Queen's flag flies at Prestwick

Thomas Miller Claims Management has won a 2014 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category and the flag is proudly flown outside their Prestwick Park offices.

Providing claims handling, adjusting and operational support services to its clients in the marine, transport and general commercial business sectors, the company began trading in 2007 and has grown overseas sales earnings 153% over the last three years, with exports having risen from 44% of total turnover to 78%.

Countyfile presenter, Adam Hanson's connection with Prestwick.

Adam will be a familiar face to most of you, presenting the BBC’s Countryfile series. He’s also been seen on Lambing Live with Kate Humble and can be heard on Radio 4’s On Your Farm and Farming Today.

He has been a dedicated supporter and friend to Useful Vision since the charity's beginning. 

‘When my late nephew Ben lost his sight, it brought home to me the challenges facing families with a visually impaired child. Finding suitable leisure activities, accessing information, and learning about the latest equipment and technology aids was often an uphill struggle. Ben was the inspiration for Useful Vision which was set up in 2005.

Since then Useful Vision has become the lead provider of events and activities designed specifically for vision impaired children and their families in the North East.

I am delighted to be its Patron and support the work it does’.

 USEFULVISION Supporting blind and partially sighted children in the North East

If you would like to know more or would like to donate CLICK HERE

S- Fix site redevelopment approved

PONTELAND: NEW HOME APPROVED AT NOTORIOUS EYESORE

By BRIAN TILLEY 

Published at 07:35, Wednesday, 04 June 2014.  Hexham Courant.

ONE of Ponteland’s most notorious eyesores is to be replaced by a modern house.

At the second time of asking, John and Catherine Robson have been granted permission to build their house on the derelict Old Plant Yard at Prestwick Village.

Although planning officers advised councillors to turn down the application, Northumberland County Council’s west area planning committee gave it the green light without demur.

The committee was reminded that an application for a house on the same site last year had been refused consent as it was considered inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

It was also decided the site was unsustainable and the proposed house would have had an adverse impact upon the visual amenity of the surrounding area.

This new application was for an only slightly smaller house in the same location, so planning officer Joanne Wood recommended refusal for the same reasons.

However, committee members heard there were no objections to the proposal – but there were 10 letters of support.

One supporter said: “ I, like many others, support this application for a family home, which would replace an unsightly, dilapidated, industrial blot on our beautiful landscape

“Prestwick is full of family homes which have their beautiful vistas spoiled by this eyesore.

“A new house would be a welcome addition, and dramatically improve the view.”

Despite the recommendation from officers, Coun. Ian Hutchinson, of Haltwhistle, said: “I cannot see any reason why this should not be approved.”

Corbridge’s Coun. Mrs Jean Fearon added: “Seeing what is there now and the lie of the land, this can only be an improvement.”

Penny Pieces at Street Houses

Planning Application for S-Fix site refused but amended and resubmitted

The planning application for a dwelling on S-Fix site has been refused fir the following reasons:

 1. The application site lies within the designated Green Belt and the open countryside where, under both national and local policy, new dwellings are inappropriate development. Residential development on this site is therefore contrary to the NPPF and Local Plan Policies C17 and H16. The very special circumstances necessary to overcome the presumption against inappropriate development in the Green Belt have not been demonstrated.

 2. The application site is not considered to be a sustainable location for new housing development in that the village of Prestwick does not have an adequate range of services. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy C1 of the Castle Morpeth Local Plan and the NPPF.

3. By virtue of its scale, massing, design and overall appearance, the proposed new dwelling would not result in an acceptable form of development or design in this location and would have a resultant adverse impact upon the visual amenity of the surrounding area. The proposal would therefore be contrary to Policy H15 of the Castle Morpeth Local Plan, and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework

Spot anyone?

Explosives

ICI's Nobel division transported explosives from its factory at Ardeer, Ayrshire to its depot from 1953 until the1970's. The explosives were distributed from the Callerton depot, with offices at Street Houses, to mines all over the North East of England.

A full history of the ICI local operations can be found in the Ponteland Local History Society publication "Pont Island News 2010" 

Prestwick's £36,000,000 company

Northern Bear  has just posted turnover of £36,000,000 and a profit of £8,000,000

Prestwick Hall 1900

The 1911 Census shows that Prestwick Hall was occupied by 71 year old William Boyd and his of 40 years, 70 year old Jane Diana together with cook, Ellen Brown and 4 other female servants.

William Boyd, born in Arncliffe, Yorkshire, birth, first came to Wallsend in 1874, when he was invited to become managing director of the Wallsend Slipway Co. Under his direction the small shipyard became a major marine engine building concern, erecting the first steel boilers on the Tyne in 1878. Mr Boyd retired from management at the end of 1911.

He was involved in Wallsend local government from May 1878, when he became a member of the Local Board of Health. In April of the following year he was elected chairman of the board, and served in that position until 1894, when it was replaced by the new district council, of which he became the first chairman. Mr Boyd was elected an Alderman and first Mayor of the new council and continued to serve until October 2, 1906. On Wednesday, June 19, 1907, William Boyd laid the foundation stone for Wallsend's new Town Hall when a Freedom Ceremony was opened for him. By this time he had moved to Cheltenham, where he died in 1919.

The North East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders was founded in November 1884 at the instigation of William Geddes Spence (1860-1946) of R.W. Hawthorn's marine engine works. William Boyd (1839-1919) Managing Director of the Wallsend Slipway and Engineering Works served as its first President and is widely recognised as being the leading force behind the Institution's creation.

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Prestwick based charity accounts published

LEGACARE (UK) LTD
TRUSTEES' REPORT AND UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS

Legacare Accounts

None of the trustees or anyone connected with the trustees received any remuneration or was reimbursed expenses in the period. During the period Margaret Kirby's, who is a trustee of the charity, legal practice Kirbys Solicitors provided legal services by way of consultancy to the charity to facilitate the charity's objectives to the value of £33,333 which is in accordance with the governing document. This ocurred because there was insufficient funding to recruit solicitors for the charity at this time, which would also include costs for professional indemnity insurance, practising certificates, CPD training as well as supervision and monitoring. This is a temporary measure until the Charity has sufficient funding to recruit solicitors and their associate core costs.

W Armstrong and Sons, Prestwick

S Fix Workshop

I am told by someone who worked there at the time that the building was built by local joiner Mr Ditchburn - does anyone recall his fore name?

Ditchburn lived at No.1 Carr View, Prestwick and prior to moving into the workshop he rented Prestwick Chapel as a joiners workshop from Billy Welch, Mechanical Engineer at East Walbottle colliery.

Ditchburn moved to a farm near Chollerford.

Can anyone remember who the next occupiers of the workshop were?