« Swalwell Holy Cross Church Choir 1930 | Main | Bill (William ) Thew. Morpeth U3A »
John Handy (born 1904) remembers
After leaving school in July 1919, having difficulties finding work and finally finding work in October as an office boy at Hall Laidlers Shorthand School, Grainger Street, Newcastle.
Walking to Swalwell Station each morning to catch the 8.40 train to Newcastle, then running to Grainger Street, arriving just in time at 9am. returning in the evening and finding the walk up the hill so much harder!
His father giving up his job at Armstrong Whitworths to build three terrace houses in Whaggs Lane, living in one of them and eventually buying houses in Dunston the rents of which supplied their income (supplemented by occasional building jobs)
Leisure time spent as scorer at Whickham Cricket Club and travelling by bicycle to away matches at Swalwell, Blaydon and Ryton whilst the others travelled by open topped charabanc- very uncomfortable!..
Progress from a bicycle at 21 to a 2 stroke motor cycle made at Scotts of Elswick, then moving on to a BSA.
A Whickham man named Taylor, who lived in Burnside Lane making cars on Scotswood Road, made perhaps 40 and then gave up. Finally progressing to a car himself when he married and moved to Newcastle.
Working as a supervisor of the shorthand writers (all male who had to achieve 200 words a minute and worked at courts in the area and various Government Enquirers in the North of England) receiving and arranging the typing of the text.
Retirement 1971.
Returning to a new bungalow at Whickham, built on land he had known as a farm and seeing many, many changes. Finding new houses, roads, shops, schools and many local landmarks gone. Whickham at least twice the size.
"I have seen many changes since 1971 but still enjoy living in Whickham where I intend to end my days".