11 Comments

• At 2009.12.07 01:08, Andrew said:

  One of you best.

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• At 2009.12.07 01:09, Andrew said:

  Should be one of your best of course.

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• At 2009.12.07 11:50, Daniel said:

  Goodness, that’s soo beautiful

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• At 2009.12.07 15:23, Danny said:

  crackin’ picture, there are few sights more evocative for a geordie in exile!

  sums up beautifully how the north east coast manages to be both rugged and civilised!

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• At 2009.12.07 19:44, alf stone said:

  A wonderful photograph of a wonderful place. I love Cullercoats and isn’t that Tynemouth Priory on the headland in the misty background?

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• At 2009.12.07 21:54, Beth said:

  Thank you Andrew, Daniel, Danny and Alf. And yes, that’s the Priory. I love this shot and I’m glad you like it too.

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• At 2009.12.07 23:42, alf stone said:

  I was going to spare you my memories for one night but Cullercoats is so special to my childhood and later years I can’t resist. Things I remember about Cullercoats.

  As a child:

  Queuing at the Central Station to get tickets to the coast.
  The quaint little Rocket Garage now the Life Brigade House.
  The amusement arcades on the front.
  Maynard’s shop which sold sweets, buckets, spades and just about anything else you might need for a day at the seaside.
  The lifeboat station where you could actually go in and see the lifeboat.
  Sliding down the slipway which was covered with sand.
  Jumping off the pier into the sea (no health and safety in those days).
  Egg and tomato sandwiches complete with sand.
  Sheltering in St. George’s church hall when there was a torrential downpour (with permission).
  Willicks for the journey home.

  I almost forgot the Dove Marine Laboratory which in those days was open to the public and we used to spend hours gazing at the strange creatures from the sea.

  In later years:

  The Crescent Club with possibly the cheapest beer in the north east. Pensioners would jump on the Metro and use their pass to have a cheap day out.
  The wonderful little cafe called the Copper Kettle.
  The Bay Hotel

  Anything I have missed Mrs. K?

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• At 2009.12.08 00:10, Beth said:

  Wow thank you so much Alf. I love Cullercoats too and would add Billy’s onto the list - I love their fish and chips!

  I have a friend who lives there… will send her here to have a read :)

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• At 2009.12.08 00:26, mrs K said:

  In the vernacular Alf, you nearly missed nowt.

  Sunday School trips when it always bucketed and we kids insisted on the beach and the Mothers got soaked and the Father’s dashed into the Working Mens Club.

  The fishwives, mending the nets, boiling the willicks (the pins to howk them out, which we always lost), crabs and the lobsters (we could not afford the latter).

  The one off cottages they lived in , found nowhere else in the UK and demolished and replaced with what is supposed to be what they were like and are not.

  The boats pulled up beside the Customs House. Which the Customs Officers in the old days used to smuggle goods in the tunnels below, (before my time) but just.

  I still get driven down and have an ice cream and watch the waves and see all the people in my mind.

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• At 2009.12.08 12:57, Daniel said:

  Great reading. There was a cracking exhibition at the Laing six years ago. I don’t remember the title, something about the sea and the waves etc. What stuck to my mind until today were paintings of fishermen’s wives waiting for their beloved ones to return. I think there was something like an artists’ colony in or near Cullercoats?

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• At 2009.12.08 21:08, Dave said:

  This is great (shot of course and words). Was driving down there just last Sunday; I also saw the Priory and it looked very beautiful with a low, wintry sun - rather like the light in this shot.

  Alf and Mrs K - great stuff. Maynards… those were the days!

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