Station Road

In 1974 at the time of Local Government Reorganisation I decided to take a series of photographs showing what Ashington town centre looked like at that time. A week ago I rediscovered the shots I took of West Station Road (better known by locals as 'Over the Bridge') Here they are for those who can remember the place as it was 35 years ago and those curious to see how it has changed. The photographs I took of Station Road East are still missing. Anyone interested in Ashington and its past may also want to take a look at my book Sammy, which is partly set in Ashington at the turn of the last century, on www.books2read.com/sammy

[@lunapuella2611]

That was a flood of memories for me. I can't believe my mouth watered as soon as I saw Pieroni. The best ice cream around by far at that time.

[@vincentgledhill]

My office was straight across the road from Pieroni's, so you can guess what was usually on our lunchtime menu.

[@lunapuella2611]

@@vincentgledhill lucky you! 🙂

[@stottybox3185]

I remember the left hand window was full of ads, I used to spend ages looking through them all.

[@lornaburgess9762]

I definitely agree.

[@lornaburgess9762]

I loved going to my Aunties In the 50s and 60s been sent to Pieroni's with a large jug for some of the best ice cream ever . it's not the same now. I really miss Pieroni's .

[@Fell_Wanderer]

What a wonderful trip down memory lane, I'm 51 years of age and remember a few of those shops on Station Road. Brings back lots of memories, thanks for sharing with us. Damian.

[@vincentgledhill]

You would have been five years old when those shots were taken, Damian.

[@mywifeisafull-timegamecat4155]

Great video. I'm 56 and I have lived in Ashington all my life. It's great to be reminded of times gone by. Thanks Vince

[@vincentgledhill]

Thanks for that Simon. I had a lot of fun putting it together and enjoying the memories of being there and taking those shots.

[@gilliantaylor1749]

I still live on this street, a lot of people still talk about the shops and now I can see them. Even one of mine and that was great to see. Thank you so much!!!!

[@joancummings4572]

Great reminder of the way things were, you forget.

[@ashingtoon]

Fantastic photos them! Brings back great memories growing up of shops gone by. Thanks for posting!

[@peterdowney1492]

Strange to see The Northern Rock has shut down. Some things never changed.

[@pepsibear4385]

I recall pieronis ice cream shop, all the cards in the window, folk selling stuff, got my ear pierced at Kents, while getting a perm.

[@lauramacgillefhinnein5106]

I have never visited Ashington but it was a pleasure to view this. A period of time I can just about remember. I'm so pleased that there was people like yourself documenting this GB. The 21st century will be well documented as everyone has a phone & camera but not so for our past, my past too.

[@vincentgledhill]

Thank you for that, Laura. Wherever you live, it is so easy to see just bricks and mortar, old names and businesses. But they all have memories locked in them, some personal and some shared, and I think images like these are the keys to unlock them. It's just good that these days it is so easy to capture moments in our time to pass on to the future.

[@federation9]

great nostalgia!

[@andymacdonald9575]

got my first ear peircing in Kents, had my hair done many a time at Pat Telford, and worked in the fruit shop next to ice cream shop from the age of 14 x when you could leave your door unlocked back in the day xx

[@robinanoble4664]

I used to work at 29 Station Road at the TSB Barnk in the 60s .

[@clive8907]

Interesting I dont realy know Ashington, but there is something about looking at old pictures of places.

[@goodguy5993]

HAD SOME CANNY LIVE GROUPS AT THE THREE ONES NIGHT CLUB SAW BILLY FURY OLD BACKING GROUP THE GAMBLERS WHO BACKED HIM ON HIS MOVIE i gotta horse VERY PROFFESIONAL GREAT PHOTOS MATE THANKS FOR POSTING

[@Normanskie]

Yes a lot would have changed as I didn't move to Ashington until about 1990. There are some of the shops I seem to remember.

[@lynntilley5783]

I used to work at Regal Motors, it was my first real job.

[@richardclark1063]

I am told my relative Fred Clark made footballer Jackie Milburn's boots. Would be most grateful if anyone knows where his shop or premises were in Ashington. Thanks

[@vincentgledhill]

Fred Clark had his shop on Millburn Road. It was a wool shop that also sold shoes. I haven't heard the Jackie Millburn tale before. The shoe shop on this part of Station Road was Clive's, which did sell a brand called the Clarks shoes.

[@sirsamfay99]

I did not see "Kenton Furnishings" on the bridge north side ,or was it not there then ?. Pity I could not see the entrance to the Arcade as the photos did not go as far as the Wallaw and the old bus station.

[@vincentgledhill]

Hi Tom. Kenton Furnishings were not on the north side of the road when these photographs were taken, west of Station Bridge. I took shots of Station Road east of Station Bridge for Wansbeck Council at around the same time, but only as far as the Grand corner and, unfortunately, do not have the negatives for those, anyway.

[@JB-pk4ck]

Hi Mr Gledhill fantastic set of photos. I was born in 1972 so cant really remember ashington at this point. Do you have any photos of the regal? especially interior before or after closure? MY gran worked there and i spent alot of time there in 1978-1979 when i was about 7 . Thanks for posting.

[@vincentgledhill]

Sorry I can't help. I don't have any of the Regal, inside or out. But a couple of years ago when I was doing research for my book 'Sammy' I was interested to find out that the Regal was originally built to provide a meeting place for miners, which was the upstairs part of the building, while the downstairs was used as a theatre to help offset the cost of the building. Eventually the miners got a different meeting place and the whole building was used as a theatre and then cinema. Many people of my generation still referred to the Regal as "The Miners' Theatre"

[@sirsamfay99]

Around 1975 a school trip was arranged for our year within (Pegswood Primary) ,to go to the Regal for an afternoon matinee .We each paid 50 new pence and watched "The Thief of Baghdad" starring Sabu. This effort was made to try and keep the cinema open which unfortunately closed around 1979.

[@bobatwell7505]

Worked in that EC branch office at the start of a 47 career working for NCJ . did you work for NCJ as a reporter ? Your name rings a bell 🔔

[@vincentgledhill]

Hi Bob. Yes, I worked at that branch from 1965 until NCJ shut it and moved the branch to Morpeth in the 1980s. Which year were you there?

[@bobatwell7505]

@@vincentgledhill Early seventies l think George Wright was branch manager , l remember l had just passed my test and they had a Morris Minor van ! Also worked at Morpeth Branch in the Sanderson Arcade ?

[@vincentgledhill]

@@bobatwell7505 I remember big George well. I worked at the Sanderson Arcade office as well, but only briefly in 1965 and Frank Carr was the circulation manager then. Have you been back to the old office since it was turned into the Hop 77 micro pub?

[@bobatwell7505]

@@vincentgledhill I haven't no , living in Killingworth, so not often in Morpeth . Will have to visit..🍺🍺. They eventually closed all the branch offices so transferred into the Transport Dept in 1981 . Remained there until 2011 when l retired .

[@vincentgledhill]

@@bobatwell7505 I retired in 2009 after 44 years. By the way, were you in the Thomson pension which was taken over by the Pension Insurance Company and have you been to any of the lunches they hold every year?

[@worrywart1311]

Why are those people looking into Pieroni's shop window so interested? I like eating ice-cream, not staring at it.

[@vincentgledhill]

Pieronis' window was full of cards from people with stuff to sell. A pre-computer age version of ebay.

[@worrywart1311]

@@vincentgledhill Interesting, thanks for that.

[@aimeethomson7806]

That his water

[@aimeethomson7806]

...bypass it

[@chrisburton63]

Presumably you've got permission from the photograph owners to reproduce these images!

[@vincentgledhill]

I took every one of these photographs myself, Chris, so, yes, the copyright rules have been respected. But thanks for taking an interest and raising the issue when copyright is so often ignored.