Jack Crawford Statue (above)
Memorial to the 183 Sunderland children who lost their lives
in the Victoria Hall disaster in 1883, as described this week
by Lawrence Hepple on Radio Newcastle's 'Nightshift'
by Lawrence Hepple on Radio Newcastle's 'Nightshift'
34 comments:
Dear Friends!
Welcome to our blog.
After hearing Lawrence's heartbreaking account of the Victoria Hall disaster, we wanted to show our respect for the rather forgotten children from Sunderland, who lost their lives while running downstairs at the end of the show to claim their free gifts. The door at the bottom of the stairs was secured partially open. The surging mass of children approaching the door became trapped and 183 were crushed to death.
Maureen, thanks for your lovely photos. We're sorry we couldn't align them as we wished inside the boxes. As a result above each photo is a white gap! The blog also wouldn't accept your upright photo with your other landscape pictures. So we'll post it a little later in the week. Thanks again.
Luv Murphy xx and Dora xx
Thanks for your kind comments Murphy and Dora. I enjoyed being your unofficial roving reporter! Maybe I sent the pictures in the wrong size? Lovely to see them 'in print' as it were. I hope that the others enjoy them.
Hello Roving Reporter Maureen,
We think we know how to sort the picture problem. We'd posted them together rather than each as a new posting. We'll try again.....
Luv Murphy xx and Dora xx
Hello Maureen,
We managed to get your full length photo attached this time with the others, however we were still getting the white line when we tried to post each photo as a new posting. We also were gettig a new comments box with each photo, and that would be confusing for everyone. So we've posted them all together once more.
Luv Murphy xx and Dora xx
Hi Folks,
A friend sent me the following responses from children aged 4-8yrs, who had been asked by a group of professional people,'What does 'Love' mean?'
I felt it was appropriate to place the words of the children on the Victoria Hall Memorial posting.....
'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
Rebecca- age 8
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'
Billy - age 4
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'
Karl - age 5
'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'
Chrissie - age 6
'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'
Terri - age 4
'Love is when my mummy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'
Danny - age 7
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mummy and Daddy are like that They look gross when they kiss'
Emily - age 8
Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'
Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'
Noelle - age 7
'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'
Tommy - age 6
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'
Cindy - age 8
'My mummy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'
Clare - age 6
'Love is when Mummy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
Elaine-age 5
'Love is when Mummy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'
Chris - age 7
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day'
Mary Ann - age 4
'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'
Lauren - age 4
When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)
Karen - age 7
'Love is when Mummy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
Mark - age 6
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'
Jessica - age 8
And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'
When there is nothing left, that is when you find out that love is all you need.
Hi Inga,
Ian has just read out your email wherein you mentioned the Dave Clarke Five. Then he played their hit record, 'Glad All Over.'
Tonight our clocks go back one hour at 2pm. I hope everyone's remembered! I came online to see if Ian had come in to do 'live' the first part of the show, as he did last year, but there was no sign of him on the webcams.
Aaah! Vivienne those 'love' comments are great. I hope you are sending them in to Ian. I'll be passing them on.
Hildie, I was listening to Radio 4s' 'Brain Of Britain' last night (Well, you can always learn something!) Anyway, there was a teacher from Consett in the North finalists, Rob Cruise? Clever feller!
Hello Maureen,
Success at last!!! We looked closely at your photos and found they already had a white band on the top of each landscape picture! Perhaps the white band appeared when they were being downloaded from your email?
We cropped each picture to remove the white band, then reattached them to the blog. They look even better now!
Congratulations Sid and Jean on your Ruby Wedding Anniversary!!!
We've just heard Kathy Secker announce that you were married 40 years ago, today. We hope you are ejoying a wonderful day.
Luv Murphy xx Dora xx and Vivienne xxx
Hello everyone, thanks for your good wishes Vivienne. I should have known I couldn't slip anything past you.
Jean and I have been trying to work out how much our reception would cost today. My reaction was HOW MUCH!!.
Congratulations Jean and Sid! I hope today is full of wonderful memories. (You can't get away with anything on this blog can you?) There's always someone listening!
Vivienne, I'm pleased that you sorted the white line out! Thanks
Sid and Jean, I heard it through the grapevine - that lovely news of your Ruby Wedding Anniversary - and would very much like to add my congratulations, along with my very best wishes for the future to you both. Hope you have had a really lovely day! Did you take her out for Sunday Lunch then?!
I love the photos of Mowbray Park, Maureen. I have had Lawrence's story on my mind quite a lot this week, and have re-told it to quite a few people. Those poor children, running to get their free gifts. A whole town, full of broken -hearted mums and dads... I'm never going to forget them now.
I was listening out for Ian doing a 'live' spot on "clock change" night too - but it was not to be.
Maureen, I have worked at a school in Annfield Plain where that teacher's wife works. Is he going to be on 'Brain of Britain' again?
The Plimsol Line (Radio Devon's puzzle) would never have entered my mind in a million years! Did a listener come up with the answer in the end then?
Know what? I've had a drastic week-end, I'm not kidding you! The wind blew out the whole of my kitchen window!!! The winds here in Dipton were really strong on Saturday afternoon - a gust came in the open front door, caused the kitchen door to slam shut, and the curtains to go waving out of the kitchen window! I couldn't believe my eyes. I am hopeless in a crisis as well, I really just crumble. I'm just single glazed, you know ... well, I was!!
Hi Hildie,
I hope that everything's ok now and you're all boarded up against these strong winds. What a shock!, I know that when the wind blows up there, you really know about it.
Do you know, I must have fallen asleep before the finish of the programme, but I'm sure it will continue next week as a these were regional heats. I'll see what I can find out.
The Plimsoll line ... the man who answered it, asked first if it had anything to do with safety and they'd already said that it was something to do with transport, but not cars or trains, so they'd narrowed it down a bit, although I would never have thought of the plimsoll line. They'd said that it could be curved and I would have thought of it as straight!It'll be interesting to hear Mondays' new one. Inga's started something now!
I should have really mentioned - it wasn't ALL bad on Saturday - Liam's girlfriend brought me a raffle prize that I had won at the Nursery she works at .... I won a bottle of white wine and a £20 hairdressing voucher for 'The Cutting Garden'. Only trouble there being that, if I ever do have a drink of wine, it's red I like! And, I have a hairdresser I go to all the time - unfortunately she doesn't work at 'The Cutting Garden. But let's not complain.
I've been having a look into LINDISFARNE and I've found SID in there, (I almost found JEAN!), then I found IAN and after that .... friends, are, near,and, dear,leaf,lane,fern,land,rain, sand,drain,sad,lad,said,learn, read,lend, nail,ran,far,fend, fear,ear,red,rid,sin,darn,fin,
filed,lid,lead,rear,dial,sarnie, dinner,send,nil,lard,rind,lean.
Inga .... have you sent Ian those American place-names yet?! And did I tell you that he is wanting us to send in our favourite words - but he doesn't want words like love or mother. He mentioned someone whose favourite word was TWINKLY and he seemed to be saying that that's the sort of word he's after.
Hi Everyone,
Hildie, how frightening to lose your kitchen window. I hope you've managed to get it sorted. I think you've done really well with 'Lindisfarne' especially when you've had other traumas on your mind. You can go to the top of the class, and have five gold stars!
Talkig about stars Michael Poulter is a star for remembering to search for and play your Cliff request.
Maureen, please will you send Ian's saga to me too? Thanks!
Inga, Ian has posted a CD to you, but addressed it to Arizona instead of Arkansas. He included your ZIP code so hopes it reaches you. If not, he asked you to let him know and he'll send another copy of your cotton story. Ian said he'd included a letter in with the CD.
Also Inga, Tom Rhodes from Baltimore, Maryland has researched Wikipedia for you regarding 'The Fab Five.' He found references to about ten Fab Fives, which Ian read out. They included The Spice Girls, Donald Duck et al, Duran Duran, various sports teams, etc.
Loz, I think of all your, 'On Your Doorsteps' the Victoria Hall disaster is the tale which we've perhaps found the most moving.
Hi again,
Ian's just read out your email Maureen about the 'Facts of Life' and he was having a good laugh at them. Perhaps you could post them here too?
Morning folks, and thanks again for all your good wishes. By my reckoning I must have been about twelve years old when I got married!.
I'm sorry about your kitchen window Hildie, it must have been scarey for you.
Inga, if the cd and letter arrives from Ian you should frame it and put it in a place of prominence. You will have achieved something that none of us has been able to do.....getting a written response.
Can I add another 'Fact of Life' to your list Maureen, No matter where you stand, the smoke from the garden fire always knows where you are.
Good Morning everyone!
Would you believe it, I found the following 'Zen Truths' in my inbox this morning. I'll send a copy to Ian.........
1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me for the path is narrow. In fact, just bugger off and leave me alone.
2. Sex is like air.. It's not important unless you aren't getting any.
3. No one is listening until you Fart.
4. Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else.
5. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
6. If you think nobody cares whether you're alive or dead, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.
7. Before you criticise someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
8. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
9. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
10. If you lend someone £20 and never see that person again, it was probably well worth it.
11. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
12. Some days you are the bug; some days you are the wind screen.
13. Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time.
14. Good judgement comes from bad experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement.
15. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
16. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
19. We are born naked, wet and hungry, and get slapped on our arse ... then things just get worse.
20. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night
Mornin All,
I like your zen truths Vivienne. You should definitely send them to Ian. I heard him giggling over the 'facts of life' at 5.30 ish and since there's 35 of them and he's doing a few at a time I'll post them in instalments :
1) Triangular sandwiches taste better than square ones.
2) At the end of every party there is always a girl crying.
3) One of the most awkward things that can happen in a pub is when your pint-to-toilet cycle gets synchronised with a complete stranger.
4) You've never quite sure whether it's ok to eat green crisps.
5) Everyone who grew up in the 80's has entered the digits 55378008 into a calculator.
6) Reading when you're drunk is horrible.
7) Sharpening a pencil with a knife makes you feel really manly.
8) You're never quite sure whether it's against the law or not to have a fire in your back garden.
9) Everyone who has just read no.5 has just typed it into a calculator.
10) Nobody ever dares make cup-a-soup in a bowl.
I've just noticed that, although my pc is showing the 'new' time my email is still showing the 'old one' any ideas anyone? (I've checked the calendar settings)
Hi Sid,
You are the perfect one to answer that question Ian posed this morning after reading the facts of life ... is it illegal to light a fire in your garden? I'm fed up with shredding things and I now have a big bag full of ripped up address labels, credit card details etc. Oh, for a coal fire, I have thought of composting them?
Scrunch ... now that's a nice word! Like autumn leaves ...
By the way, did anyone hear Ian say this morning that he'd won the lottery as part of a work syndicate with Railton Howe? I think it was about £14. So that's two lottery winners connected with blog, maybe Murphy and Dora are lucky charms?
Hello everyone,
Maureen, in answer to your garden fire question I'm going to give you a definite maybe answer. I have a garden fire once a year, always around this time, to burn weeds that don't compost down. In a few days time the local authority will be having huge fires of their own, to celebrate guy fawks. I rest my case.
Inga, you mentioned maybe giving Ian an 'honour' for the 1st anniversary of the Truckshunters Blog. Having stewed my brain cells for a proper award (altered to fit the occasion) and failed, I intend to send him...The Truckshunters BITFOOO Award. Ian deserves this award more than any other person I know.The words say it all.
Bravery In The Face Of Overwhelming Odds. Well done Ian.
Thanks for answering our question Sid. I hadn't thought about the bonfires for Guy Fawkes, but you are right,in future, if I want a bonfire I'll have one!
I know that no one wants to think about the dreaded 'C' word yet but has anyone thought of our winter entertainment programme? Do I dare suggest that we have another go at a story? Maybe with a festive theme? I leave it to those with a better imagination than me. Maybe Ian will pop up and start us off, wouldn't that be great?
Hi Folks!
Maureen, I'd already thought of starting with a Halloween story. The heroes are of course Murphy & Dora! However, after the problems we encountered with the Famous Five, we better stick to purely fictitious characters this time.
I suggest we keep the next page for the story, so we keep all of it together. Here goes!
Once upon a time...........
SID - I've already framed the Queens Declaration of Revoking our Independence which Ian read a few days ago, so I will certainly frame his letter if I ever get it.
Love the BITFOOO idea. Sounds a bit like Kung Fu - fits the idea I would think - bravery, overwhelming etc. If there is a graphic designer among/amongst you he/she might pick up on that. This just occurred to me: You could shorten this award to the BOO award considering the proximity of the anniversary to Oct 31 !
Vivienne - loved the LOVE definitions. Funny that kids seem to have worked out what it means wile we adults are still trying to come to terms with it !
MAUREEN - "Brain of Britain" is one of my favorite programs and I paid particularly close attention to the show which featured contestants from the north. I did not catch the winners name but I hope he succeeds in becoming the Brain of 2008.
Monday is my day off and I usually don't hang around the shop/computer so I missed the new puzzle. Hope to catch up with it tomorrow.
What on earth is the deal with 55378008 ?????
HILDIE - I have not sent the Arkansas place names to Ian. You guys send him so much wonderful stuff that I am always looking very carefully at mine before I send it. Don't wont to clog up the virtual spaces with anything not worth repeating. Thank you for encouraging me to send the place names. I have alos prepared my favorite word list - see above :-)
VIVIENNE - thanks for keeping me posted about what Ian mentions, I can only hope that he'll eventually let me off the hook about the "Fab Five/Four" thing. I may have to reveal the ace I still have up my sleeve on that one before he does.
Hi Inga,
I'm intrigued. What ace have you got hidden up your sleeve?
Don't be afraid to send Ian material, as he will decide which to use.
Hi all you creative people,
I've started off a Halloween Story, and now need your help. I'd love as many of you as possible to contribute. Also, can any of you provide information about the Marsden Grotto ghost? If so, perhaps you could add that bit into the story?
Inga, Marsden is a coastal area of South Shields, with a secluded bay. There is a huge rock in the bay which is a bird sanctuary. A few years ago almost half of the rock collapsed into the sea. The bay houses a famous grotto, which is now a pub/ restaurant. It was built into the cliff side, using the natural caves and cliff wall for rooms, support and decoration.
Apart from Marsden Grotto the bay is completely isolated. To access the beach you have a choice of paying to use the lift (free to those using the restaurant), or climbing down a steep, narrow staircase, which has been set against the cliff face. The bay was, I believe, used by smugglers in the olden days.
I remember having donkey rides along the beach in our childhood. I assume the donkeys must have taken down onto the sands via the lift. Does anyone know any differently?
Does anyone have contact with Gilly, as we could really do with her input ito the story?
SID, Last night my - not serious - suggestion about shortening the name of the award for Ian to BOO sounded funny! It does not at all this morning. I realized that BOO is too much associated with expressions of disapproval. So, even though I was not seriously making this suggestion, please just forget I ever made it.
By the way, the Queen's message to the citizens of the USA was a forwarded message and probably strikes Americans with the right kind of humour as funnier than it would her subjects!
The CD arrived today and I am absolutely over the moon, tickled pink, gobsmacked, and flabbergasted. Maybe all this is because I am so far away from where you are. Also, I assume all of you have met Ian.
Congratulations on your anniversary. The way things are going, not many married couples will achieve this in the future. So well done, Sid and Jean.
VIVIENNE, the Marsden Grotto will now also be on my list of places to go if I ever make it to your part of the world.
Hope you'll hear from Gilly.
Hi Inga,
I haven't had the good fortune to meet Ian, as he'd stopped going out on the Blue Bus by the time I retired last year - end of August. I've been on the bus only once and was on holiday on that occasion. The Blue Bus was parked outside the Arbeia Roman Fort, South Shields (another excellent place to visit) and Paul was on board that day. I think Ian was on holiday.
In those days the bus was completely blue. I can't understand why the BBC spent so much time, effort and expense decorating the bus with those magnificent photos, only to take the bus out of service a couple of months later!!!
When I took the photograph of the bus in all its glory, Sue Sweeney was aboard that day. I didn't attempt to seek her out as I knew she was in amongst the crowd, interviewing people for the Chinese New Year. I'd been listening on my car radio up until parking nearby, and heading to the carnival. If I'd remembered Sue was coming to Blaydon today, to open a new charity shop, I would have gone along with my camera. Unfortunately I was just about to have a bath when Jonathan made the announcement, and I couldn't have got there in time. I was annoyed with myself for forgetting, as I could have asked Sue's permission to post her photo on M&D. I'll have to look out for a similar event occurring.
Hildie, I heard Ian read out your email last night about the Victoria Hall disaster. He thanked you and everyone who had written to him about the disaster, but didn't seem to mention anyone else by name. Maureen, Ian should have received your email by then. He said he was recording at quarter to eight on Monday morning at the time, although it would be the following day by the time the show was broadcast.
Talking of Victorias, 'Happy birthday' to my cousin's daughter, who works for the BBC in London.
Hi Everyone, hope you heard Ian's announcement regarding the truckshunter's blog. We're supposed to keep our eyes open !!!!
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