Liverpool II

Four years after the last Liverpool meeting of the Young Lads’ Debating and Literary Society, we were back for a few cultural pints. As before, we started our tour in the North Western, a JD Wetherspoons pub at Lime Street Station.

John and Tony Parry. Two young lads from The Wirral. John’s trip for a pint was only a few miles, but Tony came especially from Australia for the beer

Next stop, Dr Duncan’s, where I am happy to report that the ale was first class.

Dr Duncans. Saint John’s Lane, Queen Square, Liverpool L1 1HF

A few pints in The Grapes. A genuinely wonderful pub. The large character in the middle of the photograph is Eddie Donnelly, indicating the number of pints he can drink in an evening

Jones the Beer, Jan Becall, Degga and Inspector White of the Yard about to enter The Grapes.

The Grapes, 60 Roscoe Street, L1 9DW

Little Phil and Inspector White at the bar in The Grapes

A grand gathering in The Grapes, where the beer was exceptional

Degga and Ron Becall outside The Pilgrim, where the beer wasn’t exceptional

Ye Cracke, a famous Liverpool institution. Originally named The Ruthin Castle, this pub acquired the nickname ‘Ye Cracke’ because the small original bar only held 10 people. This was extended into the adjoining property in 1876. John Lennon and Eddie Donnelly both frequented the pub, albeit at different times.

Ye Cracke, 13 Rice Street, Liverpool, L1 9BB

Johnny Greene in Ye Cracke, indicating that it is “Time for a Pint” 

Johnny Greene in Liverpool’s most architecturally famous pub, The Philharmonic. He is demonstrating his undoubted enthusiasm for pies

The Philharmonic, 36 Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BX

Degga, Hobbit, Dr Donnelly and Pokey Parkes in Ye Cracke

Last pub of the day. Ma Egerton’s

 9 Pudsey Street, Liverpool, L1 1JA

 

Peterlee

 Peterlee

Peterlee New Town was only created in 1948 (the same year as Orwell wrote 1984 - was this really a coincidence?) so most pubs were built in the second half of the 20^th century. There are, however, two exceptions in the adjoining village of Old Shotton.

The Royal George, January 2017 

My favourite pub in Peterlee, although it is really in Old Shotton

The Black Bull, Old Shotton, January 2017

The Moorcock in January 2017. Terry Smith and I were the first people to have a drink in this pub. 

We know this because it was still being built at the time. 

We had a couple of bottles of Brown Ale to celebrate.

Four Peterlee lads enjoying the sunshine in 1973 before finding a suitable pub. Tony Doyle looking very suave in his dark glasses.

The site of the infamous Royal Arms which was demolished in 2016.

Terry Smith outside the Royal Arms during a quiet Sunday afternoon in 1973.

Peterlee Working Men's Club

Saturday night entertainment included singers, comedians, strippers and bingo. Not necessarily in that order. Beer was supplied by the long-gone Federation brewery. Unfortunately I still remember how bad this beer tasted.

The Gamecock in 2017. One of the first pubs to open in Peterlee and the first time I had a paid job. I was 14 and employed to stack the shelves, keep the cellar tidy and general cleaning duties.

This is now a Sambuca restaurant.

The Gamecock in 1973

Peterlee Labour Club

This was our club of choice for a Sunday lunchtime session. The selection of free cheese and pickles was legendary and in great demand.

Now called The Peterlee Lodge Hotel, this was formerly The Norseman and one of our favourite pubs in the early 1970s

The Five Quarter in 2017. A relatively new Weatherspoons pub in Peterlee town centre. 

The Hearts of Oak in 2017

I remember this as a smart pub when it opened in the early 1970s.

The present pub sign looking more like aged plywood than seasoned oak.

The Hearts of Oak with the original sign, and the original Terry Smith, in 1973.

The Tree of York Road in 2017. Formerly The Argus Butterfly.

One of Peterlee's early pubs, the Argus Butterfly was home to a 'Jazz Club' in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Surprisingly for such a small provincial pub, several top rock bands played here including Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Mott the Hoople, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Free, Genesis and Julie Driscoll.

The Apollo Pavilion in 2017

The Apollo Pavilion is not a pub, but Peterlee's only architectural claim to fame. Designed by Victor Pasmore, the pavilion was built in 1969 and named after the Apollo Space Programme. English Heritage awarded the pavilion a Grade II* listing in 2011.

Two young lads enjoying a pint of Newcastle Brown in 1973

An atmospheric photograph showing a group of Peterlee friends in the early 1970s. Unfortunately the only thing in focus is the corner of the copper table and a Newcastle Brown Ale bottle.

Gordon Walton and Bill Grady waiting for beer.

A group of Peterlee lads looking forward to opening time on Lindisfarne in the early 1970s.

My brother enjoying a quiet pint in 1973. Doubtless to be followed by several noisy ones.

Sunderland III

Sunderland was once known as ‘the largest ship-building town in the world’ although there is little evidence of that today. What has survived, however, are some excellent pubs and we visited a couple of these in July 2018 when an old school friend of mine, Pete Thom, returned briefly to his native North East from his Spanish exile for a few bevvies.

We were joined by Malcolm Wood, Tommy Lee, Terry Smith, Ian Elves and Tony Doyle, all former Peterlee Grammar Technical School alumni.

I’ve always wanted to use that word.





The Peacock

287 High Street West, Sunderland SR1 3ES

Some very relaxed young lads; from the left, Tony, Malcolm, Tom, Pete, Ian and Terry.

This pub is still known to most people in Sunderland as The Londonderry, but in 2017 it reverted to its original name of The Peacock. Between 1779 and 1834 there was an inn known as The Peacock on this site and this was eventually renamed The Londonderry before being demolished. The present building was opened in 1901 and was named after The Marquess of Londonderry, a local landowner and coalfield owner.





Malcolm and Pete in The Dun Cow

Garden Place, High Street West, Sunderland, SR1 3HA


This magnificent pub is only 2 minutes’ walk from The Peacock. Even less if you hurry.

The Dun Cow and Londonderry in 2012


The Dun Cow and The Peacock are located to the west of the city centre, an area of redevelopment. The old east end of the city and former heart of the old town are also showing signs of a revival






The River Wear with two sailing ships in 2018.

Ship building in the town can be traced back to 1346





The Boars Head

134 High Street East, Sunderland, SR1 2BL

The Boars Head was built in 1724, but when I took this photograph in 2012 it was closed and looked ripe for demolition. Fortunately, this fate was avoided, and the Boars Head is now open as a bistro, coffee shop and boutique hotel.




A revitalised Boars Head in 2018





Much of the old town disappeared over the years, but some buildings remain.


This blue plaque is on a side wall passageway next to The Clarendon. This friendly pub claims to be the oldest in Sunderland in continuous use since 1724. There is a tunnel in the cellar that used to lead down to the docks. 

The Clarendon
April 2012

143 High Street East, East End, Sunderland SR1 2BL





The Clarendon in 2018 with a sign showing the date the pub first opened





A small sailing ship entering Sunderland harbour during the Tall Ships event in 2018

The Latin motto on the Wear Bridge might have been written for Sunderland's football club

Liverpool

Late June 2018 and I found myself on a train heading for a cultural tour of Liverpool. I was joined at York by the irrepressible Barfly. He had prepared for our trip with a box full of ale and a sandwich. This was a good move as the last part of the journey from Manchester to Liverpool took much longer than expected.

Our first port of call in Liverpool was the North Western, a JD Weatherspoons pub at Lime Street Station. Large, even by Weatherspoon’s standards, this was originally built as a hotel in 1871 by the London and North Western Railway.

A grand assembly of the Young Lads’ Debating and Literary Society enjoy their first pints in the North Western

The next stop was Doctor Duncan’s, a Cains’ house with a huge range of guest beers. This pub is named after William Henry Duncan, Liverpool (and the UK’s) first medical officer of health.

The Hobbit and Jan Becall in Doctor Duncans

St Johns Lane, Liverpool L1 1HF

Bean and Degga outside The Ship and Mitre

133 Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2JH

This pub gets its name from a combination of two previous names, The Flagship and The Mitre. This pub is currently a CAMRA Pub of Excellence and boasts the largest selection of hand-pulled ales in Merseyside.

The Lion Tavern 
67 Moorfields, Liverpool, L2 2BP

Inside one of my all-time favourite pubs, The Lion Tavern with, from the left, Freebs, Little Tony, Neil, Kenny, Jones the Beer, Hobbit, myself, Bean, Yozza, Barfly and Degga

Lantern and skylight inside The Lion Tavern

Old school friends Jones the Beer, Freebs and Hobbit

Barfly and Inspector White of the Yard share the joys of a sunny Liverpool beer garden in the centre of the city

Ye Hole in Ye Wall
4 Hackins Hey, Liverpool L2 2AW

This atmospheric building claims to be Liverpool’s oldest pub, dating from 1726.

Bright young minds illuminating the darkness of Ye Hole in Ye Wall.

The Cornmarket Hotel 
Old Ropery, Liverpool L2 7NT

Things were getting a little unsteady when we left The Cornmarket.

This impressive pub is fitted with wood panelling from the Pacific Steam Company passenger ship the Reina Del Pacifico.

The Crown Hotel
43 Lime Street, Liverpool L1 1JQ

If you have time to spare before your train leaves Lime Street station, I can recommend a swift half in The Crown Hotel. The wonderfully elaborate fittings include an unimaginably ornate ceiling, glass domed skylight and a fireplace made of blue glazed tiled and polished stone.