mercuryg

Damn!

Shameless plug time - for anyone looking for Monday evening entertainment I am hosting a quiz at the Red Lion each Monday, starting tonight, at 8pm. Come along, have your tea and have a laugh with me.

Keith, I have to say your anti-dog stance is startling. You are decidedly dog-ist. The local dogs will be visiting your home very soon. Expect some nice presents.

Both, when you mention it, though I was referring to the website, which is a source of much amusement on a daily basis; long may it continue.

An under-sung great man, tremendous engineer.

Ulgham? Only Kidding.

Among an auction lot recently is an interesting photo, original, of a clearly Victorian father and I'm presuming his daughters. The strange thing is I only recently acquired this picture, but am certain I have seen it before. It was taken by T Blacklock Photographer, Vulcan Place. I will post an image when I can get my scanner to do as it's told. Meanwhile, anyone shed any light on Blacklock?

I think Keith's been on the juice, Malcolm!

Is the third one Foxy?

A farmer stopped by the local mechanics shop to have his truck fixed. They couldn't do it while he waited, so he said he didn't live far and would just walk home. On the way home he stopped at the hardware Store and bought a bucket and a gallon of paint. He then stopped by the feed store and picked up a couple of chickens and a goose. However, struggling outside the store he now had a problem - how to carry his entire purchases home. While he was scratching his head he was approached by a little old lady who told him she was lost. She asked, 'Can you tell me how to get to 1603 Mockingbird Lane ?' The farmer said, 'Well, as a matter of fact, my farm is very close to that house I would walk you there but I can't carry this lot.' The old lady suggested, 'Why don't you put the can of paint in the bucket. Carry the bucket in one hand, put a chicken under each arm and carry the goose in your other hand?' 'Why thank you very much,' he said and proceeded to walk the old girl home. On the way he says 'Let's take my short cut and go down this alley. We'll be there in no time..' The little old lady looked him over cautiously then said, 'I am a lonely widow without a husband to defend me.. How do I know that when we get in the alley you won't hold me up against the wall, pull up my skirt, and have your way with me?' The farmer said, 'Holy smokes lady! I'm carrying a bucket, a gallon of paint, two chickens, and a goose. How in the world could I possibly hold you up against the wall and do that?' The old lady replied, 'Set the goose down, cover him with the bucket, put the paint on top of the bucket, and I'll hold the chickens.'

This place is gold dust these days, love it.

Now no Keith, concentrate on the positives, not the negatives! Oh, yes, I see.....

This is an intriguing subject, especially: "....a sculptured slab which was set ex-situ into the external east face of the nave of the Parish Church of St Cuthbert at Bedlington (HER 11764). This abraded stone, first noted in 1921-2, shows two haloed figures-one holding a staff and a book, the other a rod. It is unlike other sculpture from Northumberland and has been compared to Anglo-Scandinavian work from the Tees Valley which would suggest that it was made in the 10th century." Does this still exist?

I thought the basic price quite sensible, to be honest. It's not cheap, granted, but it's an experience.

Plagiarism! I'll have their guts for this!

The Thing, A Very Cold Thing, What the Hell is that Thing? and Where's My Thing Gone? There, done.

Fascinating stories Keth, thank you.

Now Malcolm, that's not fair! I'm sure if you were to open my cranium you would find more than a fair share of fresh air!

Now Malcolm, have an open mind! Never did I say that I believe these to be apparitions of the dead, but I am an honest man, I swear upon my pint of Hobgoblin.

I heard it was! I'm sure Adam can give a more first hand account.

This reminds me of something: watching old footage of Attlee Park miners picnics at Woodhorn Museum, the camera pans around to look out over the bridge; there is a tall wooden-looking bridge in the background. Where it go to, come from, and when?

I know this story well as it appears in a number of books on the subject of ghost stories. The full version states the family lived at Netherton Hall, I believe. There is a well known 'ghost' - a young girl, I think - who walks the path that leads from the Houghton Road across the fields down to the Humford Baths. A friend of mine and his daughter had a first hand 'sighting' which was rather curious. Driving one early evening a few years back they witnessed what they described as a 'ball of mist' rolling from the path cross the road, and drove through it. In his rear view mirror my friend, a policeman, witnessed - at the same time - a car behind swerving off onto the verge. He reversed back to find a young woman, thankfully unhurt and undamaged, shaken as she had turned to avoid a 'girl crossing the road'. This apparition is well known to many taxi drivers I have spoken to. Curious indeed. Further is the story of the Millfield Soldier, again quite well documented. He appears in that area, it is said, when there is a death in the family imminent. However, a good friend of mine, having just moved from Millfield recently, explained her relief as her young son frequently stated the presence of a man 'in uniform' in the house. She had no knowledge of the story. Finally, one from personal experience: I lived for some years on Hollymount Terrace (no 8, for the record) and witnessed, on more than one occasion, a figure wearing a hooded coat walking directly in front of my kitchen window and across my yard. To do so meant emerging from next door's kitchen wall and walking straight through my coal bunker. I could go on and tell of the 'ghosts' I have withnessed in the Grapes and the Tavern, but there's the element of alcohol in those ( I mean, a ghost cat? You have to be kidding......)

I heard about the van getting hit; hope they find them!

The title of this thread has me thinking of another film that could be made........

Greetings all; you may or may not know of my plans to make a blockbuster movie in Bedlington, inspired by Table 25 in the Red Lion. I am expecting Mr Lockey's help, which I am sure will be forthcoming when the decorators have finished embellishing his palatial abode on Terrier Close. You will be pleased to here that the script is developing nicely; following is the first scene, which sets the mood of mystery, intrigue, bawdiness and upcoming terror; feel free to comment on, add to, or follow with scene two should you wish. Table 25: Act One The scene: The Red Lion, Bedlington, New Year's Day circa 1870 (for the benefit of the reader, the tale is one of time travel and the apocalypse); among the usual scenes of revelry, drunkenness and general misbehaviour, a strange looking gentleman with glasses and grey hair ambles up to the bar. Strange Looking Gentleman (SLG): "Greetings, buxom serving wench! A flagon of your finest ale, if you would, verily.†(Victorians, it should be noted, say 'verily' a lot, for no apparent reason. Just as it is commonplace, in westerns, for Lee van Cleef to shoot someone, for no apparent reason.) Buxom Serving Wench (BSW): "Of course sir, and would there be anything else?†SLG: "Aah, let me see, yes, a camel.†BSW: "No problem, sir, would that be one hump, or two?†(The above is actually an old joke about Harrods, which has absolutely no place here, but might raise a laugh among the impending doom.) SLG: "As you mention it, wench, one hump would be nice, two even nicer! Hah!†BSW: (handing SLG foaming flagon of ale) "Ooh, naughty sir! Don't worry, I get it all the time!†SLG: "I have no doubt you do, verily!†(SLG returns to his chosen table – the mystical Table 25 – only to find it occupied by a cluster of young ne'er do wells. He ponders the situation, and calmly sits down among them.) SLG: (Swigs his ale, turns to young scruff next to him) "Verily, young man, you do know that this mysterious and hallowed table is a portal to another dimension? All one need do is utter the secret magic incantation, and a wormhole to another world opens.†Young Scruff: "Verily, Chaps, we have none other than a nutter here; let us avail ourselves of ye olde banditte in the corner.†SLG, as per his wishes, is left alone......... I believe it has the makings of a classic.