Parker Terrace.

A Memory of Wallsend.

I was born in Preston Hospital, North Shields.in 1943. My first recollections as a child were of living on Rosehill Road known as Parker Terrace at No7. An old lady called Mrs Roper lived next door. Another family called Spencer lived in the big house close to us. In 1947 my dad, Jim Surtees, bought a haulage business from Bill Snowdon who was emigrating to South Africa. Rosehill Haulage was my dad's. He was also the local coal merchant. The 'coal depot' was at the bottom of Rosehill Road, next to the first railway viaduct known as the Seven Arches, on Millers Bank. Dad delivered coal all over Rosehill and Wallsend. He also did house removals, and even demolished a house further down Rosehill Road under the bridge. The house belonged to Sammy Stout and had been deemed unsafe. Dad used a block and tackle to pull it down. He later took on a partner, Ted Stout, the business became Stout and Surtees, Coal Merchants. We moved to Holy Cross in the same year, 1947. I went to the Central School at 5. I remember walking to school in the snow across the Burn Bridge. Dad also did contract work for Swans Shipyard. He used to take me to see the launches. His drinking Pal was Fred Olsen. I went to see the Launch of his ship 'Stavanger Fjord'. When I was fourteen I used go out on Sunday morning to collect money from dad's customers, I would write it down in a ledger and for that I received half a crown. I used the money to go to the Pearl picture house affectionately known as the 'flea pit'. It was 9d to get in because they showed old films. When I left school I worked on the Turnpike (Tynemouth Road) at W. Duncans grocery store, Hood Haggies in the Mill office and City Lino's on Shields Road, Byker. I married at 19 ,to Jimmy Ridley, we later moved to Notts, when the Rising Sun closed. Jim later became a professional snooker referee. Half the folk on our street in Ollerton were from Wallsend, 'Auntie' Lily Spencer recognised me even though she hadn't seen me since I was three years old. We still live in Ollerton; married 50 years now but Wallsend will always be my home.

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