Former North East miners reunited for the first time in 40 years

Tom Robson worked the coal pits across Blyth, South Durham, and Northumberland for 35 years – enduring the dangerous and labour-intensive work that was involved.  

In 1981, after his days of mining had finished, Mr Robson decided to emigrate to Canada where he lived for 39 years.

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However, wanting to be closer to his grandchildren and great grandchildren, the pensioner decided to return to his roots recently, and moved back to Sunderland, where he currently lives at retirement village, Herriot Gardens.

With plenty of stories to tell and within months of moving back to the UK, the now 89-year-old was interviewed by the team who own his retirement village, McCarthy Stone for its Emerald Magazine; a lifestyle publication distributed to all McCarthy Stone developments across the country.

After the interview was published and the magazine was distributed, chance took hold.

Mr Robson and Mr Watson both worked in pits together in Blyth, Northumberland and South Durham. Picture: MCCARTHY STONE.

A copy of the publication magazine landed in the lap of McCarthy Stone House Manager, Philip Watson, in Alnwick, who recognised some of the things Mr Robson spoke about during his time down the mines, and shared it with his father, Tom Watson, 77, convinced the pair may even know each other.

Now living in Northumberland, Mr Watson took one look and to Philip’s surprise, recognised him straight away.

After reading about his former boss, which saw him become a mentor to the man 12 years his junior, he started to think about their days together at Bates Colliery in Blyth, Northumberland, during the seventies, but remembered how they had lost touch.

After leaving the UK to move to Canada, Mr Robson returned recently to be nearer his family. Picture: MCCARTHY STONE.

As well as working together in the pits, the pair would bond together in their spare time, often having a beer together, playing snooker and football.

Speaking of his shock, Mr Watson said: “I couldn’t believe what I was reading. My friend had returned home after almost 40 years in Canada.  Never would I have imagined he’d return to the North East. I was chuffed to read what a good life my old boss Tom had made for himself. I always had such respect for him.

“Working in the pits was dirty work, but it was where I learnt my craft and Tom Robson was such a big part of that. He looked after me and took me under his wing. We weren’t just work colleagues we became close friends.”

With the help of his retirement village, Mr Robson and Mr Watson reunited recently. Picture: MCCARTHY STONE.

Now that Mr Watson had the information, the magazine was the golden opportunity that he needed to reach out to his former friend with a little help from his son Philip.

The pair were thrilled to be in contact again and jumped at the chance to meet up after 40 years apart.

Mr Robson said: “If I hadn’t of done the interview with Emerald magazine, I’d have probably never heard from Tom again. I have made many new friends at Herriot Gardens but being able to catch up with Tom has been a pleasure. We won’t be losing touch again.

“After initially chatting over the phone, Tom invited me to visit him and his wife Edith, at their home in Northumberland. Reminiscing over old memories, cold, dark days down the mines, Sunderland Football Club, and what we have been up to with our lives the past 40 years.

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“We also remembered old colleagues who are sadly no longer with us. Tom even surprised me with a visit from another old colleague, Norman Jackson, and his wife Jean, who I had no idea was still in the area, and it was brilliant to catch up with them too.”

Mr Watson added: “I haven’t lived in Sunderland for almost 50 years myself, so I was eager to visit once Tom invited me down. I know the area very well, and the McCarthy Stone development is only 100 yards away from the church where my wife and I married.

“It’s been lovely to visit the area that holds many great memories for me and to see how Sunderland has changed over the years. I was very impressed by the way the Herriot Gardens community has developed in such a short time, with several group activities already well established.

“We are both really grateful to the teams at McCarthy Stone for making this all possible.”

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