North Sunderland, Northumberland

Falling off the harbour wall onto the deck of a fishing-boat

A favourite family story is how my father took charge of us children for the morning and brought us to Seahouses from our cottage in Beadnell. On this occasion, age 5 or so, while walking/running along this very harbour wall. on those wooden sleepers by the edge of the harbour, I fell off landing on the deck of one of these... [more]

A holiday in South Street, Seahouses - March 2004

A friend let me stay in her wee fisherman's cottage in Seahouses for an early holiday in March 2004. My wife Elizabeth and I drove up from our home in Watford through the unseasonal snow and we were quite worried about getting there at all!

We had brought our elderly cat, Socks, with us as well and she loved... [more]

Boat names.

Boat BK103 was named the 'Xmas Star'. I was skipper for 8 years between December 1957 and November 1965. The family had two new boats afterwards called Radiant Way BK210 and Radiant Way LH147.

Tea Times at Beadnell

My name is Sean Sweet. I have many memories of Beadnell. My Grandparents owned a cottage near the harbour called Sandy Dell and later my parents had a static caravan on the links. Every summer seemed to be hot and sunny and we always had great adventures, and it always seemed as if we were the first people ever to set foot... [more]

The Fisherman of Beadnell

As a child we owned Rose Cottage and would visit often. Our neighbour was a fisherman, these were fishermen's cottages. Once, as a boy, I was taken to meet the catch as it came in, possibly as early as 5.00 am. Crabs, lobsters, herring, mackerel, cod ... The stench of the harbour mud, the frotting waves against the harbour wall, fishing... [more]

Grace Darling's Tomb

Visiting the Grace Darling Musuem, then her grave in the churchyard opposite, was an annual event while on holiday on the Northumberland coast. Peering through the bars around the tomb I was often reminded of how my grandmother had pulled herself up, slipped and put a metal spike through the base of her chin. As I could never spot a scar... [more]

First home after the war

When dad got out of Royal Navy at the end of the Second World War he took a job as a coastguard and was stationed at Bamburgh. The coastguard lookout was on the east side of the castle and a great deal of his duties in those days was to keep us kids away from washed up mines and great globs... [more]

Summer Holidays

I first remember staying for a holiday at Newton by the Sea when aged six. My aunt and uncle lived in the coastguard cottages for many years, and although I remember visitng them often at weekends, this was the first year I had been left to stay with them for a holiday. I remember walking every morning with my... [more]