Cullercoats Personal Links

A Memory of Cullercoats.

My Nana Simpson (nee Brunton) was a fisherwoman who used to sell fish on the front from a creel on her back years before I was born. My Grandad contracted Polio in his 50's and Nana had to work hard long hours to bring up her extensive family. She progressed in the pre-war years to owning two shops in Jesmond, we used to call them the top and bottom shops, the one on Acorn Road being uppermost in my memory. My Grandad's sister, Esther Isabel Simpson, married William John Lathlane who lost his life in the trenches in World War 1 in January 1917 and he is commemorated on the War Memorial outside St Georges Church at Cullercoats; and at Thiepval in France near where he fell. He was never found and it was said Esther died eventually of a broken heart as they were married just 5 weeks before he was killed. My Uncle, Cuthbert Simpson, was the last person to live in Dove Hall (Sparrow Hall) the oldest building in Cullercoats. The building was eventually demolished and my uncle said he would not be moved and they could bulldoze it from around him, however, they did move him of course although he never got over it. The episode even made the press!! They moved him to Cliff Row so he could be near the sea. He served in the Merchant Navy during the war and wanted to live out his life overlooking his beloved sea. All of my uncles served during the war in each of the Services. My Dad who married Mam in 1945 and lived in Cullercoats after being demobbed, served in the Royal Tank Regiment with the 8th Army and was taken Prisoner at Anzio Beachhead. He was a prisoner of war in Germany for the last few months of the war before being liberated and sent back to 'Blighty'. I have many letters from the Prisoner of War 'Stalag' from Dad to Mam, a Commendation from his Commanding Officer and lots of photographs, even of Montgomery and Churchill visiting the troops in the desert whilst Dad was there. A Photographer friend of mine is in the process of creating a memory disc for our family of members of my family from Cullercoats and their progresses throughout the war and beyond. In 1949 my Nana bought a cottage in Northumberland so all the family always had somewhere to go for holidays after the hardships of the war years. I was first taken there in my 1st year in 1950 and holidayed every year until we sold it when I was around 12/13 years old. I went to Cullercoats Infant School and then on to Tynemouth Technical School near Preston Village (now John Spence). However, the story does not end there, having by then developed such a love for Northumberland, my husband and I had the opportunity to buy a cottage 3 doors down from the original one in this lovely area of outstanding natural beauty and we moved here permanently in 2007 - all down to my wonderful Nana and her foresight and love of this place! I still have family living in Cullercoats and some wonderful and lasting memories of growing up there surrounded by a loving family with quite some history!


Added 02 January 2014

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Comments & Feedback

Read with interest Linda Stewart recollection And memories of the Simpson family of Cullercoats. I am studying the family tree and was pleased to hear of her memories of my family also. it would be nice to share info . my grandfather Richard Simpson was a brother of cuthbert who was mentioned also I need info of family still living there.

Ann Mcqueen
I too had a lovely "Nana" Nana Clark, who also had a lovely cottage in the country at Stocksfield. I think my "aunt" Rita is your cousin & I too went to "The Tech!" What a small world if you're the lovely Linda Farrah, with a brother Colin? I'd love a copy of the disc with family photos as my knowledge of the Bruntons is somewhat limited. Cheers Mitch Steele (no1 son of John & Sylvia)
I should've added that my "Nana's" maiden name was also Brunton.
Hi
My Great Uncle James Wilson was killed in the 1st World War.
He was 26. His address was Sparrow Hall.Cullercoats. He died in 1916.
His mother was Isabella Wilson nee Jefferson.
They were fishing boat owners in the harbour.
My grandmother Harriet Wilson was his sister but moved away beforehand War began.

I live in Cullercoats. Burt (Cuthburt) was my Uncle. I have vague memories of visiting his house when I was a child. My Grandma was called Flora Simpson and her Husband was Jack Simpson. Your post has cleared up some queries I’ve always had about things I was told when I was a child; thank you.
My Nana was Margaret Brunton, sister of Esther. As children we occasionally visited Aunt Esther (great- aunt really), first in Links Road then in Longston (?) where she lived with Mamie and her family (I went to school with Joan). I remember your Mum, Ina, and brother Colin.
My Mum (Winnie Clark/Scott) and Auntie Peggy (Clark/May)
were friends with your Mum and Auntie Mamie during the war years.
I remember the fish shop in Acorn Road; my Nana also started selling fish from a creel then got a shop in Nun's Lane, Newcastle, later moving to the Fish Market.
John Steel, who posted some years ago is my cousin, the eldest son of Silvie, my Mum's youngest sister.

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