Living on the Ironstone Railway

Recollections of David Smith, whose father was born at Bloworth Crossing

and whose Grandparents were part of the Railway Community.

My paternal grandparents, William and Esther Smith, lived at Bloworth Crossing on the Rosedale Mineral Railway for many years. My Grandfather was born in Gillamoor on 24 February 1847, the son of William Smith, Schoolmaster and his wife Hannah (nee Hornby). My Grandmother, Esther Hill Ward as she was before marriage, was born on 8 June 1854 at Sleights, the daughter of Harland Ward, a miner, and his wife Francis (nee Hill). As a small point of interest I still have the large, horn handled pocket knife given to my Great Grandfather on his retirement, with the words “The Master 1871”, inscribed on a small plaque on its side.

My Grandfather was a platelayer on the ironstone railway, and my grandmother acted as crossing gate-keeper as required. They raised a family of seven up on the moors, four being born at Rosedale West and three at Bloworth, my father, second youngest of these (and also David), was born in September 1885. The family lived at the Crossing until sometime before the 1901 census, in which they appear at Railway Cottages, Kildale. They remained there until retirement, at which point they moved to Battersby Junction where they were looked after by my father’s youngest sister (and my Aunt Daisy), a first world war widow. My Grandfather died on 6 April 1927, my Grandmother having passed away a few years earlier.

Grandmother was, according to my Aunt Jane, a very neat lady and she had a special bonnet with ribbons which was brought out on Sunday mornings, worn to service at High Farndale Methodist Chapel, and then carefully replaced, ribbons rolled, in its box until the next Sunday. On the moors the only way to get to places was on foot, mainly, and if my sisters and I grumbled about walking any distance, my Dad would tell us that when he was a lad he had to walk 5 miles to school, 4 miles to Sunday School and 9 miles to band practice! The latter entailed a fair walk along the Rudland Rigg road, then down a track into Bransdale to join a road which led to the practice venue. On one particular occasion he was caught in a blizzard during his return journey along Rudland Rigg, causing a bit of a stir at home. As has been said before of life on the railway, snow was measured in feet rather than inches up there. But they managed to keep cosy as witnessed by the large copper warming pan which was much used and now adorns one corner of our living room. As to sustenance, the obligatory pig was raised and hens were kept. Local wild life e.g. rabbits came into play. Flour came from Bransdale Mill and was stored in a large wooden bin and my Grandmother did a monthly trip to Middlesbrough, via Battersby Junction (down the Incline, courtesy of one of the iron ore trains) for essential supplies.

William Smith

Blowath plate layer

David Smith, born Blowath 1885

Quarryman

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Letters printed in the Northern Echo, pre-1983, relating to the life of young children living on The Line at Blakey and Blowath at the time of the railway

It only remains for me to ponder the correct name for the spot – I started with “Bloworth”, but have found that the 1881 and 1891 census has it as “Blowath” and Harry Mead in his writings has “Blowith”. My father, to his dying day always said “Blawith” – a colloquialism I guess – but he was brought up there!

Donated by David Smith to Rosedale History Society, July 2012

These cuttings were found in his late father’s wallet