Tag Archives: Newcastle

A pin-up litter picker (Rousse)

TPR was the pin-up of Newcastle University. My nephew PMF was his agent. He arranged for TPR to live free of charge in the a hall of residence room, provided that he would pick up the litter on campus.

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Waist deep in mud in the River Tyne (Rousse)

CMcD was very familiar with the walking route up the River Tyne to my sister’s house in Newcastle. We set off after the tide had receded, doing our best to avoid the mud flats and the sinking sands. CMcD was … Continue reading

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A failed family get-together at Newcastle-by-the-sea (Rousse)

Newcastle city centre was packed on the first Saturday after the January pay-day. We should never have agreed to meet my mother and sister S there. As things turned out, we didn’t manage to find one another. This was because … Continue reading

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Jack Charlton fisherman (Rousse)

I spotted Jack Charlton from the back seat of a car as we drove through the outskirts of Newcastle. He pointed out where he lived: a small ex-council house on a very busy road. He said that he would rather … Continue reading

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Amazing discoveries from the dead to diamonds in rainy Birmingham (Rousse)

I drove through the rain to Birmingham where I met KB. Homeless since last Christmas, he’d now managed to secure accommodation for himself and his two foster children: Catherine aged 6, and Harry aged 12. (His own daughters had both … Continue reading

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Copycat campus shootings come to the UK (Rousse)

AM was interviewed first. Then it was my turn. By the end of the day each of us had been offered a chair at Northumbria University. How amazing that we would be working together! We were both happy to be … Continue reading

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Hull is a hanky panky hotspot (Rousse)

TPR’s muscles were a source of fascination for the slim, dark teenager on the boat. I left them sitting together on the bench on the deck as we came into dock in Newcastle. When we arrived TPR looked a bit … Continue reading

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A Norwegian odyssey (Rousse)

TPR took out the map and showed me the route. He was going to catch a boat from Newcastle to Norway, then cycle the length of the famous fjords. I was not invited because – as his wife – it … Continue reading

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Venice turns pink in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Rousse)

Every morning I visited my sister S to try on the clothes that she had acquired for me from the charity shops the previous day. It was also our habit to watch half an hour of terrible daytime television together … Continue reading

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The price of popularity at Newcastle University (Rousse)

I held offers from both Durham and Newcastle Universities. I went for Newcastle in the end. The academic staff at Durham were just a little too stuffy for my liking. Many other students also preferred Newcastle – so much so … Continue reading

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