Retro South Tyneside: The 1970s year when mad dogs made headlines

They all made the headlines in the Shields Gazette in 1974 and we have the proof.

Three week reign of canine terror

It was the year when a pack of 12 “wild and savage” dogs brought fear to Selbourne Street during a three-week reign of terror.

In one incident, a cat was mauled in a back alley, and in another, a two-year-old boy was bitten as he played on a swing.

His mother said at the time: “He was lucky he had his Wellington boots on.

“That saved him when the dog grabbed his ankle, but it had to be beaten to make it let go. These dogs are wild and savage.”

The pack of Alsatians, Labradors and several mongrels may have made the news but do you remember the story?

Perry the Pyrenean mountain dog

Creating better headlines for the canine world was Perry the Pyrenean mountain dog, who was in South Shields Market Place helping raise funds for the modernisation of the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals in South Shields and Sunderland.

And another story to make you happy was the one about the Reverend John Maughan from St Mark’s and Cuthbert’s in South Shields.

Rev Maughan had once signed for Newcastle United as a junior but he followed his religious calling.

But that didn’t stop him from experiencing one of the greatest joys in football.

Starring for Pegasus in 1951

He starred for Pegasus when they won the Amateur Cup in 1951, beating Bishop Auckland 2-1.

Creating a stir in 1974 was the weather. High winds were causing havoc in South Shields.

Roofs were damaged on houses in Masefield Drive and Australia Grove, Brockley Whins, and advertising hoardings were blown down in Stainton Street.

Also going down a storm was South Shields-born singer J Vincent Edwards. His single, which was a version of I Can’t Let Maggie Go, reached the top five in Belgium.

On the lookout for pre-war cameras

Which other performers do you remember from the South Tyneside area at that time?

And who remembers the local shops and stores of that era?

The Curiosity Shop in Frederick Street was on the lookout for pre-war cameras to buy, or maybe you had an oil painting to sell.

It was tennis season and you could get the latest rackets from Rippons, or watch Wimbledon on a new television from Binns – 22 inch screen, colour and yours for only £217.65.

For your entertainment on the big screen, Charles Bronson was starring in The Stone Killer, the latest film on at the Gaumont in South Shields. Also showing was Glen Ford in Santee.

If it was health and fitness you were after, the Olympic Health Club in Ocean Road was offering the latest facilities in sun rays, saunas and slim wraps.

What are your memories of South Tyneside in 1974? What was your favourite pub back then? Which was the best nightclub and what were your favourite programmes on TV?

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