IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Frost Grove, NE20 0FD

The complex contains these strange double chimneys of which you just get the occasional glimpse from the passing roads and I have no idea of their function. I was going to drive in and have a look round but the high security on the gate put me off (it's like approaching a military establishment). This is sad as the complex contains several listed buildings (built for the Newcastle Board of Guardians for the care of children) in 1903 by the architects Leeson. At least we have a photo by Brian Norman from 2005 Image Not really a place to turn up and report a missing cat (with a camera about your person). I think the police hide in there to stop you reporting crime.

This is former site of Northumberland College of Education where new lecture blocks were built in 1964 and the college closed in 1981. Most lay empty when Northumbria Police took over the site in 1981 and vacated this part of the in 2016.

This is one of The Listed properties named as The Argand and being sold at £775,000 for a semi. During it's Cottage Homes days it would have been known as No.3. Then became known as RB which included both semis when it was used as student accommodation when part of Northumberland College of Education.

New drainage culverts for the new housing estate on the site of the former Cottage Homes and Northumberland College of Education.

Since I submitted a photo on 15th January 2021 for this house a conifer had been removed --- not surprised. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6785938

This former Cottage Home was known as RA during my teacher training days and where I spent my second year 1966 – 67. I shared a room with Ken Morley (Reg Holdsworth) eventually of Coronation Street fame --- I wonder if it’s worthy of a Blue Plaque? It’s now sold by Bellway as “The Listed at Ottermead” and each semi are priced at about £750,000. The Cottage Homes were supposed to be “listed buildings” four have been demolished to make way for new builds. https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/north-east/the-listed-at-ottermead

This former Cottage Home was known as RA during my teacher training days and where I spent my second year 1966 – 67. I shared a room with Ken Morley (Reg Holdsworth) eventually of Coronation Street fame --- I wonder if it’s worthy of a Blue Plaque? It’s now sold by Bellway as “The Listed at Ottermead” and each semi are priced at about £750,000. The Cottage Homes were supposed to be “listed buildings” four have been demolished to make way for new builds. https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/north-east/the-listed-at-ottermead

This is the former site of Northumberland College of Education where the hall, common rooms, staff room and cafeteria were built in 1964 and the college closed in 1981. When Northumbria Police took over the site in 1981 it became known as the Bailey Suite and was where most official functions took place.

These are the former Cottage Homes that were built in 1903 and closed in 1959. The Cottage Homes were made up of around 14 large semi-detached cottages which together could house around 300 children at a time. There were workshops on site which would have been used for general upkeep and maintenance in the homes and also for training the boys in specific skills. http://www.formerchildrenshomes.org.uk/ponteland_cottage_homes.html http://www.workhouses.org.uk/NewcastleUponTyne/ From 1964 – 1981 it became The Northumberland Teacher Training College and most of the cottages became student accommodation. Five blocks of flats were built as well as lecture blocks and staff accommodation. In 1981 it became the HQ for Northumbria Police although all the buildings weren’t used most of the cottage homes were vacated apart from one used by the Chief Constable and for administration. The site was vacated for a new HQ in Wallsend in 2016 and a newly built Training and Communication Centre where the tennis courts used to be. “The former Northumbria Police headquarters site, including the listed buildings, was bought by Bellway in 2018 for £21 million, and this money has been reinvested into local policing in the area.” Chronicle Nov 2020. https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/property-news/see-inside-former-northumbria-police-19268461 I have a long association with this site since my Grandmother was a foster parent at the Cottage Homes until it closed in 1959. I spent many a school holiday there and Christmas was especially memorable and we all gathered in the Old School and waited for Santa to arrive --- he always did. I returned in 1965 – 68 to train as a teacher although the first year was at The Hydro in Hexham. I returned full time from 1975 – 76 to study for a B Ed having completed eighteen months part time study.