The Jungle. North Shields

[Ivan Cloherty]

If I recall there was a pub called Suffolk and Norfolk in South Shields known locally as the Two F**ks, may not have been S Shields, twas a long time ago

[robpage]

2 fks.jpg

That is the two forks "norfolk and suffolk" It was I believe in the Market place , but may be wrong

[cappy]

cant remember those pubs ivan john sabourne might he is a lot older than me you know

[robpage]

I believe , but stand a good chance of being well wrong , that it was knocked down and the Commando was built in the area that the " Norfolk and Suffolk " stood , no way of checking though , unless there is a really old sanddancer here . O think the modern building that housed the Commando dates from the early sixties , and I believe that has all been knocked down for redevelopment now .

[cappy]

not as old as rob but the commando was in south shields market place ....not much of a bar

[cappy]

I believe , but stand a good chance of being well wrong , that it was knocked down and the Commando was built in the area that the " Norfolk and Suffolk " stood , no way of checking though , unless there is a really old sanddancer here . O think the modern building that housed the Commando dates from the early sixties , and I believe that has all been knocked down for redevelopment now .

just spoke to my 93 year old mother in law .....the Norfolk and Suffolk were in the south shields market place .....in fact my granny had a café and pie shop in shields market which was bombed out along with theoriginal barbour oilskins and later barbour jacket fame......grannys place was called uncle tomscabin

[Keith at Tregenna]

Visit The Main South Shields Sanddancers Website

http://forum.southshields-sanddancer...hp?f=1&t=17558

[happy daze john in oz]

Never in the Jungle but I do recall a night in Southampton when I ran for my life from the Coach And Horses. A young lad then having a quiet pint when two of the 'alternative' females began eyeing me up and down. All was well until they began to argue, 'this one is mine, no I saw him first'. I took off like a scalded cat and did not go back there for a couple of voyages.

[robpage]

It seems funny reminiscing about the old pubs , when now we are surrounded by Gastro - pubs . Trendy - Pubs , Disco - Pubs . The old ways of swilling ten pints down of excellent bitter are a long way back in the past , the sawdust on the bar floor , the heavy smoky atmosphere , the Landlords word was law . Well over 75% of pubs here are gone the car park was worth more as a building site , or mini supermarkets have sprung up out of the old place . Talking of the Old pubs in South Shields made me think of a few adjacent to middle dock I see there are still two or three pubs down Mill Dam , the Westoe , The Chi , The Mechanics , the Stags Head , where the Landlord did mulled ale in winter with an iron in the coal fire . The Brigantine , The Ferry Inn , which was too rough for us innocent lads , and one of my favourites the Marsden Grotto . here the pubs have all changed beyond recognition , seems a shame but life moves on .

[John Arton]

Rob
Apart from the Ferry and the Brigantine, all those other pubs are still going. Get in the Stags Head quite often. The Westoe is still quite popular though these days not to many students pizz away their college time there, mostly now preferring the County.
Cappy
Nothing wrong with the Commando, seen quite a few ladies going Commando there but the beer was pretty awful.
The Commando was on the site of the old Norfolk and Suffolk.
As some of you will be aware all of that side of Shields market has been demolished to make way for a complete town centre re-vamp which also includes Barrington Street which is around the Douglas Vaults area.
Our magnificent (hah) council have drawn up a master plan for the re-vamp of the town centre with new cinema's etc. that is going to cost around 100 million pounds though where that cash is coming from god only knows. Also if that monstrosity of the BT building that was built on the Harton Staiths site is anything to go by, I shudder to think what the architecture of the new buildings will look like.
Believe that the side of the market where the shipping federation offices were is also earmarked for redevelopment under these plans.. we shall see.
rgds
JA