Memento of a Wasted Youth

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We all wasted our formative years on something or other. For me, the main outlet for my youthful exuberance was following the mighty Black 'n' Whites. 

Well, I say 'mighty' but we were never that good, really. As a fan, I am still waiting for my first piece of serious silverware (I was too young to remember the last trophy in 1969), and have had to make do with the occasional cup final runners-up appearance and a scattering of derby victories. Ho-hum.

Anyway, one of the highlights of my NUFC-supporting days was the promotion season of 1983-84, with a certain Kevin Keegan leading the line. We only finished 3rd, which, these days, would only get you into the play-offs. But back in '84 it got you automatic promotion into the top division. As well as KK, we also had the likes of Terry McDermott, Chris Waddle and Peter Beardsley to entertain us - so it was a great time to be a young lad supporting your local footie team.

Somewhere in one of my cupboards I've still got a VHS videotape of a few of the goals and TV highlights of the season. They've been collected from TV football shows such as Match of the Day and The Big Match - as well as brief excerpts on the local news programmes on a Monday evening. None of the extensive 100% coverage of the present-day - indeed, a good deal of the games had no TV cameras present at all.

I used to collect match-day programmes, of course; but Toon-related apparel was limited back then, with a scarf, hat and occasional pin-badge being about the extent of things. So when the season was brought to its successful conclusion I looked around in despair for a memento or two to remember it all by.

Other than a handful of tatty programmes, all I have to show for those happy days in the Spring of 1984 is the above commemorative glass plate. I must, I suppose, have bought it from the Supporters' Shop in Prudhoe Place - about the only outlet in the entire world where you could get any NUFC-related 'merch' in those days.

I'm not sure what to make of it, really. I suspect that you are not very impressed - and I don't blame you: neither am I. But it has survived intact now for almost 40 years, and currently hangs somewhat forlornly on the wall of my office, overlooking me as I type up this short post. Someday another celebratory item will join it ... if Newcastle United ever win something slightly more substantial, perhaps.

* SIGH * .....

'Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Tales from the Suburbs'

I know I've only just brought out a book (see here), but I have been working on TWO such efforts simultaneously ... so here's the next one in the sequence, namely, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Tales from the Suburbs (please click on link for purchase options). It is available from Amazon as a paperback and/or an eBook. 

It runs to 200 pages, and each sale gives me £1 profit, which I will donate to the Great North Children's Hospital (as usual). There's not much I can say about the book which isn't given away in the title, really! It's took a while to put together, though - you know, just picking up bits and pieces as I go on my historical travels around my hometown. I've traipsed for miles around the streets for this one, so I hope you enjoy it. You can view a free sample of the book by clicking on the eBook version.

I will be slightly increasing the prices of my Amazon books soon, so get 'em super cheap while you can!

As usual, if you decide to buy a copy then 'thank you' from both myself and the GNCH.

P.S. I am not 100% happy with the 'cut' of the cover on the paperback version. It is only a very minor concern, but it took me multiple attempts to get the Amazon publishing machine to accept my image. It finally said 'yes', and though it's not absolutely perfect it's not come out too bad. You'll see what I mean if you buy a copy. And don't let it put you off!

P.P.S. If you have any similar issues when publishing a book via Amazon (it's called 'Amazon KDP') then do get in touch and I'll try to help you. My email is micksouthwick @ blueyonder.co.uk (without the gaps).

Ulysses S Grant's Visit to the North-East

 

Ulysses S.Grant served as US president for two consecutive terms during 1869-77. He had enjoyed a successful military career as a general in the American Civil War before entering politics – during which time he helped bring about the emancipation of millions of slaves. Then, unsure of quite what to do with himself, he and his family set off on a world tour … which lasted 2½ years! He met and mixed with the great and the good, and spent a fair amount of time in the UK during the early months of his expedition.

After dotting around England and the near continent for a few weeks, Grant found himself in Scotland in the late summer of 1877; and then accepted an invitation to call in at Newcastle – which he did by train on 20th September. The locals, roused into a frenzy by a protracted press campaign, turned out in their thousands to welcome him. The bells of St.Nicholas’ peeled and the crowds cheered as the ex-president was met with the smiling faces of the mayor, Thomas Robinson, and famous industrialist William Armstrong. Historian William S.McFeely recorded that for the first time on the tour Grant was “loved as he needed to be loved,” and the distinguished guest was duly given the freedom of the town.

After an official banquet, Grant was, the following day, shown around the town, taking in the Castle Keep, St.Nicholas’ Church and the newly-opened Swing Bridge, before embarking on a Tyne cruise, with crowds thronging the banks. He arrived at Tynemouth to receive another official welcome by local dignitaries. 

On the morning of 22nd September he was a guest of William Armstrong at his armaments factory; before attending a huge public gathering on the Town Moor – which itself was preceded by an elaborate parade through the town. Around 150,000 were said to have crammed the streets to witness the presidential drive-past. On the Town Moor, famous local MP, Thomas Burt, spoke with his usual eloquence, followed by huge cheers as Grant himself approached the lectern – at a spot reckoned to have been near the lake on what is now known as Exhibition Park. A gathering at the Assembly Rooms followed, at which Grant was heard to utter: “I have had no better reception in any place, nor do I think it possible to have a better one. All I have seen since I have been on the Tyne has been to me most gratifying as an individual.”

After spending the night at Hesleyside Hall near Bellingham, the party headed by train to Sunderland. Again, the welcome was overwhelmingly positive. The town’s shop assistants were given the day off to help swell the crowds, which again were stoked by an enthusiastic press campaign beforehand. Grant and his entourage alighted at Monkwearmouth Station at noon on the 23rd, walked across Wearmouth Bridge and arrived in the town to widespread acclaim.  He witnessed the laying of the foundation stone for the Borough Free Library and Museum (now Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens), and had a wander around Mowbray Park.

After a lavish banquet at Victoria Hall, the great man was praised once more by local dignitaries for all he had done as a general during the American Civil War and as a politician thereafter. A visit to the docks followed, then a spectacular fireworks display was laid on in his honour. He retired for the day to Ashbrooke Hall (aka Corby Hall), and on the 24th visited the famous Wear Glass Works. He then called in at Lambton Castle and Biddick Hall on the 25th, before leaving for Sheffield for the next leg of his tour.

On his eventual return to the US in late 1879, Ulysses S.Grant decided to have one last shot at the presidency (in 1880), but failed to secure the Republican nomination. He died in 1885.

The Foundation Stone at the Borough Free Library and Museum 

(now Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens).

Mind you, not sure if that date’s correct – most sources give it as the 23rd!

[article taken from The Great North-East: An English History Tour, vol.2 - see left-hand column]

New Book on Newcastle's Suburbs - on it's Way!

Just a quick note to let you know about my forthcoming book entitled Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Tales from the Suburbs ...

Well, it's actually out now - but only in eBook format! The thing is, I've been trying to upload the paperback version onto Amazon for a while now, but keep getting knocked back because of some cover formatting issues 😡. Anyway, I thought that you may have come across it on Amazon (see here) and thought about the availability of the paperback version ... so I figured I'd let you know that I'm working on it, and it will be out soon. So sorry about that.

Again, profits will be going to the Great North Children's Hospital, of course.

Favourite Newcastle Books No.5: Newcastle upon Tyne - a Modern History

 

More than twenty years ago I was sent a copy of Newcastle upon Tyne: A Modern History by its publishers, Phillimore, for review in my North-Easterner Magazine. At the time (2001), virtually nothing had been published on the subject of Newcastle's history for ages - and I loved it ... and still do! I have recently started dipping into the tome again and thought I'd let you all know about it. To save me the hassle of putting together a 'new' review, I thought I'd reproduce my original effort of late 2001....

This is undoubtedly the most important book on the history of Newcastle to hit the market for upwards of half a century - and is arguably the best of all time. But note the title: this is not a complete history, but rather an analytical look at the past 300 years alone. And it is not really a true history, either - well, not in the chronological sense - for it is little more than a collection of independent essay on various aspects of the city's past since 1700. But for all that it is still a brilliant and ground-breaking work.

The book is the work of the Newcastle-based 'Centre for Northern Studies', and what they have given us is 16 compositions by 16 different historians - all specialists in their own field - which gives, in each case, an in-depth study of a particular aspect of Newcastle's recent past over a specific period. Generally, it leans towards the academic, but not in an overbearing way. The opening chapters are heavy going, it is true, but necessarily so, I feel, to help 'set the scene' for what follows. The three opening efforts focus on economic history; then we take a look at, in turn, the governance of the Victorian city, its religious history 1851-1882, entrepreneurial Newcastle, a demographic history, drink, sport, architecture, art, 'Remembering George Stephenson', literature, culture/social history, planning since 1945, and dialect. Some chapters are easier going than others and individual readers will have their own favourites; but all of them - even the most academic - provide fascinating reading for those of us who have a serious interest in the history of Newcastle. It will be argued that there is still room on the market for a straight-forward chronological history of the city - and there is; but such a work will never achieve the depth of analysis which this collection of specialist essays skilfully attains.

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I was surprised by two things when I recently looked this book up on Amazon. Firstly, that my original 2001 review appears as, essentially, the book's description (!), and, secondly, that it has not been rated especially highly by other reviewers/raters. This, I think, is down to its slightly misleading title: for it is not a chronological history, but a collection of essays. Anyway, I certainly think it is worth owning if this is your area of interest, that's for sure.

Newcastle upon Tyne: A Modern History, edited by R.Colls & B Lancaster, published by Phillimore, 2001 (hardback, 374 pages). Can be found widely online.

John Braine & Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

Ain't it typical? No sooner had I published my latest book, when, lo and behold, there comes to light a really interesting additional source for one of the items featured within. Newbiggin-by-the-Sea's unlikely connection with famous author, John Braine, is the subject matter in question. 

Firstly, here's my modest effort in The Great North-East: An English History Tour, vol.2 (click on images for enlarged views):

Then, a few days ago up pops local historian, Dan Jackson, on Twitter ( @northumbriana ) to point his followers in the direction of a fantastic film about the great man and his links to the North-East. It's around 24 minutes long, and follows the dour Yorkshireman on his return to the North-East of England in 1969, where he looks back fondly at his brief spell here in the years prior to his big break in the literary world. Check it out here. It really is quite splendid in its own no-frills - and sometimes rather bleak - way. Newcastle, Morpeth, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Ashington, and Seaton Delaval Hall all feature prominently in this little black and white epic.

Fortunately (and as far as I can tell), none of the details given in the film contradict my little article!

The Toon, the Heed ... and Wembley Woes.

I have been a Newcastle United supporter since the early 1970s. As fate would have it, my fifty-year stretch of fandom just happens to have coincided with the least successful period in the club's history. Whilst the teams of England's north-west have basked in the glory of limitless success in this time, their contemporaries across the country in the poor old north-east have virtually nowt to show for their endeavours. Sunderland last tasted success in the 1973 FA Cup Final, Middlesbrough's only major trophy, ever, was the 2004 League Cup, and as for 'The Toon', well, let's not think too hard about it, shall we?

I was a mere four-years-old when NUFC lifted their last piece of genuine silverware, the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, in 1969. So, of course, I can't remember it. When a Supermac-inspired Newcastle reached the FA Cup Final in 1974, I was sat in front of the telly with my full B&W kit on fully expecting us to wallop Bill Shankly's Liverpool. I was to be sorely disappointed, of course. Keegan hit two for the Reds in a three-nil humiliation, and the die was cast for my football-following career.

The 1976 League Cup Final wasn't even shown on the telly. I occupied myself with a visit to Whitley Bay Pool (with its wave machine!), only to find upon exiting the changing rooms that Newcastle-born and ex-Sunderland player Dennis Tueart had scored a particularly spectacular winner to send the Geordies home on the end of a 2-1 beating at the hands of Man City. More disappointment. Maybe I should try to get myself to Wembley in person next time, I thought. Perhaps I will bring them some luck.

Wind forward exactly twenty years and I was still waiting for another major Wembley final for my team. By this time, the national stadium's days were numbered: a new Wembley was in the offing, and it seemed likely that I would never get to go to the old ground before its revamp. Then, after we spectacularly blew our chance of winning the Premier League title in the spring of 1996, we were invited to take part in the summer's Charity Shield match ... at Wembley. In case you don't know, this season-opening, glamour friendly is usually played between the previous term's league champions and FA Cup winners. But as Man United had done the league and cup 'Double', we got the invite for the London showpiece in August 1996. 

As I thought that this would be my last chance to visit the old Wembley Stadium, I pulled out all the stops to secure myself a ticket and get to the game. Now, the story is a long and complex one, but suffice to say it was quite possibly the worst experience of my football-following life. We lost 4-0, and I really would just like to leave it there, if you don't mind.

After the Wembley rebuild was put back a couple of times, I somewhat unexpectedly found myself back at the stadium in both the 1998 and 1999 FA Cup Finals ... only to see The Lads lose out again, both times (2-0 to Arsenal, then 2-0 again, to Man Utd). Amazingly, in 2000, I was back AGAIN: this time we at least managed to score a goal, but lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the FA Cup Semi-Final. Four visits, four defeats, one goal for, ten against. I was beginning to think it was my fault.

The club was, no doubt, initially delighted to learn that I decided to stay away from this year's League Cup Final at the 'new' Wembley Stadium. But it didn't make any difference as we lost once again without my help - this time 2-0 to Man United. But then, just a couple of weeks ago, I found myself London-bound for another visit. This time it was to see my 'other' team, Gateshead FC - or 'The Heed', as they're known. It was my wife's idea, actually, and the two of us sat for twelve hours on a coach for the return day-trip to the capital ... and I needn't tell you, but my team LOST AGAIN, 1-0 v Halifax in a God-awful game. Deary me.

Afterwards, as we sat on the bus in the coach park waiting for everyone to board, I overheard a conversation in which a chap (who must, like me, have been a Toon and Heed fan) make a startling confession to his mate. Turns out that he'd been to Wembley NINE times in his lifetime to watch Newcastle/Gateshead, and he'd witnessed NINE defeats. I'm guessing it was this little lot:

1974 FA Cup Final - Newcastle 0, Liverpool 3

1976 League Cup Final - Newcastle 1, Man City 2

1996 Charity Shield - Newcastle 0, Man Utd 4

1998 FA Cup Final - Newcastle 0, Arsenal 2

1999 FA Cup Final - Newcastle 0, Man Utd 2

2000 FA Cup Semi Final - Newcastle 1, Chelsea 2

2014 Conference Play-Off Final - Gateshead 1, Cambridge 2

2023 League Cup Final - Newcastle 0, Man Utd 2

2023 FA Trophy Final - Gateshead 0, Halifax 1

Honestly, you couldn't make it up.