Joseph Hopper of Windy Nook

Another member of my Famous Felling Fellas Club

(Born: 2^nd May 1856, Died: 17^th Apr 1909...just short of his 53rd birthday)

Joseph Hopper

is famous for having taken a prominent part in social and political movements amongst the miners in Durham county for many years.

In early life he displayed an active interest in social and religious questions, taking a part in some of the political contests in North Durham, and being a local preacher in Gateshead circuit of the Methodist New Connection. He was also for some years a member of Felling Local Board and the Heworth School Board.
The provision of homes for aged miners in Durham was largely due to his initiative, and for some years he had occupied the post of secretary for the association who had in hand the provision and maintenance of the homes. He was also a member of the Durham County Council. He remained unmarried.

The early homes carry his name...like this at Birtley, built 1924...subsequent ones don't.

From DAMHA website

Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association grew from the vision of Joseph Hopper, a miner and lay preacher. Hopper believed that a man who had served in the coal mines all his life deserved better than to be evicted from his tied colliery home when he retired.

A small weekly levy voluntarily donated from miners’ wages, plus donations of land and materials from mine owners and others, allowed the homes to be constructed and let free of charge.

Although the Durham coalfield is no more, the Association has survived and prospered and continues to offer high quality homes for older people. Whilst you no longer need to have a mining background to have a DAMHA home, we have never forgotten our roots and are proud to have helped so many former miners find homes in or near to the communities where they grew up.

Why Has Windy Nook Turned Its Back on Paradise?

Croduce Square, The Stead, Howard Street, Union Street, Albion Street Back, Paradise Place are the Windy Nook's lost streets, at one time serviced, not just by a big Co-operative Store but by the Bay Horse, the Club (now Sutherland's) and the now long gone Hare and Hounds pub.
Don't get me wrong. I love the pond and wooded area behind the Methodist Church and Sutherland's but some of it could be retained and still have houses. Let's face it, next to it there'd still be a massive and magnificent green space that was once a very deep quarry and until we learn how to build on former quarries that great big dog walking area will remain.

If you a house builder, I suggest you take a butchers and I'm sure you'd not only be inspired to rebuild Paradise, but see the opportunity to make a bob or two, as well. Please price in 10% for yours truly for the heads up.
Here's a bigger view of the map to get you started

I have found a teeny weeny obstacle in the small print. The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers could scupper my fund swelling ruse

At the Cutting Edge of Education for the Masses

It was almost a Century before Government involved itself in creating schools for the masses that The Felling, along with many other places, had places of education
The idea of ragged schools was developed by John Pounds, a Portsmouth shoemaker. In 1818 Pounds began teaching poor children without charging
 fees. In Low Fell Thomas Wilson, after working down the pits as a boy, started teaching in 1792.
John Hodgson created his Heworth School in 1813. The Felling was therefore among those towns at the cutting edge of providing free/affordable education for its youth.
In Windy Nook there was Henderson's Academy in the late 1820's
Heworth Council School didn't open until 1904

The Felling Theatre That Never Was

Right in the centre of this map of 1894 is the Paragon Theatre, which, it seems, never existed. I've been told that it was planned to be built but was initially rejected by the planners for technical reasons.  If true, it may be presumed that the developer lost heart and shelved the scheme.
The drawer of the first OS map must have included it, on the assumption that the development would go ahead. It was not on the next OS map of ...(date) but it has remained on reprints of the 1894 OS map by the Ordnance Survey Office. It is also there on the Alan Godfrey Maps, though it is likely that Alan Godfrey himself, a local historian, knows or suspects that the theatre was never built. He may feel compelled to honestly reproduce the 1894 OS Map, right or wrong.
I decided to try to correct this and wrote to Gateshead Council, who will have inherited papers from the former Felling Urban District Council. The response from the Council is that they do not have any papers on the subject but have suggested that Tyne & Wear Archives might be of assistance. Now awaiting a response from the Archivists

If it turns out to be true that the project didn't proceed, then it will presumably be corrected by the OS Office.
A 120 + year error..or not..deserves correction..or clarification.
Watch this space