Sunniside History Society

17/06/2026

07/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CkLwG8yjT/

Stan and Hilda Ogden were Coronation Street legends for two decades. But the man who played Stan grew up in the posh Newcastle suburb of Jesmond, a world away from the grim cobbles of Weatherfield.

The actor was born Bernard Arthur Popley in 1914 at Hove, East Sussex. His father Leonard worked for a jewellery company and played piano at social gatherings in the town. Their lives were changed by a culinary innovation, when Frank Smith opened the UK’s first crisp factory in London in 1920.

Crisps had been around for a decade or so but they were bland and unflavoured. There are no mentions in local newspapers of them being sold or consumed in Newcastle. Smith's genius was putting a small sachet of salt in every packet of crisps, which also had the effect of making people thirsty, and they became hugely popular in pubs.

The people of Newcastle have always liked their beer, and Leonard Popley landed the job of launching Smith's Potato Crisps in the region. He moved his family to an upstairs flat on Grosvenor Gardens in Jesmond in 1924, and Bernard would spend the next decade or so in the neighbourhood.

He attended Rutherford College on Bath Lane and was an excellent tennis player, practising for several hours every day. He competed regularly in junior tournaments around the region, and was pictured in the Evening Chronicle after one of these events, looking lean and athletic.

When he left school he became assistant manager at the Playhouse in Jesmond Vale, a short walk from the family home. He made his acting debut there in Noel Coward's satirical comedy 'Easy Virtue' in the summer of 1932 at the age of eighteen.

Business was booming for Smith’s Crisps in the 1930s. They had 95% of the market nationwide, and built a factory and distribution centre on the Coast Road to serve the North East. Leonard Popley was able to move his family to a house on Kimberley Gardens, a few streets away from their flat in Jesmond.

Bernard spread his wings and began appearing in repertory theatre around the country, changing his surname to Youens, his mother’s maiden name. He was cast as Stan Ogden in Coronation Street in 1964, the henpecked husband of Hilda, played by Jean Alexander.

Stan’s first line in the show was "A pint of mild and 20 f**s, missus", setting the tone for the idle slob he’d play until his death in 1984. A far cry from the Jesmond lad who was one of the North East’s most promising young sportsmen.

Visit newcastlestuff.co.uk for more stuff about Newcastle.

31/05/2026

Like many of you, I was deeply moved by the recent BBC feature on Roly Gregoire—Sunderland AFC’s very first Black player, who made his debut back in January 1978. Hearing him speak about the intense isolation he felt on Wearside in the late 70s, and the shocking racism his family faced on his very first match day at Roker Park, really stayed with me.
It got me thinking about the wider history of our region’s football clubs. The North East is a hotbed of football, but it turns out our local clubs were also the backdrop for some of the earliest, most significant racial milestones in British sporting history.
Here is a look back at the trailblazers who broke the color barrier for our North East teams:
⚽ **DARLINGTON FC: Arthur Wharton (1885)**
Darlington holds a truly monumental piece of global history. In 1885, they signed goalkeeper Arthur Wharton. Born in Ghana, Wharton came to the North East to train as a Methodist missionary in Darlington but became an athletic phenomenon instead. In 1886, representing the Darlington Harriers, he became the official "fastest man in the world" by running the 100-yard sprint in 10 seconds flat. By 1889, he became the world's very first Black professional footballer. He even had a Newcastle connection, guesting in goal for a Newcastle & District side in 1885!
⚽ **HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Tewfik Abdallah (1924)**
In the 1920s, Hartlepool signed Egyptian forward Tewfik Abdallah. Affectionately nicknamed "Toothpick" by the Victoria Ground faithful, Abdallah was a charismatic and clever playmaker. When he pulled on the blue and white stripes in 1924, he became the first non-European international to ever play for Hartlepool, paving the way for the global game we know today.
⚽ **MIDDLESBROUGH: Lindy Delapenha (1950)**
Long before the modern era, Jamaican-born Lindy Delapenha became an absolute legend on Teesside. Arriving at Ayresome Park in 1950, he spent eight incredible years with Boro. Blessed with a absolute rocket of a shot, he was Middlesbrough's top goalscorer for three separate seasons, netting 92 goals in 270 appearances. He remains an iconic figure in both Boro and Jamaican sporting history.
⚽ **SUNDERLAND: Roly Gregoire (1978)**
Signed from Halifax Town, 19-year-old Gregoire made his historic debut against Hull City on January 2, 1978. Though his career was tragically cut short by a horrific knee injury at just 20, and his legacy was unfairly clouded for decades by a tough period for the club, his status as a Wearside pioneer is undeniable. It’s wonderful to see the club finally celebrating his place in history properly today.
⚽ **NEWCASTLE UNITED: Tony Cunningham (1983)**
Tyneside's competitive milestone came in November 1983, when manager Arthur Cox handed a debut to Jamaican-born striker Tony Cunningham in a 2-1 League Cup win over Oxford United. Cunningham went on to play an integral role alongside Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley, and Chris Waddle in winning promotion back to the top flight that very season. (Shout out also to Liverpool legend Howard Gayle, who played in preseason friendlies for Newcastle in 1982!).
History isn't just about old buildings; it's about the people who came to our communities, faced immense pressure, and changed our culture for the better. These men played at a time when there were no anti-racism campaigns or support networks—just pure talent and resilience.
Next time we head to a match, it’s worth remembering these pioneers who made the beautiful game a bit more beautiful right here in the North East. 🔴⚪️⚫️⚪️🔵⚪️
History

Roly Gregoire, Sunderland's first black player, sometimes wishes he had never played football because of the racist abuse he found too painful to talk about for 46 years.

03/05/2026

We have a request from Philip Smith can anyone help?

"I would like to ask if anyone else recalls 2 aircraft accidents at Sunniside of which I have no exact dates for and are refusing to be identified.An aircraft landed behind Sunniside Road in the late 1960's which was the area of East Sunniside Farm. Another aircraft came down off Pennyfine Road just after world war 2.Over the years I have traced local people who recalled these incidents so please post any memories or e-mail [email protected] I research aircraft crashes in our local area and in 2007 I organised the memorial plaque for the wartime RAF Hawker Hurricane crash at High Marley Hill in 1942. "

19/04/2026

🌕 DID YOU KNOW? There is a secret Union Jack hidden on the Moon! 🚀
​With all the excitement over the Artemis II crew returning home safely last week, we thought it was the perfect time to share one of our favorite bits of space trivia.
​While we usually think of the Moon landings as a purely American achievement, there is a permanent "British signature" sitting in the lunar dust—and it’s all thanks to a bit of cheeky engineering.
​The "Stowaway" Signature ✍️
​In 1969, a British engineer named Keith Wright was working in the US on the science equipment for the Apollo 11 mission. Just before the modules were sealed up to be launched, Keith and his team were given the chance to sign their work.
​While the others signed their names, Keith decided to represent the home team. Using a ballpoint pen and a bit of "elbow grease," he etched his name, "UK," and a tiny Union Jack into the metal bracket of a solar panel.
​The Moon’s Most Permanent Flag 🇬🇧
​Here is the coolest part:
​The Official Record: Keith actually had to file a "Non-Conformance Report" for "contaminating" the multi-million dollar equipment with his scratches! NASA looked at it, realized it wouldn't hurt anything, and cleared it for takeoff.
​Built to Last: The big cloth flags planted by the astronauts have likely turned white due to the intense solar radiation. But because Keith’s flag is etched into the metal and hidden on the underside of the equipment, it’s still there, perfectly preserved in the Sea of Tranquility.
​So, as we watch the Artemis missions prepare to send humans back to the Moon, we can be proud that a little piece of British grit was there first—waiting to be rediscovered!