Metadata
WORK ID: NEFA 21486 (Master Record)
| Title | Year | Date |
| THE PASSING OF A TYNE FERRY | 1972 | 1972-01-01 |
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Details
Original Format: Standard 8 Colour: Colour Sound: Sound Duration: 7 mins 07 secs Credits: Individual: Lillian Wincote Genre: Amateur Subject: Working Life Transport Ships Industry |
| Summary An amateur film made by South Shields-born filmmaker Lilian Wincote recording the final day of the Shields Ferry ‘Northumbrian’ on the 25th April 1972. The film shows the steam ferry crossing between North and South Shields collecting and transporting passengers and vehicles. |
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Description
An amateur film made by South Shields-born filmmaker Lilian Wincote recording the final day of the Shields Ferry ‘Northumbrian’ on the 25th April 1972. The film shows the steam ferry crossing between North and South Shields collecting and transporting passengers and vehicles.
The film begins with a general view of the River Tyne and the Shields Ferry ‘Northumbrian’ slowing steaming across the water towards the ferry terminal at South Shields.
Title: The Passing of a Tyne Ferry
The...
An amateur film made by South Shields-born filmmaker Lilian Wincote recording the final day of the Shields Ferry ‘Northumbrian’ on the 25th April 1972. The film shows the steam ferry crossing between North and South Shields collecting and transporting passengers and vehicles.
The film begins with a general view of the River Tyne and the Shields Ferry ‘Northumbrian’ slowing steaming across the water towards the ferry terminal at South Shields.
Title: The Passing of a Tyne Ferry
The ‘Northumbrian’ begins to manoeuvre alongside the docking area.
Title: Last Day of the “Northumbrian”
The ferry continues to approach the pontoon.
Title: April 1972
The ‘Northumbrian’ comes to a stop at the landing, cargo ships and cranes lining the opposite bank of the Tyne.
The ramp walkway is lowered and a number of schoolboys rush off, followed by the other passengers. A couple of passengers board the ferry. The skipper of the 'Northumbrian'; Captain George Humble, smiles at the camera as he walks past.
From the bridge or wheelhouse, George Humble works to manoeuvre the ferry away from the dock while, on deck, passengers sit on benches enjoying the journey. An older couple stand together looking across the water as the ferry passes four tug boats moored nearby. Two men stand on the deck chatting while looking out across the water.
A man turns his camera and takes a photograph of the film-maker. Close-up of the hands of a woman as she takes out a microphone connected to a sound recorder hanging across her shoulder.
[From this point the film uses both the sound of the man being interviewed as well as wild sound recorded both on the bridge of the ferry and the passengers on the deck].
A man with a cine camera takes a panning shot. A hand written note is held up to the camera that reads ‘South Shields Ferry “Northumbrian” April 25th 1972”. Below are the signatures of the six man crew.
Back at the South Shields terminal, a small sign resting against the vehicle collection office reads: ‘Private Car & Driver 3/6d. Extra Passenger 6d’. Two men stand chatting beside a car at the ticket office as they wait to get onto the ferry. In the distance, passengers are seen beginning to disembark from the ferry. Vehicles make their way across the drawbridge and two cars and a man on a scooter drive past. Pedestrians go by, the majority of whom walk along a path behind a metal fence. Others, including a couple pushing a pushchair, walk along the road.
The film cuts to show the ‘Class of Vehicle’ notice attached to a wall identifying the types of vehicles allowed on the ferry.
On the bridge of the ‘Northumbrian’, George Humble stands at the controls. On the outer deck, the engine order telegraph turns to indicate a change in ship’s speed. The skipper manoeuvres the vessel as it approaches the dock at North Shields. A sign attached to the ship’s railings reads ‘Prohibited to Passengers’. On the jetty, a large crowd of foot passengers waits for the ferry to arrive.
On the deck, a deckhand in overalls is thrown a rope which he ties to a bollard. Passengers begin to get on the ferry passing those waiting to get on. With the last of the passengers off, those on the jetty begin to slowly board in an orderly queue.
A group of men standing on the deck look out towards the mouth of the Tyne. Both the High and Low Light lighthouses at North Shields can be seen in the distance.
With the last of the passengers now aboard, another member of the crew manually raises the walkway and the journey begins across the Tyne back to South Shields. Passengers look out across the river as the “Northumbrian” crosses the water.
The newly commissioned Shields Ferry 'Freda Cunningham' is moored at the South Shields jetty. The 'Northumbrian' slowly comes in to dock.
Pulling alongside the jetty, a man walks up the walkway towards camera. Below, passengers, mainly men,some with flat caps, head off to work from the ferry with satchels slung across their shoulders. General view of the now empty 'Northumbrian'.
Title: The End of an Era
The film ends with steam coming from the “Northumbrian” funnel.
Note: The ‘Northumbrian’ was built at Hawthorn Leslie and Company shipyards at Hebburn in 1930 and worked what was known as the ‘Market Place Ferry’ for 42 years making, on average, 350 journeys a week. The final decline of the service began in 1967 with the opening of the Tyne Tunnel taking away much of the ferries vehicle users. In 1972 the service was taken over by Nexus, the Tyne and Wear Passenger Executive, who commissioned a passenger only replacement for the 'Northumbrian'; the ‘Freda Cunningham’. What happened to the ‘Northumbrian’ after her final journey is unclear. For a short while, she became a floating restaurant at Friar’s Goose in Gateshead. However, the business did not succeed and she was last seen being towed out of the Tyne in the spring of 1977 on it’s way to Brussels to become, it was believed, another floating restaurant.
Context
Shot in 8mm Kodachrome, this film documents the final day of the Shields Ferry ‘Northumbrian’ on the 25th April 1972. By the early 1970s, most steam-powered engines were in the process of being replaced by electric and diesel motors, so this film is a timely record of the decline of steam-powered transport. The development of transport is inextricably linked to advancements in new sources of power and energy, and as we see, the steam-powered Northumbrian is succeeded by the diesel-powered...
Shot in 8mm Kodachrome, this film documents the final day of the Shields Ferry ‘Northumbrian’ on the 25th April 1972. By the early 1970s, most steam-powered engines were in the process of being replaced by electric and diesel motors, so this film is a timely record of the decline of steam-powered transport. The development of transport is inextricably linked to advancements in new sources of power and energy, and as we see, the steam-powered Northumbrian is succeeded by the diesel-powered Freda Cunningham as the modernised Shields passenger ferry. (1)
The film was made by London-born amateur filmmaker Lillian Wincote who lived in South Shields from 1924. Trained at Homerton College, Cambridge and the University of Grenoble, France, Wincote taught French in South Shields from 1924, firstly at the Old Westoe Central School, followed by Dean Road Secondary School. Wincote went on to become Headmistress of both Whiteleas Junior and Biddick Hall Junior, retiring in 1964. In 1958 she was chosen as a member of the British delegation to a conference on public education called by UNESCO and the International Bureau of Education, and in 1962 she was awarded an MBE for services to education. Outside of education, Wincote was kept busy in other roles; as Vice President of the South Shields Netball Association, as Justice of the Peace until 1972 and she was a leading figure in the Soroptimist movement, leaving them part of her estate upon her death in 1988 aged 86. The Soroptimist International is a worldwide volunteer service organization for women who work for peace and to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and across the world. Wincote was well-travelled, evident in some of her other films held within the archive (see bottom of page for links), which document her trips to Europe. She had a keen interest in the arts, acting as President of the Tynemouth Photographic Society from 1933-35 and as Treasurer from 1938-40, retiring in the 1950s. A keen film maker, Wincote was a founder member of the South Shields Amateur Cinematographers Association, of which this film was likely made in affiliation with. It is rare to see a woman filmmaker in this era credited as the sole maker, as often men involved in the production of amateur films were usually given the lead credit. This film therefore holds an important place in the history of women’s amateur filmmaking. The protagonist of the film is the Northumbrian ferry built at Hawthorn Leslie and Company shipyards in Hebburn. Starting her role as a pedestrian and vehicular ferry in February 1930, the Northumbrian worked what was known locally as the ‘Market Place Ferry’ for 42 years, making up to 350 journeys every week between North Shields and South Shields. The service began to decline from 1967 following the opening of the Tyne Tunnel which took away many of its vehicular passengers. The service was taken over by Nexus in 1972 who commissioned the Freda Cunningham as a passenger-only replacement. After the Northumbrian took its final journey, the ferry was sold and for a short while became a floating restaurant at Friar’s Goose in Gateshead. It was last spotted being towed down the Tyne in 1977 en route to Brussels, where it is believed it was once again put to work as a floating restaurant. The Northumbrian’s more modern, diesel-powered replacement the, Freda Cunningham, operated the North and South Shields service between 1972 and 1993, when it was sold and replaced by the Pride of the Tyne, built at the Swan Hunter yard. The Cunningham was built at the Ryton Marine shipyard on the River Tyne in the early 1970s and was named after the wife of North East Labour Party leader Andy Cunningham (father of politician and cabinet minister, Jack Cunningham). The Cunningham now goes by the name Mystic Waters and operates during the summer months between West Cork and the small Island of Sherkin, a popular tourist destination on the South West coast of Ireland. We see a brief glimpse of the Cunningham in the film, as the Northumbrian comes in to moor. (2) The North and South Shields river crossing service has existed since at least 1377, but the origins of the ferry service as we know it today dates back to 1829. The first 3 boats in this service were the Baron Newcastle, the Durham and the Northumberland. The service is still going strong today, known as the ‘Shields Ferry’, transporting around half a million people across the river every year. Investment has continued into the service, with a £2m rebuilding of the South Shields ferry landing in 1999 and a modernisation of the North Shields landing in 2004. (3) Visible in the distance in the film are the High and Low Lights at North Shields. Also known as the Fish Quay High and Low Lights, the lighthouses were constructed near Fish Quay in North Shields. The first pair of lighthouses were erected during the 16th century to allow for safe navigation along the Tyne, avoiding the dangerous Shields Bar and the Black Middens. Designed by local architect John Stokoe (1756–1836) for Trinity House based in Newcastle, construction of the new lights began in 1807 and were first lit in 1810. Both towers are finished in white-painted ashlar, with the High Light being 4 storeys and the Low Light being 6 storeys, both with curved windows and roof. The Lights were decommissioned in the late 1990s and the buildings sold for housing. The towers are now listed buildings and continue to act as daymarks for vessels entering the Tyne. Other films by Lilian Wincote: Allendale Celebrates New Year 1978-1979 A Village in Northumbria Other films which feature the Tyne Ferry Northumbrian: Your Heritage: The Coast of Kings Here and There References: (1) The history of transport systems in the UK https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/761929/Historyoftransport.pdf (2) Former Shields Ferry Freda Cunningham gets new lease of life in southern Ireland https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/former-shields-ferry-freda-cunningham-10983719 (3) The Tyne ferries that have carried thousands of passengers for generations https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/tyne-ferries-carried-thousands-passengers-9985887 |
