'South Shields needs brightening up': What one local said on her return to town

Back in 1922, people were heading to New Zealand where the promise of good jobs was on offer.

A life of sheep farming

Hundreds of girls in particular left in the 1920s for New Zealand under a sheep farming scheme.

Sadie was among them and the Shields Gazette caught up with her when she returned to her home town of South Shields for the first time in almost 40 years in 1962.

Mrs Knuckey said at the time: “Jobs were very scarce in those days, and people in New Zealand, who had praised the British Navy for its part in the 1914-18 war, offered employment for sons and daughters of seamen who were either killed or disabled in the war.

‘The litter in the streets is quite considerable’

“The majority of the South Shields people who went to New Zealand are still out there, and many of them have done very well for themselves.”

But Mrs Knuckey wasn’t impressed with how the town had changed when she returned to South Shields.

She thought it needed “brightening up”, adding: “The litter in the streets is quite considerable in parts of the town.

“In New Zealand, house and shop owners make a special point of tidying their premises outside as well as in.”

Elvis was following that dream

In other news from 1962, Elvis Presley was starring in Follow That Dream which was playing at the Regent in South Shields.

There were three showings a day and two on Sundays.

Shirts for ‘easy wearing’ were on offer at Binns. They were selling for 52/6 and the store was also selling Driway weather coats at £12/5/0. They came in a ‘pleasing shade of fawn’.

Share your memories of the early 1960s. And tell us if one of your relatives was among the South Tyneside people who emigrated to New Zealand. Email [email protected]