"A love of St John’s Church SEAHAM, where I was baptised in 1951, combined with a love of photography since a young child, led to the writing of this book.

 

In 2005 there was a burglary at St John’s and I was asked to photograph items and situations for insurance purposes. This gave me an interest in the items which had been donated in memory of loved ones and I became curious as to who these people were.

 

SEAHAM Family History Group gave me more interest in the history of the church and I began visiting Durham Archives looking at old P.C.C. records and anything I could find relating to the church.

 

I continued to take photographs of the church and after about 12 years of collecting, I’m sure the church warden was starting to wonder what I was doing with all the information.

 

On January 1st 2017 I decided enough was enough and I started collating all the info into chronological order with my small laptop. I got out of bed at 6 a.m. every morning and typed for 2 hours making sure I didn’t interfere with normal daily routine. I didn’t tell anyone, except my husband Bill, as I wasn’t sure I would ever actually finish and have anything to show for it.

 

By September I had it I such a condition that I could consider printing but hadn’t a clue how to go about it. Thanks to S.F.H.G. member Fred Cooper, who had already printed his work, I was able to approach a printer and finally in October the book became a reality.

 

The church is more than a building, the church is the people and this book is about the people who made St John the Evangelist, Seaham Harbour what it is today, a snapshot of Seaham and its people from 1835-2016. "

 

The first print has already sold out,  but orders are being taken for another print. 

Copies can be ordered at £25 each, (U.K. postage and packing £15).