Category Archives: History

Christmas in Gateshead

I’ve just been to town, it was horrendous. Although I detest the place, I may need to resort to the Metrocentre for Christmas shopping. It’s a vile place, but my annual trip for Christmas shopping doesn’t really hurt too much.

For some reason, going to town today reminded me of childhood. Well, Christmas as a child. And a jingle that used to play on the radio (my mother used to listen to the radio a lot).

Shepherds of Gateshead the biggest and the best store,
Shepherds of Gateshead have what you are looking for,
Thereâ€™s so much to see,
And the car park is free,
Coming shopping at Shepherds with the whole family!

Which is strange since Shepherds was demolished several decades ago.

Decay

Gateshead High Street is slowly rotting away. It’s embarrassing that the town applied for city status last year.

Despite the new development in Trinity Square, the town centre’s a mess. The Council’s policy seems to be one of neglect and demolition and the centre’s even worse that Sunderland’s. And, dare I say, Stevenage.

Maria

Apparently, Peter and Maria had a conversation along these lines before he left to meet me last night:
Peter: No, I can’t leave any later, I need to meet Gary at half seven.
Maria: you didn’t say you were going out with Gary!
Peter: Does it matter who I go out with?
Maria: No, but you always come home really drunk when you go out with Gary.

Which reminds me that Anne recently said the same thing about Trevor. I’ve tended to think about it the other way round; I get really drunk when I’m out with Peter or Trevor.

We did have a little too much, too quickly, last night though. On returning home, I noticed that the road wasn’t busy at all. So I took the opportunity to try to replicate this picture.

But it didn’t quite work out.

And I think that my second in command’s car needs a wash.

Bryan Ferry

And now it’s Mr Ferry. He went to school with my uncle Ed.

The Â£150 ticket price tag for the City Hall feels wrong. I’m sure he must have played there for pence before he became well known.

Come on Mr F, have some respect for your roots.

Pan’s People

They were so bad, they were bordering on good. After a few beers.

The picture’s rubbish, but the TV wouldn’t keep still.

Hank Marvin

Seriously, the man has real talent. But a more in-tune image could have made him (even more) millions.

Still, TOTO2 Halloween Special is interesting. I can’t think of a better word.

The cactus kid

One of the best things about being off work has to be the opportunity to watch rubbish on TV. And the cactus kid is certainly rubbish.

One does wonder when Cowboys stopped wearing big hats.

Or why they ever wore them in the first place.

Steps

I’d almost forgotten about this picture from last weekend, taken in Ouseburn. We’d walked the same route many times previously, but somehow hadn’t noticed these rather splendid steps near the Cluny. Obviously, one needed to investigate, but sadly they lead only to a grassy hill and some modern flats. They’re not the usual sandstone, and they haven’t been worn by years of hobnail boots, so they don’t seem to have been industrial.

I’d like to think they used to lead to an impressive house. However, I’m probably way off the mark and it’ll have been a workhouse or asylum.

Or something even less interesting.

Get Carter

I came across this picture of a model of the then planned car park and market for Gateshead town centre. It reminds me of the graphics used to promote what is now the old town centre development’s replacement. Maybe Luder was right when he said that the new development will go the same way as his controversial Get Carter car park.

Sheriffhill

From a hill in Gateshead