This is a Letterbox Hybrid geocache. It is not at the published co-ordinates. You will need to visit the published co-ordinates to work out the final location.
These Letterbox caches simply highlight significant individuals, from a variety of fields, who once lived behind a letterbox at this location.
Issabella (Bella) Reay (1900–1979)
Bella Raey was born at 30 Cowpen Square, Blyth on 23rd August 1900, the daughter of a coal miner. Cowpen Square housed miners' families working in the nearby Cowpen Colliery. Cowpen Square no longer exists, it was demolished as part of slum clearance after WWII. The map and image below show Cowpen Square in 1897 and 1935. It was located on the bank of the River Blyth next to the ferry to Battleship Wharf and North Blyth.
Cowpen Square in 1897 and its location on a 2023 map.
Cowpen Square in 1935.
Bella was a remarkable woman. She worked in a munitions factory during the First World War but also played centre-forward for Blyth Spartans and England between 1917 and 1919. In one season she scored 133 goals: the current Premier League record is 35 goals in a season. During the war competitive men’s football was suspended so women’s and amateur teams stepped in to provide entertainment and boost morale. Blyth United Munitions Ladies (Blyth Spartan Munitionettes) was one such team, part of Blyth Spartans. The women’s team was never beaten. The 1918 Munitionettes Cup Final at Ayresome Park saw Bolckow, Vaughn & Co of Middlesbrough take on Blyth Spartans Ladies in front of a crowd of 22,000. Blyth won 5-0. In 1918 Bella played as an international for a team called North of England against Tyneside Internationals, and at St James’ Park against Scotland. It would be 1972 before another ‘official’ England women’s team played an international match when England beat Scotland 2-3 at Greenock.
Women’s football continued until 1921 when the Football Association banned women’s football from the grounds of its members. This ban was only lifted in 1971 when the FA was ordered to lift it by UEFA. England’s women won the European Championship in 2022.
Park at the published co-ordinates. Cowpen Square was located beyond the brick and blue metal fence, towards the River Blyth.
Walk to Waypoint 1 (N55 07.963 W001 30.872) where you will find a large artwork and plaque on the wide pavement. Use the artwork to work out the final co-ordinates. The cache can be found at:
N55 07.ABC W001 30.DEF
Where:
A = The number of letters in the 4th word on the plaque.
B = The number of letters in her surname.
C = Look at a bolt head: “A2-?0 THE”
D = The number of portholes
E = Number of letters in the last word on the plaque.
F = The last digit of the commissioning date.
The cache is a micro, but does contain a stamp. Please leave this in the cache.
The cache is a short walk away.
Many thanks to Phil100, our geocaching local history expert, whose research made this Letterbox possible.