Annotated Gateshead Walk

A walk in Gateshead in 2012.
The views are in the order of my route on the annotated map. Start is at bottom of the map.
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Start
View from outside Civic Centre across what was High West St., to top of Nelson St.
Ditto, but looking South.
Ditto, but showing corner of Regent’s Court Flats.
View down the (now cul-de-sacced) Nelson St.

From top of Nelson St.
View across void that used to be Odeon Cinema, to Gateshead High St.
Similar, but showing corner of Regent’s Court Flats.
Moved down Nelson St a little. Amazing how big Odeon used to be.
Bottom of Nelson St – can’t remember what this pub used to be called.
Attempt to ‘beautify’ derelict Odeon site, shows how long this land has been empty.
View up to end of what used to be Sunderland Road.
Yes, do recognize this pub. Looking South to ‘top’ of High St.
View ‘along’ now blocked-off Sunderland Rd.
View north from same position.

View of would have been front of Odeon.
View north from same position. Construction crane at ‘Trinity Square’ clearly seen.
Mum & Dad’s old watering hole – still seems popular.
Regent’s Court flats again!
Back of RH side of High St., going north – this pub still same name. I remember there were underground toilets in the middle of street here. The ‘Ladies’ toilets had a missing frosted-glass brick in the roof, and myself and other ‘little devils’ from ‘All Saints’ school, used to peep down at some unfortunate woman’s bum, as she sat on the toilet. Various unprintable epithets from the poor victim would result as a consequence of our laughing and ‘comments’.
If you want a pee now, find a bush, as there is no replacement apparent on the High St.
Alas! Block containing Law’s Herbal Store is no more.
Curley’s is another pub that still clings onto life.
View of bottom of Jackson St, with Metropole still surviving.
This is now main thoroughfare east-west through Gateshead. Boilermakers club at top on right is gone though. (I saw Bobby Thompson – ‘the litte waster’ there – cracking!)

View west up Jackson St.
Apparently, the old Holy Trinity church is actually called St Edmunds??
Oldest section clearly visible here.
Doggarts – your old mate Patricia Donnelly’s place of work a long time ago..
View across to M & M – I had Fish, Chips and Mushy peas here this morning.(sit down in cramped cafe) Fish was beautiful.
View west up Jackson St.
The demise of the Co-op is complete. None of these historic buildings are now occupied by the Co-op.
Ditto.
Ditto.
View east down Jackson St.

New construction of Trinity Square can clearly be seen here.
Corner of St.Joseph’s Church.
View of Church and High West St.
Church and Metro Interchange.
Metro Interchange
Ditto and looking south down towards Newcastle.
Ditto.
Across the road now, and looking at new construction on site of ‘Get Carter’ film.
Straight down West St., good view of Tyne Bridge.
Is this going to be another ‘White Eliphant’ I wonder?

It’s certainly big enough.
Wow!
Who left that there?
See how new building abuts 60’s Coo-op building.
Ditto
One of the large cranes on the site.

This man is determined to get into all my pics. Old Post Office and Lloyds buildings still there.
Panoramic view of bottom of West St.
Now slighly west.

More west. Bit of Last block of Barn’s Close flats clearly visible.
Last Block.
Back view of old Town Hall. (and cop station)
View back along showing old Rent Office.
View south of new construction
View SW of new construction.
Another view south.
Ditto.
Back view of Tesco’s on site at junction of Ellison St., and High St
View east to High St., from all that is accessible of Ellison St.

View west along Ellison St from same position as above.

God, it’s so dreary. I was almost pleased the batteries in my camera gave up at this point.

Printable version of annotated map.
Annotated Map.

An interesting article on the state of affairs during my early life in Gateshead.
20th Century Gateshead

A short film of activities, together with Jimmy Nail singing ‘Big River’. Watch on YouTube Big River

Why don’t we do it in the road?

Why don’t we d-do it in the road? Mmm
Why don’t we do it in the road? Ah
Why don’t we do it in the road? Mmm
Why don’t we do it in the road? Mmm
No one will be watching us
Why don’t we do it in the road?

Apparently, Paul McCartney was inspired to write this song after witnessing two monkeys having sex in the middle of the road in India. He described it as a liberating sight.
I’m not so sure about this one.
Grateful thanks to Phil Taylor for the photo.

Jacaranda

Planted as a very small sapling in 2013, and a very ‘shaky’ start, I coaxed this into a rounded profile on each pruning. It is now much admired, especially when in bloom.

Folks who know me, will be aware that gardening is not my choice of a hobby, but I have fussed over this tree like a mother hen. The fence, now smothered in Jasmine, was first erected to stop the ‘Seth Lord’ from watering it. Experience with a Bougainvillea, was sufficient warning for me. The remaining Bougainvillea I protected with a particularly spiky Aloe Vera..

9th June 2015
A very young Jacaranda, supported by lines.

7th June 2024

View from road.

13th June 2024


View from my sitting room French window.

20th August 2024

View from my sitting room French window.


Same view, 22nd Sept. 2024.


View from RH corner of casa.


View from Cappella car park.


From front of house, 22nd Sept. 2024


From front of house 27th Oct. 2024

The Jacaranda in Portugal.
The following is an article that may interest you.
EDIT 10/02/25. the following link has turned to rubbish since 1st compiling it. My apologies. I’ll look for something else not being ‘tweaked’ by idiots.
Jacarandas In Portugal

Locally (to Miranda Do Corvo) there are three fine examples (violet blossom) outside of a school near the retail park, Eiras.
Also a fine example to the side of the Intermarche store in Lousa. This one has beautiful orange/yellow blossom.
I will update this post later with the GPS co-ordinates.

Update 10/09/24
As well as not being a keen gardener, I’m quite ignorant regarding flora and fauna. My lovely Portuguese girlfriend knows the name of almost anything I point at.
What I do best is observe, and then analyse.
My observations about this tree are that it is the 1st example I’ve ever seen, which sprouts new growth, whilst previous season’s foliage is still (mostly) present.
Secondly, it is typically June before any blossom appears.
Thirdly, approximately two months after, full foliage (and new growth) is manifested.

That the tree does not enjoy a hard frost, without protection, was evident, very early on.
I always believe that self-protection is better than artificial means, hence I coaxed and encouraged a bush-like growth, rather than a single exposed stem. I dislike the ‘manicuring’ that these trees and others are subjected to, and I prefer a more ‘natural’ growth.
Finally, the tree hides the smokers and drinkers hanging around the ‘Salao’ door.

Favourite Photos

One of my all-time favourites. The well-overdue demolition of part of the set for the film ‘Get Carter’. This brutalistic monstrosity was foisted on the folks of Gateshead by the then ‘Labour Council’, along with all of the shit apartments and flats they commissioned, which met with a similar fate a few years later. The stink of corruption was almost tangible.

Known locally as ‘The Chocolate Policeman’, in Seaton Sluice, was in fact, a very pleasant venue. Good beer, good food, and friendly, helpful staff.

Finally and at last, I know where my stolen ‘fridge is. Now, where did I put that telephone number for the Inter-Galactic Police Station?

Beauty and the Beast of all sound systems.

I call this one ‘Arches’ – from the Newcastle/Gateshead walk with Phil and Linda in 2012.