The Low Light, North Shields

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The Low Light was built, in conjunction with a similar building called the High Light, in 1802 as a navigation aid to help vessels enter the River Tyne safely past some dangerous rocks known as the Black Middens. Both buildings are now private residences.

HMS Ark Royal visits the Tyne

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HMS Ark Royal is paying a courtesy visit to the River Tyne this weekend, to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of her completion at Swan Hunters yard in Wallsend on this once great ship building river. She is pictured here with the Tyne Pilot cutter,"Collingwood" in the foreground.

All Souls Church, Langham Place.

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All Souls Church on Langham Place near London's Oxford Circus was designed by John Nash and was consecrated in 1824.

Issey Miyake

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The Issey Miyake store on the corner of Conduit Street and Saville Row in London's West End brings a touch of tropical colour, warmth and elegance to the cold February streets.

Palace Theatre, London

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The Palace Theatre, London, is located on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Cambridge Circus. It was commissioned by Richard D'Oyly Carte in the late 1880's and was designed by Thomas Collcutt.

Bates, Gentlemen's Hatters

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Edward Bates of Jermyn Street, supplying Gentlemen's hats for over 100 years

Geo. F. Trumper

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Geo. F. Trumper is a barbers established in the 1850s in Curzon Street in Mayfair, London by Mr George Trumper. A second site, on Jermyn Street in St James's , shown here was opened in the 1960s.

Irving Penn

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Irving Penn exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, London.

Botticelli

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pavement ( sidewalk) art, Pallas & the Centaur , in London recently near the National Gallery,

Beatles to Bowie

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This exhibition, organised by the National Portrait Gallery in London, runs at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle until 18th April 2010. Entry is free.

It contains some memorable and classic photographs of pop and rock stars from the 60s including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix.

High Bridge

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High Bridge in Newcastle is not a bridge but a narrow street running across Grey Street between Pilgrim Street and the Bigg Market. It is a narrow old medieval Street, now home to an eclectic mixture of vintage and modern clothing shops, bars and restaurants. This is a window display in a gift shop there, prepared for Valentine's Day recently

Year of the Tiger

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Paper Tiger by Chun Chao-Chiu and Matthew Blackman , commissioned to celebrate 2010 as the Year of the Tiger; the piece was assembled in the Newcastle City Library where it is currently on display.

The Laing Art Gallery

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Newcastle's Laing Art Gallery was opened on October 13 1904 having been funded by Alexander Laing, a sucessful wine and spirit merchant who lived in the city. ( www.twmuseums.org.uk/laing )

Chinese New Year

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Chinatown in Newcastle today at the Chinese Gateway near Stowell Street.

Tynemouth Priory

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The pictures shows headstones at Tynemouth Priory.

Tynemouth Disabled and Ex Servicemens Club and Institute

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This photo is of the Tynemouth Disabled & Ex Servicemens Club & Institute which is not in Tynemouth but on Howdon Road in nearby North Shields. The club is one of thousands nationwide affliated to the Working Mens Club and Institute Union ( www.wmciu.org.uk ) which was founded In 1862 by Henry Solly. It is the largest non-profit making social entertainment and leisure organisation in the UK.

Angeline Lee

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If I could tell the future I wouldn't be plying my trade on Newcastle's Bigg Market, but for those who take comfort in such matters, they can have their fortune told by Angeline Lee in her traditional gypsies caravan in which her parents and grandparents once lived.

The North of England Microelectronics Institute

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The North of England Microelectronics Institute (NEMI) provides support to organisations in the technology industries. This photo is of their offices at Royal Quays, North Tyneside.
NEMI was established in 1997 to support the expanding microelectronics industry in but it also now offers services to technology based companies from the UK and Europe.

The Keel Row Bookshop

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The Keel Row Bookshop is in North Shields. www.keelrowbookshop.co.uk/

Eric Treacy MBE and Bishop of Wakefield

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Eric Treacy MBE and Bishop of Wakefield was a keen photographer of English Railways and The Treacy Collection of around 12,000 photographs of his forms part of the National Railway Museum's archive.
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How ironic then, but probably fitting, that he died from a heart attack on 13 May 1978 at Appleby station whilst waiting for a train hauled by the steam locomotive the Evening Star .
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This photo is of the plaque at the station dedicated to his memory.

Shakespeare and the Vampire Rabbit

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click to enlarge

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The Royal Shakespeare Company has held an annual Newcastle Season at the Theatre Royal for over 30 years ; the Theatre on Grey Street is aptly is bounded on one side by Shakespeare Street.

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As for the vampire rabbit, (or is it a hare?), it can be seen above the back door of offices in Amen Corner, behind St Nicholas' Cathedral. Why is it there and w hat does it represent? No-one seems to know. The building was designed by Oliver, Leeson and Wood in 1901.

Jane Bown 100 Portraits

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Jane Bown has taken portrait pictures of the famous for the Oberver newspaper since 1949. An exhibition of her work 100 Portraits is currently on display at the Northumbria University Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne

Garibaldi and Tynemouth

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Guieseppe Gaibaldi (1807-1882 ) was an Italian nationalist and leader in the struggle for Italian national unification. In March 1854, Garibaldi sailed into the River Tyne as master of an American ship the Commonwealth . He stayed at a house in in Huntington Place, Tynemouth where a blue plaque commemorates his stay "while visiting Tynemouth to brief local political and industrial leaders on his plans for a unified Italy".

David Williams watched the rain from here.

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This is one of a number of brass plaques installed in Newcastle as part of an Arts for Streets project in 2004 . This one is in Grainger Street and reads " David Williams watched the rain from here. 7th September 1979"

Martineau Guest House

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The Martineau Guest House on Front Street, Tynemouth is named after Harriet Martineau (June 12, 1802 – June 27, 1876) . Harriet was a social reformer and author who lived in the house during the 1840's and whilst there wrote at least three books, including a novel about the Haitian slave leader Toussaint L'Ouverture.

Tynemouth Castle

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Set on a strong defensive position between the River Tyne and King Edward's Bay on the North Sea coast , this is both a military and a religious site. A 7th-century monastery, the burial place of Oswin, King of Northumbria was here before it was destroyed by Danish raiders. It was later replaced by a Benedictine priory in the 13th Century. The priory's monks surrendered the site to King Henry VIII in 1539.