My Grandparents were Margaret and Edward (Ned) Swinbank who ran the dairy at Wynyard until their retirement, when they carried on living there until their deaths, Grandad in 1975 and Grandma in 1986. I have very fond memories of going to Wynyard for summer and Christmas holidays; although the latter involved ice on the inside of the bedroom windows and pulling clothes on as you climbed out of bed – no upstairs heating. By the time I was there the dairy had long ceased to function as such and the old tubs and churns were filled with spiders webs.
I remember Lady Annabel (Lord Londonderry’s sister) sitting on the hearth rug playing with the dogs, the room smelling of turkey cooking in the coal oven.
My Parents and I used to walk over the Estate, down Spring Banks and Fanny’s Glen, up Gas House Road to the school house and the Keepers Cottage. Often being met by George Douglas in his Land Rover, Mr Wood the Estate manager, or Bayden around the club area.
There was a huge statue of Old Lord Londonderry in one of the milking sheds near the club that always made us children jump.
My Parents got engaged at Wynyard although they married in 1948 at Thorpe Thewels Church.
It was a sad day for all when Wynyard was sold, I would love to visit again but would also hate to see what the Park has become.
I have some old photos of Wolviston Hall and the gardens. I will try to get them to the Stockton Team.
Some of the Webster family are buried in the village churchyard.
They also had connections with Unthank Hall at Haltwhistle.
hi, my mam and sister were born in the old kings arms in the High Street, Wolviston of which I can find no reference. Can anyone help me, any pictures?
My Nana Georgina (Ena) Greig worked at Wynyard Hall and lived in Wolvison, her 3 daughters Gwen, Pat and Muriel and son Brian went to the village school.
Just viewed documents supplied by another family researcher that revealed my gt,gt grandfather Matthew Kelly & wife Catherine lived on this estate as estate workers (Wynford farm) Matthew was a gamekeeper that had also worked for the owners on Mount Stewart Estate. Co Down, Ireland & somehow came over to Durham in & around the Potato Famine times (1846-1849) amazing! Wynford Hall & Mount Stewart look almost identical in structure.
There are two types of version to the Montague there is Montagu as well. I am unsure if they are the same. The last direct decendant of King Charles was Prince Alice I think her name was. She was like 100 years old. she was a montagu. Was your grandfather a Captain or Colonel?
My mother was Margaret Rose Tinkler and she worked in a shop in Wolviston around 1951. She lived at Stob? Farm bungalow on Sunderland Road and would have been 18 when I was born in 1951.
Colonel Robert Henry Wynyard is in fact Ngapera’s father. My grandmother is Ngapera’s great great grand-daughter. Colonel Wynyard along with the rest of his decendants were all born in the house of Windsor. Robert Wynyard is a direct decedant of Catherine St.Ledger, a prominent family of the day, his grandfather also fathered children to his third wife who was a direct decendant of King Charles 2nd through the Montague line. Colonel Robert Wynyard was also the first governor to open New Zealands government. He was acting governor for Governor Grey. His father was Equerry to king George and his mother was lady in waiting for Queen Charolotte. A very intersting history.
Does anybody have any photographs of Wynyard Station, which was set up as Lord Londonderry`s personal halt when he was entertaining royalty and other guests and later became part or british rail? Also does Wynard Hall still have the cricket field? I used to play for Wynyard in the 70`s.
In answer to Sharon Thompson’s query regarding the Brackenboroughs of Wolviston village, I think most people in that area, including northern Billingham, would remember Maurice Brackenborough from the forties and fifities. He had a smallholding at the south end of the village, near Corner’s shop, and made his living selling fruits and vegetables from a horse-drawn cart. He and his competitor, Harry Sayers, more or less split up the whole area between them, either by day of the week, or by particular streets they served. The carts were quite unique, in that they were covered, and the driver had a sort of cabin in the front with a gap under the window through which the reins passed. You couldn’t pick and choose your own items in those days, but had to take an average selection of the product; if you got a bruised apple, too bad! I also remember the watchful eyes of the neighbours, including my father, who would send me scurrying out with a bucket and shovel whenever there was a manure deposit for the garden!
Thank you Neil for your very interesting information.
I remember our friends’ Grandad Maurice very well, he also kept cows in a field at the north end of the village. As children, we would always walk with him to bring them back to the farm for milking, then one day, we were delighted when he said we could go fetch them on our own.
But disaster struck, the normally very well behaved cattle, decided to take no notice of us that day, and thought a nice paddle in the village pond would be best suited, (some even ate the coal from the back of a parked lorry) !
We had the whole village in an uproar that day, consequently, we were never allowed to do it again LOL
Hi Caroline, yes I remember your grandad well. He was our Greengrocer and became Village Bobby when the War broke out. He often caught us up to mischief.
One day on duty as a Special Constable he copped me up a tree at the bottom of Pottery Bank. He didn’t know I had just put a Tree-stinkers egg in my mouth and was gingerly climbing down but it wasn’t fast enough for him. “Hurry up, you would never make a Paratrouper” he called, he didn’t know but 4 years later I had qualified and was seving in a Parachute Brigade. I loved Wolviston too.
Norma Neal – you were asking about information on Norman Dagget. He lives in a Bungalow in Chilton, but its been about 13 years since I saw him last, that’s if the old fellow is still alive as he would be I guess in his 90s now. You say you needed photo’s and books and information on Wynyard, he would have had everything you needed, even photos of the old king and queen on a shooting party at the hall. I was surprised that when he retired John Hall let him keep all his books and records of Wynyard, the only other person that I know that has photo’s and other memorobilia of the estate lives in Sutton Valence, near Maidstone, Kent.
Anyone remember the Brackenborough’s? They had a farm in the wolviston village in the 1970’s? As children we knew their son and we would all cycle to the hall, Thorpe Thewles and even Carlton – happy days.
Re: Colonel Robert Wynyard and Captain Gladwin Wynyard. I have been researching our family tree and I am also a descendant of Gladwin. Ngapera is my great great great great grandmother.
Colonel Wynyard is my great great grandfather (not sure if it’s 2 or 3 greats) and my grandfathers first name was Wynyard named after his mother/grandmothers maiden name. I’ve been told we have some sort of distant family is New Zealand. What I was told by my dad sounds about the same as Benjamin’s comment. I think it’s all pretty interesting.
Thatis really interesting… I would really like to get this right, I’ve been to Turnbull libary and tried to find information. Robert was a very handsome man and very stately! He was from Nobility which is amazing too. He was New Zealands first official governor.
error in previous post as pointed out by – Marore and RHW, Ngapera their child. In the files at Puke Ariki, Taunatapu gives whakapapa with Robert Henry as direct ancestor, this negates the newspaper article written when she died that Gladwyn was the partner of Marore. Can’t copy into here but if you want a copy, please contact me via this site.
Firstly some bad news, unfortunately Len Tinkler passed away recently. I’ve known Len since I carried the RNA Stockton standard (a great privledge I might add). Len was a great lad and I know I’m going to miss him, RIP Lenny. Secondly, I’m trying to establish if its fact or fiction that Wynyard Hall was to be used by the German army as their Northern Area HQ should they have sucessfully invaded England during WW2 and in anticipation of this event, the government built a secret underground bunker to watch the entrance(s) of the Hall. I intend to contact TimeTeam on Channel4 about this so any information would be gratefully received. Thank you in advance.
My uncle, sadly departed, was taken to the bunker by my grandfather. Unfortunately my uncle was too young to remember its location and my grandfather died in 1953. If you’ve discovered anything more about this I’d love to hear about it.
Norma, please put details on this site when the book is published? My Grandmother’s family, the McMasters worked on the estate at Wynyard, my great grandfather, William, being born on the estate in 1861. He married another estate worker’s daughter, Ann Ramshaw, whose father William was a cabinetmaker.
My Grandparents were Margaret and Edward (Ned) Swinbank who ran the dairy at Wynyard until their retirement, when they carried on living there until their deaths, Grandad in 1975 and Grandma in 1986. I have very fond memories of going to Wynyard for summer and Christmas holidays; although the latter involved ice on the inside of the bedroom windows and pulling clothes on as you climbed out of bed – no upstairs heating. By the time I was there the dairy had long ceased to function as such and the old tubs and churns were filled with spiders webs.
I remember Lady Annabel (Lord Londonderry’s sister) sitting on the hearth rug playing with the dogs, the room smelling of turkey cooking in the coal oven.
My Parents and I used to walk over the Estate, down Spring Banks and Fanny’s Glen, up Gas House Road to the school house and the Keepers Cottage. Often being met by George Douglas in his Land Rover, Mr Wood the Estate manager, or Bayden around the club area.
There was a huge statue of Old Lord Londonderry in one of the milking sheds near the club that always made us children jump.
My Parents got engaged at Wynyard although they married in 1948 at Thorpe Thewels Church.
It was a sad day for all when Wynyard was sold, I would love to visit again but would also hate to see what the Park has become.
It is lovely. Don’t hesitate. My grandad was a gamekeeper there in late Forties to early fifties.
Does anyone have any information, pictures etc of the old Wolviston Hall and its former owners. Thanks
I have some old photos of Wolviston Hall and the gardens. I will try to get them to the Stockton Team.
Some of the Webster family are buried in the village churchyard.
They also had connections with Unthank Hall at Haltwhistle.
hi, my mam and sister were born in the old kings arms in the High Street, Wolviston of which I can find no reference. Can anyone help me, any pictures?
My Nana Georgina (Ena) Greig worked at Wynyard Hall and lived in Wolvison, her 3 daughters Gwen, Pat and Muriel and son Brian went to the village school.
Just viewed documents supplied by another family researcher that revealed my gt,gt grandfather Matthew Kelly & wife Catherine lived on this estate as estate workers (Wynford farm) Matthew was a gamekeeper that had also worked for the owners on Mount Stewart Estate. Co Down, Ireland & somehow came over to Durham in & around the Potato Famine times (1846-1849) amazing! Wynford Hall & Mount Stewart look almost identical in structure.
My grandfathers name was Wynyard Montague. Great to see so many taking an interest in our family history.
There are two types of version to the Montague there is Montagu as well. I am unsure if they are the same. The last direct decendant of King Charles was Prince Alice I think her name was. She was like 100 years old. she was a montagu. Was your grandfather a Captain or Colonel?
My mother was Margaret Rose Tinkler and she worked in a shop in Wolviston around 1951. She lived at Stob? Farm bungalow on Sunderland Road and would have been 18 when I was born in 1951.
Colonel Robert Henry Wynyard is in fact Ngapera’s father. My grandmother is Ngapera’s great great grand-daughter. Colonel Wynyard along with the rest of his decendants were all born in the house of Windsor. Robert Wynyard is a direct decedant of Catherine St.Ledger, a prominent family of the day, his grandfather also fathered children to his third wife who was a direct decendant of King Charles 2nd through the Montague line. Colonel Robert Wynyard was also the first governor to open New Zealands government. He was acting governor for Governor Grey. His father was Equerry to king George and his mother was lady in waiting for Queen Charolotte. A very intersting history.
I have found that it was Richard Gladwyn Wynyard that was Ngapera Bella’s Father and her mother was Marore Aitu.
Does anybody have any photographs of Wynyard Station, which was set up as Lord Londonderry`s personal halt when he was entertaining royalty and other guests and later became part or british rail? Also does Wynard Hall still have the cricket field? I used to play for Wynyard in the 70`s.
i have one or two will dig them out and post them when I can
In answer to Sharon Thompson’s query regarding the Brackenboroughs of Wolviston village, I think most people in that area, including northern Billingham, would remember Maurice Brackenborough from the forties and fifities. He had a smallholding at the south end of the village, near Corner’s shop, and made his living selling fruits and vegetables from a horse-drawn cart. He and his competitor, Harry Sayers, more or less split up the whole area between them, either by day of the week, or by particular streets they served. The carts were quite unique, in that they were covered, and the driver had a sort of cabin in the front with a gap under the window through which the reins passed. You couldn’t pick and choose your own items in those days, but had to take an average selection of the product; if you got a bruised apple, too bad! I also remember the watchful eyes of the neighbours, including my father, who would send me scurrying out with a bucket and shovel whenever there was a manure deposit for the garden!
Thank you Neil for your very interesting information.
I remember our friends’ Grandad Maurice very well, he also kept cows in a field at the north end of the village. As children, we would always walk with him to bring them back to the farm for milking, then one day, we were delighted when he said we could go fetch them on our own.
But disaster struck, the normally very well behaved cattle, decided to take no notice of us that day, and thought a nice paddle in the village pond would be best suited, (some even ate the coal from the back of a parked lorry) !
We had the whole village in an uproar that day, consequently, we were never allowed to do it again LOL
Harry Sayers was my grandad! Does anyone remember him! I live in Liverpool now but still own 3 acres of his land! I loved wolviston.
Hi Caroline, yes I remember your grandad well. He was our Greengrocer and became Village Bobby when the War broke out. He often caught us up to mischief.
One day on duty as a Special Constable he copped me up a tree at the bottom of Pottery Bank. He didn’t know I had just put a Tree-stinkers egg in my mouth and was gingerly climbing down but it wasn’t fast enough for him. “Hurry up, you would never make a Paratrouper” he called, he didn’t know but 4 years later I had qualified and was seving in a Parachute Brigade. I loved Wolviston too.
Norma Neal – you were asking about information on Norman Dagget. He lives in a Bungalow in Chilton, but its been about 13 years since I saw him last, that’s if the old fellow is still alive as he would be I guess in his 90s now. You say you needed photo’s and books and information on Wynyard, he would have had everything you needed, even photos of the old king and queen on a shooting party at the hall. I was surprised that when he retired John Hall let him keep all his books and records of Wynyard, the only other person that I know that has photo’s and other memorobilia of the estate lives in Sutton Valence, near Maidstone, Kent.
Anyone remember the Brackenborough’s? They had a farm in the wolviston village in the 1970’s? As children we knew their son and we would all cycle to the hall, Thorpe Thewles and even Carlton – happy days.
Re: Colonel Robert Wynyard and Captain Gladwin Wynyard. I have been researching our family tree and I am also a descendant of Gladwin. Ngapera is my great great great great grandmother.
Colonel Wynyard is my great great grandfather (not sure if it’s 2 or 3 greats) and my grandfathers first name was Wynyard named after his mother/grandmothers maiden name. I’ve been told we have some sort of distant family is New Zealand. What I was told by my dad sounds about the same as Benjamin’s comment. I think it’s all pretty interesting.
Thatis really interesting… I would really like to get this right, I’ve been to Turnbull libary and tried to find information. Robert was a very handsome man and very stately! He was from Nobility which is amazing too. He was New Zealands first official governor.
error in previous post as pointed out by – Marore and RHW, Ngapera their child. In the files at Puke Ariki, Taunatapu gives whakapapa with Robert Henry as direct ancestor, this negates the newspaper article written when she died that Gladwyn was the partner of Marore. Can’t copy into here but if you want a copy, please contact me via this site.
I would love a copy. If you email pictures@stockton.gov.uk they will forward you my email address.
Firstly some bad news, unfortunately Len Tinkler passed away recently. I’ve known Len since I carried the RNA Stockton standard (a great privledge I might add). Len was a great lad and I know I’m going to miss him, RIP Lenny. Secondly, I’m trying to establish if its fact or fiction that Wynyard Hall was to be used by the German army as their Northern Area HQ should they have sucessfully invaded England during WW2 and in anticipation of this event, the government built a secret underground bunker to watch the entrance(s) of the Hall. I intend to contact TimeTeam on Channel4 about this so any information would be gratefully received. Thank you in advance.
My uncle, sadly departed, was taken to the bunker by my grandfather. Unfortunately my uncle was too young to remember its location and my grandfather died in 1953. If you’ve discovered anything more about this I’d love to hear about it.
I’m also very interested in the “bunker” stories. Did you discover any more?
Norma, please put details on this site when the book is published? My Grandmother’s family, the McMasters worked on the estate at Wynyard, my great grandfather, William, being born on the estate in 1861. He married another estate worker’s daughter, Ann Ramshaw, whose father William was a cabinetmaker.
Hello Pat. I think we worked at the Halifax together. I was Pearl Smith then!