The Way We Were

[baldy.smith]

You learn a little more each day eh!

Just found one interpretation of it and says it is mom in German.

So that is about three words of German I know now

[brian c]

Along with "Hiel Hitler" I suppose.

[Jerry]

Could I remind readers that this topic is interestingly discussed on P.3 of this board under North East Diary by Village Cat (where's he gone?).

He links to Brian Pears' invaluable detailed account of WWII in the North East.

The 5 May 2005 post on Curly's Corner Shop has lots of personal accounts. A fascinating read.


Amy Flagg's detailed accoubnt of Shields bombing is available in South Shields Library with photos. Copies can be made.

This is the anniversary of the German bomber and young German airman episode. She writes:

Feb 15th (1941)... at oo.25 a Heinkel 111 was hit by gunfire and collided with a barrage balloon cable on the North Foreshore. Part of one wing fell off... the plane crashed in Beach Road exactly on the 1940 crater. One member of the crew baled out but his parachute caught on overhead wires and he hung downwards until rescued....

[At 00.50 a parachute mine in the plane exploded with force enough to shatter windows in Tynemouth and North Shields. One policeman and one auxiliary fireman were killed and two other AFS men died in hospital. Seventeen more were injured, some seriously.

Other enemy planes took the site as a marker and dropped bombs on Brodrick Street, where an elderly couple lost their lives]

By the way, Baldy, my paternal grandfather (killed in 1914) was born at 21 Brodrick Street in 1889.

[robpapE2]

My memory is that my uncle was killed in a bombing raid near to where we lived when I was born( Stainton Street)..and he was killed nearby..also it was along time after when the bombed houses were repaced ..sometime in the seventies ????

[Beachbum]

At 00.50 a parachute mine in the plane exploded with force enough to shatter windows in Tynemouth and North Shields. One policeman and one auxiliary fireman were killed and two other AFS men died in hospital. Seventeen more were injured, some seriously.

.

I met the daughter of that policeman when I first came to Canada.
She and her husband emigrated to Toronto in the late 50s or early 60s.
Molly and Eric had two boys.
I haven't seen them in many years, but they were doing pretty well when I last saw them.
Molly mentioned that her mother used to have a wool shop in South Shields.
I can't remember the name of the place, but I can describe it.
There used to be a traffic circle which was nicely landscaped near a movie hall which I think was called the Regent.
There was a dance hall across the street from the movie hall which was always packed on Saturday nights and there was a nice pub which was on one of the roads that radiated from the traffic circle.
That road led to Marsden.
Maybe some of the oldies on the board can help flesh the location out.

[baldy.smith]

That is Westoe Beachbum, It is nearly all still the same there, although some of the places you mention have changed their use. The Regent Cinema is now a Bingo Hall (so I believe). Someone else will give you more up to date information.

[memor]

I used to love the Regent when it was a cinema. Spent most of my Childhood in their.

God when they talk about passive smoking now and when I look back at

all the time I spent in the cinema breathing in thick clouds of blue

cigarette smoke.......I shudder.

[baldy.smith]

Went on my first date to the Regent about 1953 I think it was.

[Delilahcat]

Saw all the 'big' pictures there South Pacific, Ben Hur, The Robe. Also saw Love Me Tender with Elvis Presley. The cinema was packed with swooning teenagers.
The dance hall which I presume was The Hedworth Hall is still there as is the pub which was The County. Now given over to young people and live music. I think the wool shop may have been in Imeary Street or the parade of shops adjoining.

[memor]

Yes... the wool shop. I always remembered Mama looking out of the bus

window at it to see what knitting patterns they had in their window.

[Ingeryl]

I worked for Miss Flagg as an undergardener in 1940. Her mother was
still alive then.
I used to go down street to Chipchases
tripe shop every Friday morning to
pick up her standing order for cow heels
and other delicacies, until the big raid 1941 which wiped out
a lot of the market place and also Chipchases which was in queen street. When I got back to the Village the maid was yelling " where
you been Tom and what happened to
the order" of course Miss Flagg said
"Tom, you shouldn't have gone down there
it was far too dangerous"
When the bomb dropped on the back lawn,
old mrs Flagg jumped into the crater
and started to make a rockery.

[Pooter]

I worked for Miss Flagg as an undergardener in 1940. Her mother was
still alive then.
I used to go down street to Chipchases
tripe shop every Friday morning to
pick up her standing order for cow heels
and other delicacies, until the big raid 1941 which wiped out
a lot of the market place and also Chipchases which was in queen street. When I got back to the Village the maid was yelling " where
you been Tom and what happened to
the order" of course Miss Flagg said
"Tom, you shouldn't have gone down there
it was far too dangerous"
When the bomb dropped on the back lawn,
old mrs Flagg jumped into the crater
and started to make a rockery.

Hands up all of you who used to say that instead of "going down town" or something similar. Mine's up.

[Pilot]

I prefer going down town, myself.

[Jarrow Pete]

When I lived at Marsden we used to say down Shields or if going to Newcastle "up to Newcastle".
In Jarrow they say " going up to Shields and down to Newcastle, very confusing.
Pilot was going to make a crack about hairs stuck in between your teeth but realised it was not the dark zone.

[baldy.smith]

From Jarrow to Newcastle is up river, South Shields is down river