Symptoms

keith wrote: "If John Terry was to set up a White only Players Union he would be jailed, simple." No he wouldn't. Behind closed doors the Chelsea bosses (with fingers crossed) would say to him ... "you're a very naughty boy, go stand in the corner for a few minutes".

This is the method GGG served his time on ... (there is a message in there)

Adam, Malcolm & Symptoms in discussion with GGG

Just as well that Peelers aren't allowed to stand in elections for Crime Commissioners ... they wouldn't turn-up for meetings, decisions wouldn't be taken, buck-passing would be rife, minutes of meetings would be forged, etc. etc.

I had a look at that link and was surprised at those who are unable to stand: "A person may not stand as a PCC if: they have been convicted of an imprisonable offence they are a serving; civil servant, judge, police officer, member of the regular armed forces, employee of a council within the force area, employee of a police related agency, employee of another government agency, politically restricted post-holder, member of police staff (including PCSOs) or member of a police authority MEPs, MSPs, AMs and MPs will be able to stand as PCCs, but will need to stand down from their existing post before being able to accept the post of PCC" Bullet point 2 rules out just about anybody working in the public sector ... hardly widening the democratic franchise!

Dipole & 5 on the right & 2 element Band 1 array on left therefore early 60s perhaps?

It was the Kings Arms. I remember in the 60s there was a big bunch of grapes (not real) that hung outside as a sort of pub sign and that where it got its nickname from. These nickname were (are) common for boozers. I remember all my old rellies, Grandfather, Uncles who lived in West Allotment going to Hill's (pronounced Hillzez) ... The Northumberland Arms nicknamed after the licensee from the 1920s - a guy called Hill.

Oh dear GGG! As the other wise owl on here (admittedly the one who blinks vigorously when emerging into the bright-light of debate ) you should know better than to rely on "official performance figures" when fighting your rear-guard actions. You'll be proselytising about that model of private enterprise Ryanair next. I say - Down with the Boss class! (GGG, as it should be here the above is meant in good spirit and not meant snidely)

Don't apologise Adam. Just wait for those who inhabit the 'right' to emerge from the dark place on here to argue with you ... then all you have to do is mention the present situation on the East Coast Mainline - that should shut them up!

Those of us of a certain age will remember some of the momentous American civil rights stories as they happened. Although I was too young to be aware of the Rosa Young story at the time, the stuff happening in the 60s was certainly reported on the BBC telly news every night. I do clearly remember the film of James Meredith being escorted by US Marshals into the segregated University of Mississippi (50 years anniversary only a couple of days ago), the freedom marches, Martin Luther King, Ali, and all the rest. Those of us with any sense of decency, even young teenagers like me, hoped they would succeed in their struggle.

keith - I didn't know Morpeth well so I can't help you with those other places ... my fun was in Bedders then South to the Toon or Whitley Bay. I went to the Dolphin maybe half-a-dozen times when I was a student up from London during the holidays at the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s - I had a cousin who was with the Peelers based in Morpeth so would go with him on 'the razz'; my parents moved from Bedders in '69 so I never got back there during the hols. The only regular visits to Morpeth when living in Bedders were of a 'passing through' nature ... when we all used to go to the Mayfair in the Toon on a Friday night it was bus up from the Red Lion but at Mayfair kicking-out time (maybe 1 or 2am) the last bus back had left hours ago. How to get back home? Central Station, buy a platform ticket for 2d (old money), kip on the platform benches until the 3am London to Aberdeen mail/passenger express arrived (oh, try to avoid the Railway cops), hop on that then get off at Morpeth (all for a 2d platform ticket!). Then I'm afraid it was a walk back to Bedders ... 5 miles maybe but it was well worth it to see some top bands at the Mayfair. Ah, happy days.

Up Newgate Street on the right-hand side ... near where the White Swan is. The establishment is long gone - when I was through Morpeth maybe 25 years ago it had folded by then. Maybe the building is used for something else now. It was the first place I saw the bogs marked Stags and Does.

About my earlier reference to the Blackbird in Ponteland ... I was, as always, being galant in not referring to the place being packed with young women. What were us Bedlington lads doing there - for the beer of course! Why did we go to the Dolphin in Morpeth - for the beer of course! Why did we go the the Rex Hotel in Whitley bay - for the music of course! Why did we go to the Mayfair or the Oxford - for the music of course! The popularity of pubs for young folks was (is) always transient. A small group (girls or blokes) will discover a venue, word gets out and more follow, blokes (women) are drawn like flies to a plat 'cos of lots of young women (men), the place gets packed-out ... crushed standing room only, folks get fed-up with 5 deep at the bar, the move to somewhere else, the venue becomes a ghost. Then the cycle is repeated.

The Blackbird in Ponteland was often full of Toon footballers ... late 60s & 70s ... as loads of them lived in Darras Hall. I suppose it was easier for them to mix with the punters back them

Come on everybody ... who we kidding? Who bears the cost of flood defense? National and Regional government (or their agencies)? Belt-tightening (and a host of other terms), all euphemisms used by the ruling elite to inflict massive cuts on ordinary folks, is the cause of little or no defensive measures being taken. Some ex-Bullingdon Club sh*t, now working in the City insurance sector, thought what a money-making wheeze it would be to fleece ordinary folks by jacking-up their premiums ("Do you live within 1 mile of a river?" - well that'll cost you 5 times last years premium!). Then, just imagine the scene in some exclusive gentleman's club in Mayfair ... the City shi*t, large Chivas Regal in hand, leans over to some toff in Government (also a Lloyds Name probably but is keeping it out of the Members Register) and floats the get rick quick scheme. You know I'm right.

I say to the FA ... do Terry over good and proper. So what if he slipped through the net at court ... just shows what a top level shyster will do for you! Remember this is the snot who parks in disabled bays and then tells folks in wheelchairs to F**k Off .... a vile creature who deserves to be hounded and hounded and hounded. You know I'm right. As for Thrasher Mitchell - I think the Peelers should arrest him even after a few days. Cameron, and the rest of the ruling elite scum will always stick together in treading on the workers ... basta*ds! What Cameron has actually done is call two Peelers liars ... why haven't they been sacked if the PM thinks that?

You're supposed to be tough Northerners here not weak-kneed, yellow-bellied Southerners weaned on Cockney knats. Get a grip, off with your tops, wobble the Toon tatted fat, air your carcasses in the chilly North winds and think positively of the next skinful. You know wise old owl Symptoms is right!

That first photo shows that they could have shot a Hovis ad there ... how quaint it looks. Just think what the town would look like now if they'd done all the buildings up and washed the stonework instead of demolition ... Lavenham eat your heart out!

Keith, I share those sentiments as well about the space missions ... both Ruskie and Yankee. It was a time of REAL heroes ... not like now with those crummy fake heroes who bask in reality TV glory.

More on ale from 2011 .... http://www.bedlington.co.uk/community/topic/2808-what-do-you-miss/page__st__120 "I had my very first pint in the Railway (under-age drinking!) - Vaux Gold Tankard, this was in the lounge bar. I clearly remember what a horrible taste it had (soap) and wondered what all the fuss was about ... this drinking lark. Anyway, it had to be toughed-out in front of my mates and a life-long taste for beer was developed; Exhibition when in a 'Blue Star' pub but I always relished a drop of Fed when in the Market Place Club ... again, all under-age drinking. Left when I was 18 be be a student in London and the first night down there went into the student union bar and was presented with taps of Cockney bilge (Watney's and the like) until I spotted on the shelf behind the bar rows of Newcastle Brown and Newcastle Amber .... bliss!" I know, repeating myself.

Railway Tavern - Vaux Back in 2007 I wrote: "I remember having my first (under-age) pint in the Railway back in the late 60's - Vaux Gold Tankard - a vile mackem brew! At the time I couldn't understand why blokes liked to consume beer until I was introduced to the Blue Star stuff - Ex & Broon. Of course there was always Fed at the Market Place Club. Ah, happy days." from a previous thread:: http://www.bedlington.co.uk/community/topic/678-your-favorite-boozer/

here it is: Link Removed as threads merged Oh, naughty bedies ... I've just noticed who posted that original one.

bedies - we did this one a few weeks ago complete with dates, etc. Maybe have a root around with the search function.

Keith L wrote: "I remember Wards Photography shop but am I right in saying he had the contract for the local school photographs? Because I bet he would have a stockpile of old bedlington photos." Nah! I reckon foxy has the collection and is drip feeding them to us here. On a serious note ... often old photos/negatives belonging to former photo businesses were kept by descendants, boxes-up for storage and forgotten about. There's been plenty of news stories about old photo archives being found decades later. Anyway, is there any information about Ward descendants? If they exist it might be worth asking if they have anything - what a find it would be and just imagine how enriched this website could be if we had them.

Micky wrote: "So now whats the next new stranger????" I say it must be Monsta! He must return here.