John: I know nothing of any theatre in the area - would not "Music Hall" be more likely to be the more precise description? However, as you don't mention it and therefore don't seem to know, I should tell you that to those people who believe in ghosts (I don't!), Willington Mill, which is now long demolished, had the reputation of being the "Most haunted building on Tyneside". Apparently the ghosts were of a nasty, vindictive type and therefore local people would avoid that building as much as possible. No doubt others will be able to give you chapter and verse. Geoff Nicholson -----Original Message----- From: JOHN GOSLING via <northumbria@rootsweb.com> To: northumbria <northumbria@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thu, 5 Mar 2015 17:00 Subject: [NMB] Mill House, Willington Quay Hi, I've just come across a fascinating set of ancestors, the first time I have come across any sort of theatrical aspect to my tree. I've got on the 1881 census, a James C Hunter, (I think the C stands for Crumbie) and his family. He's down as a Theatre Proprietor, employing 7 men and 3 women. His daughter is down as an Actress and a son as a musician. They are at Mill House, and while general searching of the web hints at a Mill House in the vicinity of Walls End (looks to be a pub/restaurant) I'm not at all sure it is the same place. I have the 1895 Godfrey edition of Willington Quay, which I have been pouring over. The census taker went down Nelson Street, on to Potter Street, past the Turks Head inn and (if I can read the writing) onto Stephenson Street, but then it gets a bit vague, and there's certainly no Mill House on the map. Looks like it was quite large as there are quite a few families crammed in there. I doubt Mill House was the "theatre", but would anyone know where Mill House was, and if there was a theatre nearby that might be a contender for the one James ran? Regards, John .. Please quote the minimum necessary to put your reply on context. Please introduce yourself at the top of every post. The NORTHUMBRIA FAQ page is located at http://www.bpears.org.uk/NorthumbriaFAQ/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORTHUMBRIA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Geoff, Yes, good call, I imagine Music Hall would be more likely, though the census does use the term "Theatre proprietor". Ah, I had found some references to a Willington Mill, which also mentioned a separate "Mill House"; in fact one story says most of the "haunting" occurred in the house rather than the mill. But I wasn't sure if it might be a match for my "Mill House". How every intriguing. Not only do I potentially get an actress, but a ghost :-) I'll do some reading on the ghost story - there seem to be quite a number of accounts and see if I can firm up a connection. Regards John

My great great grandmother Ann (Snowball) Watson's death certificate States that she died at Mill, Willington, she had lived in Keelman's Row, her husband Thomas being a Keelman then Waterman, The Mill was just align the road, they also lived in New Street prior to her death, I would think Mill Willington would refer to Proctors Mill, which was so they say haunted. I had wondered what this place was, and had thought it might have been some kind of hospital, but have hit a brick wall on this. I don't think this would have been a pub or music hall. If anyone has any further information I too would be interested to hear anything. Margery > .. > Please quote the minimum necessary > to put your reply on context. Please introduce yourself at the top of every > post. > > The NORTHUMBRIA FAQ page is located at > http://www.bpears.org.uk/NorthumbriaFAQ/ > ------------------------------- > To > unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NORTHUMBRIA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > .. > Please quote the minimum necessary to put your reply on context. Please introduce yourself at the top of every post. > > The NORTHUMBRIA FAQ page is located at http://www.bpears.org.uk/NorthumbriaFAQ/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORTHUMBRIA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message