1955
Chapter 1 – Early Days
I see a young man with a vision of the future
I see an old man with a memory of the past
Together they are both naive and full of wisdom
What is it that makes up an ordinary man I have to ask?
1.1 1955 (1) Corbridge, Northumberland (Birth at Dilston Hall)
Giant redwoods on the drive of Dilston Hall
I was born at Dilston Hall, Corbridge, Northumberland, on the banks of the Tyne
which makes me a Geordie; something of which I am extremely proud.
Dilston Hall remains
Until the age of eight I celebrated my birthday on the 6th May, and then later on the 4th
although my mother Elsie always insisted that my true birth date was the
5th of the 5th 1955. Such things at that time were of little
importance to the Social Services when taking children into care.
Dilston Hall now Mencap National College
Dilston Hall, is the country seat of the Earl of Derwent, and since making this discovery
I have delighted in telling my family ‘I told you I was of Royal descent’; mainly because having
been blessed with something of a Prince Charles nose they have been merciless
over the years, and so it was nice to turn the tables.
Dilston Castle
For a while, in dreams, I had decided that I was the illegitimate son of the Earl;
one close friend affectionately calls me Derwent.
Dilston Chapel
Curious about my place of birth I discovered that Dilston Hall was turned
into a maternity hospitalafter the war as facilities in the area were few
and far between; today it is the headquarters of Mencap and a residential home
for people with learning disabilities and so has had quite a fascinating history.
Dilston Castle and Chapel
For now though it’s still 1955.
1.2 1955 (2) Stonehaugh, Northumberland (My Birth family)
- Elsie Dorritt (my birth mother)
- Charles Henry Morpeth (my birth father)
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My parents, Elsie and Charles Henry, already had two children before I arrived.
My sisters Kerrie and Christine were about 4 years and 2 years old respectively
and we all lived in a forestry workers’ cottage in the village of Stonehaugh.
Naturally my Father was an employee of the Forestry Commission at that time.
 Outside my first home in Stonehaugh nearly 50 years after I left it The village was very isolated, as I found out when I returned for a visit
almost 50 years later, consisting only of a few streets and a very small social club
but there was no denying it was a beautiful place to live.
 Warks Burn Stonehaugh  View from Stonehaugh village The surrounding scenery gave an ambience of peace that most people could
only dream of although I’m not convinced that my parents felt that way about it.
 Road to Stonehaugh  Around Stonehaugh One thing which delighted me about ‘my’ house, when I finally found it, was that
it was the only one in the village painted completely green, my favourite colour.
A few weeks after returning from my visit to Stonehaugh, a close friend told me
that the village of Stonehaugh was famous for having the biggest swingers
club in the UK! Obviously there was more to that little social club than I had
at first realised.
1.3 1955 (3) Stonehaugh, Northumberland (Disfunctional parents)
It was many years later that I found out Elsie had psychiatric problems.
And according to my Fathers’ sister (Auntie Joan) he (Charles Henry)
suffered from schizophrenia caused by a bullet which had been lodged in his head
since the war.
It’s difficult to know at this point whether this is true because my Aunt was
very protective of her brother, and his family clearly didn’t warm towards Elsie.
Although the family lived in an idyllic location and had an income, it was apparent
that all was not well in the household. Charlie was out at work all day leaving Elsie
at home in a very isolated place with three children under the age of five; it was
only a matter of time before things imploded.
There’s no doubt alcohol din’t help the situation.
 When the rain came down not everyone got wet. 1.4 1956 (1) Tyneside Social Services (Into care)
It isn’t really clear what the straw was that broke the camel’s back, but I do know that the family split up when I was around eighteen months old,
placing me into the care of the social services with my sister Christine.
She would have been around 3 and half years old and, as was the policy, we were sent together to the same children’s home.
Our elder sister Kerrie apparently stayed with Charlie, who returned to his parents
Anthony and Hannah in Rowlands Gill, Co/Durham.
 Hannah Morpeth, my Grandmother Around 30 years after this event, when I finally tracked her down I asked Elsie
directly why she had put me into care. With a practical sort of honesty she said
that she had been receiving benefits but was struggling financially and so went to
the benefits office to ask for more money.
The office refused to pay her more money at which point she placed me
on the counter saying “Well I can’t keep him on 8/- bob-a-week…..
you keep him”; she then walked out.
Over the years, as I began growing into manhood, I developed quite a strong sense
of humour which at one point in my life bordered on the cruel.
It was around then that I first heard this story and my first reaction was that it
was so cool; in some bizarre way it justified my own cutting and sarcastic
sense of humour.
Since then, and having reflected on things often, I have tried to imagine how
a Mother must feel in giving away her child. I can’t.
 Childhood reject |
gingerdolly
April 24, 2012 at 3:38 pm
Alua, I do hope you don’t mind me commenting. I idly searched my maternal grandmother, Hannah Morpeth, and was a little shocked when your blog and her picture jumped out. On reading your story it was like ants crawling on my skin because I kept thinking this can’t be the same people. I didn’t (I suppose don’t) have a close relationship with the Morpeth side of my family, but have been a bit curious after my mother once let slip some of what happened to Charlie, my father Trevor’s father.
I’m told I look like our respective Aunt Joan, one of my regrets is that I didn’t spend more time with her and Arthur – the nicest of people.
This is a lovely website. Best of luck with it, Jane
gingerdolly
April 24, 2012 at 3:39 pm
apologies, that should say PATERNAL grandmother, not maternal.
gingerdolly
April 24, 2012 at 3:56 pm
I really am puddled! Charlie was my Dad’s brother, not father. As I say, I didn’t really get to know that side of the family. I think my Dad is the only one of Hannah’s children still alive, and he still lives at the Gill
Alan Dixon
April 24, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Hi Jane. It’s lovely to say hello. The last time I saw you you were a child (1976) with beautiful red hair like your Mother Valerie. Your Dad is my Uncle Trevor and we met a couple of years ago at (my niece) Maria’s house in Rowland’s Gill when I quizzed him in depth about my Father and their early lives. Am I right thinking you are in the health profession and your brother is a banker?
Aunty Joan was the idol of my life, I worshipped her. I remember she passed away on the early hours of millenium morning when I was out doing a gig and I felt as though part of me had died. She used to take me out of the kids homes for day trips (as you’ll see if you read my blog in depth). it was Aunty Joan and Uncle Trevor together who gave me so much information that I craved to hear. I blamed my Father for years for the break up of the family and then after meeting Trevor completely changed my view. It was so profound I wrote an appendix here on my blog to redress things.
I imagine you are aware form your father that my sister Kerrie passed away on 1 April; sorry if you didn’t know Jane. Her funeral is next week in Lowestoft where she lived, after which I am bringing her ashes back up to the North East at her request. If you are in the area when I’m there it would be nice to meet up. If you’d like to message me privately you can email me at spailpinfanac@gmail.com
I’m glad you like my site Jane and hope you call in often. I’ll just check in a minute if I have uploaded photos of Uncle Trevor and me, and Aunty Joan. If not I will so that you can have copies if you want them.
It would be lovely if you stayed in touch Jane, my blood relatives are very thin on the ground
Lots of love Alan xx
Jane RM
April 25, 2012 at 8:59 am
Alan, I am so sorry to hear about Kerrie passing away. I hadn’t heard, but unfortunately as you’ve probably gathered my side of the family haven’t really kept in touch. I have a beautiful photo of her at my mam and dad’s wedding, which I will scan and send to you. She passed on my 40th birthday.
My dad gets a little confused sometimes, my brother is a banker but I actually work for a charity in Newcastle. I will email you separately, so you can keep in touch.
And I still have very red, very long hair. x
Alan Dixon
April 25, 2012 at 9:59 am
Hi Jane xx
It’s great to know you’re in Newcastle, I so miss the Toon and I’d love that picture. I’m having to prepare the service sheet for the funeral and would like to add a few snaps. I’ve put a page on here with the few photos I have.
Thanks for getting back to me. For what it’s worth I spend most of my life confused
Great to know you still have very long red hair, I love it. And praise be to whoever I still have most of my hair and teeth.xx Alan
Parker
February 23, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Alan
Thanks for the warm welcome.. Your blogs are very interesting, thought provoking, they brought a tear to my eye and a smile to my face. Your art is every good and I look forward very much to seeing more. If you are planning another visit to the area, I would be very happy to meet up with you. The new community hall is now fully open and we could share a beer or two. Of cause, if your driving I’ll have the beer and you can have the orange juice
.
Parker
Spailpinfanac
February 23, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Parker
Such kind comments; apologies for the tears but delighted you also smiled. There are always two sides to a coin. Really glad that you like my art too and of course there is always more to come.
I checked out your stonehaugh.com site and loved it. Very ‘villagy’ and community orientated. The new hall looks terrific and I’m sure it’s well used by everyone.I particularly liked the children’s page; the little poem by one of the children is wonderful.
And of course the photographs are superb, the place is just as I remember it – beautifully remote.
It will be lovely to revisit in the summer and soak up some of the atmosphere. I’ll keep an eye on your Events calendar. Orange juice works fine for me
Alan
Alan Dixon
April 14, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Hi Parker – hoping you’re able to read this – I need to come up to Stonehaugh on family business within the next month or so. Can you just confirm you received this message please. Thank you Alan
Parker
February 22, 2011 at 2:53 pm
Hi,
What a small, small world we live in…… I have just been searching for some graphics for a website I have just started (stonehaugh.com) after being volunteered for the job in December 2010. Anyway, I stumbled across your site and what a surprise to read that you once lived in the house that I now live in…. wow… I have lived in Stonehaugh for about 9 months now and since having installed a wood burner in the lounge near the close of 2010 I have been curious about who has lived in 3 Middle Burn End after finding daubed on the chimney breast in white paint, the name Sue. I have asked around, but, no one seems to know who it is. The picture on your site looks like it’s it was taken recently, I know this, because the previous owner took his satellite dish when they left and I have had a replacement fitted.
Halode.co.uk is my personal website, which is still under construction. Would you mind if I put a link to your site from mine.
Many thanks
Parker
Spailpinfanac
February 22, 2011 at 4:33 pm
Hi Parker. Thank you for your mail and a warm welcome to my website.
It is indeed a small world; and congratulations on your new job in creating stonehaugh.com. I will be a regular visitor. I will also check out your personal site at Halode.com.
It’s amazing really to get a mail from someone who is living in my first house there in Stonehaugh.
As you can see my site is my autobiography and when I began writing I decided to start at the beginning and visit Dilston Hall (where I was born) and then Stonehaugh (my first house); the photo was taken about 4 years ago (I am 55 now).
I was born in 1955 and lived there for 18 months before being taken into care. The houses were built for forestry workers which is what my father did when he came back from the army.
I am happy for you to put a link on your site to my mine Parker and I hope you stay in touch. I was in Newcastle last weekend and will be visiting again in Summer; it would be lovely to meet you in Stonehaugh if you’re happy to.
Warm regards Alan