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Chester-le-Street
Heritage Group

Welcome to the official Chester-le-Street Heritage Group Website.

We are a purely voluntary group formed in 1986, with the main activities being the study of local history issues, in particular Chester-le-Street and the surrounding area.

Our intention is to research and share information and knowledge relating to the history of Chester-le-Street throughout the ages. Wherever possible we aim to publish either in book form, via CD or through this website, information that we feel may of interest to amateur or professional historians, researchers into family trees or even those who only want to find out a bit more about our town.

Registered Charity No: 1120080.

In early August 2007, the Charity Commission wrote to all the nominated Trustees advising that Chester-le-Street Heritage Group had been successful with its application for Charity Status.
Thanks must go to Dorothy Hall for all her efforts in compiling the necessary information and submitting the application.

Please Note: This website is the subject of continuous updating and improvement wherever possible, so please keep visiting us and you are welcome to download any information that may be of interest.

If anyone has any subjects that they would like to see researched or have any information including photographs, maps and newspaper cuttings, then please get in touch either through this website by using the Mail Form listed in the margin or by telephoning 0191-3885592 and ask for the Secretary.
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The Next Group Meeting --------- 5th June 2013

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The next Meeting of Chester-le-Street Heritage Group will take place in the Library on Wednesday 5th June, 2013 at 7pm..

The next Drop-In Session - Tuesday 4th June, 2013.

The next "Drop-In Session" will be held at the Salvation Army Citadel in Low Chare on Tuesday 4th June, from 10am to 12 noon.
Bring your old photographs and memories along and talk to the Group Members - admission, tea and coffee free.

See the "News & Events" page for more information.

(Please check the "Event Calendar" for dates of other scheduled meetings and events).

The Annual Membership Fee is currently £10 and a charge of £1 is made for the use of the room and to cover the cost of tea, coffee and biscuits each evening.

Visitors & New members are most welcome.
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Friends of C-L-S Heritage Group

The Heritage Group was formed in 1986 with the aims of recording and preserving the history of Chester-le-Street and of making this heritage available to the public and to future generations in the form of documentary and photographic archives. The members give their time and expertise freely to this end and have published several booklets. The Group has secured several grants for special projects like 'Home Front Recall', '1891 Census' and our current project 'Up and Down the Street'. However, this money is not available for the running costs of the Group. We would like to have a Heritage Centre where members of the public can access our archives for their own research, either into local history or for family tree research, and where members of the Group can work and store valuable artefacts and equipment securely. If you are interested in the local history of Chester-le-Street and would like to help us establish a Heritage Centre, but don't have the time or the wish to attend our meetings, you can become a Friend of Chester-le-Street Heritage Group by paying an annual Subscription. The money raised every year will contribute to the rent and running costs of a permanent Heritage Centre in Chester-le-Street. We request that the annual subscription to become a Friend be a minimum of £8.00, and we are grateful for any donations above that amount that you choose to subscribe. What do you get for becoming a Friend? Free copies of our Newsletter, concessions on the cost of booklets and CDs produced by the Group, and half price entry to some events put on by the Group throughout the year, as well as the satisfaction of helping to preserve and make available to the general public the heritage of Chester-le-Street. Organisations that become Friends of the Heritage Group benefit from publicity in our Newsletter and at events. If you would like to become a Friend of Chester-le-Street Heritage Group, then please contact us through the "Mail Form" section of this website, which you will find in the left-hand margin. Some of the Heritage Group Members - Photo taken April 2011. __________________________________________________________

CHESTER LE STREET HERITAGE GROUP 2011
WEBSITE ADDRESS: www.chesterlestreetheritage.org.uk

CHAIR:................... D. Hall.
SECRETARY:............ T.Walton.
TREASURER:............ C. Button.
PROJECT MANAGER:.. D. Hall.
FRIENDS OF GROUP:.. S. Vidler.
NEWSLETTER:.......... B. Pirrie & P. Witham.

The Objects are:

1. To advance the education of the public in the heritage, history, natural history and architecture of the area of Chester-le-Street and other relevant aspects of historical and social importance.

2. To establish and maintain an archive containing information, artefacts and photographs, to help advance the education of the public in the history of Chester-le-Street for the present and the future.

3. To preserve, protect, develop and improve for the benefit of the people of Chester-le-Street and of the nation, the historical heritage that may exist in and around Chester-le-Street in features of particular public interest, beauty or historical interest.

4. To undertake research into the heritage and history of Chester-le-Street, and to disseminate the useful results for the public benefit.

The Group will be responsible for carrying out the research, recording and documentation needed to fulfil and achieve the objectives set out above.
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UP & DOWN THE STREET PROJECT

The Heritage Group are working on a major project called “Up and Down the Street” which delves into all aspects of Chester-le-Street's Front Street going back some 100 years. What we need: As a result the Heritage Group are interested in contacting people, both those who live in the town and those who have family connections to borrow, copy and return any of the following: 1. Photographs/Postcards of the Front Street – members of the Group have the capacity to scan photographs, negatives and slides 2. 8mm/16mm/Video film of events that happened in Chester le Street 3. Ephemera to do with the Front Street – bill headings, paper bags, advertising material. The Group also thinks it is important to record for future historians oral memories of people who:- · were shop workers, · were owners of shops and businesses · shopped Up and Down The Street · took part in Front Street events If you can help, please contact us either through the "Mail Form" section of this website or we are currently running "Drop-In Sessions" every Tuesday morning between 10am and 12 noon at the Salvation Army Citadel in Low Chare . __________________________________________________________

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Latest Site Information

Check out the new items about:


"New Website - The Heritage Trail"
We have a new website which covers the recently revamped Heritage Trail. Here you can download a Guide to the Heritage Trail, take a virtual tour of all the information boards and plaques, download our recent newsletters and even contact us.
So why not visit:
www.chester-le-street-heritage.org

"BOOKS" - this gives brief descriptions of books that are available which may be of interest to the local/amateur historians or those who are researching their family trees.

"Meet the Members" - this is the start of a series of entries, where you can get to know a little bit more about the Members of the Heritage Group. Here they will be providing an early photograph of themselves and give a brief outline of their personal history and interests.

"News and Events" - This is a new service which provides additional information about forthcoming events, exhibitions and local news which we think could be of interest. If you know of anything that should be included, then please let us know through the "Mail Form" section of this website.

Also, see the new page:

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.
CURRENT PROJECT - PARK VIEW SCHOOL.
100 YEARS AGO.



PLEASE NOTE that email addresses have now been removed from the Guestbook entries. This has apparently been considered necessary by Communigate, due to the amount of spam/junk mail being sent not only to the website builders, but also to those who have entered information into the Guestbook.
If anyone should wish to contact Chester-le-Street Heritage Group, please do so through the "Mail Form" section of this website.

******* Please complete our reader Poll *******
Do you think Chester-le-Street should have its own Heritage Centre?

*************** Hit Counters ***************
Hit Counters have been added to each of the pages listed on this website. This is so that we can monitor which subjects are the most popular and therefore will help us to target more effectively the subjects that interest our readers.

Website was last updated on 24th May, 2013.