Now I am from Tyneside, albeit the Co Durham part in my day and I have to say everything about it has me cringing “Our beloved Tyne Bridge is getting a makeover” Beloved really? , it’s a ****in bridge man, there are a **** ton of them and they do exactly the same as yours. And according to the Chronicle it is “a famous symbol of our proud region” Is it known around the world? Maybe because of the Great North Run it might, but then again it would have the same world wide coverage as the Bamburgh pub. Driving home on Friday, a big Port of Tyne lorry, emblazoned on the door “ No ordinary river”, whay it is like, it meanders and is full of water, it also pales into comparison with the Clyde and the Mersey. And of course all those DFDS ferries apparently leave from Newcastle, which is a bit strange cos you’d struggle to get a gondola past the Tyne bridge. The Hilton at Gateshead is known as Newcastle Gateshead Hilton, they couldn’t move it so they created a new hyphenated city. The Travelodge at White Mare Pool is Travelodge Newcastle and they are inexplicably linked to the Angel of The North, ignoring the fact it has its arse pointing at Newcastle. As afar as I’m concerned the latter aren’t and never will be in the same county. The Tyne was a good border for us, even though they still managed to nick Prudhoe, even in Anglo Saxon days the bastards were pinching stuff south of the Tyne and claiming it as theirs Anyhow that’s my moan for today, thanks for listening and no thick mag bastards were harmed in the making of this post and if anyone of a nervous disposition is offended, tough ****in ****. . Have a good bank holiday everyone.
My lass had a scan at Window to the womb in Chester le street the other week, supposedly Chester Le Street is now Newcastle South. The hotel at Boldon is now Newcastle south as well. It infuriates me so much.
Had an agency send me a text about 2 jobs "in Newcastle". Google maps of the post codes tells me 1 is in Hexham (16 miles from Newcastle) and the other is in Hebburn (6 miles from Newcastle and South of the river) agency bloke doubled down insisting they were in Newcastle as they had an NE postcode. I explained to him that I used to live in a NE38 postcode in Washington which is part of Sunderland. Still wouldn't have it.
I was the Ops Manager at the Galleries a few years ago, I told HO that rather it being “South East of Newcastle” as on your website, it’s actually in Sunderland. I didn’t last long
Before I retired, I spent a few short years working in N/C, Most, but not all, of the staff were Black and White, the rest of us mostly Red and White. There was plenty of banter, ALWAYS good natured. My contribtion concerned 'The Blaydon Races'. It went something like--- The words were pasted onto a tune called Brighton. And this refered to Brighton in New England, US of A. And the song was a celebration of those worthy citizens of N/C , looking to brightening up their drab existances by getting over the Tyne Bridge and into the beautiful County of Durham, where a good time was had by all. And that Music is/was The Durham Light Infantry's Quick March. (The Northumberland Fuseliers used The British Grenadiers for their dance). So, what makes it a N/c song?
People from Durham saying they are from Newcastle infuriates me. Just say Durham, people know where that is.
The Yankee song describes the adventures of some men ('three fast boys' - Yankee boy racers) who hire a horse drawn wagon. They get involved in various fracases, skidding horses, fights, black eyes and drunkenness, what some might describe as a grand day out. 'Blaydon Races' in contrast is a descriptive and comic ballad of a journey on a horse drawn omnibus from newcastle to Blaydon 'to see the Blaydon Races'. The whole thing is much more tightly drawn than its American predecessor. Both songs make much use of place names, but whereas the American song seems rather vague in its story telling, Ridley's song is focused and exact, if fanciful and amusing. The journey of the heavily laden bus passes along a route mostly recognisable today, giving exact locations such as pub names and Armstrong's factory. The songs share elements in common, including the horse-drawn vehicles and black eyes, but 'The Blaydon Races' has a central incident of the wheel coming off the over-laden bus and various other details not in the American song, such as the singing and dancing on the bus. Ridley even worked an advertisement for one of his shows into an early version of the song. A lot of song writing in the past involved parody and re-use of materials (particularly tunes, but also sometimes ideas and whole lifted passages) so Ridley was doing nothing unusual by the standards of his day, and he made a very good job of his refashioning. Ridley's other 'great hit' was 'Cushey Butterfield' which goes to the tune of 'Pretty Polly Perkins of Paddington Green' - a parody of a cockney song by the musical hall singer Harry Clifton. parody noun UK /ˈpær.ə.di/ US /ˈper.ə.di/ [ C or U ] writing, music, art, speech, etc. that intentionally copies the style of someone famous or copies a particular situation, making the features or qualities of the original more noticeable in a way that is humorous: BTW. The Blaydon Races The Blaydon Races, 1862, Geordie, (George) Ridley, 1835-1864, Air: Brighton First Performed by Geordie Ridley-June 5th, 1862 First Published In: Allan, T., George Ridley's New Local Song Book, c.1863. One of seven road bridges crossing the River Tyne, the Grade II* listed bridge was officially opened on 10th October 1928 by King George V and has since, arguably, become a symbol of parts of the North East.
Tyne Bridge, newcastle upon Tyne. © Historic England. A symbol of Tyneside, the Tyne Bridge was the biggest single-span bridge in the UK when it was opened by George V in 1928. The structure was built using shipbuilding techniques with rivets and panels welded together. It was a mammoth task and the workmen risked their lives to construct the crossing – working up to 200 feet above the river without safety harnesses or ropes. Despite the dangers of the job, only one worker died during construction. The bridge and nearby structures are used as a nesting site by a colony of around 700 pairs of black-legged kittiwakes, the furthest inland in the world.
It’s not a proud symbol of our region IMO mate. I mean people from Durham probably couldn’t give a ****e, like me. I’m not sure what is proud about a bridge either, it looks like others, built after them and errm crosses a river.I might just have high standards.
Yep I agree, could of been worded better... Iconic probably would have been more accurate in this case. I'll take your word on this as you haven't posted a link to the original article Confucius BTW Confucius, the Durham and Newcastle links are long and strong... they go way back long before sunderland was a thing, I don't know how else to put it Confucius. Great thread though
It wasn’t an article mate, it’s on local radio advising us of the traffic issues it will cause I also don’t know how else to put this but you will note though I never mentioned Sunderland. I did say Co Durham, so around 11th Century when it had its own identity and not north of the Humber land, although to be fair, Cruddas Park and Elswick haven’t improved since then. It’s about me being a Co Durham lad from the banks of the Tyne, but I don’t have to agree that Newcastle is some sprawling metropolis and the hub of the North East.
Right, I've got you now your right yeah that term our beloved bridge was not a natural way of speaking on tyneside. Our beloved.... yeah it's a cringie expession. Made me cringe too I was the Ops Manager at the Galleries a few years ago, I told HO that rather it being “South East of Newcastle” as on your website, it’s actually in Sunderland. I didn’t last long
Which was my follow up response to someone and had nothing to do with historical terms unless you think I’m Ethelred or summit. And they didn’t have the galleries back then.
Not Ethelred Confucius, I think he was based in Wessex... That said, thank you for being sociable Confucius
