Wallsend 1954 68

A Memory of Wallsend.

Born in the Green Maternity Hosp 1954, lived in Windsor Drive, Howden, Sandown Gardens, Howden and Prospect Ave. I remember being taken to the Masons Arms at Bigges Main in a pushchair, parked outside the corrugated iron lean to off-license in the rain with a bottle of pop and a straw. I remember joining the 8th Wallsend (St Johns) scouts at 6 years old after being rejected by the 7th wallsend troop for not being old enough. Mind you these were the days when you could let 6 and 7 year olds walk the streets, that said, we were taught the kerb drill and persuaded to take a cycling proficiency test before thowing yourself at the mercy of the car drivers that may not have passed a driving test and drove cars with p*** poor bakes and no tyre legislation or pedestrian friendly crash zones. Young'uns today really are soft. I remember Battle Hill before the houses went up, and the pit deputys house before it became a college annex. The powder monkey when it was just a heap for storing explosives and you could ride over a BMX course before BMX was invented. Playing putt in the park, paddling in the pool, buying ice-cream from a gadgie on a Walls tricycle. I remember leaving for cub camp from the Wallsend Green to Felton for a week and having the Wallsend News sending a photographer to capture the occaision. Still, I cannot remember what happened to that photo though. I remember when footballers were real men and coud kick a 12 panel leather "caser" soaking wet and you needed stiches if you headed the lace, but we could win a World Cup.
We were immortal, we were fearless, we were irresponsible, we laughed in the face of adversity and yet...

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