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Gateshead
Gateshead maps
Historic maps of Gateshead and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Gateshead maps
Gateshead area books
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Memories of Gateshead
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memories of Gateshead.
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Down Memory Lane
I was born in Nottingham and came to live in Gateshead when I was 4 years old. My mother was in the W.R.A.C and met my father when she was stationed down there. He was a Waiter in the Crown Hotel in Bawtry and was originally from Derbyshire. They were married in 1942 had me and my brother and decided to move to Gateshead. My mother was homesick for her family. I remember as though it were yesterday...my granddad carrying me on his shoulders across the high level bridge. I have vivid recollections. There was lots of hustle and bustle at both ends of the bridge. We arrived at my grandma's house and I was fascinated with the bottle top on the milk. It was dymo and the bottle top was wire with a plastic cork and a rubber washer. You clipped it at eithe side to release the cork ...then returned the cork into the bottle and snapped it shut. ... Read more
Childhood Memories From 1949
I was born in Hubert Terrace which ran off Bank Street and along to Cuthbert Street. Further down was School Street and Marian Street which ran along to Derwentwater Road, and on Derwentwater Road was Lady Vernon School which I attended. The boys' school was called St Cuthberts and the church we went to was St Cuthbert's Church and the minister was called the Reverend Burnip. He lived in the vicarage on Bensham Road where the flats are now, the old wall is still there. I can still picture him going around on his bike.
Cuthbert Street used to get called Sammy's Bank because in one of the backyards a man called Sammy used to sell ice cream (imagine Health & Safety allowing that now). Further up was a dairy and at the top was a chemist which led on to the top of Derwentwater Road. The bottom of Cuthbert Street took you on to Askew Road, if you turned left you could go to the teams, right took... Read more
Boyhood Memories From 1952
It was around this time that the tram lines were taken up from Sunderland Road in Gateshead. The men stored the old lines in Somerset Street and Devonshire Street. As boys we would dig up the tar from around the streets and paste it on the road safety lamps when they were lit. It was great to see the watchy run around putting the fires out, or what he thought was a fire. We kept him fit.
I too remember the Crescent, the only bit of greenery near our house in Devonshire Street. It must have been a grand crescent in its time with grand people living there. We lived in a rat-infested street which was also covered in grime. I hated using our toilet as it had a resident rat. Inside our house we watched for hours as the mice played with my liggies. They were little grey mice with funny little faces. They were never seen when me da was having a bath in front of... Read more
Saltwell Park
I was first introduced to Saltwell Park in 1963 whilst attending Gateshead Technical College, what a beautiful place, I thought. Since then I have made many trips to the park with my children, and now grandchildren, and each time my thoughts wander to times gone by and as I look arround I think of all the people who have spent their time walking and enjoying the many sights to see in this lovely place. Reminders are there in the form of benches with plaques on left as gifts by people now passed on for others to sit and enjoy the fragrant flowers or the parks many attactions or to simply watch the children play and relax. If you are young at heart there's the boating lake where you can hire a boat for an hour or if you are daring enough you can buy a burgar and chips or ice cream. The park has had a makeover and been restored to its original Victorian glory and my friend Carol and... Read more
Shipcote School
Does anyone have photos of Shipcote School Deckham, now demolished. A small housing estate was built within the original wall, that is still standing. My email address. sheilaerrington@hotmail.co.uk. The school was demolished sometime in the 1980s I believe.
Southey Street as A Kid
Just read a memory of standing outside the factories of Clark Chapmans and asking if anyone had any bait left. I did the same myself, it brought back powerful memories of living in Southey Street until I was 11 years old. My father has just passed away at 88, he worked in Clark Chapmans. Just another thought, can anyone remember the gas explosion that demolished a house near the bottom of the street? We got our bonfire wood from there for a few years. Email:murr.a@hotmail.com
Bank Street And School Street
In response to the writer of School Street memories, I helped out at Ted Waton's shop after school, and the girls he mentioned are Rene and Jennifer Forster the twins, and the Bell sisters were Ann and Louisa. I lived there until 1969.
Leazes Street
I was born in 44 Leazes St 1941. I remember playing in Burdon st with our gords and top and whips. My nana who lived in 36 Leazes St. used to send me to toddys beer shop for her jug of beer. I carried it back with a plate on top to stop it spilling, I used to have a sip of it - tasted horrible. When I was being a bad lad she would tell me Sandshoe Joe will come and get me. We moved to Bensham in the 50s. When I met my wife we got on talking about old Gateshead and she used to live in Peareth St. I went to Prior St. School and remember a Mrs Wilkinson - think she was head teacher. All good memories.
