Tynemouth Beach

A Memory of Tynemouth.

I remember this beach well, especially the open air swimming pool which is also on a photograph here in this collection , I remember going on a school swimming session weekly ( Preston High school ) now john spence and dreading seeing the piece of card in the window telling us the temp of the water . It didnt really matter what the card said the temperature was . All I know is that it was bloody cold every time and afterwards, well I used to run to the counter of the cafe for what they called a mince dip, basically a bread roll dipped in the top gravy of minced beef stew and if you were lucky or the lady liked you you got a few lumps of mince in the bargain for a tanner ( six old pence to you young ones). Ironicly up the stairs away from the pool stands the Grand Hotel where i would later on become a commis chef there and do my formal training. Gosh, Yes! the last time i was in The Grand was a fair few years ago with My Mum , I treated her to a high / afternoon tea, very posh indeed, ha ha ,Bless her soul. I have travelled the world and seen alot of so called great things and places and still live abroad but i can tell you there is no place better than the North East and its people, the weather may be cold but the people remain so warm. Thanks for bringing the great memories back . from a chirton grange lad .


Added 02 June 2014

#308769

Comments & Feedback

Hi neil . Googled you and this was the only thing I found . Hope you are well. Contact me maybe .duncanmccheyne@googlemail.com
Hi Neil... I need to know more about mince dips. Can you contact friends of Tynemouth outdoor pool? Seriously... we want to recreate them. I understand they were hot dog buns?!... but what on earth were they served in?... :0)
My father joined the coastguard service around Nov1949,we moved from Plymouth to Tynemouth in that month .the coastguard station was just above the Haven beach and next to collingwood monument.I was 5yrs old when we moved up there and spent the next 7 years having a wonderful childhood and well remember weekly swimming lessons in the swimming pool (used to feel they filled it with ice cubes before we arrived) Does anyone remember the Bonfires on 5th Nov on the Beach or Trafalger day with proccesion along front street to Collingwood field and a bonfire in the field happy Days

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