Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
[ Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum' ]

Rules! No Party Politics,swearing,derogatory remarks or we delete. Anyone sharing our content on Face Book must credit 'Hebburn and our Neighbours'.

A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish

Posted by Norman Dunn on March 27, 2023, 9:42:59

Bill-Quay-albion-inn-1960ish

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish

Posted by Liz Dance on March 27, 2023, 9:50:46, in reply to "A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish"

Spent many a happy time as a child playing on those fields, my dad had a garage nearby there for many a year before he moved thr garage to South Parade.

Visiting the north east at the moment we met up with some friends up in Cresswell on Friday they informed us that The Wardley pub has closed down, I wonder if it will be turned into a house, opened up as a pub again or pulled down.

Another thing we were shocked at was the fact that a cannabis factory had been raid in South Parade - I ask you a cannabis factory in Bill Quay???

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish

Posted by Tom Barker on March 27, 2023, 10:06:36, in reply to "A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish"

What a brilliant nostalgic view of a once life line to many generations of shipbuilders and there families NOT NOW as Jimmy Nail would end his song BIG RIVER so sad.

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'

Posted by James Goring on March 27, 2023, 12:54:27, in reply to "Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish"
Edited by administrator Admin1 March 27, 2023, 12:56:23

As it looks now .
The Albion Inn is now Accommodation..
Image credit courtesy Google Maps.

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'

Posted by Vin on March 27, 2023, 17:26:40, in reply to "Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'"

I served my time from 1966 to 1971 in the shed under the Hammerhead Crane in Vickers Naval Yard, Walker. The Marine Plumbers and Coppersmiths Shop.
The Hammerhead Crane today is all that's left of the whole of the Naval Yard (and it still works I can see it from my daughters house in Walker)
The massive Naval Yard was replaced by small business units and private houses.

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'

Posted by Geordieboy ns on March 27, 2023, 17:54:29, in reply to "Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'"

Norman, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, now there's a sight enough to make a Geordie proud of the past ship building industry. Trusting the operators of those cranes had good bladders. Not a question. As usual a very good photo.

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'

Posted by Sheila on March 27, 2023, 18:10:57, in reply to "Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'"

Geordieboy ns, my best friends father, Danny Campbell, worked on the large Crane in Palmers , all throughout WW2. It was either 1962/ 63 he came home as usual for his lunch/dinner from Palmers and told his wife he didn’t feel well and very suddenly died. He was a lovely man and well known as a Scottish Piper. My friend told me many months later, as they were good catholics her mother was saying loudly in his ear a prayer of contrition hoping he could hear. Her very down to earth neighbour told her to stop praying and ring 999 for an ambulance. I always remember that when I think of Mr Campbell, a lovely man.

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'

Posted by Vin on March 27, 2023, 18:38:02, in reply to "Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'"

The Hammerhead Crane had a toilet and washbasin behind the cab (probably still has)
A 3 inch soil pipe went down one of the main legs down to the jetty and into the river.
Worked on it mid apprentice with the plant plumbers.
Well known that the smaller cranes just had a bucket and bailed it out the cab normally night-shift.
Bad luck if you were down wind of it and got salty spray in your face.
Mind you had more chance of a seagull dumping it's load on you.

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'

Posted by Geordieboy ns on March 27, 2023, 20:30:30, in reply to "Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'"

Vin, how did the operator get up there, climb or could he use the cable hoist system ? Sheila,the operators of those cranes seemed to lead a lonely work life, not many oportunities to mingle in their office but one heck of a view.

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'

Posted by Sheila on March 27, 2023, 22:08:41, in reply to "Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'"

Georgieboyns. I think Mr Campbell worked in Palmers before WW2. Reading about the unemployment in the 1930’s he would hsve bern pleaded to have a job. I know he bought his house in Glen Street. He was a sensible man.

Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'

Posted by Tom Barker on March 28, 2023, 12:03:25, in reply to "Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'"

Hello VIC,
You told us you served your time in Hebburn Palmers 1966 -71
I like many board members did like wise 1956-61 l would surmise you would be in your seventies,the yards were pretty busy in the 1950s-60s 70s and by the sounds of your posts and in the interim period you have been around the block my friend. I Ike most of what you tell us in your posts l find most of your stories are interesting.true,and quite true l am sure you have many many more VIC you could be a great asset to Norman Dunns our message board l don't know if you have some sort of chip on your shoulder we are a bit long in the tooth l hope not life is too short just look at some recent posts by some board members it makes you appreciate what we have don't you think,Normans forum has Geordie members EX -PATS all over the world VIC like us they don't want aggro or bitterness in any shape or form life's to short l am sure you would be the type of guy with all your wealth of stories to sit and have a pint with and may be learn something l think so.take care.

Bill Quay 1960ish

Posted by Vin on March 27, 2023, 20:45:10, in reply to "Re: A view down river from Bill Quay 1960ish 'Then & Now'"

My late mother in law was born Janet Dorothy Polwarth at 10 Lavery Street Bill Quay in 1929.
Her father is on her birth certificate as Richard Dunn Polwarth a Record Clerk (Air Force) it was not the Royal Air Force then her mother was Agnes Ryell Polwarth (née Rainford)
Her parents both died In Exning, Cambridge.
Her father ended up when he retired at RAF Bury St. Edmunds in the late 1960s as a Flight Lieutenant (don't ask me how Record Clerk who probably never was in a plane in his life? ended up a Flight Lieutenant but he did and others did - what a phoney setup existed in this country didinit)
My wife was born in Newmarket and is still a frisky filly.

Anyhow notice how the middle names at one time for the true brits where their grandmother's maiden name.
Not that luck on my side my lot where 100% thoroughbred Irish Catholics all Dark haired, blue eyed Arians.

And found the Polwarth's easily through the census and beyond they actually where from the place Polwarth in Scotland.
And The Dunn from Dunn in Scotland.
They were all devoit Methodists.
So Norman mebee your lot are related to my wife's lot from Dunn.

Anyhow my wife's lot must of been turning in their graves when she married me 50 years ago a thorougbred 100% Catholic, dark haired, blue eyed, Arian Genetic Catholic.
Life's a bitch innit.
And I am a white Arian socialist to boot

Re: Bill Quay 1960ish

Posted by Malcolm on March 27, 2023, 23:14:22, in reply to "Bill Quay 1960ish"

Hi Vin, A point for you:

A Flight Lieutenant is a RANK in the Royal Air Force, not a job description.

As is Pilot Officer, Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, etc

NONE of which ever have to be in an aeroplane, It's just a rank.....

Hope this helps you understand.

The rest of your post was....interesting.

Re: Bill Quay 1960ish

Posted by Patrick on March 28, 2023, 15:19:31, in reply to "Bill Quay 1960ish"

I think you mean Aryan Vin. An Arian is a follower of Arius, a heretic whose teachings were condemned at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Not good company for a 100% Catholic.

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[ Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum' ]

Rules! No party Politics,swearing,derogatory remarks or we delete. Anyone sharing our content on Face Book must credit 'Hebburn and our Neighbours'.