Janis Blower
@Just_JanisB
Writer & retired award-winning journalist. I also support sea & coastal rescue work. Like books, maritime/social history, cake. Views low - bit of a short arse.
Paddling in water speckled with coal, ‘tar’ (marine oil) on your Woolworth’s plastic sandals, the hot canvas smell of a Corporation tent, fetching hot water from Frankie’s at the Pier Head to make a pot of tea, the paper seller with his ‘barra’ of comics and Gazettes#SouthShields
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Sun trying to get out, as I hope it did for all the folk on these buses in the days when the seaside at South Shields was a popular day trip destination from the towns and villages of the Durham coalfield 🌦️
Do you have memories of working in coal mining or protesting pit closures? We are hosting a personal histories session to expand our archive of mining life, and collect lived experiences to contextualise the AmberSide Collection. @NCMME 🔗 More info: tinyurl.com/yzc9787h
Blackberries ripening on the site of the long-gone Congregational ‘Congo’ Church on Ocean Road, South Shields - indomitable nature returning to what were previously the fields and hedgerows of the old Shields Heugh.
South Shields always a seafaring town. Zoom in for interesting family/local history on the 1921 census. Record for seaman's boarding house at 14 John Williamson St. Alec Alikivi my connection. @neheritagelib @JHCPAL @Just_JanisB
I’m reminded that one of the contenders for the ‘girl with the golden voice,’ but lost out to Ethel, was Mary Dixon, left, who lived in Jarrow but worked as an operator at South Shields Telephone Exchange (in those days in the old GPO in Russell Street).
24 July 1936. GPO (General Post Office) introduced TIM, the automated speaking clock. It used the voice of telephonist, Ethel Cain (pictured), who was selected from a pool of 15,000 telephone operators who then worked for the GPO.
Morning. Oooh…Interesting example of how town centres evolve as retail drifts away from them? 🎨 bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…
Fate of Tyneside burial sailors creates UK-China heritage links event. @UniofNewcastle @NCLBusiness @NewcastleCC @NE_Museums culturednortheast.co.uk/p/heritage-eve…
As the £4.5 million restoration of the North and South Piers enters the final stage, we're calling on the local community for support. The works are expected to be completed before the end of the summer, although any further incidents or trespassing could cause delays.
Morning. Interesting upper conversion to flats plan. This is the Waterloo Chambers building, once (the very posh) Grant’s the jewellers shieldsgazette.com/news/politics/…
Latest post on North East Culture site alikivi.com (439,000 views) in conversation with Tyneside Animator Sheila Graber. @Just_JanisB
Hauling Through...The Bowes Railway at Jarrow #Jarrow #railways #ArtistOnX
This week in 1876, the Newcastle-Gateshead Swing Bridge @Port_of_Tyne opened to river traffic. A Pressphotoman piece on a Realistic Travels 3D stereocard produced around 1920. Image: Right hand stereo half. pressphotoman.com/2025/07/14/swi…
Morning. Happy Gala Day to everyone taking part in today’s Big Meeting in Durham. Looking back to old miners from Westoe Colliery, South Shields (1909-1993) with a combined service record of more than 300 years.
The new Ferry View container cafe at South Shields ferry landing looks to be nearing completion. Details of opening day on July 19 theferryview.co.uk
Morning. Interesting snippet. This was a year before Westoe Cemetery in South Shields was opened for burials, but is better explained by Sarah Isaacs, who was only 26, being Jewish. A Jewish section in Harton Cemetery only came some years later unejh.humap.site/map/records/pr…
My lovely town of South Shields en fete this afternoon for the Summer Festival opening parade.😍
Got to have been a bit awkward calling it back when it got off its lead in the park, surely? From 1897 🐶
This Sunday 6th Tynemouth Annual Lifeboat Day! Lots of attractions, stalls & demonstrations from Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service & Tynemouth RNLI! Details on Facebook page below 👇 facebook.com/share/1D6Dm7aa…