The enduring love of a South Shields' centre

So here are some of your online postings which hopefully will bring back more happy memories.

Alison Campbell took to Facebook to say: “Ehh loved this place, I used spend all my time here, good laugh.”

Joanne C Purvis was also a fan, saying: “I loved Trinity House youth club. Best time ever” while Dianne Grantham Martin recalled how she “went there in the late 60s, great place”.

Although Lynsey Freestone went to the youth club in the 80s, she also “loved it!” as did Carol Dawson/ Michelle Newby, who posted: “Trip down memory lane. The good old days.”

Manda Bee revealed how “Trinity House was like my second home. I run my dance school from here now! The place has been totally transformed from what most of you will remember, with an amazing cafe. Recommend any old members to pop in for a cuppa and a look around the place for a little trip down memory lane.”

Pam Donkin explained how she “joined in 1970, became friends with youth leader’s son, started going out together 1972, got engaged 1976, married 1980 celebrating 45 years together this year.”

Iain Wilson said: “Loved working there on the desk and in the youth clubs while on YT in the early 90s. Great memories, especially the play schemes in the summer.”

Talking of summer, Alison Stelling recalls the “Summer camps: arts and crafts, dancing comps, abseiling off the back of the building, packed lunches, all together in the big hall, fab tuck shop and loads of games outside. Best memories xx” while MJ Thompson remembers the “fancy dress parties with Marion Fearon and making plaster of paras models.”

Ruth Hall agrees. “I remember the lovely Marion, having the best discos and cake-making sessions. Being one of the lucky kids to be picked from Laygate School to go shopping for crafts stuff to make the annual Cookson float with (best day!) Easter bonnet and egg-making.”

A posting from Samantha Garbutt, Ruth Hall and Hannah Cox recalls a particular moment in time: “Being the Spice Girls at the Customs House. Hannah going mental cos she hated her wig, treasured memories.”

Jim Thompson went online to explain how: “I spent some time broadcasting for radio TH. It was the broadcasting station for the five South Shields hospitals – the General, General Maternity, Ingham, Deans and Cleadon Park.”

Marion Fearon took to social media to say he she: “Met and worked with a lot of fab young people” while Shelley Quaid asked Dora Saleh whether she could “remember my 13th birthday party there?” while Sean Slater simply posted: “Good old days.”

Meanwhile, the photo of Monkton School, featured on Facebook, also generated a lot of online comments.

Adrienne Johnson Docherty recalled: “Loved this school. Special memories, good times. Netball with Mrs Laverick and being in Mr Hayton’s class. Cried when I left” while Evelyn Foord said: “Excellent school, have been going to this school for 31 years, my seven kids and my grandkids. Many many memories, staff are brilliant, the head was a teacher many years ago.”

“Allan Fada posted: “Wow, it’s so very long ago that I was there, both the infants. If I’m not mistaken, I was there from 1973 to 1977. Mr Thornicroft was head teacher (?) and at least two names of teachers I remember were Mrs Wheatman and Mr Hayton.”

Watch out for more of your Monkton School and other school memories in forthcoming pages.

Whichever school you went to, please get in touch with your recollections of the teachers and your classmates.