My name is Jean Thompson I joined the Mothers Club 19 years ago.
I was born at Wordsworth Avenue Wheatley Hill. I lived in Ashmore Terrace as a baby and then as a toddler in 6th Street. Wheatley Hill. We moved to Thornley when I was 6 years old. I married Colin my husband in 1967 and moved to Wheatley Hill to Ashmore Terrace to start my married life. In 1970 we moved back to Thornley.

We have 3 sons Lee born 1969, Paul born 1970 and James born 1985.
I have 2 grandsons Robert 6 years and Thomas 3years old. We lived in Thonley till 1981 then moved to Chilton. We were there 3 years then we moved to Spennymoor. We lived in Spennymoor till 1995. Then moved to Bishop Auckland. Last year 2000 we moved back to Spennymoor.
I have always come back to the Colliers Thornley and Wheatley Hill. (You can take the girl out of the Colliers but you will never take the colliers out of the girl.)

I enjoy coming to the Mothers Club because it is like coming home to my roots, which I will never forget.
My memories of old times in the collier villages where Paddy's Market every Friday, Freddy Baldaserra's bringing ice cream round the streets to sell in his horse and cart. Monday was always washing day and Friday everyone washed the windows and the front door step. My Grandma's use to say more people walked passed the step than walked across it so it had to be clean. I remember wives who didn't wash their steps were talked about.

The toffee lolly man who used to stand outside Thornley School on Fridays selling toffee apples, cinder toffee and ordinary toffee.
I remember the first electric meters being put into the colliery houses in School Square Thornley. Up till then the coal board paid the electric bills. We used to get wrong for slamming the door because my Mam used to think it made the meter jump and get a higher reading.

I can remember a happy child hood where we felt safe every one looked out for each other.
I can remember walking over the moor's when I was courting and in the winter we used to walk up to the Halfway House and down to Wheatley Hill in the snow and cold just so we could be alone. I remember it was so cold we had to wipe our noses before we could have a snog.

I remember taking the oven shelf to bed wrapped in an old sheet to keep me warm.
I am very glad I was born and brought up were I was as I belief it has given me a good solid down to earth roots which will never leave me.