Latest news with #BeamishMuseum
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'My dad was a founding member of Durham Wasps'
Russ Proudfoot, third at the back from left to right, pictured in 1947, was one of the first Durham Wasps players [Beamish, the Living Museum of the North] A founding member of one of the UK's most successful hockey teams wished he had not left it to play elsewhere, his son has said. William Russell Proudfoot, known as Russ, was one of the first men to play for the Durham Wasps when it was formed in 1946. Advertisement His son, Chris Proudfoot, said his dad had "left his mark" and missed the Wasps when he started playing for Liverpool in the late 1940s, following a dispute with the owner of Durham Ice Rink. "To be at the conception of something and to start it off... he was one of the founders so you can't say more than that. He left his mark," Mr Proudfoot said. Russ's hockey past has been remembered amid a project to commemorate Durham's ice rink, which closed in 1996. Memorabilia is being collected and local artist Lewis Hobson is planning to create a mural celebrating the venue, which was demolished in 2013. Advertisement Reading about the project prompted his family to contact the BBC to offer some of his items and they shared his story. Russ Proudfoot joined South Shields Marine School aged 16 and served in the Navy during World War Two [Supplied] Russ was born in 1923 and briefly lived in Canada as a child before returning to County Durham in the late 1920s. But hockey did not find him until after the end of the war, which had brought Canadian pilots to the area. "The locals saw them doing this and they started joining in and they formed a team," his son said. Mr Proudfoot recalls his dad telling him about the freezing cold ice baths he used to take after getting "a real good pounding on the backside with a stick" during a game. Advertisement "He remembered going into the changing rooms, virtually struggling to walk and somebody just filled a bucket of water and pushed them into the bucket. "So he was left sitting in the bucket of water, to cool yourself down and stop it from bruising." Russ Proudfoot, second at the back from left to right, helped the Wasps get clothing at the start [Supplied] Although the team went on to achieve remarkable success in the 1980s, Mr Proudfoot said it had humble beginnings. "It was rough. I remember my dad saying that," the 68-year-old said. Mr Proudfoot said the players had no protective clothing so his dad, who had served in the Navy, helped kit out the team with clothing such as thick jumpers. Advertisement "It was a violent sport, it still is a violent sport. Durham Wasps came out of nothing, but they were unbeatable, year after year after year," he said. Russ left the Wasps in the late 1940s after a dispute over pay with the owner of the ice rink, John "Icy" Smith. He went to play for Liverpool - but Mr Proudfoot said his dad later regretted his decision. "He said one of the things he wished he had never done was go [there]." The Durham Wasps, pictured in 1961, went on to reach great success in the 1980s [Beamish, the Living Museum of the North] Russ's hockey career came to an end in the early 1950s and he returned to his hometown Ferryhill and became a baker. Mr Proudfoot said his dad never took him to the ice rink but he went himself and watched the Wasps as a teenager. Advertisement His mum was also a semi-professional ice dancer - but the skill did not rub off on him. "I was a terrible ice skater. I could get around, but not good enough to play ice hockey," he recalled. Mr Proudfoot, who now lives in Sunderland, said it was important to commemorate Durham Ice Rink because "it's not there anymore". "It's not as if someone can go down, a young kid, and say: 'How long has it been here? What's this?'," he said. "They can't do that, there's no-one there. There's no ice hockey. There's nothing. So the history is all there is." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. More on this story Related internet links
BBC News
26-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Creative industry mentoring scheme launches at Beamish Museum
A museum is offering a free mentoring programme to people looking to develop their careers in the creative County Durham Creative and Cultural Skills Hub, hosted by Beamish Museum, is seeking 12 people to be mentored over a six-month applicants will be paired with a mentor who will provide them with ongoing lead Niamh Barclay said the programme was an opportunity for people to gain "12 hours of one-to-one personalised advice on their creative and cultural career". The programme is particularly interested in supporting mentees from communities who have been underrepresented in the workforce or have faced barriers to entry or progression. The Skills Hub is part of Durham County Council's Into the Light Julia Handelman-Smith said it was vital to build a more "inclusive, diverse and skilled workforce" to strengthen County Durham's cultural sector. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Yahoo
Two men arrested after man hospitalised in 'stabbing'
Two men have been arrested in connection with the reported stabbing of a 37-year-old in Grangetown yesterday. Police and paramedics were called to Birchington Avenue in Grangetown, where the man was found with injuries to his head and arm. (Image: TERRY BLACKBURN) (Image: TERRY BLACKBURN) The incident happened shortly after 3pm on Saturday (March 1) with officers cordoning off the scene. Cleveland Police have confirmed that two men, one aged 27 from the Marton area and a 34-year-old from Grangetown, have been arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding and are in police custody. (Image: TERRY BLACKBURN) The victim is a 37-year-old man. His injuries don't appear to be life threatening. Read next: RECAP: Birchington Avenue, Grangetown under cordon after 'stabbing' Man in hospital after 'stabbing' on Birchington Avenue, Grangetown TripAdvisor: Beamish Museum visitor leaves 'bizarre' review A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson previously said: "We received a call at 15.13pm this afternoon to reports of a person injured on Birchington Avenue in Grangetown. "Police also attended the scene. "We sent one emergency ambulance crew and took one male patient to hospital for further treatment."
