Out and About at The Causey

(Since this short history of the Causey was penned changes will inevitably have taken place)

“I was the first pupil in that school.” This statement was made by ‘Tom Pharoah.’ When Tom said this he was in his seventies, my son Colin and middle daughter Lyn were among the last pupils.

The school and house are both standing, and are both good houses. The Tanfield School Board made a good job in picking this site, being central to a very large catchment area. The population of the Causey may have been small, but children came from up to two miles in each direction.

In the 1930’s and 40’s Mr Willan was headmaster. He was a very good headmaster,in the war years he often allowed the school to be used for social evenings, dancing etc. However, he left when the war finished and Mr Jack Atkinson came as headmaster.

If you travel South from the school you come to ‘Park Head Farm.’ It is about 200 yards from the school. Continuing in the same direction you come to the ‘Redrow.’ This was a row of 11 houses and a pub. There is only one house left and the pub. Just below the Redrow were the kennels, unfortunately these were pulled down and a new house took its place, ‘Plain Tree Farm’ then ‘West Lodge.’

Over Beamish Burn Bridge there were two more cottages and ‘Beamish Burn Farm.’ Up the bank and on the north side of the ‘Blue Bell Inn’ is ‘Park Nook Farm.’ The three Fosters girls travelled to school about a mile and a half, all the places were on a main road and they could catch a bus.

If the pointer goes clockwise, there would be ‘The Causey Dykes,’ ‘Causey Mill,’ ‘Causey Hall’ and ‘South Causey Farm.’ Moving clockwise again, there are the ‘Old Row,’ ‘Bridge End Farm,’ ‘Causey Row,’ ‘New Row’, ‘Bob- Gins’ and ‘Belle View.’ This short street is twelve flats , six at ground level and six above. About a mile and a half from the school, just below Eelleview was ‘Beckley Farm.’

Clockwise again we come to ‘Andrews House Farm.’ Then we come to ‘Bankwell House’ (pictured above). Across the rabbit banks we are at ‘Stable Row.’ This is also a mile off the school. Next was ‘Bowes Terrace,’ ‘Marley Hill Terrace,’ and ‘Gibraltar Terrace.’ These streets were known as ‘Andrews Houses.’ All of these houses were about one mile off the school.

The ‘Wood Cottages’ and ‘Burden Dene Cottage’ were also in this direction. The next was ‘Hedley West House,’ ‘Hedley Cottages,’ ‘Hedley Hall Farm’ cottages at ‘Birkheads.’

To the east of Beamish Hall and following the stream for almost a mile you come to Beamish Mill. Ronnie and Margaret Lowery lived at ‘Beamish Mill.’ From there to the Causey School was a journey of two miles.

Betty Dagg lived at ‘Coppy Farm,’ one end of the ‘Coppy Lane.’ The school was a mere half mile away, however on a wet, rough day it would be a long way. (Two thirds of these dwellings are demolished.)

THE CAUSEY ARCH INN (viewed in the distance from Causey Arch)

This is reputed to be the oldest building in the area, and perhaps would have been a farm long before the railway arch was built. Just below the railway crossing, if you look over the fence you would see ‘Short Rigends.’ The ridge and furrow system of farming was done in the sixteen hundreds. These ridge and furrows would run straight up to the Causey Arch building.

I don’t think that the public house would alter very much before the turn of the century. Pan tiles would give way to a slate roof. A flush toilet would go in during the 1920’s.

The pub did not belong to a brewery, but to the ‘Claveringe Estate,’ like the farms and cottages round about. The tenant would buy his beer from any brewery he liked.

Some people called ‘Carr’ were tenants before the first World War. However, in 1930 Douglas and Nora Watson took it over. Douglas worked at Andrews House Farm, then later got a job travelling for Jimmy Deuchers. (The exact spelling of this name is unknown, it is pronounced as Dukers.)

The new road was opened in 1932, this had to be a big improvement. After the war in 1946 the pub was sold to the tenant, Douglas Watson, for £5 600.

Alec Watson, Dougie’s brother, was starting a building business just after the 1939-45 war. Their home had been the Woodman’s Arms at Fellside, in Whickham. Alec pulled down a lean-to pan tiled stable on the South side of the Causey Inn and built Dougie a dwelling house. Nora and Douglas had a little boy in 1934 (appx), another Douglas Watson. In the early 1950’s Nora died. In about 1958 Douglas sold the Inn for £27,000.

The characters who drank there were a mixed lot, the most well known was Jack Cutter. Jack had been barred from drinking in all pubs in Stanley. The only place he could get a drink was the Causey Arch Inn. Cutter must have been 18 or 19 stone, his head was as big as a coal scuttle. With hard wooden pads attached, and two short crutches he used to walk about on his knees, his legs were useless from the knee down over. Jack’s means of transport was a grey pony called Dolly. About 12 hands high, and a tub trap. When I was about 13 years old I saw him come out of the Causey Inn, Cutter on getting into the back of his trap, chucked in the crutches, one knee went onto the step, and the shafts shot into the air. I waited for his other knee to come up and put his full weight onto the trap, wondering which would give first would it be the pony? would the shafts break? Or would the belly band give??

However, all stood the test, on getting into the trap and the door made fast, Cutter got hold of the reins, and taking one of his trusty crutches, brought it down on Dolly’s rump. No ‘Gee up’, as for ‘Walk on,’ neither horse nor man ever heard of it. There were many stories about Jack Cutter. Tom Swinburn lived in Joicey Terrace beside Cutter, Jack’s niece was getting married and as it was a custom to throw out small change to the kiddies, Cuttler, being a cobbler by trade, made a leather palm for his hand. He put the coppers onto a shovel and placed it in the fire therefore getting the money very hot! From the shovel the hot coppers went straight onto the leather palm, and were thrown into the street. The kids were dropping coppers faster than they were picking them up!

When Cutter’s beer was stopped in the Stanley Pub’s he would go outside, take off his knee pads and break the plate glass windows. The police were sent for and five policemen came to lock him up. They borrowed a hand cart and while one of them handled the cart the other four held him on it until they got back to the police station.

Jacky Bell was another character, and of course Jacky and Cutter fell out. Jacky saw his opportunity and using his knobby stick hit Cutter a few times on the head then made sure he was between Cutter and the door. Cutter had a good laugh “Jacky, if you can’t hit the coal face no harder than that, you’ll never make out!”

Dot Johnson, like Jacky, was very argumentative, he too fell out with Cutter and took good care not to let Jack Cutter get hold of him. However when Cutter and Dolly left the Causey to go home along the old road (this was before there was a new road) Johnson was waiting at the top of Sally’s Lonnen and got hold of Dolly’s bridle and led her right onto the side of the road. The pony trap and Cutter were tipped over, but no-one was hurt. Johnson, however, never went into the Causey again!!

Jack Ormston also drank and waited on in the Causey Inn. Ormston lived and worked at Marley Hill Colliery, when the Vicar wanted a grave digging Ormston got the job. He also helped out at Longfield House Farm, all for beer money. In 1936 Jack won the pools, over £1000 was won. Cutter and Ormston drank in the Causey Inn ‘till closing time, then the trap was loaded with bottles and taken to Marley Hill. When the money ran out, the money off the empty bottles kept them going in drink for a few more weeks.

THE CAUSEY ARCH

Around the Causey are a lot of ravines, valleys and denes, these are a relic of the ice age. The arch was built to cross one of these ravines. They had built a bridge of wood in 1725 which collapsed. A new bridge was built in 1726 which took more than a year to erect and cost over £6,000. The people who built it were known as the ‘Grand Alliance.’ They were Bowes ‘Ancestor to the Queen,’ Liddell and Wortleys. It was built to carry coal down to the Tyne at Dunston. It must be remembered that the locomotive had not been invented and no locomotive ever ran over it. The rails were made of wood, and the coal trucks were pulled by horses. The bridge had a span of over lOOft and is 8Oft above the stream and is about 23ft wide. The Causey Arch is the oldest single span railway bridge in the world. In the 1930’s the first thing told about the Arch was that it was built without a keystone, however, no one seems to remark on that now.

There were two cottages on the Tanfield side of the Arch. The children who went to the Causey School in the 20’s and 30’s were let out of school sooner in the dark nights as the bridge was unfenced. It has been used as a footpath since the coming of the locomotive and steel railway.

CAUSEY VILLAGE

(Pictured above Bob Gins the Causey) The Causey Mill was pulled down in 1938. The date stone was removed and taken to Beamish Burn Farm, the date reading 1441. In the 1930’s the Causey had three rows of houses, two chapels, a school and a pub. There were also the odd cottages and farms spread round about. The Old Row had five cottages and a chapel, there had originally been six. This was a thatched cottage and stood at the bottom of Sally’s Lonnen on the south side of the only remaining house. It had been occupied by a family named Cruddas, however, it was burnt down in the 1920’s.

THE CAUSEY ROW

This consisted of a row of eight houses. The roofs at the back were the long, sloping type and stopping about a few foot above the back door. This type of roof was designed to catch more rainwater. The roof guttering and the downcomers were made of wood. The downcomer stopped about 4ft off the bottom. This was to allow a barrel to be placed underneath to catch the rainwater. These houses were pulled down in 1936, with the people being re-housed at ‘Burnopfield’ and ‘Sleepy Valley.’ The Causey was in Tanfield Rural District Council until 1937.

Causey Row appears on a map of 1766 drawn up by Mr William Unthanks as do the five houses at Bob Gins. In 1857 the maps show Causey Row, Causey Old Row, Causey New Row, Bob Gins, and the Public House. At this date there was no School building or Chapel, both seem to have been held in rooms at Causey Row. The School using the premises during the weekdays with the Chapel meetings being held on Sundays, and in the evenings when required. According to some sources, Methodism came to the Causey in 1860, but on the 1857 map. the premises used by the Primitive Methodists are clearly shown.

THE CAUSEY NEW ROW

The Causey New Row was a terrace of 12 houses . All these houses had half doors or stable doors. The half door opened out over, this could be shut and the full door left open, allowing the fresh air in, but keeping out any livestock. There was a communal footpath right around the street. You could drive up the back street and down the front, the occupiers had to cross the back street to get to their coal house and earth toilet. Behind their out-houses were their allotments. They also had an allotment at the front and once again they had to cross the front lane to get to these. This was in the days of big gardens and little wages. Each house had a small back end with a cold water tap. They had a large living room and two bedrooms upstairs. Under the stairs was a bed corner. This was shielded by a screen. The fireplace was also large, with an oven at one side and a set pot at the other, a primitive hot water heater. A fore-runner to the back boiler at the back of the fireplace was a shelf for two or three buckets of coal. When the fire needed coal there was a coal rake to rake it down. There was also a big heavy poker and a set of tongs, also a blazer, a sheet of light steel to make the fire draw. All of these things were made by the pit blacksmiths. Some of the older people had half a railway wagon wheel to act as a tidy ( to stop the ash from coming out from under the fire). The miners who were householders got l5cwt of coal every four weeks, what was not used was sold to neighbours and friends for £1 or 20 shillings a load.

A small Methodist chapel stood at the top of ‘Causey New Row,’ about 5Oft away was the railway crossing, then on the left-hand side over the railway was the crossing keeper’s cottage. Over the new road and up the bank is the Causey Arch Pub’ to the north is ‘Bankwell House’. To the south is the school and school house, 200yards along the road is ‘Park Head Farm.’ Going back to ‘Causey New House,’ which is still standing, and down the road leading to Tanfield you came to Bob-gins. There were three cottages which were privately owned and across the stream on the right hand side there were two or more cottages. These were tied to the ‘Andrews House Farm.’

CAUSEY BURN

The Causey burn rises in Greencroft and runs down into Annfield Plain where it is piped. 500 yards past the ‘Earl Grey’ at West Kyo it comes to the surface, here it becomes ‘Kyo Burn.’ When it gets to Harperley Mill it’s name is then ‘Houghal Burn.’ A mile and a half on and it becomes ‘Causey Burn.’ Here it passes under the old arch to be joined by ‘Beckley Burn’ and The Burdon Dean Burn.’ These two burns meet at Bob-gins. Sixty years ago if you took a drink it had to be from the ‘Burdon Dean Stream’ because it was cleaner than the ‘Beckley Burn.’ The burns together form ‘The Bobgins Burn,’ which only travels a few yards than passes under the road. 500 yards and it joins ‘The Causey Burn’ just before it goes under the railway and road. Only half a mile on is where the Causey Mill stood. From here it becomes ‘Beamish Burn.’ It flows down past Lamesley Village and is channelled through the ‘Team Valley Trading Estate,’ here it is known as the ‘Teams.’ This ground, where the factories stand, was a wet land, known as the ‘ Willow Beds.’ It was drained and built on, in the early 1930’s. Half a mile on it runs into the Tyne, at Teams-haughs (Where it is known as the Teams Gut.)

The Causey School

The British School, as it was then named, opened in 1866 in some rooms in Causey Row. By 1870 it was numbered among those on the "Grant List", as shown by the first entry in the School log book, dated 30th November 1870. This book was begun by the then Headmaster, Mr R.W.Moles who appears to have been a strict disciplinarian, and very stern. However, he did get good results, as the Inspectors reports show. The only drawback in the Inspectors opinion, was the very poor accommodation. Mr Moles left the Causey School for Burnopfield on 5th April 1872, significantly, several pupils transferred with him. The next Inspectors report after that date showed, that "results are moderate, the younger children being the most deficient. How far this was due to the unavoidable interruption arising from the change in Headmasters, will be better shown by next years examination results". This was reported in the log book dated 6th February 1873, and on the 21st February 1873 there is an unsigned entry, "resigned charge of this School". The next entries are made by a different "hand", and a copy of the meeting of School Managers on 18th March 1873, states. "It was unanimously absolved, that you James Wilson, be summarily dismissed from Mastership of this School. Your conduct in sending children from school to the Public House for liquor, is so flagrant that it cannot be tolerated". On 7th April 1873, Edward Saunders wrote in the log book, that the School was in a very confused state. However, the School continued, and more pupils attended as the years passed. Desks were bought, and to accomodate the growing numbers, the School building was enlarged in 1899 at a cost of £850. now there was room for 150 children. In 1893 the School was handed over to, the Tanfield School Board, and became known as " The Causey Board School". Eventually work began in 1896 to erect the present School building, and on 28th June 1897 the new School was opened. The new Headmaster was Mr E.Holden who was in charge of five Teachers and approximately 150 pupils. In 1870 pupils were taught the "three Rs", plus geography, French, history, Bible, biology, physiology, science, and bookkeeping. There appeared to be no record of salaries up to the 1920s, however, in 1924 a first year Pupil Teacher earned £20 annually, a 2nd year earned £25. In 1925 a male Teacher Mr J.J.Morgan earned £173. 8s. 0d. and in 1927 Marie Tennant earned £162. 0s. od.

Continued:The standards at the School seemed to vary as much as the attendance figures. A great deal appears to have depended on the current Headmaster.

The records show on December 2nd 1898, Standard 2 Arithmetic. Fourteen pupils tested, resulted in one pupil achieved three correct, two pupils got two correct, and eleven pupils got one or none correct. The Inspector who carried out the test came to the conclusion, that the Teacher was to blame, and Monitors were appointed to assist the infants for the future. These Monitors were not pupils and seem to have been appointed by the School Board. Over the years there was mention of severe weather conditions affecting attendance, there were also epidemics of scarlet fever and chicken pox. However, the School continued until 1959 when the last entry was made by Mr John Atkinson, the last Headmaster (pictured above with on the right, caretaker Rhona Thompson).

The School was eventually closed because of the dwindling numbers of School children, and because the occupants of the immediate community were being re-housed in other areas.

School Records:

Headmaster R.W.Moles. 1870 Nov.30th. The School from this date, is numbered among those on the Grant List. The pupils names entered into their Class Registers. Classes reorganised for the ensuing year, preparatory to the visit of H.M.Inspectors examinations. School duties began at 9am ended at 4pm, with an interval of one hour and a quarter.

Dec. 1st. Prescribed as Bible lessons the miracles of Our Lord, during the month of Dec. An extreme case of laughing cautioned and punished. Home lessons very perfectly executed. " 2nd. Ordinary progress.

" 5th. A year pupils not good readers in the First class, receive extra practice with the Second class. Changed Changed the position of the hands holding pens. Continued:- Dec. 6th. Five cases of Lack of Punctuality, referred to the evils arising from this in after life, and cautioned them (pupils) against this evil. Ordinary Progress. " 7th. Find it injurious, the pupils using short pieces of slate pencils, I warn them accordingly of O.P.

" 8th A case of illness, severe vomiting, remark that the children eat too much pastry. For a few minutes dwell on the advisability of keeping the stomach in order. A decided improvement in copy writing. NOTE: The above records are originally hand written, and at times difficult to decipher, Every effort has been made to ensure their accuracy.

The children of the Causey School, 1944. Back row, left to right: Noel Palmer, Boysy Thompson, Alec Bainbridge (who went on to receive a Doctorate in Botany), Alan Seager (who became a ship's captain and pilot) and Jim Laybourne. Unfortunately, in the middle row the only girl known is Jenny Foster, of Parkhead Farm, in the centre. Front row: Maurice Abbot (became the butcher for Reed's at Sunniside), Bruce Robson (became a veterinary) Angus Gardener, Douglas Watson, of the Causey Inn, and Eddie Handy.

CAUSEY ROW CHURCH. A brief history to commemorate the Seventh Anniversary.

These new photographs of the Causey Chapel (on the left) and Causey School have recently surfaced, photographer or year is unknown.

You will be interested to learn that Causey Row, ex Primitive Methodist Church was commenced by James Turnbull and Stephen Atkinson. The first obtained a room in which to worship. Strange; but this was at the Red Row Inn.

More people becoming interested, a room was rented from John Turnbull, the Shoemaker at Old Causey.

In the year 1865, it was decided to build a chapel. Collecting books were got out for this enterprise. And here is a list of the collectors : George Lawson, Robert Liddle, Elizabeth Liddle, Robert Lawson, William Middleton, James Turnbull, William Richardson, Peter Johnson, Elizabeth Turnbull, John Gibson, Henry Bicerton, Thomas Lawson, Rebecca Middleton, Elizabeth Gibson, Jane Hall, and Thomas Davison. It is thus evident that they meant business for God. A piece of land was leased from Sir William Clavering for the building site.

The men quarried the stones. James Turnbull dressed them. The fact that a horse was bought for £2 - 17 - 6, and found later that it could not do the work, so was sold for 19/- has caused many a smile. Stephen Atkinson came to the rescue, he loaned them a horse and cart to get the stones from the quarry near-by. And all the work was done free of cost: the men nobly toiled after their work at the colliery was done.

The chapel site is near or part of the old Roman Causeway or Road, from which the village took its name. The quarry from whence the stones came is close to where there still stands one of the oldest one span arches to be seen in the North of England. This bridge was built for one of the first railway companies ; namely, The Grand Allies, so that coal could be drawn from Tanfield Colliery. The venture was not a success, so the railway was laid round instead of across the valley. The bridge still stands and is considered one of the most interesting places in the North.

Mr. Cooper was the builder of the chapel. The foundation stone was laid on the 23rd., September 1865 by Mr. Stewart.

Meanwhile, the collectors were very busy. The chapel was opened 5th May 1866. It had been decided to open it at Eastertide, but, owing to some mishap, this was delayed. Yet Easter has always been considered as the time of the Chapel Anniversary.

That was a great occasion. Memories of it are handed down. Mrs James Turnbull and Mrs. Joseph Bainbridge prepared the Tea. It is with pleasure that we recognise that for many years Mrs. Bainbridge used her cottage for making teas and suppers; she and her husband did yeoman service for the chapel; and their eldest daughter, Mrs. Hannah Netherton, still keeps her membership good, though she has removed from the village.

The Causey Row Society was in the Shotley Bridge Circuit, Rev. William Saul its Minister. When Officers were appointed, Robert Turnbull was the first Treasurer of the New Church, and William Middleton its first Secretary. They later continued in this labour of love for many years, indeed he was helpful in other ways; he it was who looked after the singing part of the services because he had the ability to start the tunes; he it was who looked after the School Anniversary, and no School Anniversary was complete without him.

After awhile thoughts were turned to the purchase of a Harmonium. The first was not a success. The one obtained later did good service for forty years. Ellen Turnbull was the first Harmoniumist. A Sunday School was started. What a blessing it has been. Many who passed through it became Local Preachers.

More houses being built for Andrews House Colliery, that meant new people for the Chapel. Some came from the South, others from Northumberland. Then it was that each pew in the Chapel became a family pew. Parents and children came to worship, When we think of the Turnbulls, Lawsons, Middletons, Taylors, Rouses, Bainbridges, Burridges, Wilkinsons, Oates, Johnsons, Crossmans, Wilsons, Langdons, Chapmans, Stonemans, Nethertons, Vines and others, we can but say we have a goodly heritage.

A Good Templars Lodge was started. It did well among the young people. Cottage Prayer Meetings were held, and added members to the Society. Saturday night Penny headings were carried on and these benefited People and Chapel.

Special mention should be made of Mr. Thomas Gates and Mr. John Johnson. Both these became noted Local Preachers in the district and did a lot of useful work. After a few years, Mr. John Johnson moved to Durham to take up a position with the Durham Miners Association. Later he became a Member of Parliament for Gateshead.

The spirit of Evangelism was well to the fore. In December, 1881 , Mrs Fletcher of Loftus held a weeks’ mission. She returned for another weeks mission in January 1882. She also came again in January 1883. Mr J W Winter also gave a three weeks mission. How very successful these missions were is seen by the names added to the membership roll. Thomas Lawton became a Local Preacher. So did Edward Wilson, son of John Wilson who had come from Northumberland. So too did three sons of Thomas Burridge in the Stanley Circuit. And later, Anthony Oates, son of Thomas Oates, who is still a Local Preacher in the Gateshead Circuit. Such as this means a fine harvest. Nor were the missions over, for, in January 1885, Miss Young came for a three weeks mission, and again in January 1886.

The year 1882 was marked by three families who came from elsewhere and became active members of the society, George Gates moved from Tantobie, James Johnson and his son Johnson Maltman Johnson from White-le-head and Charles Taylor.

A Vestry being needed, it was decided to add this to the Chapel. The members rallied round. Social teas were given and the Vestry, built by Mr. Lowery was opened on October 13th, (1932) That year the society raised by their enterprising efforts the sum of £95 - 2- 6.

The first Choir was formed by John Lawton. This Choir was a great help and kept a number of young people to the Chapel. Robert Middleton was harmoniumist at this time. Miss Holmes came for a three weeks mission and the Lord added to the Church, amongst them being William Turnbull, John E Johnson, Richard Stoneman, Charles Taylor (junior). William Turnbull later became Sunday School Superintendent and only last year resigned when he removed from the village. John E Johnson became Secretary and still holds the position. Richard Stoneman became Choirmaster.

In 1896 it was proposed to install a pipe organ. In addition to social teas, a bazaar was held. The new organ was opened on the 2nd January 1897. Messrs. Harrison, organ builders of Durham, were asked to build an organ to suit the place. Mr Daglish rendered the organ recital.

The three weeks mission held by Miss Keilor in February 1902 had a shadow cast over it. Before the mission was finished, George Oates, one of the most active members, died and Thomas Oates, a great helper to the circuit also passed home to God. These were great losses to the society.

By this time the land on which the Chapel stood had to be leased again. Moreover, the sitting accommodation in the Chapel was altered, the entrance to the Chapel was made at the end and central heating was installed. Again the members and friends worked hard to meet the expenses. The Rev. Fred Firth had a stained glass window put in at the back of the Chapel to commemorate the happy days he had spent at Causey Row.

Between 1901 and 1908 death visited the society and depleted its membership. Members who were the mainstay of the Chapel passed home, amongst them being John Wilson, George Oates, Thomas Oates, James Johnson, John and Mrs Chapman, Mrs Lawson, Robert Lawson. This meant that a lot of the younger people were left to carry on the work and with prayer and faithfulness it still continued.

The years passed in quiet usefulness until the dark days of the Great War, when some of our young men were called to take their stand for their country. It was a trying time for all. Some did not return, Chapel and homes knew and felt their loss.

The closing of Andrews House Colliery in December 1920 was a big loss and blow to the Chapel.

Still the work of God has gone on. A Womens Missionary Auxiliary was formed in the Ex. P. M. Burnopfield Circuit and the women members of Causey Row Society were enrolled as members in 1920. On 22nd September 1923 the electric light was installed, and certain lights were dedicated to the memory of John Arnold, Robert Smailes, Ralph Thompson, Joshua Arnold, Robert E Rowell, young men who had fallen in the Great War. Mr. John Johnson and Mr. T. A. Gibson each gave a light. Other members gave donations. Mrs Margaret Bainbridge, a good worker, died in 1925 and two years later her husband passed home. They are affectionately remembered.

Unfortunately the membership has declined during these last years owing to so many removals, but, there is still faithfulness, loyalty, and service. in addition to the Sunday services, a fireside meeting is held fortnightly, The Womens Guild gather, The Sons of Temperance Lodge is held, and The Sunday School, under the Superintendency of Miss Johnson is maintained. Assistant Superintendent, Miss A. Richardson.

The following are Officers Society Stewards, Joseph Pattison and Miss Elizabeth Johnson. Trust Secretary and Treasurer John E Johnson, Organist James Nichol, Assistant Organist Miss May Johnson, President of the C. E John Dinning. Our two oldest members are Mrs. Hannah Netherton and Mrs. Emma Vine.

The Church is the proud possessor of Three Love Feast Pots which were bought on the 3rd January 1878, at a cost of £1 10d. They are still in good order and have been greatly admired by many Ministers, Some have even pleaded that they might be offered one as a gift.

The Church was first connected with Shotley Bridge Circuit, which was formed in the year 1843. This circuit became too large so in the year 1868, Stanley formed a circuit and in the year 1884 White-le-head formed a circuit, and this Church became part of it. The name of this circuit was later changed to Burnopfield. The, first minister was Emmerson Phillipson. With the coming of the Methodist Union, the Burnopfield Circuit has now become part of.

The Gateshead West Circuit of 43 churches. The Rev. S Palmer, Superintendent Minister and the Rev. J. T. Goodacre, Burnopfield, Sectional Minister.

This brief history would be incomplete without a reference to the cleaning and repairing of the Chapel and School since Easter 1935. By weekly subscriptions of One Penny, which ultimately became six pence; by the free, unstinted and happy labours for twelve weeks, of officials, members and friends; this was done without any cost to the Trust. The people are legitimately proud of their Bethel, which means so much to their hearts, lives and homes.

THE CAUSEY CHAPELS James Turnbull and Stephen Atkinson were the Pioneers of the Primitive Methodist Chapel, and gathered around them a Methodist Fellowship. Their Chapel was built at the East end of Causey New Row, By the men, who worked at weekends and in evenings, when their shift at the Colliery or Farm was over. This Primitive Methodist Chapel was opened on 5th May 1866. Trust Secretary: William Middleton Treasurer : Robert Turnbull Minister : Reverend Saul By 1868 the United Free Methodist Chapel was built at the Causey Row, this building

This photograph has recently come to light, it is described as Causey Old Village. Year unknown, owner unknown.

I came across this Order of Service at the Causey Row Methodist Church dated 28th November 1943, again I have no idea where it came from.

I came across this photograph of Causey Red Row in a collection of Stanley photographs, loaned by Historian & Author Mr Hylton Marrs

These photo's were given to us some time ago. Bob Gins is on the left and South Causey Farm on the right. It never ceases to amaze at how photographs keep appearing over the years.