The Houghtonian Magazine Vol 2 Issue 3 - Houghton-le-Spring

THE HOUGHTONIAN | SEPT 2012 | VOL 2 ISSUE 3 | ISSN 1757-3890www.HOUGHTONleSPRING.org.ukTHE HH WEBSITE IS UPDATEDFREQUENTLY. JUST CLICK ON THEUPDATED LINK ON THE HOME PAGE TO SEEWHAT’S NEW. SOME OF THE UPDATEDPAGES DURING THE PAST THREE MONTHSINCLUDE:WELCOME TO THE HOUGHTONIAN,the quarterly magazine of the Houghton-le-SpringHeritage Society. This is our eighth consecutiveissue, numbered as Volume 2 Issue 3 and, as isusual for this time of year, celebrates HoughtonFeast with a bumper edition!THE SOCIETY HAS been very active over the summer, supporting andattending many events as well as organising several visits for Societymembers. One such visit was to the old Rectory (shown above) whereSociety Chairman Paul Lanagan, Vice-Chair Peter Corfield and SecretaryJoan Lambton took up their places in the Houghton Urban DistrictCouncil Chamber. We have also been very active in many local DiamondJubilee events, including the very successful Homelands Estate ‘StreetParty Without a Street’, which was broadcast live on BBC throughout theday! The Society’s exhibition for the September Heritage Open Days wasrather special this year, as many members of our popular Facebookgroup used the opportunity to meet each other for the first time. Thesocial side of the Society will be further explored in the next issue whenwe have some very special news to share!HOUGHTON HERITAGE SOCIETY became a member of the BritishAssociation for Local History, a national charity which promotes localhistory and serves local historians. Find out more about this esteemedorganisation at: www.balh.co.ukTHANKS MUST BE extended to Houghton Ward Councillors Kath Rolphand Dennis Richardson for their swift help in actioning pressing heritageissues raised by Houghton Heritage Society, namely the encroaching ivygrowth on the Rectory archway (now the churchyard entrance) and forhelping to further the Society’s proposition of relocating the WWIITreasures and memorabilia from the demolished Council Offices intoHoughton Library, a civic building where the items can be easily seen bythe public – and children in particular! The Society is still pursuing themissing Victorian Gilpin Thorn Plaque (of which we now know the fullinscription) and the missing 1953 Coronation Noticeboard.ENJOY THIS ISSUE and enjoy Houghton Diamond Jubilee Feast!PAUL LANAGAN, CHAIRMANH-L-S HERITAGE SOCIETY:: Houghton & Seaham Star – details of PaulLanagan’s weekly heritage articles in thenewspaper.:: Houghton Colliery – the time line has beenupdated with details of Houghton’s pit ponies.:: Build a Miners’ Safety Lamp – a newcardcraft activity in the School Zone, with aprintable template for making a miners lamp likethe one used to transport the Olympic flame.:: Houghton UDC Garage Plaques – details ofgarages featuring plaques from the HoughtonUrban District Council Ratings Department.:: Church Street: House by House Guide – theChurch Street directory has been updated withmore residents and occupants from the Censuses– with grateful thanks to our President, Dr JackMorley.:: Pitmatic Words & Phrases – a new print-athomebooklet, ‘We’re Not Mackems: A PitmaticDictionary’ has been added to the website andfeatures local words and phrases as compiled bymembers of Houghton Heritage Society on theever popular Facebook group.* * * * * * * *IF YOU’RE READING aprinted version of The Houghtonianand are having difficulty seeing theprint, did you know you can readthe online PDF? This can beincreased in size up to a whopping6400% in Adobe Reader!* * * * * * * *FOR INTERNET ACCESS ATHOUGHTON LIBRARY –TELEPHONE 0191 561 6383 FORDETAILS.