The Jungle. North Shields

[John Arton]

Reference has been made in threads on this site to this famous Bar, which is now a block of luxury flats.
My first encounter with it was when going up the Tyne as 3rd Mate on a product tanker for a dry docking at Swan Hunters and being asked by the Filipino crew what it was. I told them in all honesty it was a bar with a bit of a reputation and perhaps they should avoid it. HUH!!! no chance, for the next 10 days 95% of them could be found there every night and dragging themselves back to the ship with silly grins on their faces just before turning too time.
Next time was when I was a mate of mine who was taking an East End cadet that was on his ship (standing by new building for Bank Line in Sunderland) around the local dives. The poor lad had already had a knife waved in his face by one of the gentle ladies you could meet in the Ferry pub in S. Shields and then proceeded to have a shotgun pointed in his face by the DJ in the Jungle who when the lad asked the DJ to play a certain record, had said shotgun pointed at him with the comment that he had been in the previous night causing trouble and he was to polity pizz off.
I guess the best thing he learnt that night was to always figure out where the emergency exit in a bar is as soon as you enter. Strangely enough he did not venture ashore all that much after that one night.
rgds
JA
p.s. apologies if I have already told this tale, old age has crept up.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Sounds bit like the old nicknamed zoo at Barry and the Bucket of Blood in Cardiff, the world famous Chain Locker seems mild in comparison, though reported from then were glasses had to be chained to the bar.

Barry Dock Hotel:

The side bar, known by sailors all over the world, was called "The Chain Locker" and gained immortality in Alexander Cordell's novel "Rogues March". This bar was used by mainly dock workers, seamen and labourers, and was reputed to have the glasses chained to the bar.

Owing to the decline in trade at the docks in the 1920's, the staff was reduced in number until by 1960 most of the hotel was disused, and by 1983 the brewery decided to demolish it. This they did, and the Care Home Phillipa Freeth Court is built on the site.

http://www.barrywales.co.uk/tomclemett/pubslegs.asp

[Keith at Tregenna]

Was not aware, but looked it up: The Northumberland Arms on New Quay, North Shields was known to sailors all over the world as 'The Jungle'.

A 'low dive' where sailors could buy anything they wanted if they had the money.

Allegedly once a town house of The Duke of Northumberland which contained many animal heads - hence its name.

It closed in 1989 and was converted into flats.

http://www.jamescott.webspace.virgin...humbnails.html

http://www.jamescott.webspace.virgin...10_Jungle.html

[Keith at Tregenna]

Last visit to Wallsend saw the Strawberry name change: The Strawberry, legendary Newcastle United-themed pub situated just across the road from St. James' Park, is re-Christened 'La Fraise' to honour the recent influx of French signings at the club.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/new...rench_players/

[John Arton]

Keith
The Strawberry opposite St. James Park had a reputation as it was the haunt of many of the, lets say, rougher, elements of Newcastle fans. Strangely enough though I got caught in there with my nephew who was up for the day to see his team play against Newcastle. He was/is an avid Man City fan (says me, spit,spit) and was wearing the full away strip. As the bar was packed he took of his coat to reveal this strip to all in the bar. One blue dressed guy amongst a sea of black and white. I thought we were in for it in a big way, but no, we had a great pre-match session with some great craik. Mind you after the game we slunk away as Nan City stuffed Newcastle.
I know this is not marine related but bears a remarkable semblance to all those bars in foreign countries that sailors have wandered into, spoken in English when ordered drinkies and felt the daggers in the back from many of the locals stares, yet by the end of the night you have made at least another 10 best friends and drinking buddies, despite not being able to speak any words of their lingo beyond "cerveza por favour" and the natives only being able to say "Bobbie Charlaton, velly gud player-yes".
rgds
JA

[j.sabourn]

Don't know about the animal heads Keith. All the ones I knew spoke, not all the time in the Queens English. Never had any trouble in there. Thought there was more trouble in Uncle Toms Cabin up the Bank. The south side of the river had its opposite numbers in pubs or dives as some prefer to call them. I was standing by a ship in Hawthorn Leslies one time and showed a certain person round. One Lady in our company was boasting how she received 3 different allotments from 3 different seamen. Hope they never got to sail together. Cheers John Sabourn

[Doc Vernon]

Last visit to Wallsend saw the Strawberry name change: The Strawberry, legendary Newcastle United-themed pub situated just across the road from St. James' Park, is re-Christened 'La Fraise' to honour the recent influx of French signings at the club.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/new...rench_players/

Some great old Pics on that site Keith,always nice to see how things looked at the time we were around and before!
Cheers and Thanks

[robpage]

The bars were on three floors , the basement housed the Jungle Bar which was painted in an African theme , the street level had a normal bar and the first floor a large single bar ,which was a night club with late opening . The first floor bar was the rough one . It was up two steep flights of stairs . I don't think there was ever much trouble in there , in the three years I lived on Tyneside , but there was a few local low life's as regulars . I was there on a Zulu crew Clan Boat in the late 1960 s , one of the locals made a racist remark to. The Engineroom Storekeeper , until " Tiny " stood up , and at a very fit six foot three , he was a bit too big to make racist remarks to . The local mouth was asked to apologise , thought about it And said sorry , finished his drink and left . I was half expecting him to return with his mates , but he must have just kept on running

[j.sabourn]

Rob, were you a regular customer on the third floor? I'll bet your excuse was you were up there for the River Views. Cheers John Sabourn.

[robpage]

Any comment would infringe my human rights , I believe from locals that the third floor had rooms that could be rented for short periods of time , but in the 1960s as an apprentice I was on less than £20 a month , a pie and a pint ( or three in the Westoe ) cost 2/- for the pie and 2/3 a pint that was over £4.00 a week , if you wanted to go to the Latino once a month then it was the sausage pasties and coffee in the college refectory a few days . We tried to put a gallon of petrol in the car on occasions that was 4/6 a gallon , and we shared a car between three of us . Life was hard , and if you wanted a brass in the Jungle , I once asked and they were charging a £10.00 even back then . Two weeks drinking money , no I had better priorities , and the local girls were all very nice young ladies , who would help a struggling apprentice out on occasions .

You did say it were a knocking Shop didn't you Cappy ??