Newton Chambers

[poppet99 10]

Hello does anyone remember a harry kirkham he used to work in the boiler shop at the izal factory?Thanks.

[bri bloomer 10]

I lived on the fow from 1961 up to the end only two houses lived in when we left i think it was 1971 ,

[bri bloomer 10]

PS, i would go back t,moz even with the tin bath which we kept in the coal house ,good days,>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Gerald Haigh 10]

My mother Jessie Haigh worked as secretary to the Newton Chambers transport manager Eddie Norman for many years up to the mix-Sixties. My Aunt Mildred Hague (yes, the spelling really was different) worked at what used to be the tank factory. Her husband, my uncle Charles Edward Hague was a NC driver delivering Redfyre fireplaces to new housing estates around the North of England. I would sometimes go with with him in the school holidays. I think their daughter, my cousin Pauline, also worked there.

My uncle Norman worked in the weigh down in the middle of the works. And to complete the family link, I worked briefly in the Izal toilet roll sales department as a holiday job in the Summer of 1960. It was a real family thing I suppose. And Uncle Charles sang in the operatic society. Great productions in the Newton Hall. Happy memories.

[poppet99 10]

Hello my husband remembers Charlie Haugue keeping his caravan and boat on his grandads garden.

[Gerald Haigh 10]

Hague not Haugue. Not sure it's the same one. Uncle Charles had a caravan for a short while but it was on a static site at the seaside. Got no memory of his having a boat. Where exactly would that have been?

[Gerald Haigh 10]

Interesting mentions of Izal here. Got a good mental picture of the Izal factory. Staffed by the people my mother called, 'Them Izal lasses'.

The Izal sales office was in the main office building. In 1960 when I was at College I had a holiday job there (Ken Landers was it who ran the show? Great guy, and a good boss.) We had to deal with huge local authority and industrial orders for toilet rolls, liquid Izal, and so on. (Izal was a coal-tar by-product of the coke ovens that were part of the Company's early history. Clever thinking by somebody. ) The orders for toilet rolls would specify what was to be printed on the sheets 'Corporation of the City of Whatever. Now Wash Your Hands Please'.

Newton Chambers was a huge, diverse community, providing employment to thousands and keeping a whole community prosperous, and alive with culture, sport and general optimism.

[Nigel Womersle 10]

There was a Charlie Hague who was in many amateur productions. I knew him at the time. Could it be the same man? I think he had a daughter.

[Redfyre 10]

Great stuff, Gerald. You ought to join the Remember Newton Chambers page on Facebook!

[Gerald Haigh 10]

There was a Charlie Hague who was in many amateur productions. I knew him at the time. Could it be the same man? I think he had a daughter.

Charles Edward Hague was my uncle, a younger brother of my Dad, Fred Haigh (both spellings were in use in that generation of the family) Charles, as well as being a lorry driver with NC, was both a dance band drummer and quite an accomplished amateur baritone singer. As a youngster I never failed to get to the various shows he did with NC operatic and other societies, and his numerous appearances at competitive festivals, including Ecclesfield. He was also a member of Wharncliffe Silkstone Male Voice Choir, which I joined with my Dad when I was about 17. I learned so much from my Uncle Charles, and later I sang the same baritone repertoire in music festivals in the Midlands where I moved to go to College in1959. He was a super Uncle to me. Although he was one of nine brothers and sisters and I got on with all of my uncles and aunts, he was the one I saw most of. I remember some time probably in the early Seventies I was conducting a Male voice choir of my own, and I brought them to High Green, and we did a concert in the church. Charles was in the audience and I was so glad to pay a tribute to him, and I remember how pleased he was. He did have a daughter, Pauline, quite a bit older than me, and also now deceased. I was a lucky lad, introduced by Charles and my Dad to so much amateur music making around South Yorkshire, and at school to more serious stuff at the City Hall, all of it laying foundations for what's been, and still is, a great life of amateur music making.

I certainly do remember the name Womersley, but alas no details remainin in my mind.

Best wishes. Gerald.

[Gerald Haigh 10]

Great stuff, Gerald. You ought to join the Remember Newton Chambers page on Facebook!

I must think again about Facebook. Used to be on it some time ago but left when I got fed up of the level of gossip. I use Twitter a lot, which is useful to me in all sorts of ways.

[okismoki 10]

Does anyone remember Mark Firth from Buchanan Drive?