Life in Lambton
By Norman Sweeting
“A bit smelly and dirty but lots of fun” is how Norman describes life at the Lambton Coke Works before it closed in the 1980s.
I started work on my 16th birthday, September 1966 and worked at the Lambton Coke Works until it closed in February 1986. The plant was a big part of my family’s life.
My father and brother were there when I started and, later, two of my uncles started. There were several family groups there as, in those days, people were given jobs if they had relatives working there. My oldest brother worked at Hawthorn coke works.
Derek and Norman in 1969With only about 320 people employed there it was a close-knit community and you virtually knew everyone’s name. My closest mate (Derek, alias DOC) started one year earlier and we are still working together at Caterpillar, Peterlee.
My father worked for the company that built the coke works and started work at the new plant straightaway in 1955 and retired in 1983 and so missed out on the big redundancy payments in 1986.
Collapsing cooling tower
It was a great place to work, a bit smelly and dirty but lots of fun even with management. Not a great deal happened over the years, but a few notable events occurred, like in 1968 the tall wooden quenching tower used for cooling down the red hot coke, which was transported in a large bucket wagon from the ovens, collapsed.
I think it was hit by lightening, which ended up with a group of men with big hoses quenching the coke down for months afterwards while it was repaired.
Lambton Coke plant workers“On the day we finished there in February 1986 there wasn’t many dry eyes when we said our goodbyes.”
Norman Sweeting
Lord Robens visited us in 1970 to open the new Blending plant. Everything in the Blending plant was run from the main control office. We had 20 large bunkers filled with different coals from around the world and they were mixed together to make top quality coke for foundry work and household use.
Lightening does strike twice
In around 1980 lightening struck again. This time it struck the lightening conductors on top of the tallest chimney. It did not damage the chimney but shot down the copper strips hit the ground and set fire to everything around it, and what a noise it made when it hit.
In all the time there, there was no one killed or even seriously injured and once we won the top safety award as well as the tidiest plant award (takes some believing but it did happen).
We didn’t just work together we went out socially as well. We also had our own football team, crown green bowling team, which I joined and was one of the youngest playing.
Norman working the vice in 1970We played our football games at Fencehouses Y.M.C.A. which sadly was demolished only months ago to make way for new houses.
My trade was a maintenance fitter and I learnt a vast array of skills, including lead burning which I loved doing. We were trained off an old timer who used to line the insides of the tall chimneys with lead. Never had to use it since.
On the day we finished there in February 1986 there wasn’t many dry eyes when we said our goodbyes. Some people we never saw again, only reminded when we found out they had passed away.
Now Norman can you name them?
Left to right, back row,
HOW NORMAN LA’….GREAT TO SEE YA’ AND READ YOUR COMMENTS REGARDING THE “COKEYS” ITS A LONG TIME SINCE WE HAVE SEEN EACH OTHER…HOWS DOC..???
SEE YA’ SOMETIME…
KIND REGARDS..
TREVOR NEWTON…(TROUT)
Will never forget how I felt the day I headed off to Wearmouth Colliery or as I like to call it the big W.C. …. did I hate that place.
Thanks for the pics Norman they bring back a lot of memories.
To all my old Cokeys mates it’s been over 20 years but wherever you are Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to everyone of you.
Bill Glendenning
HELLO . ERICS SON HERE JUST CLARTING AROUND ON COMPUTER AND FOUND YOUR COMMENTS HOWS LIFE TREATING YOU ? SONE GOOD TIMES WHERE HAD AT THE COKEYS
YOU STILL MAKING CHESS SETS?? HA HA
NORMAN YOU HAVE BROUGHT SOME REALLY GOOD MEMORIES BACK…..BEST “WORKING” DAYS OF MY LIFE. LOOKING BACK, THE LADS MADE IT WHAT IT WAS!!
I’VE GOT PCTURES OF SOME OF THE LAST GREAT DAYS OF THE PLANT.
BILLY GLENDENNING…….NICE TO HEAR YOUR STILL ABOUT MATE
Hey Norman, The closest I ever got to the cokeworks was when I was trying to nick some copper piping or cable. I do remember though the great nights we had in the “Wellie” You were the second best pool player in the place, after me of course. We had some great nights with Doc and co. Place is sadly closed now. Hope you are well mate
hello NORMAN am I the only one alive from our shift..TOMMY STANDGROOM,
GEORGE MELLOR,JACK SMITH, W.PURVIS,ALL GONE.great times.I see it’s been
turned into a contry park what a laugh……
Hi everyone
Nice to hear from old coke workers. If anyone would like to get in touch with me, my e-mail address is ,
normswe@yahoo.co.uk, would love to meet up with anyone, if you want.
I served part of my Engineering training at Lambton Coking works in the mid 1970s,Jack Moore,Jack Pratt, Les Moore, Gilbert Pickles, Kit ? Electrician, Fred Garbutt and many more who I recall by face but not name, great bunch of fellas proud to have known you all.
As I remember the quench tower caught fire when some benzole got mixed up with the quench water (it was before my time but that was the theory).
I left CPL when the Avenue works closed in 1993 and went to work in the Textiles for 10 yrs, fine workmated but not as much fun as the coking works despite it being smelly and dirty.
Good luck to you, it was a privilage to have known you all.
Hi Norm, it brings back great memories hearing from you. It seems no time since i was yours and Doc’s apprentice. A really good set of lads worked there, a pleasure to have met and worked with them. I still live in Chester le Street and only occasionally see Trav and Porkie. The last time i saw Doc, he was buying a new Nissan 350 on Wessington way. Have a good Xmas, hope to bump into you someday.
Hi Colin, great to hear from you,it must have been the highlight of your life being mine and Doc’s apprentice,lol.It’s years since i saw Trav & Porkie ( Alan Elliott). Don’t know if you know, but our friend Trevor Bellas died last year around Christmas time, Me and Doc went to his funeral, just us two cokies there.
,
hi ya lads great to hear some old names ,i remember the photo norm posted well im 2nd from left, this was when we received the new coke car.im sorry to hear about trevor,as so many that worked at lambton have passed away,but i still bump into a few of the lads ,i still live in the village and get my beer at burnmoor cricket club and the burnside ,all the bestfor the new year lads
Hi Steve, great to hear fron you. On the photo, you were the only name i couldn’t remember, so thanks for that. When you get to almost 60, even back at 50 you easily forget names. Especially people you haven’t seen for years. Not many coke workers left now. I have got in contact with a couple of lads in the past few weeks. see if i can meet up with them for a face to face chat. All the best for the New Year.
Hi Trevor,my mate Stuart Hunter worked there as an electrician ,I took a photo from Stotts pastures on the last week of production,so sad to see jobs lost,give me your e-mail address and I will send photo yours Trevor
To Trevor Grant, Hi, read your letter about a photo taken from Stotts Pastures, could you send me a copy of it for my collection.
Thanks,
Image
this photo was taken from stotts pasturers
Hi Trevor again, my e-mail is normswe@yahoo.co.uk
Another cracking photo from Norman. Do we know who these lads are?
in the photo, Left to right,
Jackie Pratt, Michael Garrigan, Les Moore, Ray Gavaghan
should be Ray Cavaghan