Newcastle City Guides

02/11/2024

An undated postcard of the old Town Hall and St Nicholas' Square, Newcastle.

01/11/2024

The original Greggs on Gosforth High Street, which opened in 1951. What memories do you have of Greggs?

01/11/2024

The super-tanker, Tyne Pride, at Swan Hunter, in Wallsend, 1975. Photo taken by Tom Buist

The Crude Oil Tanker Tyne Pride was launched at Swan Hunter's Wallsend yard in October 1975. It was the biggest ship ever built on the River Tyne at the time. She was the seventh of eight super-tankers built at Swan Hunters between 1970 and 1977.

Her owner was Unisoft International Ltd and she was 343.5 m (1127ft) in length and had a gross tonnage of 124,434 tons. Tyne Pride's sea trials were in October of 1976. She was scrapped in 2005.

31/10/2024

Benwell Towers, Benwell Lane, Benwell, postcard 1881

31/10/2024

A post from Hallowe’en on our page a few years ago.

BLACK JACKY JOHNSON

This is the final stop on our "Walk on the Dark Side" tour. The information below is from an article in the Evening Chronicle and links to the Hidden Newcastle app from Tyne & Wear Museums.

Late Georgian inhabitants of Newcastle frequently sought the advice of Black Jacky Johnson who lived on Dog Bank. It was said he owned a copy of the great magician Cornelious Agrippa’s manual to the dark arts. He was feared by locals, even criminals were wary of his black magic.

“Now some might scoff and some might sneer but when they’re in dire need it’s Jackie they come to. I’ve the eye you see, not the eyes that gaze out upon the street and see little but the inner eyes which see all.

“The mind is like a foreign land, unmapped territory, whose distant currents and eddies we only dimly perceive. I’d have my client under in seconds, almost before they knew, delving, like a surgeon or an artist to give life to the colours of the mind.

“Now, to business: Let’s say a gentleman needs to call upon a lady but her family is not too keen. Would it not help his path to courtship if he was invisible? Well, first you find a black cat make sure it doesn’t have a single white hair on its body.

“On a Sunday, during the time of divine service, boil the cat for three hours. Cut out the cat’s heart and dry it in an oven, one that’s never been used before, till it’s reduced to a fine powder.

“Conceal this powder in a churchyard, and visit it each night at precisely midnight for seven consecutive nights. On the seventh you will encounter another who will walk with you to the churchyard gate.

“You must give half the powder to him as soon as you arrive. The rest of the powder is yours, and forever after, whenever you carry it you will remain invisible. Trust me, never fails.”

Jacky was eventually chased from town & went to live in Byker where died in 1837 reading tarot cards. It is said he remained motionless for several days before falling over.

His books were left to the people of Newcastle.

31/10/2024

Committee Rooms, Civic Centre, Newcastle, from the promotional material when it was first opened, 1968.

Two of the Committee Rooms joined together by opening the foldaway wall. Look at the sea horse motif on the carpets

31/10/2024

Sandhill, Newcastle looking towards Side, 1879. Shops include WB Proctor at right & in the background, Bolam (ships supplies), J Hume & John Dobson (chemist). Photo is courtesy of Billy Embleton, who is a follower of our page.

30/10/2024

Thanks to the Evening Chronicle for this post.
Good news. Making up for lost time as Newcastle Central Station’s roofline clocks restored

The clocks, which had been broken for a number of years, finished being repaired in the early hours of this morning

30/10/2024

Northumberland Street in 1917. Fenwick's is middle left.

A repeat of a post from October 2020.

30/10/2024

A well preserved arch at Newcastle Castle, captured here around 130 years ago, compared to how it appears today.
The partially restored Norman fort is one of the best preserved of its kind in Britain.

The second photo shows the location of the arch at the Black Gate today.

Thanks to Vintage GB FB Page for the photos and post.

29/10/2024

Hand coloured postcard of the Keep and Black Gate from 1903. Thanks to John Short for the photo.

From Where’s Geordie? FB page from October 2019.

29/10/2024

Took this photo

Sutherland Building entrance

Located Northumberland Road.

Thanks to Martin Oliver of the Newcastle Upon Tyne Buildings & Architects FB Page for this post.

29/10/2024

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet- 1983-4, 1986, 2002-04

Seven English construction workers leave England to search for jobs: the first series is set in Düsseldorf. Later series are based in Spain, Arizona, Havana and Bangkok.

The show was based on an idea from a bricklayer from Stockton, and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who wrote The Likely Lads. It starred local actors Tim Healy, Kevin Whately and Jimmy Nail, as well as Timothy Spall, Christopher Fairbank, Pat Roach and Gary Holton.

Did you watch the series? Who was your favourite character?

A repeat of a post from October 2022.

28/10/2024

Tynemouth Lighthouse ❤️

This amazing photo was taken by Ready steady shoot on a very windy 21st October.

28/10/2024

Looking up Grey Street, c. 1900. Amazing to think that this is over 100 years old.

A repeat of an October 2020 post on our page.

28/10/2024

Photos of Newcastle University's quad; my favourite part of the campus. A green space surrounded by fine old buildings. Thanks to Newcastle University FB Page for posting these lovely pictures.
This comment on the first photo sums up what many staff and students feel about this part of the University.
'The Armstrong Quadrangle never fails to make me feel proud to work at Newcastle University. As much as it is a constant, at the same time with the effect of the seasons it is always changing. It is the place of many scenes in the lives of students and colleagues and has a fascinating history of its own.' Dr Simon Meacher, Head of Executive and Governance Office.

Thanks to Where’s Geordie FB Page for this Newcastle University FB Page post from October 2022.

27/10/2024

Newcastle Civic Centre, 1968- present

We hope that these pictures are of interest for the Civic Centre, opened in 1968, by King Olaf of Norway. If any pictures of the building, feel free to post them in the comments. Any memories or info about the pictures are welcome.

27/10/2024

Robert Stephenson (1803 – 1859). Picture published in Photographic Portraits of Living Contemporaries, July 1856. He was born in Willington Quay, in 1803. His achievements include designing and developing the Locomotion and Rocket, as well the High Level Bridge, Royal Border Bridge (Berwick) and the Britannia Bridge (to Anglesey). He would also become President of the Lit and Phil.

27/10/2024

Lest We Forget – Walking Tour: Sunday 10th November, 2.30pm. £5/7 (season ticket holders free). Booking essential. Tour lasts approx 1.5hrs. Meet at St Thomas' Church, Haymarket (NE1 7PF). Finish at Old Eldon Square.

This is a walk about Newcastle in time of conflict, not just in the Great War but throughout the centuries. Join us as we remember the fallen as well as some of those who survived.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lest-we-forget-walking-tour-wa-tickets-935544056457?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2tBbW64FQmN0skgZTqKaiAyIrbmzD6zusbhObhBaXxUQvlTaMAyCECPOk_aem_L4ocOzDxsddDT-LaZDik9Q

With Newcastle City Guides

27/10/2024

A postcard of the Quayside Market, 1908, from the Sandhill area with boats moored alongside the Quays and the Co-op Warehouse in the distance on the left hand side of the card.

26/10/2024

Our Friends In The North (1996), which was filmed on Tyneside

This landmark BBC series lasted just nine episodes, with each one focused on a different year between 1964 and 1995.

We were introduced to (left to right) Nicky (Christopher Eccelston), Mary (Gina McKee), Tosker (Mark Strong) and Geordie Peacock (Daniel Craig). The show focused on strikes and general elections, as well as police corruption and the Great Storm of 1987. Did you watch the show?

26/10/2024

The Mayfair, Newgate Street, Newcastle: Poster for The Tygers of Pantang. Were you at this concert in 1982?

26/10/2024

The Tyne Bridge and Swing Bridge, 1928

This photo appeared in the souvenir programme for the opening of the Tyne Bridge in 1928. The towers on the Gateshead side were still incomplete and below the level of the roadway, so the picture had to be touched up.

Picture courtesy of: Pictures of Gateshead

25/10/2024

Civic Centre, Newcastle, May 1968. It would be officially opened that November by King Olaf of Norway.

25/10/2024

The Tyne Bridge, Swing Bridge and environs, Newcastle and Gateshead, August 1935, Aerofilms Collection.

Image courtesy of Britain from Above