WEST CORNFORTH

West Cornforth started as an industrial village in great contrast to the agricultural one at Old Cornforth.  The sinking of a coal mine at Thrislington in 1835 saw the birth of the village erected by the colliery owners for their workmen and called New Thrislington, but by 1857 this became West Cornforth.  A short time after 1851 the colliery closed and the houses were occupied principally by the miners of Whitworth Colliery and workmen of the Iron Works at Spennymoor.  The number of properties at that time was relatively small:  The Victoria public house with two small rows of houses behind, four small limestone cottages with pantile roofs, access to these being by steps (these were above the present bus stop in the Market Place, behind Robert's Square), six streets of houses above the Market Place and the Balaclava public house.  In 1859 an Iron Works had opened and in 1867 Thrislington Colliery was sunk.  This caused a population explosion:

1811 - approx. 325

1841 - 700 people

1851 - 1,040 people

1871 - 3,416 people

1881 - 2,533 people

1891 - 4,339 people

1894 - 4,200 people

1901 - 5,060 people

1911 - 5,895 people

1921 - 6417 people

1931 - 6135 people

1951 - 4174 people

1961 - 4006 people

1971 - 3517 people

2001 - 2,409 people

2005 - 2,700 people

See also the Durham County Council website

Houses were hurriedly erected followed by shops, public houses, chapels and a school.  The majority of the houses were built by the owners of the Iron Works and also by the colliery.  In 1870 the Rosedale and Ferryhill Iron Company Ltd. had purchased land on which were built Coronation Terrace, Brook, Burn, West and Dale Street.  At first the last two were known as Morrison Rows after the owner of the works.  About the same time they built Mechanic Streets named after the Mechanic's Institute.  The exact dates of the other streets being built are not known, but no doubt most date from the same time as those already mentioned.  In 1915 Poplar and Hawthorn Terraces and Verdun Terrace were built, the last named after the Battle of Verdun in France in the 1914-18 War.

Over the years the names of the streets have been altered.  For example in 1884 Furnace Rows are mentioned (a reminder of the Iron Works); also Coronation Terrace known as "The Bays", these being the only houses at that time to have bay windows.  The following list is of streets of houses now demolished:

Dene, West, Mechanics, Scott, Bell, Green, Grays, Moor, Taylors, Balaclava, George, Rodgerson, Maughan, Ryhope, East, Dale, Brook, Burn, West Streets, Garden Place, Market Place, Mainsforth Old Rows, New Road Terrace, Simpson's Buildings, Railway Cottages, Paddy's Row and Bell's buildings.

Over the years an area opposite the Slake Terrace Inn to Garmondsway Road, and to Stob Cross has become a vast Council housing estate.  The first of these houses built was Cedar Terrace in 1928.  Most of the demolished houses have been replaced by Council houses.  Thurston Grange, a residential home for old people, occupies the site of West and Dale Streets, while the site of Brook and Burn Streets are planted with trees.  A large number of houses remain in the High Street, several of which have been renovated.  For a long time Old Cornforth remained isolated from West Cornforth.  From the Balaclava Inn there was only one other building; the Roman Catholic Church built in 1875.  On the other side of the road only two houses existed: the Water Board cottage built in 1899 and the Vicarage, built in 1868.  All the land between the vicarage and the cottage was Glebe land, hence the name of the modern houses, Glebe Villas.  The houses in Vicarage Road were built in a short period in the early part of the century.  The foundation stones of Thrislington Colliery Aged Miners' Homes, Joseph Hopper Terrace, were laid 23rd August 1924, and were opened in 1925.

TRADES AND OCCUPATIONS

With such a large population there were many shops and trades people, and the saying "Times change and we with time," is certainly true when we examine the various trades and occupations in the villages, trades and skills which have disappeared in our highly technical society.  Among these were, in 1873 Richard Walton a stonemason; William Heyes a clogger (clogs were used by iron workers and coke-oven workers); in 1879 Isaiah Faulkner furnace builder (Iron Works); Richard Carr, station master.  In 1881 there was a Common Lodging House in Moor Street which had six tramps as boarders.  In 1897 Robert Lofthouse was a tailor and draper; James William Ward was a Pawnbroker (a sign of less prosperous times), patent medicine vendor and grocer; John Watson a bootmaker; Mrs Mary Sheraton, Beer retailer (anyone at that time could sell beer); Henry Buxton, watchmaker (clocks and watches were important items in use before radio and TV time checks).

In 1907 Joseph Chambers had a photographer's studio in the High Street, and it became fashionable for everyone to have a photograph taken.  In 1910 there were more than 40 shopkeepers in the Cornforths.  Christopher Wilson was a yeast merchant as this was an important ingredient needed at that time because everyone baked their own bread, teacakes and cakes.  Fred Patton and Sons sold bicycles (the most common everyday form of transport); Henry Ferguson was a hawker who made besoms (a type of broom); Edwin North and Taylor brothers were hairdressers and barbers.  All men had their hair cut with short back and sides.  Some were shaved by a barber, each having his own shaving mug kept on a shelf in the shop.  Young boys were employed after school as lather boys, lathering the faces of their customers.  There were no women hairdressers; women dressed their own hair at home using curling tongs.  Jack Riddle sold paraffin oil which was used in oil lamps found in nearly every house.  In 1914 Baldasera and Company had refreshment rooms, known also as ice cream parlours; Henry Williams was a cab proprietor owning horse drawn cabs as conveyances with a hearse also at funerals.  With the advent of larger grocers and provisions shops many small shopkeepers went out of business.  The largest of these shops were owned by the C.W.S. described in more detail later.  Around 1910 Walter Wilson had opened a store followed by Newman's.  On July 1st, 1929 Thompson's Red Stamp Stores opened new premises.  Shortly before the 1939-45 War Bennett's Stores opened.

BANKS

With so many trades people and industries in the village it became necessary to have some form of banking.  In 1897 the site of the bank was a former Chemist's shop owned by Mr. Harry Hunter.  In 1902 York City and County Banking Co. Ltd. opened a branch to be followed in 1910 by the North-Eastern Banking Co. Ltd.  The manager in 1914 was William Bond who lived in the Bank House.  By 1921 these premises were taken over by Martin's Bank, later followed by Barclay's Bank which closed in 1986.  The bank at West Cornforth was always the main office, Coxhoe then being only a branch office.

POST OFFICES

In 1856 Cornforth had no Post Office.  All mail had to be sent from Coxhoe, the nearest village.  Later, all mail was delivered by rail to the station from which it had to be collected and dispatched.  By 1873 the village had its own Post Office, Savings Bank and Telegraph.  The Postmaster was J. Mohon, draper and newsagent.  The premises are now occupied by AG Wise and Co Accountants.  In 1910 the premises in use today had Robert Stephenson as Post Master.  It is interesting to see how the present day postal services compare with the past, remembering that there was no first or second class post, all letters cost 1d and postcards 1/2d and there was no motor transport.  Letters arrived from London 5.30am; from Ferryhill 5.30am and 6.50pm.  They were dispatched at 9.50am, 1.50pm, 6.40pm and 8.35 pm daily.  On Sundays mail arrived 5.30am and was dispatched 5.30pm.

A wall letter box at Linden Villa, Cornforth Lane, was cleared at 1.45pm and 5.50pm weekdays only.  Another at the Roman Catholic Church was cleared at 1.50pm and 6.00pm weekdays only.  One at the railway station was cleared at 6.30pm weekdays only.

THE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY

After several attempts by the West Cornforth members of the Cornforth and Coxhoe Co-operative Society to persuade the Society to open a branch at West Cornforth, all of which were refused, it was resolved to call a public meeting with the intention of commencing a separate society.  A meeting was held in the Rosedale Hotel, December 21st 1892, when a committee was formed consisting of a chairman and a working committee of twelve.  A general meeting was held on January 6, 1893 where it was resolved to commence an independent society to be named the "West Cornforth Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd."  Premises were obtained in the High Street, the site of the present building.  The Society commenced operating on January 27th, 1893.  Mr Nicholson Taylor was foreman grocer; Mr. Thomas Blenkinsop foreman draper; John George Walton, the first apprentice, was later to become the first Branch Manager, then General Manager.  In December 1895 a Boot and Shoe Repairing Department opened; in February 1899 a Millinery Department and in June 1907 Butchering Premises were opened at Old Cornforth.  The working committee and their wives worked hard to make the enterprise a success, devoting their leisure time to scrubbing floors, counters, fixtures, etc. to prepare the premises for business.  No money was paid for this work, truly done in the spirit and meaning of co-operation.  In 1989 it was agreed that a member of the committee was to be paid 1s if he conducted an employee back to the premises with the cash collected.  In those days there was no street lighting and roads were difficult and dangerous.  An ingenious overhead cash system was installed in each department, whereby after any goods were sold at any counter in the store a bill of sale and money were put into a metal container which was attached to a system of wires and pulleys.  The assistant gave a short pull on the handle and the container then traveled at speed along the overhead wire to a small cashier's office in one corner of the building.  If any change was required this was returned by the cashier using the same system.  The following are amusing extracts from old minute books:  "That the Society sell gunpowder"; "That we advertise for an apprentice in the Millinery Department to appear on the Pit Heap, and be members' daughters only"; "That corsets be moved off the board"; "that Mr. XXX put the pains in the warehouse"; "That a letter be wrote to the plumber to come and see through the gas pipes"; "that the stable manure be left in the hands of the Society."

On an occasion when the premises were troubled by rodents, a mongoose was installed, which quickly cleared up the problem!  In May 1952, a Grocery Warehouse was opened.  On Saturday night, 12th May, 1962 a disastrous fire broke out and the store was destroyed.  After the fire two huts were erected near Garden Place to act as a temporary store until a new one was built.  The new store was opened on Monday, September 9, 1963 by the late manager, Mr J.R. Cooke.

SCHOOLS

The site of the first school in West Cornforth is now an open space, close to the old quarry now used as a garage site.  This quarry was used as a playground for the school which was built by the Rosedale and Ferryhill Iron Co. Ltd.  It had a large school room below and a Mechanics' Institute above.  There were two porch way entrances surmounted by belfries.  The school, which was opened on Monday, 5th December, 1870, had about 230 children, one master and two pupil teachers, and cost £1,800.  The first master was William Pickles and at the opening of the school he bitterly complained of the noise as the joiners were still working above on the Mechanics' Institute.  The master's day book is interesting and here are extracts over a number of years: "Many of the children are in a deplorable state of ignorance, especially the girls.  December 15th school dismissed as the boys wanted to go and see the Menagerie.  Monday, 16th January, 1871 School half day's holiday on the opening of the Mechanics' Hall.  October 9th, 1872, Joseph Lonsdale died yesterday of brain fever.  The Wallaces are kept away from school on account of small pox at their home."  The master in his reports complains of the absenteeism of the scholars and feels they will not improve unless stricter rules are enforced.  Paper was in short supply, most of the work was being done on slates.

There seems to have been drill every day, and drawing lessons were give a lot of importance.  On November 10, 1877 the Managers of the Ironworks School were sent a bill from a local joiner for "14 pin nails for hats, £1:8s:0d."  The directors of the Ironworks, being the school managers, were regular visitors.  A School Board was formed in 1877 and John Thomas Eggleston of Cornforth Mill was appointed attendance officer.  Letters were sent out to parents in 1878 requiring them to send their children to school.  In 1879 the school was rented to the School Board at a rent of £12 per annum, the Ironworks having gone into liquidation.  The school fee for children under 7 was two pence per week, over 7 was three pence per week, but in the case of more than three children from one family a reduction of one penny a week was made in respect of each child.  It was resolved that the teachers be instructed that the bible be read in school.  November 28th, 1879 a bill to "Cornforth School Board for six squares of glass in Mechanics' Hall, five shillings.  A pole and hook for lifting maps, one shilling.  "In 1895 the school was enlarged for Mixed Infants with room for 300 in each department.  The liquidators of the Ironworks sold the school with the Institute to the School Board for £676:14s:7d on April 6th, 1882.

On June 22nd, 1897, for Queen Victoria's Jubilee, the school was closed.  In 1899 the school was closed for three weeks owing to an epidemic of measles.  In 1901 the school paid one shilling a week for a Watcher who was a police constable.  The School Warden was instructed to institute legal proceedings against parents of children who were irregular in their school attendances.  In 1901 the school was a Public Elementary and had an average attendance of 302 boys and girls and 315 infants.

The school on "The Green" was still used for certain classes because the Elementary School was not large enough.  The school closed when a new school, the present building, was opened in November 1926.

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

The church dedicated to St. Patrick, St. Joseph and St. Cuthbert was erected in 1874 on land belonging to the Ironworks, and consecrated on the 18th October, 1875.  It was brick built consisting of an apsidal chancel, nave, north porch and a bell-cote on the west gable containing one bell.  At the west end was a gallery containing an organ.  The western gable contained a fine Catherine Wheel window filled with stained glass, and there were other four stained glass windows.  Pope Pius IX presented the church with three altar pictures representing the "Flight of the Holy Family into Egypt," "St. Paterick explaining the Doctrine of the Trinity on Tara's Hill," and a very fine painting by the Italian painter Reicci of the "Taking down from the Cross."  The church seated 450 people and cost £4,000.  At the east end of the church was the Presbytery.  Concerts were held by the church in the school belonging to the Ironworks.  The building not only served the inhabitants of the Cornforths, but also of Ferryhill, Coxhoe, Kelloe, Quarrington Hill and Bowburn.  On the erection of a new church at Coxhoe, the building, suffering badly from mine subsidence, was demolished in 1968.  The site is now occupied by houses named "St Cuthbert's Way."

WELSH CHAPEL

The Welsh inhabitants of West Cornforth, who were numerous, had their own meeting place with their own minister who held divine service every Sunday in their own language.  The exact date of the opening of the chapel is not known, but it was in existence before 1871 and is shown on a map in 1896 close to "Robert's Square."

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL

In 1870 the Rosedale and Ferryhill Iron Co. Ltd. obtained some land from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and in 1874 the Primitive Methodists of West Cornforth purchased a site for a new chapel from them for £78:15s:7d.

St. Mark's Primitive Methodist Chapel was opened in July 1877.  The building could seat 500 people and the total cost was £800.  The chapel was in mortgage to the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society for £500.  The Silver Jubilee was held on July 9th, 1927.  Early in this century a retired public hangman was a local primitive preacher.  When the news was circulated that he was coming to preach at West Cornforth all the front seats in the chapel were occupied by local boys hoping to obtain a good view.  Probably the chapel had never before had such an enthusiastic audience of young boys.  In 1966 the building closed and was bought in 1968 by Gatenby's, a local firm of shopkeepers.  The organ was removed in 1967 and was installed in The Holy Trinity Church.

METHODIST NEW CONNEXION CHAPEL

The first mention of the movement was on May 7th, 1878 when the Trustees of Methodist New Connexion paid £2 ground rent to Richard Taylor, Builder, Bishop Auckland and on 14th June, 1884 secured a loan of £5 to buy a harmonium.  The movement seems to have used the Ironworks' school for services and entertainments.  On 5th and 9th May 1895 the Sunday School Anniversary Services took place in the school.  In November 1896 permission was given for them to hold services at the school on Sunday and Thursday evenings at a rent of £1 per quarter.  The same year a public tea and Sacred Concert was held in the school on behalf of the New Connexion Band of Hope.  In 1897 there were complaints of disorder inside and outside the school on Sundays when the New Connexions met.  The trustees appear to have erected a meeting place by 1901 but this closed in 1954 when the members joined the Primitive Methodists.  The premises were offered for sale in 1962 and demolished in 1965.

THE SALVATION ARMY

The Salvation Army at West Cornforth was worked as an outpost by the Officials and Soldiers from Spennymoor.  In 1883 the Board and Governors of the School received a request from the Salvation Army to use the hall for meetings but this was turned down.  In 1884 the Army was granted use of the hall for two Sundays at Christmas.  On 15th October, 1885 a Corps was formed at West Cornforth.  Their first premises, nick-named the "Old Glory Shop" were in the High Street next to four old cottages close to the bus stop in the Market Place.  The building, having no windows or back entrance, and being over run with rats, was condemned as a fire risk.  In October 1923 the new premises, consisting of a hut, were blown down.  In 1924 a War Department corrugated hut was purchased, and this was opened on April 12th, 1924, by Mayor Estill followed by a tea and musical evening.  This hut served as a hall until 12th February, 1937, when it was burnt to the ground in one hour, the reason unknown; but for once the hall was properly heated!

The trustees of the United Methodist Church came the following day and offered the use of their chapel.  Weekday night meetings were held in the long room of the Balaclava public house.  In May th Army opened a tent for the summer on the grounds where Station Road Filling Station stood.  When the tent closed down no other arrangements were made for indoor meetings, so only open air ones continued.  On 23rd January, 1938, Sunday night meetings commenced in the Miners' Welfare Hall.  On 30th April, 1938, a new hall (the present one), built on the site of the old one, was opened by Lady Surtees of Mainsforth Hall.  This cost £1,400, the land having been given by North Bitchburn Coal Co. Ltd.  On 14th January the boiler and radiators burst at a Farewell Service for Adjutant and Mrs. W. Davidson (an unusual send-off!!).  In 1943 the Hall was licensed for marriages which, before then, were conducted in the chapels.  The first wedding was on 23rd November, 1944.  On 4th April, 1981 the Hall was extended and modernised.

The following are some notable events in the Army's history:

March 1912 - Great Coal Strike.  800 Children given a free breakfast.  Tradesmen and friends gave goods and a little cash.

1917 - Mr XXX asked to resign owing to mischief making: too much given to gossip.

October 6th, 1922 - During motor campaign of Genaral Willaim Bramwell Booth, West Cornforth Corps have favoured with five minutes talk in the Market Place, where a crowd of soldiers, juniors and friends welcomed his visit.

May 5th, 1923 - Senior Sergent Major Mallon, Promoted to Glory, was laid to rest with full Army honours.

July 20th, 1924 - Y.P. anniversary.  Mr Walton, the cashier of the Colliery Company, presided in the afternoon and evening.

August 23rd, 1924 - Foundation stones of Aged Miners' Homes laid, The Army supplied the music.

1927 - The Salvation Army trip to Redcar by "County" buses.

1928 - Inauguration of Scout Troop.

November 1942 - New Scout Troop inaugurated.

June 25th, 1969 - Brownie Pack enrolled in the Community Centre."

SPIRITUALIST CHURCH

A group of Spiritualists held their meeting in a room behind a pawnbroker's shop (behind the present shop of "Charlies").  This was the target for mischievous boys who hid in a loft above the meeting room and dangled stones suspended on pieces of string which were allowed to knock against the entrance door of the room.  On the noise being investigated the stones were hastily withdrawn from above leaving a puzzled congregation.  Later, after these premises were vacated, a hut was erected on waste land at Garden Place.  Once again, the members were plagued by pranksters.  One night the door of the hut was quickly thrown open and a Billy goat pushed into the room accompanied by loud shrieks and screams as the occupants thought it was the devil himself.

ENTERTAINMENTS

In the 19th century, the working man had few hours of leisure.  Apart from drinking, the highlights of the year were the visits of traveling theatres, exhibitions, menageries, circuses, quack doctors and salesmen, German bands, barrel organs and men with dancing bears who travelled around the villages.  Flower shows and later the fairground with its steam organ gave amusement.  Gambling, pitch and toss, were later replaced by football, foot racing, pigeon fancying and greyhounds.  The 1830 Sale of Beer Act said anyone could open a beer shop for a two guinea fee, and a beershop mania swept through the working classes.  Lists of these "beer retailers" are recorded at West Cornforth.  Last century public houses were open all day, and quoits and pitch and toss were played in them.  Some of these have been mentioned under 'Cornforth' but the following were at West Cornforth, some no longer being in existence.  The oldest is the "Victoria".  As early as 1837 Joseph Hodgson of Bishop Middleham had built a dwelling house intended to be used as a public house together with outbuildings and this was known as "The Railway Inn".  The actual date of the change of name is not known, but it had become "The Victoria Inn" by 1871.  The next oldest is the "Balaclava".  On a map of 1856 this is marked as the "Grey Horse", but before 1862 the name was changed to "Square and Compass."  After 1862 it became "The Balaclava Charge" and by 1871 the "Balaclava" which, incidentally, should have been spelt "Balaklava".

The most imposing public house was "Thrislington Hotel" built by the Rosedale and Ferryhill Iron Co. Ltd. on land obtained from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1870, the name, no doubt, taken from the adjoining station, at that time known as Thrislington.  This hotel was intended for the accommodation of railway travelers.  A story was widely circulated that on the opening of this establishment a boy was employed all day carrying beer from there to the neighbouring Ironworks.  This is understandable as the iron workers persired so profusely owing to the nature of their work, that liquid was needed to replace the loss of salt from their bodies, but they suffered no ill effects from consuming so much intoxicating liquor.  The same men would spend most of their leisure time in the numerous public houses where they would become quite tipsy.  The above hotel was the largest building in the village followed by the School and Mechanics' Institute built by the same company.  During the night of the fourth and fifth of April 1932 a fire broke out in the bar but this was brought under control by local people with pails of water.  The building, after being offered for sale, was finally demolished in 1962.  Another legacy of the Ironworks was the "Rosedale Hotel" built in 1870 and named after Rosedale in the Cleveland Hills where the mines provided the iron ore used by the Ironworks at Cornforth.  The name of this public house changed to "Ferry's" after the landlord.

At the same time the "Queen's Head," "King's Head" and "Commercial Inn" were in existence, the latter was later named "The Flintlock."  Later still came the "Good Intent", but the date when this became a public house is not known.  The Queen's Head, King's Head and Good Intent no longer exist.  The Cornforth United Social Club and Institute was registered on the 13th June, 1903 with Chairman, William Symms; Secretary, George Richardson and Treasurer, John Walton.  This was opened on 11th July, 1903.  The first pint of beer was drawn by Florence Hills, daughter of the Steward, who had been a policeman.  Work started in December 1972 on a new club which was opened in 1973.  A Wurlitzer organ was installed and started operating on 21st April 1974, but this was taken out on the 21st December, 1975.  In 1980 an extension was added to the club but in 1990 the club was declared bankrupt, and put into the hands of the receivers.  The Wurlitzer is currently owned by the North East Theatre Organ Association and is housed in the the New Victoria Centre, Howden le Wear.  NETOA arranges an annual program of musical and social events which are open usually to both club members and to the general public. Special playing weekends are arranged throughout the year.

THEATRES AND PICTURE HALLS

The first hall large enough to accommodate an audience of significant numbers was the Mechanics' Institute.  The hall was let to various organisations for functions and concerts.  In 1896 Cornforth Cricket Club held a concert and Cornforth and District Choral Society used the Hall one night each week for practices.  In 1897 West Cornforth and District Fancier's Society held an open show for Poultry, Pigeons and Rabbits and West Cornforth Reading Room held a Social Evening.  In 1901 Madame Levantes' Ladies Orchestra gave a concert, and in the same year Cornforth Amateur Dramatic Society produced a play.  As well as permanent halls for entertainment, there were traveling booths and theatres.  In 1871 there are records of a Comedian and his French born actress wife lodging in the village.  In the playing field of the present school, traveling theatres performed the old favourite melodramas: Maria Marten, The Face at the Window, Sweeney Todd, etc.  Perhaps the most notable was Denville's Traveling Theatre which produced its own electricity by a generator driven by a steam engine.  In the same field, Menageries and Circuses pitched their tents.  One of the most popular was Lord George Sanger's Circus.  Later, there were fairgrounds with their roundabouts and the Showmen's huge Steam Traction Engines used for hauling caravans and trailers.  They also provided power for electricity and driving Steam Organs.  Fairs were held in the football field near Thrislington Hall and the last was held behind the Community Centre.

In the Market Place there were also shows and traveling booths, fruit stalls and salesmen selling their wares.  One of the best remembered stalls was Gill's with their pots and crockery.

The first mention of moving pictures was in 1901 when a Mr. Dyke requested permission to show animated pictures from the managers of the Mechanics' Institute, but this request was turned down for no known reason.  By 1912 Gordon Gray was showing films in the Workingmen's Club.  He was proprietor of a picture hall at Coxhoe and the same films were shown at both picture halls.  Boys used to run with the films between the two and would meet halfway for the exchange.  Sometimes they would become involved in a game of marbles or a fight, and the audience in each cinema would be left waiting, not always patiently, for the show to resume.

Previously, magic lantern shows were shown in a hut with a tarpaulin roof in the Market Place.  When the present school was opened in 1926 the old school was vacated and for a short while was used for entertainments.  In 1929 this was converted into the Regent Cinema by W. Turnbull but closed in 1957, remaining unoccupied until it was finally demolished in 1963.

Dancing has always been a popular pastime and the first dances were held in the Mechanics Institute and Thrislington Hotel, followed later in the Workingmen's Club and the Miners' Welfare Hall.

BANDS

The first record of a band was in 1878 when a Thrislington Brass Band headed a parade from the Colliery to a meeting in the Mechanics' Institute.  More recently there has been a revival of Jazz Bands and Cornforth has had two, both now extinct.  The first was named "The Cavaliers" and the second "The Rebels".

COMMENT by Mr. Robin Walton

To stand and gaze over the area from behind the Community Centre as far as Thrislington Wood, preferably on a calm summer evening as the light begins to fade, can be a moving experience.  It does not need much imagination to picture the huge blast furnaces, ten in all, and the molting slag lighting up the surrounding land as it cascaded down the slag heaps; then later the coke ovens throwing a glow into the sky as the red hot coke tumbled from the ovens.  It is easy to see why this area was nick-named "Kondyke" by the local people for, over the years, it certainly had been "a gold mine" for the numerous forms of industry on land where once cows and sheep had grazed.  A common saying among the workers of both pit and tar works, when times were bad or they were fed up with their work, was "Do you think the farmer will ever get his field back?" or, more positively, "They should give the farmer his field back."  Now these comments have been answered for, in 1971, all the area was landscaped.

1970 SURVEY by Mr Brian Johnson

In May 1970, Brian Johnson conducted a survey of the village, as part of his external diploma at London University.  The results of which can be found here.