Coldsides Farm up for Auction in 1889. John Kirton did some recent research and found that the recently demolished Dunhelm House ( Colliery Managers House ) was apparently built on land belonging to Coldsides Farm.
Margaret Davison remembers the farm and shares with us her memories:
Coldsides Farm used to stand opposite where Asda is built about exactly on the site of Henley House in Boldon Colliery.
I was born in West Terrace, now no longer there, which was the most westerly street of the old Colliery facing the fields.
At the end of our street, was the playing field - which some now refer to as The Disco Field but in my childhood was known as the Swingfield.
When my Mother sent me to Coldsides Farm for milk, with either one or two enamel jugs to carry it in, I walked along the side of the swingfield in the direction of, now Asda, and round to the right along the farm track and in front of the old Coal & Mineral Line to the farm gate. Further along the track was the Coal Manager's House. In front of the farmhouse there was a large pond and you had to run the gauntlett to get through the gate and up to the farmhouse door as a number of geese kept watch for strangers, along with a few feathered friends, i.e. ducks and hens - and of course the farm dogs (not as terrifying as the geese though.) The farmer kept a gun and thought nothing of brandishing it at us children if, in the spring, we dared to squeeze through the fence to the cowfield which ran alongside the swingfield to get Frog Spawn in another pond or pick cowslips!!.
I wonder what the authorities would have to say about that these days - nevertheless we were terrified and it certainly acted as a deterrent.
Margaret Davison remembers the farm and shares with us her memories:
Coldsides Farm used to stand opposite where Asda is built about exactly on the site of Henley House in Boldon Colliery.
I was born in West Terrace, now no longer there, which was the most westerly street of the old Colliery facing the fields.
At the end of our street, was the playing field - which some now refer to as The Disco Field but in my childhood was known as the Swingfield.
When my Mother sent me to Coldsides Farm for milk, with either one or two enamel jugs to carry it in, I walked along the side of the swingfield in the direction of, now Asda, and round to the right along the farm track and in front of the old Coal & Mineral Line to the farm gate. Further along the track was the Coal Manager's House. In front of the farmhouse there was a large pond and you had to run the gauntlett to get through the gate and up to the farmhouse door as a number of geese kept watch for strangers, along with a few feathered friends, i.e. ducks and hens - and of course the farm dogs (not as terrifying as the geese though.) The farmer kept a gun and thought nothing of brandishing it at us children if, in the spring, we dared to squeeze through the fence to the cowfield which ran alongside the swingfield to get Frog Spawn in another pond or pick cowslips!!.
I wonder what the authorities would have to say about that these days - nevertheless we were terrified and it certainly acted as a deterrent.
About Thomas Oliver
