HOUGHTON-LE-SPRING AT WAR

This collection of articles looks at Houghton-le-Spring during the Great War and World War II.

By many older Houghtonians’ own admissions, Houghton got off lightly from the German bombing raids during the Second World War, particularly when compared with what neighbouring Sunderland suffered, but like most towns and villages across the land, Houghton paid its price for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Let us remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Wear your poppy with pride this Armistice Day.
www.britishlegion.org.uk

Houghton-le-Spring's Great War Centenary Commemorations

GREAT WAR CENTENARY

Houghton's Great War Centenary Commemorations will take place between 2014 and 2019. We have a series of special projects lined up.
[CENTENARY LOGO]

Houghton-le-Spring's Cenotaph

HOUGHTON'S CENOTAPH

Houghton's Cenotaph was unveiled on November 7th 1925 to commemorate those killed during the Great War between 1914 and 1919.
[CENOTAPH NAMES]

The marble Roll of Honour tablet is located on the north wall of St Michael & All Angels Church, facing the porch entrance

ROLL OF HONOUR

The marble Roll of Honour tablet is located on the north wall of St Michael & All Angels Church, facing the porch entrance. It was erected by the congregation.
[ROLL OF HONOUR NAMES]

War graves in Houghton-le-Spring Cemetery, Durham Road

WAR GRAVES

There are War Graves in three of Houghton's burial grounds - Durham Road Municipal Cemetery, Hillside Cemetery and the Catholic Cemetery.
[DURHAM RD CEM] | [HILLSIDE CEM] | [CATHOLIC CEM]

Houghton-le-Spring's Book of Remembrance 1939 - 1945

BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE

The leather bound book of remembrance can be found inside St Michael & All Angels Church. The names of those remembered with honour have been reproduced here for those unable to visit the church in person.
[BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE]

Houghton Grammar School: Old Boys Who Fell During the War

GRAMMAR SCHOOL MEMORIAL

This metal panel could be found erected inside Houghton Grammar School, commemorating the old boys who died during World War II. It is now erected inside Kepier Academy's Garden of Remembrance.
[GRAMMAR SCHOOL MEMORIAL]

Memorial stained glass windows and a brass plaque erected inside the United Methodist Church, Nesham Place

METHODIST WAR MEMORIALS

Names and transcriptions from the Nesham Place United Methodist Chapel's memorial plaque for the Great War plus transcriptions for Mautland Chapel's stained glass windows featuring dedications for the fallen.
[METHODIST MEMORIALS]

Brick built air raid shelter at Hillside Cemetery - the last remaining air raid shelter in Houghton-le-Spring!

AIR RAID SHELTER

During the air raid shelter building programme, a brick built shelter was erected at Hillside Cemetery for the residents of the Lodge and those visiting graves, if caught outside during an air raid.
[AIR RAID SHELTER] | [MEASUREMENTS]

Wartime bombing incidents in Houghton-le-Spring

BOMBING INCIDENTS

In the Houghton Urban District, none were killed, two were hospitalised and 3 were slightly injured – very low numbers compared to those of nearby coastal towns of Tynemouth, Jarrow, South Shields, and Sunderland.
[BOMBING IN HOUGHTON] | [N.E. INCIDENTS]

Name list of members of Houghton-le-Spring's Air Raid Wardens

AIR RAID WARDENS

The following list shows the forty-six personnel of the Houghton-le-Spring Warden Service (several of which were female), plus their signatures from the Farewell Dinner souvenir programme, October 1945.
[HOUGHTON'S A.R.P]

The Drill Hall, Stanley Street, Houghton-le-Spring

THE DRILL HALL

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[THE DRILL HALL]

The lozenge pill box is located on Greenshields farm, Stoney Gate, Houghton-le-Spring

PILL BOXES

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[STONEY GATE] | [HERRINGTON HILL]

The Hetton-le-Hole Patrol Operational Base was located in the Roughdene, near Copt Hill

ROUGHDENE OPERATIONAL BASE

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[ROUGHDENE O.B] | [BRITISH RESISTANCE ARCHIVE]

Plaque and shield of Houghton-le-Spring's adopted Warship was HMS Wellard

HMS WELLARD

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[HOUGHTON'S WARSHIP]

Plaques from the War Savings Campaigns of 1943 and 1944

WAR SAVINGS CAMPAIGN

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[WAR SAVINGS PLAQUES]

Joan Lambton's memories of billeted soldiers in Mautland Street Chapel and eggs with shells on

SOLDIERS IN THE CHAPEL

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[SOLDIERS IN THE CHAPEL]

Amazing Wartime memories from Jack Jordison, a trooper from Houghton-le-Spring

FRENCH WINE IN NORMANDY

Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. T of Pensher Monument; public access to the loft ceased.
[FRENCH WINE IN NORMANDY]

Commemorations in 2009 for the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II in Houghton-le-Spring

WAR COMMEMORATIONS

Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Tof the engravings, the earliest of which dates from at least 1925.
[70TH ANNIVERSARY 2009]

Victory mugs were given out to Houghton's children at the end of the War

VICTORY MUGS

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[VICTORY MUGS]

Harry Smith's witty yet poignant Wartime memories of Houghton

BLACKOUTS & BOMBS

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[BLACKOUTS & BOMBS]

Elizabeth Richardson's Wartime memories of Houghton

STAYING SAFE WITH MUM

Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. T of Pensher Monument; public access to the loft ceased.
[STAYING SAFE WITH MUM]

Richard Wilson's memories of Houghton's air raids

5 YEARS OLD & GROWING

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[5 YEARS OLD & GROWING]

Richard Wilson's memories of Houghton's air raids

5 YEARS OLD & GROWING

Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Tof the engravings, the earliest of which dates from at least 1925.
[5 YEARS OLD & GROWING]

Richard Wilson's memories of Houghton's air raids

5 YEARS OLD & GROWING

Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Text to go here. Tof the engravings, the earliest of which dates from at least 1925.
[5 YEARS OLD & GROWING]

Join Fyass Byuk - Houghton Heritage Society's popular Facebook group

FACEBOOK GROUP

You can join Houghton Heritage Society by becoming a member on Facebook - or Fyass Byuk as we call it. We have over 3,300 members and the group is very popular with residents, descendants and ex-pats.
[FACEBOOK]

Videos and cine footage of Houghton-le-Spring

VIDEOS OF HOUGHTON

Houghton Heritage Society's YouTube Channel features exclusive videos of Houghton-le-Spring as well as footage from our heritage events throughout the year - and of course the ancient festival of Houghton Feast!
[YOUTUBE VIDEOS]

Old photographs of Houghton-le-Spring shared via Flickr

OLD PHOTOGRAPHS

Houghton Heritage Society has over 5,000 images in its collections. Many can be found on our Flickr page while our Facebook group has thousands of exclusive photographs as uploaded by our many members.
[FLICKR] | [ARCHIVE CATALOGUE]