If you do, you must be British and of my generation!
Anyway, I've just got some of the pictures back which I had to take off the laptop to allow Number One Son to load the original 'Windows' back onto it. I seem to have lost the 'Microsoft Word' programme, however, which I actually paid real money for, but no matter for the minute.
I've decided (well almost) to try a different sort of Blog post on you today, where I'll post a few pictures alongside a short explanation. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. (That's a quote from a wireless programme which was a 'must listen to' for my generation when we were little'uns. I'm sure that many of you will recall 'Listen with Mother', at least all of those who used to watch 'Picture Book' which was part of 'Watch with Mother'. Good old Daphne Oxenford, eh?)
Well, here we go, in no particular order!
This is a memorial plaque to John Browne-King, which is displayed in our local Church of England, Saint Alban's, Windy Nook.
I ventured in there a while ago, and was soon 'outed' as a Methodist to the lady vicar (by some of the Anglicans enjoying their regular coffee morning, whom I had foolishly mixed with in my youth).
The purpose of my visit, in addition to that of having some tea and homemade cake, was to actually look for this plaque, which I'd learned about at a display of items commemorating the Great War which had been put on at the Methodist Chapel at The Felling. (Officially, the town is called just 'Felling', but is widely referred to as 'The Felling' because it originally was the place where they chopped down trees, so people would "Go to the felling" so to speak.)
Anyway, at the event at The Felling, I had come across an old newspaper which reported that Mr Browne-King had fired the first British shot of the Great War! What a surprise, but another feather in the cap of our little village of Windy Nook, where the biggest grindstone in the world had been quarried. And where (General) William Booth (perhaps) decided to start the Salvation Army, simply because the New Connexion Methodists of the Ebenezer Chapel, of which he was the minister, wouldn't let him impose his will upon the Society there. Mmmmmm!
And now for something completely different!
We've been having a few days out while Number One Son is at work and we're able to use his car. Saltwell Park is Gateshead's biggest and best park and we like to stroll around it and stop for the inevitable cuppa.
We came upon this illegal immigrant from North America, and a couple of his mates, in the 'Rose Garden'. He was certainly not afraid of humans, and seemed to have seen off the indigenous red squirrels. We had to travel to the Marine Park at South Shields to see some of them.
To get to Tynemouth, we drove through North Shields, where we noticed this, and felt homesick!
Anyway, I've just got some of the pictures back which I had to take off the laptop to allow Number One Son to load the original 'Windows' back onto it. I seem to have lost the 'Microsoft Word' programme, however, which I actually paid real money for, but no matter for the minute.
I've decided (well almost) to try a different sort of Blog post on you today, where I'll post a few pictures alongside a short explanation. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. (That's a quote from a wireless programme which was a 'must listen to' for my generation when we were little'uns. I'm sure that many of you will recall 'Listen with Mother', at least all of those who used to watch 'Picture Book' which was part of 'Watch with Mother'. Good old Daphne Oxenford, eh?)
Well, here we go, in no particular order!
I ventured in there a while ago, and was soon 'outed' as a Methodist to the lady vicar (by some of the Anglicans enjoying their regular coffee morning, whom I had foolishly mixed with in my youth).
The purpose of my visit, in addition to that of having some tea and homemade cake, was to actually look for this plaque, which I'd learned about at a display of items commemorating the Great War which had been put on at the Methodist Chapel at The Felling. (Officially, the town is called just 'Felling', but is widely referred to as 'The Felling' because it originally was the place where they chopped down trees, so people would "Go to the felling" so to speak.)
Anyway, at the event at The Felling, I had come across an old newspaper which reported that Mr Browne-King had fired the first British shot of the Great War! What a surprise, but another feather in the cap of our little village of Windy Nook, where the biggest grindstone in the world had been quarried. And where (General) William Booth (perhaps) decided to start the Salvation Army, simply because the New Connexion Methodists of the Ebenezer Chapel, of which he was the minister, wouldn't let him impose his will upon the Society there. Mmmmmm!
And now for something completely different!
We came upon this illegal immigrant from North America, and a couple of his mates, in the 'Rose Garden'. He was certainly not afraid of humans, and seemed to have seen off the indigenous red squirrels. We had to travel to the Marine Park at South Shields to see some of them.
Sadly, they weren't real ones though, they're cast in iron on the park benches!
This plaque was affixed to one of the benches in the park. The Minchella family are a famous Italian Ice Cream family in South Shields, but on the day we visited I couldn't help but think that Toney would have had to wait a loooong time to get much sun there, poor beggar!
When I heard a train whistle sounding, I imagined one of those disgusting Disney type things trailing children around the other part of the park, but NO! I'd forgotten all about this beauty!
I cannot imagine the hours of work which must have gone into building such a marvellous model, but it's been there for a very long time, and I've no doubt given much pleasure to generations of small children.
For years and years, Dear Sister, Brother-in-Law and I have sung a traditional song about Admiral Lord Collingwood, who (as I'm sure you know, Dear Reader) was Nelson's right-hand-man. Well, on another trip out, we came upon his magnificent monument at North Shields (or maybe it's classed as Tynemouth?)
The plaque affixed to the monument explains it all.
Clicking on the picture should make it easier to read.
To get to Tynemouth, we drove through North Shields, where we noticed this, and felt homesick!
On the day that we visited Tynemouth (purely by coincidence) it was the annual Tynemouth Festival. There was a myriad of things going on. We had a little break from the festivities in the tearoom attached to No. 61 guest house. It's lovely!!!
I didn't quite fathom the significance of the Box Hedge Headed wedding party, I'd love to be enlightened!
There were many stages erected along the middle of the market place for the various performers, where there's usually car-parking. This strange band were between stages, on the road, but they were very entertaining.
There were mime artists, people performing short comic plays, and on a covered stage near the Priory there was a Dixieland Jazz Band playing too!
As you can imagine, it was a very busy and crowded Tynemouth on that day! On the way back we passed an undertaker's in Wallsend (where the Emperor Hadrian's Roman Wall finishes, keep up!) I was quite taken by the widow display in his shop:
Ho'way the Lads! Black and White even in death. Sad, or what?
I think we'll leave Barrie Bucknell for another day, and some more of our local summer travels.
See Ya!
