25 Palmer Street Windmill Hill Gateshead

Hi George my family lived in Palmer St.I would be interested in your photo of VE day. My Grandparents were Rae. My Great Grandparents lived in Robert st I believe. There names were Thomas and Susan Rae. Would be nice to hear from you. I lived on Greensfield Tce from 1949

My mother lived in Palmer street with her grandparents Esther and Matthew Heathfrom the late 20's to 1937. Her name was Olive Spraggon, Im not sure if she lived here with her parents John Spraggon and Esther (Heath) Spraggon. My grandmother married John Spraggon in 1923 and John junior was born in 1924, my mother was born in 1927. At some time my grandmother moved down south as she was very badly treated by her husband, leaving the children with her mother. I have seen the VE day photos that are mentioned above, my G grandmother is pictured in the middle of one photo holding a cake, in another photo she is at the back of the photo with her daughter Violet, Violet is holding her youngest child, Olivia Thompson one of her sons is also there. I believe one of the lades in the forefront of one of the potos is my grans sister Florence Dick. My grandmother took me up to Gateshead several times I can only just remember going in 1964 when I was 13 I was amazed to see so many houses without front gardens and basements - something i had never seen before. My G Grandmother had been moved out of Palmer Street and into a high rise block of flats. She was put on the 14th floor and at 84 years old was unable to go out, she was stranded in her flat on the 14th floor the lift was not working. When we visited her we had to climb the 14 flights of stairs and found my G grandmother huddled in this flat, there were knives stuck in the door frameof the front door, the idea was if anybody were to break in she could defend herself with the knives. I can barley recall anything else from this visit, but recall how awful it was for my G grandmother to be taken from the home she had lived in for years.

Hi Janet. (I’m writing this on behalf of my husband) This was great to read. I am Esther Heath grandson ( John Spraggon) my father was Esther son (also called John Spraggon) was born in Palmer Street. I now live in South London where my father moved before I was born.