Newbiggin-By-The-Sea

The Wallaw Cinema

We didn't go to the cinema all that often and when we did it was a real treat. Fish and chip supper in the cafe upstairs, then into the cinema with its newsreels, local advertisements on slides, supporting 'B' film, forthcoming attractions and finally - The Big Film. And then out again, usually late at night (for us children) and the walk back up Front Street to where we lived close to the station. We only once went to the Saturday morning show for kids and was rather shocked at the unruly behaviour of most of the audience. I recall that at one time Wilfred Pickles brought 'Have a Go' to Newbiggin and it was held at the cinema. We came ...read more here
Contributed by John Jarratt

My grandparents home

My grandparents Isabella and Jack Lymer and my Uncle Victor Lymer lived above the cafe until my nan's death in 1968. When I was young it was the flat to the left as you look at the picture. It is now the hairdressers.  My mum tells me that when she married my dad (1943) they lived in the flat to the right of the picture over looking the bay. I have many happy memories of holidays visiting them and playing on the sands. It was the best ice cream ever! And the sun always seemed to be shining. It used to take one and half days to travel from Sussex to Newbiggin when I was a child but my brother, sister ...read more here
Contributed by Mary Wood

Recent first visit

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea is of great interest for me, as many of my ancestors lived there.  I was able to visit St. Bartholomew's Church and discover the gravestone of the Harbottle family, one of whom was my great great grandfather.  It made rather sad reading as many died so very young.
Contributed by Margaret O'Mahony

Recent visit 2007

I visited Newbiggin for the first time in January of this year, in search of my ancestors, who I hoped to find in St. Bartholomew's church. It was a bright but extremely windy day when we arrived, but I was delighted to discover the gravestone of my Gt.Gt. grandfather and many of his family. The stone was propped up against the church and we could have missed it. My visit from Australia was greatly enhanced by the discovery of the Harbottle family headstone.
Contributed by Margaret O'Mahony

Remembrance of things past

This picture was taken a little after I left the town for further down the coast. I believe that the large building was called the Marine Cafe. A real and rare treat was to go and have a Knickerbocker Glory in a tall glass seated on tall stools at tall tables! To the right, on the beach at the base of the wall, was an outlet for a large constantly running drain, mostly street runoff I think. My sister and I spent many happy hours playing there, making dams and pools, building rickety bridges and so on. Today's Health and Safety would have had a dozen fits but we survived. Meanwhile the whole beach waited just behind us and eventually we ...read more here
Contributed by John Jarratt