Dales Diary: Adventures of the Abbey Bridge tollkeepers; the domino law breakers of 1893; historic Teesdaloe photos and the strange tale of the salvationist pranksters

There were plenty of rascals who tried to outwit them and slip past without paying. Tom Young and his wife Elsie, who collected money at Abbey Bridge near Egglestone Abbey, were determined to prevent any cheating.

They lived there from 1928 to 1954, and in all that time there couldn't be many travellers who diddled them. Their niece Joyce Stoddart, who lived at Cleatlam and often visited them, recalls: "Some people would try to creep past, but they had a knack of hearing the slightest sound and would hurry out to get the toll money.

"If there was a function at the Morritt Arms, folk would make their way home in the early hours, thinking they would get past free of charge, but Uncle Tom would be ready for them.

"Cyclists coming from Barnard Castle would zoom down the hill and cross the bridge at speed, hoping to go right past the gate, but he always stopped them. Some folk thought he was mean at times but he had to pay rent and the tolls were his income."

There were gates that could be closed at night, but some crafty types would try to climb over. The gates were taken away to help the war effort in 1940.

The couple's home was split in two on the Yorkshire side of the Tees. They had a living room and tiny kitchen, as well as a small cafe, on the left of the bridge, and their bedroom was over the road on the right.

Close to the bedroom was a small gate which they had to go through and down a path to reach the lavatory, a basic one in a shed under the bridge - not very convenient.

"Both parts of the house were small, but they had quite a lot of furniture and it can't have been easy living there," added Mrs Stoddart, who now lives in Northallerton.

The cafe sold lemonade and postcards, mainly to walkers and boys from Barnard Castle School. They often visited in large numbers with their parents on school speech days.

An old notice gave the toll prices in pre-decimal money. Walkers paid a halfpenny, but this later went up to a penny. Cyclists were charged twopence and cars sixpence. Sheep could be taken over for eight pence a score, and cattle 15 pence a score. A gig or dog cart went for sixpence, and a chase with two horses for ninepence.

Before the Youngs, the tollkeepers from 1900 to 1928 were Mr and Mrs Coulthard, and before them Mr and Mrs Kitchen were in charge.

After the Youngs the keeper was Jimmy Lynas until the toll system stopped, and both parts of the house were demolished in 1958.

In the photograph Elsie is collecting money from a car driver, and on the left is her sister, Florrie Bayles, with daughters Gladys and Hilda. Tom took the job because he had a serious accident when young and couldn't do heavy farm work.

He died in 1986 aged 81 and Elsie passed away in 1992 aged 92. They were good natured with everyone - except those who didn't want to pay.

THERE was a shock for domino players and publicans all over the dales following a game in Tow Law in 1893. It made them realise they were breaking the law just about every day and could end up in court.

The cause of the worry was a routine session in the Weardale Hotel in the High Street. The miners taking part were doing so on the normal basis, the losers having to pay for the next round of drinks.

With beer at tuppence a pint there really wasn't much money involved. But someone informed the police and the landlord, George Hall, was summoned to face the magistrates at Wolsingham.

He was charged with allowing dominoes to be played for drinks on licensed premises. His solicitor asked for leniency, pointing out that it was common for dominoes to be played for drinks all over the area.

The landlord was fined the modest sum of only 10 shillings, but other publicans were left wondering if they would also be up before the beaks if this form of gambling continued. It probably did, with the players taking care to keep it quiet.

THOUSANDS of old dale photographs collected by Parkin Raine have been given a new home. They have been transferred from Barnard Castle to Middleton along with many historical documents and books cared for by the Fitzhugh Library.

Mike Hemingway and his fellow volunteers in the project will now spend weeks sorting and filing all the valuable material in rooms they have been given in the old Raby Estate offices.

Mr Raine, a former BBC engineer - and great great grandson of Parkin Raine the famous fiddler - donated his vast archive to the Fitzhugh team so that it can be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

"We are extremely grateful to him," said Mr Hemingway. "It was really generous of him He spent years building up the wonderful collection, and was happy to hand it over knowing it would be safe with us."

The pictures include much of the work of Elijah Yeoman, who launched a photographic business in 1864 and was arguably the most distinguished camera operator to work in the dale.

He snapped the most interesting folk in the area, as well as special events and the finest scenery. Mr Raine found and made copies of prints by other professional and amateur photographers.

He took pains to trace and record the names of as many as possible of those pictured, knowing this would add to their value in future.

One of his favourite photographs was taken in 1902. It showed postal workers at the retirement of Miss Mary Eliza Margaret Monkhouse, who worked for the post office most of her life.

He spotted the original among items to be auctioned and had to outbid several others who wanted it. "It was in danger of going out of our district, but I felt it should be retained here," he explained.

Miss Monkhouse's father, John Monkhouse, was postmaster of Barnard Castle from 1862 until 1887. When he retired he was presented with an inscribed clock and the impressive sum of £100.

AS a congregation sat in prayer at the Free Salvation Hall in Barnard Castle on a Sunday evening in 1885, vandals crept in and did their best to disturb them. They threw a piece of cotton wool steeped in cayenne pepper onto a stove.

Fumes quickly floated around the building, causing everyone to cough and splutter. The culprits slipped away but returned on following Sundays to upset the services in childish ways.

The worshippers claimed the offenders were not from the lower classes, but were so-called respectable people whose birth and education should have enabled them to set a better example. It was a case of them not agreeing with this branch of religion.

A reward of £10 was offered for information leading to the hooligans being convicted, and the police were asked to keep an eye on the premises to spot anyone who might be up to no good.

The salvationists called it a dastardly and cowardly piece of bad behaviour and said they were determined to have decency and decorum restored. The public warning was enough to make the demonstrators stay away and leave the congregation in peace.