The photograph was taken two years ago just approaching the island of ‘Capri’, in Italy where Gracie Fields fell in love with the island and stayed for most of her life. It lies just off the beautiful Amalfi coast the sites of which are spectacular and where the sea always seems to be a beautiful shade of blue. Altogether a wonderful part of Italy and part of the ‘Bay of Naples’, with the Volcano Vesuvius visible reminding people that it is still live; after turning Herculaneum & Pompeii to ash. Lord Nelson was well respected in this area of Naples and where he proved his authority against the French & Spanish navies around 1795.

Bernie has written over twelve books all of which has sold completely; to enable soldiers serving abroad and people emigrating can have access to the books they are now available on the Kobo book site where they can be downloaded to computers and readers. At the moment Bernie is busy with a book called ‘Coxhoe,1,2& 3’, all of the Coxhoe books are now out of print and mainly because people are still asking for the books it was decided to complete one last book documenting the best of these and also adding about 30 pages of memories from Kelloe, this will also be available on the Kobo web site.

Foreword

The fifties were exciting times living around Coxhoe. After the war years the birth rate was tremendously high, families started toagain feel a sense of freedom wanting to better their lives and that of their offspring, after the early struggles working in Collieries & Serving their Country in two World Wars. There was plenty of employment for everyone; people began to enjoy themselves after two bitter world wars when the area lost many good men, now families wished to progress their offspring as best they could. As the collieries closed many Engineering and other manufacturing industries surfaced to make our lives better through modern technology.

Early family Ancestors and the Wood family of ‘Coxhoe Hall’ left a wonderful legacy to the people of the area. Brilliant history was made at the Hall crowned by the birth of ‘Elizabeth Barrett Browning’, in 1806. The last surviving member of the Wood family ‘Maud Mary Wood’, left part of her estate to build a Concert Hall, Supper Room where all kinds of activities could be organized, facilities where men could play snooker and where dances and other activities could be organized. The Clarence Railway was first established in the area along with early historical Collieries. The village had been carefully planned with a good mix of shops and licensed premises, a Cricket Pavilion and sports ground. A Workingmen’s Club where local people could spend their leisure hours. I decided also to produce an affordable pictorial volume of books on Coxhoe in five sections; Area, People, Sport, School days, and Industry.

By 2012 there had been many changes in the area and many new faces were seen mainly because of the new housing now available. Sadly there had been many death’s in the area among them Stan Jackson, Tot Clark, Denis Chisholm, Ian Chisholm, Jakey Bryan, Alan Seaton, George Quinn just to mention a few. But life has got to go on and it does; Coxhoe is now a little bustling village where it would seem everyone wants to live, all of the businesses it would seem are doing well and the front street is as busy as ever, the two remaining Pubs and the Club even do well.

There is not a day goes by without enquiries about this particular book ‘Coxhoe’ this was my first book in the series so I have decided to again make it available along with the best of the other Coxhoe books for the final time to help remind the families and descendants just what life was like years ago in this remarkable little village. From time to time photograph’s were sent to me from surrounding villages like Kelloe; Families & their happiness are what I am about & I am glad to add these to the book where possible; these are real people, I publish & produce all of the books myself so that families are not paying exorbitant prices to get their photograph’s published. Jean Lamb & Rueben Dowding has been brilliant help for me with captions and names. Recently I called at the local school where the head Carol Musztacs and Brenda helped me tremendously with ex’pupils photograph’s and names so I decided to include these and any others that I may receive up to the time of publishing. I finally had to include about 80 photograph’s from the Kelloe area. Among these were the history of the school & ‘St. Helens Church, I intend selling the book at £12 basically to cover the expense of printing: