a south shields scrapbook

The Guest Book is now a Message Board

I have added a message board in place of the guest book. Please drop in and say hello

By Way of an Introduction
You don't go to South Shields to go somewhere else. It leads to nowhere (unless you count the ferry) It is a dead end. With the North Sea to the East and the River Tyne to the North it is a town of limited access. This is, in part what made South Shields a very special place to be.
Now, my love affair with 'Canny Shields' is over. All my family have gone. The street where I was born has been demolished. My dear old school has gone. The cafe's (apart from Minchella's) the pubs, the factories and the cinemas where relaxed, worked and played have gone too. But I have memories. Many have faded into the mists of time, but I have photographs and memorabilia, and with these I will take you on a journey, back in time to the town and the people I loved.
Enjoy it!

About This Site
You won't find a history of the town here. Other web sites have done this so well it would be pointless to try and emulate them. What you will find is fun, nostalgia and a personal glimpse of my early life, growing up and living on the Cleadon Park Estate. I have a huge collection of photographs taken in and around Shields from the 1930s to the 1990s. I have designed this site on a scrapbook theme, colourful and lively to give it that 'seaside' feel.
Please Note.
This site is in it's early stages of construction and design. Please return again. I will be adding hundreds of images from my collection, audio files, vintage film clips (from my early 8mm footage) and slideshows.
Navigation.
All pages are accessed through the main menu above, underneath the main title. To return to the page click 'Home' Some images will enlarge, if they do this will be noted after the caption. Links to other web sites will open in a new page.
Images.
I have resisted adding images that either from an unknown source or that are on other websites. The photographs on this site are my own. Either taken by me or in the case family photographs, from the family collection. These have been restored in Adobe Photoshop and in many cases colorized too. see photo left. (More about family photos and snaps in general in my 'happy snaps' photography pages)
I have been a stamp and postcard collector most of my life and I have used my local view cards and other ephemera relating to Shields for illustrative purposes throughout the site.

See my 'photography'
page for more about vintage snaps and their history