilling a week. There was a meeting and Dad was told to go back to these people and refuse such a minimal amount. Dad was really upset with the Vicar, who had come from a richer parish in the Midlands somewhere and, was “High Church.” Dad went back round the people and gave them the news. At the next meeting, he resigned from the canvassing on the principle that every brick counted.
Bill Raine
After passing the 11+ I was given a place at Durham Johnson Grammar School, so everyday had to catch the bus from Robson Avenue, and later Crawford Avenue. John Hill, who got on the school bus at the same stop told me about the Boys Brigade. His parents ran it out of the Gym behind The Whitehouse. It was great, as my circle of friends expanded. Saturday mornings were band practice. This was at the old farm behind Manor Way. We called it Jacques’s Farm, after the old man who lived there. He was over six feet tall and quite gaunt, with a big flowing beard and piercing eyes. Probably due to the noise, band practice then moved to the field behind Morton Square. This expanse of cleared land used to have a farm close to where the Moorcock Pub now stands.