The area around Blyth and Bedlington is new territory for me. One of my ancestors William Prike sailed up from Cley in Norfolk and by 1851 was a mariner living in Boca Chica, Cambois. What is the local pronunciation of these interesting places? The Enumeration description for 1861 offers a clue, 'Bogie Cheekey'. Some of his census addresses were in High Pans (Panns). I understand that originally this was an area where salt was obtained through evaporation. Were houses built there subsequently? John Buckley from Lancaster (in the south)

Hi John, Boca Chica is probably unknown to most of the younger generation, there is nothing left at Cambois ("camus") to indicate its existence as the terrace which carried on the name was demolished in the 1960s. My father's generation were aware of it, especially as he was a miner who met other miners from Blyth and Cambois who mentioned the name, as seems usual with the "Geordie" dialect and miner's corruption of words this was usually referred to a "Boga Cheeky" or "Bogey Cheeky." As for salt pans (panns) - seems that nearly every village on the NE coast had them. Originally, these seemed to have been evaporation ponds but later large metal "pans" were employed which were heated with fires. Certainly, of the one I'm aware of at Amble there is still a large mound of cinder near where the salt pans were. "At this time (18th Century) there were also fourteen saltpans producing more than one thousand tons of salt each year. The making of salt in the 18th century was dogged by taxation. This taxation increased further during the Napoleonic wars to provide funds for the military. In 1825 the taxation of salt was abolished, but by this time the salt industry was in marked decline. The last saltpan was destroyed in 1876 and the industry ceased." [http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/Blyth.htm]. Boca Chica appears on the 1865 OS 1st Series maps as Bogie Chique in the location of what is now the north end of Battleship Wharf. This "hemmel" of properties was the "original" Boca Chica, and may be the place in the engraving/print of the Northumberland Communities website (if not High Panns) http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/007062FS.htm By 1895 the name applies to a terrace row to the north of the original site, with another terrace directly north (Bridge Street) and another directly to the east called Boathouse Terrace, there were some 46 properties in Boca Chica terrace and there is a well at the south end of the row called Bocachica Well. Sometime before or during the 2nd WW the tidal basin was extended so that the basin was directly behind the track/lane at the rear of Boca Chica terrace. Sometime after the mid 1960s Boca Chica was demolished although Bridge (Ridge) Street, directly north of here, was still there. As for the present day, West Bridge Street remains (a short terrace which was, not surprisingly, to the west of Bridge Street). Some of where Boca Chica terrace was is waste ground and some is a coal handling facility for coal being shipped out of the port (this is towards to north end of Battleship Wharf). This is the aerial view today - the centre cross is the north end of Battleship Wharf, this was the place where the "original" Boca Chica was (probably a hemmel of properties) and running parallel to the basin was where Boca Chica terrace was later: http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=55.140361&lon=-1.517231&z=16.5&r=0&src=msa As regards the origin of the name of Boca Chica at Cambois (this is taken from http://davidheyscollectionextra.com/page15.htm): "From "The History of Blyth from the Norman Conquest to the Present Day" (2nd Editions 1869) by John Wallace. The author tells a wonderful story about two seamen who saw navel action at the Battle of Cartagena de Indias (Columbia today) in South America in March of 1741. Having survived the battle the men made it home and of course told of their exploits (no doubt with many flourishes and embellishments) and their frequent mention of the name Boca Chica led to one of their companions jokingly naming where they lived as Boca Chica. It was immediately adopted by the locals and continued in use right up to the demolition of the colliery rows. Here is the exact wording from his book - '1745. About this time 'Boca Chica' received its outlandish name. Two seamen belonging to the place laid Bended on board a ship-of-war, under Admiral Vernon, at the seige of Cartagena, a seaport in South America, in 1741. The entrance to the harbour was termed Boca Chica (little mouth), and was defended by severl forts, the whole of which were taken by the British forces. Those seamen having returned home in recounting their exploits at the seige so frequently used the words Boca Chica, that one of their companions jocularly gave the name to the place of their residence; the new name took with the public, who at once adopted it, and to this day Boca Chica has continued to be the name of the northern portion of the Hign Pans.' " Cambios itself is an unusual name being of French origin, think I answered a question about this a few years on one of the forums but can't find it now. Cambois or Camboise (as it appears on some maps around 1900) is camwood wood or timber. Camwood (Baphia nitida) is a shrubby African sandalwood tree. The wood was used to make handles and the like by turning the wood on a lathe. However, the wood was mainly used as a source of dye. Morpeth itself had several tanneries up to the mid and late 19th Century of which wood and wood bark was used as a dye for the hide. Hope this is helpful. Regards Gary -----Original Message----- From: dur-nbl-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:dur-nbl-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Paddy Buckley Sent: 10 August 2010 09:57 To: DUR-NBL-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [DUR-NBL] Boca chica and Cambois The area around Blyth and Bedlington is new territory for me. One of my ancestors William Prike sailed up from Cley in Norfolk and by 1851 was a mariner living in Boca Chica, Cambois. What is the local pronunciation of these interesting places? The Enumeration description for 1861 offers a clue, 'Bogie Cheekey'. Some of his census addresses were in High Pans (Panns). I understand that originally this was an area where salt was obtained through evaporation. Were houses built there subsequently? John Buckley from Lancaster (in the south) ==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ==== To Post a message to this list send it to, DUR-NBL-L@rootsweb.com ==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ==== List Web Page http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/durhamgenealogy/index.phtml ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DUR-NBL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message