Little did we realize at the time but school teachers whoever they were made an impression on our lives as we grew up in the village. I was thinking of adding a list of school teachers when Stuart Charlton popped into the guest book pages. Stuarts mother was a teacher in the infants and his names and comments are added below. Allan Fulcher and John Orchard have also come up with a few names too.

My father has lived at Wheatley Hill all his life with the exception of living in Shotton after the General Strike of 1926. Wheatley Hill Colliery owned houses in Shotton at that time and rented them out to their employees. My dad lived at a place called Doctors Row and went to the Shotton School system at that time. He remembers the following teachers from that time in Shotton :-

Mr. Palmer

Mr. Robinson

Mr. Raper

At Wheatley Hill he remembered the following :-

Miss Berry (she lived opposite the Cemetery, 2nd house up from the Aged Miners Homes)

Miss Laidlaw

Thomas Arnold (Headmaster)

The following are the individuals I have listed with lots of input from Stuart from our time in the Infants 1950's, Juniors, early 1950's, Senior Boys, late 1950's early 1960's. My wife Margaret gave me her input from the early 1960's. I receive some updated information from Betty Jones (nee Woodward) who used to work at the Junior School from 1961 to 1970 but was in the Juniors from 1953 to 1957 and then went to the Girls School. Have had a further update from Mel Turner with additional names.

Infants :-

Miss Moon

Mrs. Iris Charlton

Miss O'Connor

Miss Cruttenden

Miss Bulmer (later married Mr. Ralph Lister who taught in the Junior School)

Mrs. Atkinson (lived in Front Street)

Mrs. Hunter (husband was Doggart's Store Manager at Wingate)

Miss Wardell (Stuart isn't 100% sure whether she was at the Infants School. He has a memory of a Connie Wardell, who was a college of his mother but he doesn't know whether that was Wheatley Hill or Wingate)

Juniors :-

Mr. Alderson - Fred Alderson was the Labour Party secretary for Manny Shinwell and Lord Dormand, he was also a JP. (Betty Jones- nee Woodward)

Mrs. Gladstone (I think she was married while I was there but cannot remember her maiden name)

Mr. Thompson -Mr. Thompson lived in Ferryhill. After the war there was a shortage of teachers and soldiers coming home were asked if they would like to be teachers, Jack Thompson opted for this, I think he was an Accountant before he was called up. (Betty Jones- nee Woodward)

Mr. Alec Wright - he was in Africa during the war and unknown to him so was his brother. They met in the middle of an African desert quite by accident and it was reported in the local papers. He lived in Ferryhill until his death. (Betty Jones- nee Woodward)

Mr. Lister - Ralph and Elizabeth Lister lived in Shotton. (Betty Jones- nee Woodward)

Miss Hart - Miss Jessie Hart died while I worked at the school, she was due to retire two week after she died, she loved teaching and children in her class thought a great deal of her. She did tell me off though for saying aha instead of yes. (Betty Jones- nee Woodward)

Mr. Willain (Headmaster and was a notable preacher in the Methodist Church - Stuart believes his full name was John Wesley Willain)

Annie Hutchinson

Miss Clough

Miss McNally

Flatfoot Mulligan

Jennie Graves

Senior (Boys) :-

Mr. Potts (Mathematics)

Mr. Vic Brown (Arts and Crafts) according to Ray Errington Vic was colour blind and he moved to either Oxford or Cambridge to coach rugby!

Mr. Etherington (English teacher)

Mr. Laine

Mr. Ken Charlton

Mr. Jones (Music teacher)

Mr. Norton

Mr. Stabler (Woodwork teacher)

Mr. Welsh (Metalwork)press & publicity officer

Mr. Holder (Metalwork)

Information from Robin Wallace, the press and publicity officer of the Durham Photographical Society.  He was a metal work teacher but I only knew of him living in Coxhoe over the past fifty years. His great passion in life was photography as is mine. Harry joined Durham Photographic Society 59 years go and was one of the most respected members throughout that time. He was  President twice I believe and was President of the Northern Counties Photographic Federation where he was renowned as a speaker and judge. In latter years he was elected as an Honorary Life Vice President of the DPS.
 He had a son and daughter who both live away from the area I believe and he lost his wife a few years ago. I only had contact with him through photographic society activities and can not offer any other information regading his family life or any other activities but I know he had a great interest in music.particuarly the "big bands" Many of his prints were displayed at his funeral and as a tribute the society may be able to organise a special section of our annual exhibition which is held in the Cathedral every July.  This is not yet certain. however. Note the photo is not of the highest quality as it is an extract from a group of people taken at our centenary exhibition in 1992.

Obituary from the Northern Echo :-

HOLDER March 7, died at Sherburn House. Thomas Henry (Harry), aged 85 years, of Coxhoe. Beloved husband of the late Kath, father of Susan and Martin. Service Friday, March 14 at Durham Crematorium at 1.30 p.m. (mourning wear optional).

Mr. Robert Cherry

Mr. Buckley

Mr. Johnson (Geography) (John Carr)

Mr. Edwards (Dizzy)

Mr. Ward

Mr. Harris (Headmaster)

Captain Bradford

Mr. Francis

Mr. Hornsby

Mrs. Kirk

Miss Hawkey

Miss Surtees

Senior (Girls) :-

Miss Gertrude Alderson (Headmistress)

Mrs. Griffiths (English and typing) - Lived in the house in the Cemetery

Miss Hutchinson (Art) - Lived in Thornley. She also later taught at the Junior School.

Miss Sheldon

Miss Dawson (Gym)

Miss. Hope

Miss. Standish

Miss. G. Alderslade (Headmistress) - according to Ray Errington.