I love the friendliness of proper Northerners....... Proper Gadgies. I left (Northumberland) in 1991 when I was 18, used to go to the Toon every weekend, shops, pubs, footie, loved it, loved it, loved it. My kids are grown-up now & busy making their own lives. This past year I've been up about 4 times looking at properties, I've had the itch that I can't ignore to get my backside back to the Motherland. I cannae wait man, cannae wait. Great vid Eddie. ATB
Great video Eddy 👍Wallsend has a fantastic Park, 5 mins from the town centre heading north up station road. Well maintained and a great space for local families, dog walkers etc.
The original Anson Pub which was sadly demolished a good few years ago had a very well known local customer. He was a Jack Russel dog and he had his own seat at the bar. His owner would drop him off and he would be served beer from a dog bowl. Sometimes he'd have a few too many and fall asleep and have to be carried back home. If anybody tried to nick his seat they were told that it was the dog's seat or if anybody nicked it when the dog came in he would growl and jump up to get it back!
Thanks for this, Eddie! I was born in Wallsend in the mid-'60s. I have lived in Canada since the early '70s but have been back to the NE (not often Wallsend, sadly) every couple of years since then. My grandad was in charge of the fire station in Wallsend when I was little. I look back on my early days very fondly (maybe with rose-coloured glasses?). I was hoping you were going into Dickson's for a peas pudding sandwich, but we can't have it all. I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Thanks for your efforts. Cheers, Mark, on Vancouver Island.
Eeeeee Eddie,....this is wonderful. I was born in Wallsend Green hospital and know that town so well, but its been years since I've been back. My father worked at Swans for years, I wonder where everyone finds employment now? This video has made my day,...thank you so much. PennyXxx
I used to go busking in Wallsend in the mid 1980s when I was a student. I played in what is now the covered in precinct before the roof went on. I have to thank my patrons from those days who were VERY generous in their donations. Thanks you too Eddy. Stay cool young man. Love - as always - from Mexico. Also Wallsend precinct features in an episode of "The Likely Lads" in the 1970s.
He does one with Sting called Haddaway which I'd very good, and another called 'The Water Of Tyne' which is another personal favourite. Jimmy and Dire Straits, to me, are the sounds of this city, they capture it's beauty and spirit in their songs about it
Hi Eddie, thanks for the trip down memory lane, Wallsend has changed a lot since i moved from there 30 years ago and i think like all town centres its went down hill, but great to see the flat i was born in 60 years ago down by the town hall. Keep up the good work, love the channel.
Cracking Vid Eddie. I live just behind the forum and it's safe to say the town centre has its ups and downs. Local folk are generally nice but can say over the years the age range is on the higher end. The younger people are more on the outskirts past the high street. There is a corridor to the left of New Look inside the forum that has a bit of a "Memory Lane" with pictures of the old high street and forum etc. Used to be Woolworths and Blockbusters etc. A nice touch with the metro station too is the signs are also written in Latin too with the english ones to keep with the Roman theme and further up the road from the fort there is a "mock" rebuild of what the wall looked like. Anyway, great content as usual m8
Another enjoyable video, Eddie. I'm from Surrey originally but am a big Newcastle fan (long story!) and moved to Wallsend last year and don't regret it. Like every town, it has it's nicer bits (especially around Richardson Dees Park) and it's rougher bits. It's an affordable place to live with all the essentials, great transport links and loads of friendly people as usual. Also a really convenient location being right in the middle of the town centre and the coast.
Great video. Living here for 70 years always felt quite negative about it in recent years since the shipyards closed. Lots of charity shops and struggling businesses but that was quite positive. About 5 minutes away you would have discovered Wallsend Park which seems to have improved a great deal from my younger days. That would have been another positive. Was quite a shock to find Roman remains under my house when they knocked it down. Never saw any Centurian ghosts in the 12 years we lived there, thankfully. Enjoyed that Eddie, thanks.
Yes got some good memories of times spent there as a child. The old putting green was well used :) Family took the bairn there recently. Think it's fortnightly but lots of activities for the little ones and they were very impressed with the catering etc. Worth a look :)
Excellent memories, born and bred in Wallsend. Lived in Gerald Street which was demolished in the late 70’s as houses had seen better days. Found more ruins of Segedunum Roman fort when houses were cleared. Great years living there while the super tankers were being built, my father worked in Swans nearly all of his life. Thanks for this video, reminded me how much I really miss the place.
I have lived here all of my life and rarely do i visit the Town centre, The labour council have no idea what they are doing to this once great town, so please come back it 5 years to see what i mean.
Brilliant video Eddie, born and bred in Wallsend as a yunun, because of pit closures in the early day's, the family left the area for graft, like many, many families from the NE, emigrated to the Midlands, you have brought back so many memories mate ❤
Same in Canada now born Northumberland but lived in Wallsend. nice seeing it hasn’t really changed in the almost 7 years that I left, everything you need is on your door step 👌🏼
Very insightful. Like you I’ve been and passed by, so it’s interesting to see how it is and the amazing heritage it has. As they say, every day’s a school day! Cheers
The fact that no huge supermarket is in walking distance gives the high street a real fighting chance which allows the community and pubs a chance to thrive
@davidhartley219 yeah but aldi is not like Asda, it doesn't open a huge store on the outskirts of town and entice everybody away from the high street, infact you can use the free carpark and nip to other shops as well
Sunderland fan from Thailand here. Loved your tour around Wallsend. I was born in Willington Quay in 1971. Changed a bit since that time. Love your videos Eddie.
Great to see you covering wallsend Eddie, you were only a stones throw from me, would have been great to see you. Back when wallsend was in its best. We would start a night out at the very bottom of the high street at a pub called The new winning, (now houses) then on to the East end club (now houses) then onto the Coach and Horses ( now closed) the Anson the ship the anchor and at the very top The Duke of York. There's also the wallsend buffs club and there was also another bar at the metro station called the Carville (flattened now) it's a canny night still now, but back then it was jumping. Great video, great content. Thanks Eddie.
Aye, we lived round the corner from the park, practically lived there playing football on the bit that runs along along Prince Road in all weathers and cricket in the summer. Also the fab putting green, the tennis courts and the bowls, we wanted for nowt back then!
Hi Eddie love your channel! As a native Wallsender in exile, gotta say I find the decline of the High Street very depressing, all those boarded up shops was a very sobering sight. This used to be a vibrant town centre back in the 70s and 80s where you could get almost anything you wanted, you didn't have to go to town. I know your thoughts on your visit were quite a positive but from my point of view it was sad to see the place looking on its knees. Lovely to see the blokes at The Anchor, that was my favourite part of the video. Awful to see the historic Coach and Horses closed and everywhere looking in terminal decline, I say this with a heavy heart 💔 😢
Another great report Eddy. I have heard that the area around Segedunum was abandoned during the first millennium due to Viking raids. The town then moved to where the village green is now as it couldn't be seen from the river and was thought to be safer. A few people have mentioned Wallsend Park; the park, the arboretum, the Hall Grounds, the Green and Wallsend Burn is a lovely walk.
Smashing video Eddy! Back in the 60/70’s the two best social clubs in Wallsend were the Lindisfarne and the Miners. Both still exist but in very different forms these days. My fave was the Miners and I’ll never forget playing there at Xmas 1976. Bobby Thompson was top of the bill. Brilliant night.
The 'Customer First Centre' is basically the local council offices for Wallsend, a public library, a tiny police office and a few rooms for community services. Used to be the old Co-Op supermarket building until around 2012 if I've got my years right. You also missed out on the visible part of Hadrian's Wall just a tiny bit outside of where you stopped, it crosses the public footpath that overlooks the Tyne
Lived there for 42 years and only recently moved away , but wallsend is an amazing place , it has its bad points like anywhere else but is a friendly and nice place to live , was nice to see this video thankyou for taking the time to make it 😊
I've been watching Julie's Wallsend videos for a couple of years. Well worth a look for both her videos on Wallsend history and her crime videos. Highly recommended!
Eddie you should have a walk round Richardson Dees Park just near there, it's beautiful. I live in Howdon now and most weekends I take the short walk through the parks to Wallsend. About 20 years ago I lived directly opposite the Anson. I remember the high street being busier back then. Used to get my weekly shopping in that pound shop on the corner. Was called Greenways then. Very fond memories. I think Manhattan's was called "The Klub" at the time and you'd always hear people spilling out of there around 1am Nowadays it seems the Wetherspoons is where everyone goes. Always busy inside. I usually stop for one outside there after my walk. Round the back gets the Sun.
That junction is the main crossroad in Wallsend, The shop on your left used to be Boots the Chemist, straight over the road was Woolworths which moved there from a location where you entered the Forum.
Great video 👍. I'm from Washington. However, my dad grew up on Tumulus Avenue along the road from Wallsend. I spent majority of my weekends as a child staying with my grandma. I actually work in Wallsend funnily enough. Newcastle and North Tyneside will always have a special place in my heart ❤️ ⚫️⚪️⚫️⚪️
Dad goes to Spoons every day Eddie..just for coffee i may add. He used to attend the Saturday morning matinee when it was the Ritz in the 40s and 50s. Great video Eddie. Try to visit Walker please mate
I worked in Wallsend after the Shipyards closed. It is still a big hub for Subsea Engineering, although you need to look slighty away from Wallsend Centre - think Hadrian Road or Walker. I worked on the same Ind. Estate (Oceania) where Geordie Shore was filmed after the initial season and swish it was not. I will say those folk in the show were always nice and polite whenever our paths crossed though. Riseborough is a Whitley Bay lass although she is not too complimentary about the area..The "Armpit of the World" I do remember her calling it?
The Coach & Horses.. Had a few pints in there, a mate of mine used to tell me you bring your own saw dust before i stepped in, he wasn't wrong.... Loved the pub!
Me too! We went as a family to see the Ark Royal and I remember being over the moon because a man came on the tannoy and announced "Will the Thompson family please vacate the ship!" My dad laughed , he obviously had a friend/colleague who was a practical joker as much as he was ❤
Great stuff I lived in wallsend for 6 years from 94 -2000 I worked in the coach and horses for a year till the manager left to manage the Raby shields rd he wanted me to go with him to train to be deputy manager but couldn’t afford to quit my day job. I could tell some stories about the brief period working there
I was born in Wallsend 64 years ago,left Newcastle at age 17..and left UK at age 23...I found this so so interesting but in many ways sad as of course I remember as a child it was an exceptionally thriving area with Swan Hunters and the Pits still in operation..of course society in whole of Britain has changed vastly in all those years..but its lovely to see some memorys..and you are a great Journalist..so its cheers and On with the show..LIFE x
Hi Eddie I live in Wallsend if you’d kept going up station rd the other day, past customer 1st centre, mostly houses & a school, eventually you’d come to the coast road & I live at other side of it, which is still Wallsend, also other shops etc up there too, dead handy for getting to toon & coast only takes 5 mins in car to get down Wallsend town centre? where you were from up there? Loved the video 😊
Agree with you Eddie I just love seeing them old buildings but then you turn the corner and have a. Vape shop. Mcewans best scotch " the one you've got to come back for "
grew up in wallsend and worked in the docks as seen in your video, which was not part of swan hunters they were further away from the fort just a bit. the forum shoping center used to be an open air center when i lived there and that big building was the COOP, i have never seen that building until your video.. next to that was the COOP dairy and over the road was the COOP laundy, all gone, when swans and the docks closed the high street was decimated. my roots are still there and my brother still lives behind the high street. thos pubs were our local haunts every friady saturday sunday in fact any day. the coach and horses had disco nights remember them, when we danced to real music, not like today. we all missed woolworths too amd the local record store opposite that big building. bought my first single and LP's from there. mrs and mr tompkins.also a biscyle shop. great days.
Excellent man, I haven't been to Walsend for years and I hasn't changed a bit, what has changed though is south shields, I was down there for a 50th last month and it also seems to be doing well, it maybe a good idea for your next adventure
Had the honour of being able to walk around illustrious just before the sea trials while delivering supplies, the engine room and flight deck was absolutely huge. Keeping them coming Eddy
@petersmith9470 My husband was a marine engineer at Swans and he was part of the workforce that built the Illustrious, one of their finest hours! Swans workers pulled out all stops to get the ship ready ahead of time, we barely saw my husband for months, at one point our young son thought he had left home!! he also went on sea trials and then went on to work on the Ark Royal. To the Tories eternal shame they devastated one of the most highly skilled workforces in the world!
Wallsend !!I I worked in Wallsend many many moons ago , I met me very best friend while working there . I tell you it was a smashing place back in the day. I was canny young then . I don't recognise the place now , oh me brother inlaw worked at the said ship yard for over 20 year. The ship yard gone , me very best friend passed away. And by looks of it Wallsend is gone down the pot pardon the pun. And I now live over the water in gateshead , but loads and loads loads of really happy memories of Wallsend I wouldn't want to go there nowadays spoil all my good memories. And looks an entirely different place now very sad😢😊
I was in Wallsend a few weeks ago with my grandmother for a spot of lunch at the old Ritz which is a Wetherspoons now. My mate used work at Manhattans. I was at the Ritz as a kid as my mother used to work there. Like an old band club.
My Grandad(Mattie Wightman),and me Dad (Joe Mole) were stalwarts of the Coronation. Both were Leek Show judges and went “doon the clerb” for a game of billiards or snooker all the time.
I worked at the Wallsend branch office of the Chronicle from 1974 to 75. It was on station road and supplied papers to the seller at Swan Hunters and the newsagents on and around the High Street. If I remember correctly, there was about 14, it was a very busy shopping afea back then.
Wallsend is known for different from any other town in the Tyne and Wear area, good down to earth people who have been through some bad times since the Thatcher years. All these town’s relied on the shipyards or the mines for a living, they’ve had to reinvent themselves with no hell from central government. Respect to all the people of Wallsend who have survived these horrendous years.
I remember boxing at the old Wallsend Boys Club in 1972. I boxed a lad there called Dougie Johnson from United Services Club in Hartlepool. Dougie was tall for his weight 8st 10 pounds and I'd lost twice to him by majority decision. I was determined that this time it would be me walking out the winner so, when the bell sounded I went after him and forced him into a corner where I threw some power shots to his midriff then followed them up with hooks to his jaw. I had him going and it was only the intervention of the bell that saved him from being stopped. In the second round I used my jab to great effect and began countering his lead. I slipped and moved as he tried to rally. The bell sounded and I was certain I had two rounds in the bag. I was leaving nothing to chance in the third and completely outboxed Johnson. He had no answer to my double left then right cross. The crowd were cheering as I went to work on his body. Johnson was tired and trying to hang on but my hands were like pistons as they pumped away until the final bell. I won the fight by a unanimous decision and also the boxer of the night award. It was presented by John McNamee the Newcastle united player.
I used to work for Ritchi who owned a second hand shop on that high street, we picked up furniture from al awa the place carrying geet settees up flights of stairs and loads of heavy stuff, a ownly got paid 15 pund for working me knackers off all day, still, he done me favours like lending me doe and getting stuff from his shop on chucky, canny bloke but tight as a fishes arse. Great vids mate there is no place like the Toon and the people in it.
Born in Wallsend (the green) and went to school there. My Dad and Grandad were members of the Coronation club. Massive club then with a waiting list to join. At Xmas all members kids were given xmas presents and a free trip to a pantomime. My Dad sometimes popped into the Coach and Horses for a pint as we lived very close to it, but preferred the Coronation club. Took Mam there on Saturday nights for the turn. I used to go to the Ritz on Saturday mornings as did more than a hundred kids for great fun and shows. I think ot was a tanner (sixpence) to get in but memory not sureUsed to go the swimming baths which was around the corner from the town hall
Enjoyed that Eddie. I've been a subscriber for a few year now, expatriate in Japan, but this kind of stuff is nostalgic even though I've never been to Waallsend makes it feel like I have. I'm from Chester-le-Street so I don't suppose you will ever get down that way. Gan canny mate.
Me mam used to own the coach and when you were recording this I would of been in the Anchor🤣 be in there tonight for the match aswell, great video mate makes me proud to be from Wallsend
When I was a kid growing up in Wallsend, it was a right dump, rough as anything. I live in Cramlington now, but it does seem to be better than it used to be. It feels a lot safer now.
On High street west just across the road where you turned the corner was "The Penny Wet" pub This was knocked down when the Forum shopping mall was built, and The Anson pub was the replacement.
Mint video. I live in Wallsend next to the fort. As you walked up to the high street from the metro there is a Chinese on the right hand side. That’s where Sting lived in the flat above. It’s a canny place to live. HTL.
Yes, Wallsend central has been lived in well, but's a great place to live in the City. You were also a short walk away from historic Wallsend Green and the long line of Parks there. Now that is all stunningly impressive green areas.
I'd hazard a guess the Ritz was a cinema back in the day, they tended to have names like that, I think there was one in Heaton/Byker, but usually when they have a frontage like that it's from an old cinema, Art Deco I think was the style used, sadly the one in Byker was knocked down and replaced with a Morrisons but the building went on to become a mechanics and had the back half of a Mini attached to the wall high up, my grandad used to always make the joke that he must have been going some speed to wind up there, miss that building. Great video as always though, would love another behind the scenes at the Hoppings video, I found that really interesting. The Queens Head (I think) pub on the High Street there is where Viv Graham was shot, ironically I think it is Manhattans that was the rougher bar, only know through seeing it mentioned in the paper like but it sounded like the sort of place one would go to get punched unconscious 😂
🎬Possible Part 2: start at Wallsend Village Green - some very old, pretty houses there. Cut through past Wallsend Hall - it’s a lovely Georgian building overlooking 9 acres of beautiful manicured gardens & a promenade called the Hall Grounds - lovely! Cross road to Victorian Richardson Dees Park - built over disused mines! The burn runs through both parks - lots of ducks, etc. Very pleasant indeed 😊
