The old school hall at Thorp Academy was the keeper of many memories for my peers and me, so it was sad to see it tumble down during the summer. However I was fortunate enough […]
Category: Ryton
Ryton Festival of Music and Drama 2017
Did you know that Wendy Craig and Sir Thomas Allen both took part in Ryton Festival of Music and Drama? From the mid-1950s Wendy Craig appeared in British films such as The Servant (1963) and […]
Here’s what’s going on in the park
The project leader for Wildground, Nikki Woodward, has been in touch to give an update on Ferndene Park. I used the park last month when my four-year old niece and nephew were here along with […]
Another year of Sixth Form success for Thorp
Mandy Peel has been in touch with me. Mandy works for the Northern Education Trust (Thorp Academy sponsors) and has been involved in issuing all the good news about their excellent GCSE results. The students […]
Bollywood comes to Ryton!
Ryton Community Library, in conjunction with GemArts, held the second of two summer holiday events this afternoon. Last month you could come along and have a bash (quite literally) at African Drumming. Today it was […]
Goodbye Domestic Science & Art
These rooms belonged to the Domestic Science and Art departments in my day. Mr. Skelton was my art teacher. He’s a lovely guy and I met him again a few years ago when I visited […]
More Thorp Academy demolition photos
Wednesday, 22nd June, 2016 Saturday 18th June, 2016
Bit by Bit – Thorp update
Thank you so much to Karen of Thorp Academy for taking me to the top of the STEM building this morning to get some photos of the demolition work. Also to the staff of Thompsons […]
Down the Dene
We are very fortunate indeed that WildGround will be working in Ferndene Park most Tuesdays between now and January. WildGround is a three-year initiative to deliver high quality traineeships in natural heritage grounds maintenance. The […]
Thorp Academy, now and last year
Last July Kay Farrow of Thorp Academy kindly showed me around and allowed me to take photographs inside the classrooms. They were still in use, so I didn’t publish them at the time. Here they […]
Old Thorp Academy, saying goodbye bit by bit
Many thanks to the staff of Sir Robert McAlpine, who allowed me to take some photographs of the gradual demolition of the old Thorp Academy today. Health and safety laws decree that I’m not allowed […]
Ryton Festival Eleventh Session
St. Anne’s RC Church in Winlaton was the venue for the eleventh session of Ryton Festival this afternoon. We heard from the choirs of Corbridge Middle School (Junior and Senior) Hareside Primary School Cramlington, and […]
More from Ryton Festival, Tenth Session
The tenth session of Ryton Festival in Emmaville Hall was opened last night (Thursday) by its Vice – President Mrs Doris Williams. The Federation of Festivals is a national movement, but Mrs Williams said that […]
Ryton Festival – Ninth Session
Let’s hear what the adjudicator; Norma Redfearn, has to say about our festival, and the festival movement in general. She was kind enough to give me a written quote. “I have had a wonderful time […]
Ryton Festival – Sixth Session
Yesterday evening gave us the sixth session of the Ryton Festival in Emmaville Hall. Proceedings were opened by Jonathan Morris, the Executive Principal of Thorp Academy, and the entrants came from The Saturday Stage School, […]
Sleeping Dogs rock the Cluny
Our friend Tracey, Heather and I, enjoyed a marvellous sell out gig last night at the Cluny in Ouseburn, roughly situated beneath Byker Bridge. Tracey has been here several times before, but it was a […]
Ryton Festival Third Session
I’m not a parent myself, but I have seven nieces and nephews all under the age of fourteen, and the one thing I thoroughly ‘get’ is that once you have children there is no […]
Second Session, Ryton Festival
Unfortunately I won’t be able to get to all of the sessions at the Ryton Festival, but I thoroughly enjoyed the second session in Emmaville Hall this evening. It was opened by its president, Canon […]
Ryton Festival is nearly here
There’s a lot coming up in and around Ryton. The festival begins on Friday kicking off at 6.15pm in Emmaville Hall, Crawcrook. They have a new-look website, click on the link to see what’s […]
Ryton Festival – Baby Boomers
My former English teacher Richard Reid kindly suggested I get in touch with Susan Emmett who lives in Ryton and runs the Throckley Drama Group. They are going to be performing Baby Boomers Behaving Badly, […]
Keeping fit
If, using your own body and without any props or materials, you’ve never been asked to construct a series of objects from a Lynx Helicopter to the Eiffel Tower, or stomp your way through a […]
Thorp Academy, official opening of STEM
I was thrilled when a couple of months ago an invitation dropped onto the mat inviting me to the official opening of the Thorp Academy STEM building. STEM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering […]
Carols at the Cross
Lovely winter evening enjoying Carols at the Cross, accompanied provided by the Ovington Tynedale Reunion Band, joined by the Caedmon Choir from the Gateshead Sage. Merry Christmas everyone, and thank you for following me this […]
Snow a little too late for the produce market
Today was last Ryton Local Produce Market until the spring. Having to trade from the core of a quagmire didn’t dampen spirits at all, and we were treated to a selection of carols courtesy of […]
Kalem Patterson, another day for Flymo
Walking through the Haymarket Metro Station yesterday my attention was drawn to an illuminated poster advertising Day of the Flymo, about to begin its second run at the Live Theatre, Newcastle. The lead role in […]
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