Blaydon Races

The Blaydon Races were a horse race meeting  first held on an island in the River Tyne about 1 mile west of Blaydon, later transferring to  Stella Haugh where the races were held until 1914.

 The races were to give their name to a song of the same name written by George Ridley and recorded as having been sung at  Balmbra's Music Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne on 5 June 1862. The song was to become, and remains, a Geordie Anthem recognised by everyone on Tyneside and sung to this day by supporters of Newcastle United FC.

river view

in this picture can be seen   Newcastle's 12th Century Castle Keep, 14th Century St Nicholas Cathedral, Moot Hall 1811, High Level Bridge 1849, the old Fish Market building ( foreground)

Spiller's Tyne Mill demolition

for comparison please see similar view on 1st May:

http://newcastleandnorthumberlanddailyphoto.blogspot.com/2011/05/kittiwake-tower.html

a bend in the river

click to enlarge

HMS Tyne

HMS Tyne was on a courtesy visit to the River Tyne at the weekend. She is the 6th ship in the Royal Navy to have been named after the River Tyne.

HMS Tyne serves as a  fishery protection unit within the United Kingdom's waters along with her two sister ships Mersey & Severn.

Mouth of the Tyne Festival

The Mouth of the Tyne Festival takes place every July in Tynemouth and South Shields, towns which lie either side of the mouth of the River Tyne. This morning there was a children's carnival procession in Tynemouth

Durham Miners' Gala. 9 July 2011

 

The Durham Miners' Gala   developed out of  miners' trade unionism, with the first Union being established in 1869. The Durham Miners' Union organised the first Gala  in 1871 and it developed into the largest unofficial miners and trade union gathering in the United Kingdom . It is  locally called "The Big Meeting" or "Durham Big Meeting". It is a highlight of cultural life in the North East of England.

There are no working pits left in the  Durham coalfield but the Gala remains a paean to the proud political and cultural heritage of the former  mining communities   which are   represented by colourful banners, each typically accompanied by a brass band, which are marched through Durham City to site of the old racecourse  where political speeches are delivered. In the afternoon a Miners' service is held in Durham cathedral.

This year two of the trapped Chilean Miners were guests of honour and a Chilean flag was flown on the balcony from which local and national dignitaries observe the procession..

Bowes Museum

Bowes Museum is in Barnard Castle, County Durham

signs

signs in Alwinton in Northumberland's National Park

Temple of Minerva

seen at the Temple of Minerva in Hardwick Hall Country  Park, County Durham today

hot stuff

The Hot Stuff Chilli Company are based in Whitley Bay on the chilly Northumberland coast . This was taken at their stall at the recent EAT festival in Newcastle upon Tyne

wall art

a wall at Hoults Yard by by Remi/Rough & Stormie   brought to you by the guys at 44 Hoults Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne, for further details see: www.unit-44.com

where's Hitchcock?

gulls on Holy Island , Northumberland

framed

a tourist looking in the wrong direction at Holy Island

Hexhamistan?

click picture to enlarge

A poppy field in the Tyne Valley on a hot but dull afternoon. The poppy is primarily grown in the UK for the production of opium from its seeds for legal pharmaceutical purposes. Other uses include the seeds being used as pastry toppings and the flowers being used for ornamental purposes. Seed yields from poppies are typically 1.5 tonnes per hectare.( source, DEFRA)

Captain Jack?

advertising chocolates on Northumberland Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, as part of the EAT festival

EAT

signs at Grey's Monument in Newcastle upon Tyne direct people to EAT venues in the city as part of the current food festival.

@ Hoults Yard

by Remi/Rough & Stormie at Hoults Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne, brought to you by the guys at 44 Hoults Yard, for further details see: www.unit-44.com

Windsor Fountain 1937

an Art Deco drinking fountain at Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear

Cullercoats harbour wall repairs

Kanaval

Kanaval, Vodou, Politics and Revolution on the streets of Haiti,  by Leah Gordon, currently exhibiting  at the Side Gallery on Newcastle's quayside.

EAT Festival

Newcastle and Gateshead's EAT Festival is with us again this week.

street art

an art wall at Hoults Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne, by Belgian street artist Roa

Lion of Judah #3

Lion of Judah #2

a Rastafarian themed stall at the Green Festival in Newcastle's Leazes Park least weekend.
 

Lion of Judah

a stone lion in Leazes Park, Newcastle upon Tyne

The Tenth Avenue Band

 

The Tenth Avenue Band were in Leazes Park for Newcastle's Green Festival yesterday. They played a selection of 'funshine ' rhythmic music from around the world and they are very accomplished players; one of the band is a professor at a local university.

tepees

At the Newcastle Green Festival in Leazes Park this afternoon.

redevelopment

demolition is taking place on the north bank of the River Tyne in North Shields

Durham Coast

Limestone rock formations near the Souter Lighthouse, County Durham.