Happy Childhood, And Growing Up In The Area

A Memory of Willington Quay.

My father, William Westgarth, and his family lived in George Street, Willington Quay, for many years before moving to High Howden. My father worked at the slipway, then on to Swan Hunters ship yard; he worked there for 50 years - he has passed on now. He had sisters called Margorie, Jean, Lillian, Mary Ellen and his brother Jim who went to sea all deceased now. I was brought up in High Howden, went to the George Stephenson Memorial Girls School before that Bewick Infants and for a while the Richardson Dees in Wallsend. We lived at 37, Holderness Road before moving to Whitley Bay, I was 16 then. I used to go to Hammils Dancing School for a number of years with some good friends who I would love to be in contact with. I got dancing medals, and once won a cup in Wallsend...so many happy days. I remember going to the Lyric cinema on a Friday night, I believe that is now a supermarket - haven't been up there for years. Used to go to Wallsend to a coffee bar the top of Wallsend High Street, can't for the life of me remember the name. We all used to frequent it, fabulous memories. Then the dancing, Hamils dance on a Friday night, we used to have so much fun back then, would love to hear from anyone who remembers me, or the haunts I used to get to. Fabulous coming across this site, didn't know it exsisted until today. Best wishes to everyone.