Tynemouth - Bathing Pool and Plaza Prior to 1965

            The Postcard

An ML National Series card which was posted on Friday the 30th. July 1965 to an address in Assaye Place, Stornoway.

Tynemouth Swimming Pool

Situated at the southern end of Blue Flag-awarded Tynemouth Longsands Beach, the swimming pool officially opened on the 30th. May 1925, and was for the next 50 years a popular destination with both locals and holidaymakers.

However the pool's popularity began to fall in the 1970's with the introduction of indoor pools and cheap package holidays, which left seaside towns in North Tyneside and other British coastal holiday destinations facing competition with sunny overseas resorts.

Sadly, by the mid 1990's the pool had fallen into a state of disrepair. A decision was made to turn the area into an artificial rock pool, but this proved unsuccessful, leaving the once popular regional venue as the eyesore it remains to this day (2016). If anyone can update us on the current status of the venue, please leave a note.

Tynemouth Plaza

The prominent building in the background is the Tynemouth Plaza. The building was opened in 1878 as the 'Tynemouth Aquarium and Winter Garden'. 

It was renamed the 'Tynemouth Palace' in 1898.  During the Great War, the building was used as a billet for troops. 

Its name was further changed to the 'Tynemouth Plaza' in 1926. The building was destroyed by a major fire on the 10th. February 1996.

Notable Visitors to Tynemouth

-- Charles Dickens visited Tynemouth and wrote the following in a letter from Newcastle, dated 4th.  March 1867:

'We escaped to Tynemouth for a two hours' sea 
walk. There was a high wind blowing, and a 
magnificent sea running. 
Large vessels were being towed in and out over 
the stormy bar with prodigious waves breaking 
on it; and, spanning the restless uproar of the 
waters, was a quiet rainbow of transcendent 
beauty. 
The scene was quite wonderful. We were in the 
full enjoyment of it when a heavy sea caught us, 
knocked us over, and in a moment drenched us 
and filled even our pockets.'

-- Giuseppe Garibaldi sailed into the mouth of the River Tyne in 1854 and briefly stayed in Huntingdon Place. The house is marked by a commemorative plaque.

-- Lewis Carroll states in the first surviving diary of his early manhood, that he met 'three nice little children' belonging to a Mrs Crawshay in Tynemouth on the 21st. August 1855. He remarked: 

'I took a great fancy to Florence, the 
eldest, a child of very sweet manners'.

-- Algernon Charles Swinburne arrived hot foot from Wallington Hall in December 1862, and proceeded to accompany William Bell Scott and his guests, probably including Dante Gabriel Rossetti on a trip to Tynemouth. 

Scott writes that as they walked by the sea:

'Swinburne declaimed his Hymn to Proserpine 
and Laus Veneris in his strange intonation, while 
the waves were running the whole length of the 
long level sands towards Cullercoats and 
sounding like far-off acclamations'.

-- Peter the Great of Russia is reputed to have stayed briefly in Tynemouth while on an incognito visit to learn about shipbuilding on the Tyne. He was fascinated by shipbuilding and Western life. 

Standing 6 feet 8 inches (203 cm) and with body-guards, he would not have been troubled by the locals.

Andy Williams

So what else happened on the day that the card was posted?

Well, on the 30th. July 1965, Andy Williams' album Dear Heart received Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.  It was Williams' sixth album to win this award, and it was also the fastest one to achieve it.

The name of the album was changed to Almost There for its release in the UK, where it was Williams' first album chart entry, spending 46 weeks there, and peaking at number 4.

'Mr. Tambourine Man'

Also on that day, the Number One chart hit in the UK was 'Mr. Tambourine Man' by The Byrds.
   

Taken on: August 16, 2010

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Sets appears in: • Public Swimming Pools and Lidos • UK

Camera: HP psc1400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	HP psc1400
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Paint Shop Pro Photo 12.01
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