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 Bad language or derogatory remarks Please or we will delete. Anyone sharing our content on Face Book must credit 'Hebburn and our Neighbours'.

Face Book has killed Forums like mine.

Posted by Norman on 21/3/2026, 10:05 am

One day this Forum will be gone and it will be all thanks to our younger Locals preferring an American Website called 'Face Book' where anything can be said.
I've never used FB for the following reason.
about 20 yrs ago I and Gordon Stridiron a Wardley historian helped a chap in Wardley called Bill Hartmann with photos for his newly opened 'Wardley' Website. Just after this Mike Ellison's 'Hebburn.org' Forum was being attacked by a 'nutter'(Troll) & guess what? the Troll was Hartmann so I stopped helping him & let him know why. Hartmann's revenge was to slate me and Gordon on Face Book.
People were emailing me to say what they'd seen on FB but unfortunately once its on FB its there forever apparently UNLIKE this Forum where I or my admins will delete & ban unwanted posts from nutters & Trolls.

Facebook

Posted by Mac Hardy on 21/3/2026, 10:37 am, in reply to "Face Book has killed Forums like mine."

Have to admit Norman I use Facebook but consider it has no comparison with yours. Facebook can be very bitchy with people having a go at one another whilst yours is a friendly, local site, of the two I much prefer yours, long may it continue although I have noticed recently a lack of contribution by the normal regulars. The old saying “If you don’t use it you lose it” is very true and I would hate to lose yours. Hopefully others will see this and start contributing again,sincere best wishes to one and all !

Re: Facebook

Posted by David Henley on 21/3/2026, 10:50 am, in reply to "Facebook"

Norman, you do a great job offering this site for history and any topic ,as well as info. Keep it up.

Dont worry

Posted by Norman on 21/3/2026, 11:41 am, in reply to "Re: Facebook"
Edited by board administrator 21/3/2026, 12:12 pm

I have no intention of closing my little ( but under used) Forum but had to say what I think.
I logged on this morning to see 2 day old posts still at the top which doesnt look good does it?
I enjoy running the board and caught 'this bug' after becoming a regular on Mike Ellison's 'Hebburn.org' Forum he started in the 1990s. Mike had great foresight doing what he did all those years ago, probably before FB came here so its all thanks to Mike we still have this alternative to FB. I must say that when I put group photos on here asking for names, my friend Bill Wallace helps me by putting them on FB and he gets lots of names for me to add to the pics.

Re: Dont worry

Posted by Stan Wears on 21/3/2026, 12:03 pm, in reply to "Dont worry"

Stay put Norman. I look forward to this everyday !

Re: Dont worry

Posted by Liz Dance on 21/3/2026, 12:35 pm, in reply to "Re: Dont worry"

I have never ever used Facebook and have no intention of doing so, this forum is so good so many useful bits of information to be found, yes it has been a bit quiet of late, I for one have been a bit busy attending to a few matters so haven’t posted much hopefully that will change in the not too distant future.

In the meantime Norman, as has been said, keep up the good work things are posted on the Board that don’t always generate replies, one of those being your post regarding the meningitis situation, there might not be any replies but it has been viewed/read by over a 100 people I think that tells a story people obviously visit the Board but don’t contribute maybe they don’t like to be noticed but, if this Forum wasn’t around I think lots of people would miss it, so well done you for devoting the time to keep it running.

Re: Dont worry

Posted by Patrick on 21/3/2026, 5:08 pm, in reply to "Re: Dont worry"

I don't post too much these days as I try to avoid contentious subjects, but I visit every day and usually find a gem or two.

Wrt Bill Hartman, didn't Barry (?) discover his real identity?

Re: Dont worry

Posted by Norman on 21/3/2026, 6:48 pm, in reply to "Re: Dont worry"

HARTMANN wasn't his real surname.
He craftily used his wife's Maiden name.
He won't cause anymore trouble cos he died a year or 2 ago.

Re: Dont worry

Posted by Malcolm on 21/3/2026, 7:45 pm, in reply to "Re: Dont worry"

There's an old saying; "Shoot happens to bad people" (I never could spell!)

But it's horses for courses, to quote another old saying.

I dislike FB with a passion, but have been forced to use it, on occasion, but the Hebburn site is my "go to" place, 2-3 times a day!

I often can't contribute (as in talking about shops in the Newtown) as I was only a bairn when I left, but LOVE reading peoples happy memories of the place.

Keep up the good work, Norman, as it's really appreciated, and enjoyed by a LOT of people.

Re: Dont worry

Posted by AJG on 21/3/2026, 10:03 pm, in reply to "Re: Dont worry"

The Pictorial Hebburn group on Facebook is a pretty civil place and is well moderated, so it doesn’t usually veer off into slanging matches about politics, the Reform party and all that rubbish. Other groups, not so much.

This site is still the best, though!

Re: Dont worry

Posted by Jackie W on 22/3/2026, 10:54 am, in reply to "Re: Dont worry"

Same here Malcolm! I love this messageboard Norman, much better than Facebook

Re: Dont worry

Posted by Bill Wallace on 21/3/2026, 11:30 pm, in reply to "Dont worry"

I left England in 1958 when I was 11 years old. I found Mikes site by accident while looking for names on a school football picture. Been following through all the years with several ‘owners’. I love all the chitchat and knowledge that this site provides. I’ve helped Norman get names on FB for the photos he has posted. There is a Hebburn, Jarrow and Reyrolles site on FB that I query. For the most part comments are great with sometimes getting a funny one. Keep it going Norman. I check in quite often even though I may not respond.

Re: Dont worry

Posted by Mac Hardy on 22/3/2026, 12:06 pm, in reply to "Re: Dont worry"

I wonder if you realise how much you and your site are appreciated, I think the above comments confirm it.

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