Sun, Swimming, Sand & Sandwiches On The Fish Sands

A Memory of Hartlepool.

As a child I swam in the sea next to the Sandwell Gate and the ruins of The Freemasons Arms which was an old pub that was on the Fish Sands.

I remember sunny days, swimming and picnics with sand in my sandwiches with my friends. One day my friends noticed that when I walked back up the beach after a swim I left 'red' footprints. I had unknowingly stepped on a piece of broken glass, so I hobbled all the way round to St Hilda's Hospital where they took out the piece of glass, cleaned & bandaged my foot and gave me some 'ket' for being brave! ('ket' for those that don't know was a name for sweets when I was a child).

I knew so many of my grandmother's friends that lived along the town wall that if I got caught out I could knock any house and ask to use the toilet. The lady of the house would ask "Are you hungry bairn? Would you like a slice of jam & bread and a drink of pop?". I always answered with "Yes please" and then "Ta missus ..." as my gran would have walloped me if she found out I hadn't!

The 'harbour' in the pier was in was another favourite of ours. It only had water in it when the tide was in and then we used to jump off the buildings to see who could make the biggest splash. I saw in the summer of 2004 when I went to Hartlepool for a last look around before emigrating to New Zealand that children are still using it during high tide - jumping off the roofs of the buildings into the water!