 Tuesday, January 30, 2007This site has movedThis site has now moved to Wordpress, please be prepared to repair your links, and reset your bookmarks or favourites. Please click South Shields Daily Photo Monday, January 29, 2007Dreaming Spire St. Michael and All the Angels The rather unusual tower and spire of St. Michael's Church in Westoe Road, South Shields is something of a landmark, and can be seen from most locations in the town. Map. Sunday, January 28, 2007Black and blue South Shields (as seen from Tynemouth) I've titled this 'Black and blue' to help describe the blackened rocks of the 'Black Middens' on the Tynemouth side of the River Tyne, and the stark blue sky over South Shields in the distance. It's often refreshing to look at your town from a different view point, as an outsider looking in, rather than the inhabitant looking out! The obelisk just left of centre is the clock tower of South Shields Town Hall, and the high point to the right of centre is the Lawe Top. Map Saturday, January 27, 2007Family tree! Dysfunctional family? I found this tree in a patch of land that I never thought existed, I was unaware of it. A small patch in South Shields in between The Lonnen and Cleadon Park's Quarry. It looks as though one side of the family has been totally expunged - divorced perhaps? Map. Friday, January 26, 2007Benny's Pomodoro Pooling resources! This is one of my favourite little shops in South Shields, at least it was before the fruit and vegetable diet began! Benny's is on a corner site in Stanhope Road, South Shields and as you can see even looks inviting just after it's been pouring with rain! Italian food of all varieties, I think "Pomodoro" is the Italian word for tomato. Map Thursday, January 25, 2007Stately Home? Ingham Infirmary, South Shields No, this very large residence at Ingham Grange, Westoe Road, South Shields, it used to be the main entrance to the Ingham Infirmary. This was our main Accident and Emergency hospital for many years, and I spent some months in one of it's wards when I was a teenager. The hospital was built using public subscription, and opened in 1873 as a lasting memorial to the town's first Member of Parliament, Robert Ingham. You can get a very good background to the hospital's beginnings - here. Map Wednesday, January 24, 2007Finial Form and shape I was captivated by the form and shape here, the contrast from bright light on one side and deep shadow on the other. Being a place of worship you might relate this to the contrast between good and evil. This finial (or small minaret) is a fine ornamental addition to the Al Azhar Mosque in Laygate, South Shields. Map Tuesday, January 23, 2007Spot light! The North Pier This is the pier and lighthouse that we look at when standing on our pier on the south side of the harbour. This is Tynemouth's pier and lighthouse, caught about twenty minutes after sunset. Map Monday, January 22, 2007Secret Shields (No. 2) Secret Alley This little alleyway runs between East Street and the main shopping centre of King Street, South Shields. It is adjacent to an old pub commonly known as The Lambton Arms (Smugglers) and it has the feel of an old smugglers alley. Map Sunday, January 21, 2007Secret Shields (No. 1) Tyne Dock Metro Station This is really the only remaining remnant of the original LNER station at Tyne Dock, the passenger entrance/exit to Boldon Lane, South Shields. It's just a short walk to the left for the shops on Boldon Lane, or St. Peter and Paul R.C. church. The image has been bronzed in Photoshop, masked then the debris, leaves, etc. revealed. Map Saturday, January 20, 2007Trinket time Friday Market Friday is the day for the "flea market" in South Shields, time to find those curios and bargains. Map Friday, January 19, 2007Men at work Broadband saviours Two engineers make good repairs to the fibre optic cables that carry our broadband connections, cable television, and telephones. The individual cables are almost as fine as the hairs on our heads, without these men we wouldn't be able to this blogging thing, eh? Map Thursday, January 18, 2007Tryptych The January Sales Of course when every shop in the street is offering some sort of bargain after Christmas it can be difficult to drag customers into your shop. What's a poor girl to do, other than look after her nails? Map Wednesday, January 17, 2007"Titty Lizzie" The Town Hall The Georgian Town Hall in South Shields is widely acknowledged as one of the most ornate and majestic public buildings in the North of England. Originally it had a statue of Queen Victoria outside along with six of her escorts which popularly became known as the "Tittie Lizzies" (yes, we are pretty much down to earth up here!). Some years later, Victoria's statue was removed to a public garden at Chichester but her escorts were placed on a terrace in the South Marine Park, where four remain to this day. After the opening of the Tyneside Metro Rapid Transit System Queen Victoria was brought back to the Town Hall because the garden at Chichester was to become a Metro station, she is now attended by a pair of "Tittie Lizzies" which helps to balance the front facade of this fine building and provide some symmetry. Map Tuesday, January 16, 2007The workers Readhead's Many years ago Readhead's shipyard was one of the largest employers in the town, for over a hundred years they had built ships at Redhead's. They built ships to help the war effort and they built ships in time of peace. Sadly they do not build ships now, the name too has gone, with McNulty Aker Marine now operating from the yard once occupied by Redhead's. There is a car park nearby for the shipyard workers and someone (and I'm afraid I don't know who) has created this mural from small pieces of ceramic tile , a mosaic, to commemorate the thousands who built ships at the famous Redhead's yard in South Shields. Map Monday, January 15, 2007Old and new! Westoe Baptist Chapel This is the rather old (1881) Westoe Baptist Chapel in Westoe Road, South Shields. It resides next to a modern office bloc, South Tyneside House, which used to be used by the Borough Council. Oddly, whilst the church is still in plentiful use, the office block is not, and is now waiting for a purchaser. Late afternoon sunshine about an hour before sunset. Map Sunday, January 14, 2007Pot Black On Cue It's one of my favourite pastimes and a good way to relax with friends, Snooker is quite popular in South Shields. This picture was taken in the private member's club Shields Snooker Centre in Chichester Road, South Shields. Map Saturday, January 13, 2007Deserted Frederick Street, South Shields. This picture saddens me deeply. This street was one of the busiest that I had ever experienced, it was full of hustle and bustle, it was longer, and crowded with busy shops and busy people when I was a boy. Now it's people have gone, its shops are shuttered and deserted, and some of the properties are decaying rapidly. Just what went wrong? Map. Friday, January 12, 2007Big yellow skip Favourite armchair? Someone got rid of their favourite armchairs to replace them with some new leather furniture. These yellow chairs were found in the backlane in a big yellow skip. I've tried to replicate the effects of infra red photography with a Photoshop action here. Map. Thursday, January 11, 2007Olde charms Sylvia's China and Gift shop This lovely little window can be found in Westoe Road, South Shields and has all the charm of an older world, a past time for pastimes perhaps. This shop specialises in things like dolls houses, wooden horses, fine china dolls etc. Definately a "girly" sort of place! Map Wednesday, January 10, 2007Green Pegs Washing line and pegs. Just viewed through a backyard door slightly ajar, green pegs and a red washing line, was it too damp to hang out washing today? Map Tuesday, January 09, 2007Cayman Porsche Cayman S I found this little beauty in Laygate, South Shields. We hardly see any Porsches in this town, so I just had to record the moment. You can tell that it was a dull and damp day by the reflections in the bodywork. Map Monday, January 08, 2007Prime Minister's Place Sir William Fox Hotel This is the door to the William Fox Hotel in Westoe Village, South Shields, it was the birthplace of Sir William Fox, New Zealand's second Prime Minister. Born in this house in 1812, he was educated at Durham School and Wadham College, Oxford, he went on to become Premier of New Zealand four times before he died in 1893. Map Sunday, January 07, 2007Kirky's Kirkpatrick's Bar This popular bar retains some of the cudos and architectural inheritance of the institution that first inhabited the building. Dr. Winterbottoms Marine School occupied this site for many years. The current name of this public house was chosen because of it's close proximity to the statue of John Simpson Kirkpatrick. Map Saturday, January 06, 2007"F1" Pit Stop The Car Wash Now just like in motor racing, now and then we need to stop for a "splash and a dash". The place to make your pit stop in South Shields is F1 Handwash in Mitre Place, Commercial Road, near Tyne Dock.Here there are no automated machines or mechanical brushes, your car aerial stays intact and the whole wash and polish is done by hand by Frankie and his boys, a bit more of a "personal experience" , as I found out today. Frankie has operated this venture for the past two years from this site. This business is part of the new enterprise culture found in South Shields, you can call Frankie for further details on 07796 332977 If you are planning a photographic expedition - wear your wellies! Map Friday, January 05, 2007Wooden Roses Four pounds per bunch I caught this picture in King Street, South Shields, of a flower seller and his stall. The roses looked so colourful, but incredibly they were all carved from wood and coloured later! It was the young lad who caught my eye, perhaps counting out his pocket money to buy a small gift for his mother? Map Thursday, January 04, 2007Wheels Back lanes. We could never have had a childhood without them in this town! Every decent footballer honed his boyhood skills by playing "doors" with his street mates. Instead of a soccer ball, a tennis ball might be used, and each player had to defend one of the back doors in the lane. Hit the door to score a goal! This town has lots of terraced housing, as a look at the map link will show, but many years ago there was an awful lot more, especially close to the riverside, the back lanes run in between each row of houses. The back lanes were very communal, women gossiped with neighbours as they hung the washing out to dry in the lane, "fish-wives" and "coal-men" plied their trade in these lanes. Today, of course, the noise of balls thumping against doors may not be tolerated, but some children still get to exercise and play in the lane, away from traffic. This lane is situated between Laygate and St. Jude's Terrace, South Shields. Map Wednesday, January 03, 2007Norman Bates? No, Norman Hurst. This delightful old house at the top of Westoe Village, South Shields must be one of the largest residences in the town, just take a look at the aerial view via the map link (You might just see the tennis courts and stables to the right of the house). For many years it was occupied by Mrs. Marjorie Cox, the former Chairman of the Conservative Party in South Shields, often alone whilst her husband "the doctor" worked in Africa for the U.N. Personally I've always thought it had a bit of Norman Bates about it, so I've tried to spook it up as much as I can (remember Psycho?) Map Tuesday, January 02, 2007No. 3 Westoe Village Who lived in a house like this? This rather grand Georgian terraced house is No. 3 Westoe Village, South Shields. It is situated quite close to Sunderland Road, and many years ago, before the age of urban sprawl, it would have been almost on the edge of the picturesque village. For a time in it's history it was home to Elinor M. Brent-Dyer the authoress of over 100 books, including the Chalet series of popular children's titles. You can read more about her - here  Map Monday, January 01, 2007A Happy New Year Dawn with the Angel. First day of 2007, dawn rises at The Angel of the North. Gormley's world famous statue sits overlooking the A1 in Gateshead just a few miles from South Shields. Map |
About Me
Born in 1956, I'm a retailer, father and husband, with two young children a son born in 1997 and a daughter in 2001. I am also a former borough Councillor who has had his passion for people and politics reawakened recently. One photo per day, please see the archives for previous posts
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