IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Alexandra Close, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE20 0BS

When this site was Northumberland College of Education there was porter's office/reception and his house was opposite. Now part of the "listed" properties which are being renovated.

“Street” names are named after fictional detectives. Obviously scope for a quiz: What are Christian/surnames of the fictional detectives? Who played the main character? What was the name of their sidekick? Who played them? Who wrote the original books? Which channel where they on? How many series were made of each detective series? In which year did they first appear and when did they end? Which ones were made into films? Who starred as the main character in these films? How many Holmes have there been and who were the stars who played him? I'm sure there might be more!!!

These houses have been built on the site of the school that had two classrooms when it was a Cottage Home. Later it became the student's union where dances to live music were held. The folk club attracted some well known folk artists as well as resident singers. Amongst the well known were The Spinners, Ian Campbell Folk Group with the wonderful Dave Swarbrick later of Fairport Convention and the unforgettable Incredible String Band. Bacon and egg butties were available most mornings. There was also a bar and more thrilling were the games of table football that were keenly contested. It was the student hub.

Until 1959 these were Cottage Homes for children and from 1964 to 1981 student accommodation for Northumberland College of Education. The detached house right of the tower was the mater and matrons' house and later the office of the principal of the college. In 1981 it became the headquarters of Northumbria Police and was where the Chief Constable was based. A retired police inspector told me you only went there for two reasons --- to get promotion or bollocked! Now part of a "listed" housing development.

These houses were built on the site where four "listed" cottage homes once stood as well a five blocks of student accommodation.

This building was formerly a school when the site was used as a children's home.

This is the former site of Northumberland College of Education where the hall, common rooms, staff room and cafeteria were built in 1964 and the college closed in 1981. When Northumbria Police took over the site in 1981 it became known as the Bailey Suite and was where most official functions took place.

These are the former Cottage Homes that were built in 1903 and closed in 1959. The Cottage Homes were made up of around 14 large semi-detached cottages which together could house around 300 children at a time. There were workshops on site which would have been used for general upkeep and maintenance in the homes and also for training the boys in specific skills. http://www.formerchildrenshomes.org.uk/ponteland_cottage_homes.html http://www.workhouses.org.uk/NewcastleUponTyne/ From 1964 – 1981 it became The Northumberland Teacher Training College and most of the cottages became student accommodation. Five blocks of flats were built as well as lecture blocks and staff accommodation. In 1981 it became the HQ for Northumbria Police although all the buildings weren’t used most of the cottage homes were vacated apart from one used by the Chief Constable and for administration. The site was vacated for a new HQ in Wallsend in 2016 and a newly built Training and Communication Centre where the tennis courts used to be. “The former Northumbria Police headquarters site, including the listed buildings, was bought by Bellway in 2018 for £21 million, and this money has been reinvested into local policing in the area.” Chronicle Nov 2020. https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/property-news/see-inside-former-northumbria-police-19268461 I have a long association with this site since my Grandmother was a foster parent at the Cottage Homes until it closed in 1959. I spent many a school holiday there and Christmas was especially memorable and we all gathered in the Old School and waited for Santa to arrive --- he always did. I returned in 1965 – 68 to train as a teacher although the first year was at The Hydro in Hexham. I returned full time from 1975 – 76 to study for a B Ed having completed eighteen months part time study.