The Spanish city funfair in1967 Whitley bay UK. Filmed in 1967 by my uncle Frank and Norah Wardle who lived in Winlaton. Using an 8mm cine film camera.
I look at this and so much floods back. The sun on my face. A whiter shade of pale playing at the funfair. The nags pinball machine I got so many replays on. The smell of the cars on the speedway ride. The taste and smell of the hamburgers. My awful marksmanship on the air rifles. The breeze in my face on the wet sand at the beach. In later years riding through on a BSA, or a Yamaha RD, or whatever else I was on in a given year. Sitting in one or other of the cafes listening to the jukeboxes. A cool pint at the Delaval Arms. Thank you for this and thank you Whitley Bay.
I was born 2 years after this film, and despite leaving Whitley bay in 1982, this will always be my home, it has changed a bit now but going on holiday with my partner and his mam there tommorrow. Can't wait! Thanks for such a beautiful film, brought a tear to my eye....very fond memories! x
Was there as a teenager back in 1970. Stayed with a family in North Shields for a holiday - up from Plymouth (what a journey) ! Brilliant movie - well done 😊
@@martinkulkarni3569 We have tons of beautiful beaches in Devon and Cornwall but other than Paignton we don't really have any of those traditional seaside twins with the piers and the amusements so a weekend at Blackpool or Margate was pure joy as a child.
Thats when Whitley Bay was Whitley Bay not what it is today. I still go down but its not the same as some of the buildings are now gone. Great to see. Roly.
I was 3 when this was filmed (with a ZOOM lens!!!) and in Newcastle but we moved to Whitley 2 years later and I consider it my home town despite leaving in the early 80s. I remember it like this and the Spanish City in full tilt. Remember the night when the wooden roller-coaster burnt down in mysterious circumstances? Superb film, thank you so much.
Amazing footage from days gone by that seemed so much cleaner , wholesome , and ordered society . I can see from the film how amazing Whitley Bay must have seemed to visitors back then on sunny days .....clean and beautiful seaside town ...not like todays version all kebab shops and charity shops ...pizza cartons and kebab wrappers littered everywhere , run down pubs and bed and breakfast hotels full of dossers and drug addicts .......all of that is a reflection on todays society and it's disregard for the areas they live in or visit more than it is a reflection on Whitley bay itself which underneath all the dirt and scum still has the natuaral beauty of days gone by .......if Whitely bay were situated as it is now in the south of France or Monaco it would be littered with expensive cars and cafes charging £15.00 for a coffee.....if it were not for geography . it's a real shame
This is a piece of true art! It was amazing, the rides, the laughs, I wish it could be brought back to life, the council is working on it but I dont know whats its going to be, I really hope it can live up to the potential the old spanish city held!
worked in the Spanish city for a lot of years started on phill baraks cars .then worked for hoadley on the dodgems. Moved to the waltzer still for hoadley loved it .Worked with big bill peter booth and tom Billy Clark took over the Walzer and worked for him , happy happy times.
Hi George, I worked on Crows Octopus from 1973 - 1976 as well the the Ark and Jets occassionally. What a disgrace the council forced everyone off the site and succeeded in destroying the whole of the sea front in the process. the Dome, the amusements, the Avenue all down the pan because they wanted the land. What fantastic foresight to knock down a school on one side of the road and build it on the other! Their plans for the Dome arent even worth commenting on.
Fantastic I remember everthing like yesterday strange how they never filmed the big dipper as this was the no.1 attraction I had a video in 1966 from a 220ft cinema camera film what was driving through Newcastle and the building of the civic centre great video thank you
At least whitley is still recognisable even after 50yrs plus. Especially gong towards the amusements. Who remembers the lazer quest back in the early 90s.
Happy memories of the "Spannawilly" from 1950s, but unchanged on the video. The "House that Jack Built" is there, but not the "Wall of Death". Maybe that was considered unsafe, but it was fun!
visited whitley bay and spanish city a few times in the late 60s early 70s my mate RIP had relatives living there , we would drink in a pub called the ship , his relatives names were norman haldon known as nosh and ken haldon who had a butchers in the indoor market in newcastle he also had a sister who ran a holiday hotel
Went there, must have been 1963, leaving 'do' from primary to secondary school. Travelled by train from Cumberland.... Didn't realise there were yellow lines on road in 1967
what a pity that vidio cameras were rare in those days as the workers would of put a fabulous footage on film, the great feelingswe had as to why this place was so special to us
Hi Frank - Ricky here from the BBC. We're keen to use some of the above footage for a report on BBC Breakfast about Whitley Bay. Any chance you have a contact I can reach you on please?
I think we might be remembering whitley bay through rose coloured goggles it was ok but not that good cant beat a bit of nostalgia only remember the good bits go there most weeks for a walk along the front what a waste nothing much to do but walk along to a much nicer cullercoats then tynemouth
Hi Frank, I'm doing a life story video who mentions this place in their story. Is it possible to get a copy of this footage or download from somewhere?
nowt to do with the council matey.....they are funded by the government and NTC are on shit wages from them...... don't blame NTC blame the local owners of the properties, they have let there buildings go to rack and ruin.........GREAT VIDEO THOUGH, GOOD MEMORIES
Now its an overpriced eatery its nice to see the building in gd order though . Changed days from its heyday though . Loved the dogems was so cool and it felt like u were goin fast when u were young lol . Was great until stuped idiots ruined it with ramming eachother and others in the cars . Goin round the wrong way at times was fun but we never deliberatly rammed anyone like those idiots did . No wonder u hardly find these attractions anymore . Whitley bay was one of those uk places that folk went on holiday too before package holidays in guarenteed weather killed all the uk resorts . More or less .
