Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
[ Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum' ]
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Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham

Posted by Mac Hardy on 22/8/2026, 1:10 pm

Does anyone remember Hendersons Taxi’s in Hebburn, he had a big black car and used to take me and the family to Ovingham for regular visits to a Chalet, we eventually moved to Ovingham and my sister and I had to walk along the riverside road for about a mile to and from School, the road was often flooded and we would have to walk through the farmers fields, we used to pass a Pub called The White Swan which I called The Mucky Duck, past the small post office in the village where we used to buy Orange Ice Lollies, round the corner into School which I recall only had 2 Classrooms. Happy Days !

Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham

Posted by Norman Dunn on 22/8/2026, 1:23 pm, in reply to "Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

When I was 7 or 8 (1951-52) one of my mothers side of the family (McNeill's) had a wooden lodge on that river side site at Ovingham so we had a weeks holiday there and Henderson's Taxis took us.
I cant remember much about it though.
I often joked to my grandchildren how they've had holidays to Tenerife, Cyprus, Rhodes, Spain and Florida and my Holidays were Ovingham one year across the river from Blaydon & another holiday was to caravan in Whitburn 4 or 5 miles away😁😁😁

Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham

Posted by Bill Wallace on 22/8/2026, 1:35 pm, in reply to "Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

Here is a picture of my Mom, brothers and their parents at the campground from 1935/36

Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham

Posted by Liz Dance on 22/8/2026, 1:57 pm, in reply to "Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

My late mum and her family always took a holiday in Ovingham every year they loved it. Lots of the holiday huts seem to still be there I wonder if they are family owned?

Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham

Posted by George on 22/8/2026, 4:43 pm, in reply to "Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

Having earlier in the year checked the route, this Friday I will lead the group of ramblers on a walk starting at Riverside Car park next to the Ovingham bridge. The walk embraces both banks of the Tyne between and including the bridges at Ovingham and Bywell. A short distance upstream on the north bank there is this wonderful assortment of wooden huts in varying states of decay and renovation. I tried to quantify them using Google but their reply was simply "dozens and dozens of 'em". A good few hundred will nearer the mark. Originally built in and around Ovingham and Wylam over 100 years ago to house POWs from WW1. Later, more were added to accommodate German and Italian POWs from WW2. The huts are an amazing and somewhat unique sight. Some are now fitted with solar panels and other mod cons. Others are much more interesting in their relaxed original state. You may holiday in these shacks but not allowed to "live" in them. They truly are a Tyneside treasure reaching well inland of the river.

Here is the Ovingham Site

Posted by Norman on 22/8/2026, 5:01 pm, in reply to "Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

Here is a Google Earth view of the Ovingham site.
As I said in my post below I cant remember much about my hols there. I remember plodging at the edge of the river and I think I slept in a Hammock.

Re: Here is the Ovingham Site

Posted by Mac Hardy on 22/8/2026, 6:40 pm, in reply to "Here is the Ovingham Site"

Not as I know it, where is the Bridge, the little shop and what used to be the School I attended !

Re: Here is the Ovingham Site with a bridge

Posted by Norman on 22/8/2026, 7:01 pm, in reply to "Re: Here is the Ovingham Site"

I cqn't remember where the bridge was Mac Hardy.
Here is aerial pic with a bridge on it but this could be a new one.

Re: Here is the Ovingham Site with school, shop & Mac having a paddle

Posted by George on 22/8/2026, 7:40 pm, in reply to "Re: Here is the Ovingham Site with a bridge"

Re: Here is the Ovingham Site with school, shop & Mac having a paddle

Posted by Jackie W on 23/8/2026, 9:20 am, in reply to "Re: Here is the Ovingham Site with school, shop & Mac having a paddle "

Lovely photos!

Re: Here is the Ovingham Site with school, shop & Mac having a paddle

Posted by Liz Dance on 23/8/2026, 9:39 am, in reply to "Re: Here is the Ovingham Site with school, shop & Mac having a paddle "

My mum and her family must have been going there in the 1930’s early 40’s, it must have been a very popular place to visit.

Re: Here is the Ovingham Site with school, shop & Mac having a paddle

Posted by Mac Hardy on 23/8/2026, 11:53 am, in reply to "Re: Here is the Ovingham Site with school, shop & Mac having a paddle "

Thanks George, that is the Ovingham I knew and remember, my old School and the shop used to be a Post Office, remember the Horse Chestnut Trees next to the School and playing Conkers, I think where we used to live was called The Armitage Centre where we lived in a Bungalow (Now a caravan site).

Re: Here is the Ovingham Site

Posted by Mac Hardy on 23/8/2026, 11:54 am, in reply to "Here is the Ovingham Site"

Sorry Norman but don’t recognise anything on this photo !

More of Ovingham

Posted by George on 23/8/2026, 12:32 pm, in reply to "Re: Here is the Ovingham Site"

Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham

Posted by George on 23/8/2026, 1:05 pm, in reply to "Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

Love it Bill. Great stuff. More fun please.

Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham

Posted by Jackie W on 23/8/2026, 9:19 am, in reply to "Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

I recall my parents telling me they had their honeymoon there, perhaps they stayed in a chalet/lodge. It was 1958

Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham

Posted by Flora on 23/8/2026, 10:49 am, in reply to "Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

Yes, I remember that well Mac. Last time I visited Ovingham (years ago) what used to be the school was then a garden centre. I remember the two classrooms were separated by a curtain of sorts and the classroom I was in had a fireplace with a living fire and a fireguard surrounding it. I could not attract the teachers attention one day as she was busy with other pupils but I was desperate to be excused for the cloakroom. The inevitable happened, the teacher was very apologetic and sent an older girl out with me to change. What happened then of course, my 'laundry' was hung over the fireguard to dry! The embarrassment of it still haunts me til this day!

Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham

Posted by Stan Wears on 23/8/2026, 12:15 pm, in reply to "Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

Mac, I can still remember Hendersons phone number! it was 4832178! The office was in Bewick St and later the old ambulance hall in Victoria Rd. That taxi was often on wedding photos too...

Oh Flora - I remember the occasion well.

Posted by George on 23/8/2026, 12:19 pm, in reply to "Re: Hendersons Taxi’s and Ovingham"

Re: Oh Flora - I remember the occasion well.

Posted by Flora on 23/8/2026, 12:27 pm, in reply to "Oh Flora - I remember the occasion well."

Ha Ha!

There are some bargains to be had

Posted by George on 23/8/2026, 12:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Oh Flora - I remember the occasion well."

Re: There are some bargains to be had

Posted by Bill Wallace on 23/8/2026, 1:00 pm, in reply to "There are some bargains to be had"

Re: There are some bargains to be had

Posted by George on 23/8/2026, 3:00 pm, in reply to "Re: There are some bargains to be had"

Brilliant

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

Rules! No bad language or derogatory remarks or we will delete. Anyone sharing our content on Face Book must credit 'Hebburn and our Neighbours'.