Blob Thing has been writing about his trip to see Saint George's Church in Jesmond, Newcastle.
The first half of his account can be found here. Though he's written about it today the trip actually took place at the end of June. I'm really not quite sure why we were walking through Jesmond past the church but I'm pretty sure that Blob's theory about the streets changing their configuration to confuse us wasn't what really happened.
I'd often heard that St. George's is an attractive church, full of interesting things, but I'd never got round to visiting it. On that day, since we were passing, we decided to go in. Or were we intentionally passing it? Five months later I have no idea. But I do have lots of photos of the place.
Five months ago I also picked up a leaflet telling me about most of what you'll see in these pictures.
Do I know what happened to that leaflet?
Of course not.
So can I manage to give you any useful information about the church and its contents?
Of course not.
If you want to know what anything is I can only suggest that you pay a visit to the church and find out for yourself. I'd recommend the trip. And from there it's only a short walk either to cafes or to the prettiness of Jesmond Dene, a beautiful spot paid for by Lord Armstrong who provided employment for many in and around Newcastle and got extremely rich too.
Much of that wealth was obtained in the traditional British manner: Arms dealing across the world.
His company even kept up that lofty tradition of selling arms to both sides in a war, in this case the American Civil War. A true Brit!
Lots of people died through the use of Armstrong's weaponry and warships. And he had no qualms or worries about making the tools of death. He wasn't worried that making the weapons of war would cause the interests of humanity to suffer. Did arming the Japanese against the Russians cause such suffering? Did arming the Americans against each other cause such suffering? I'll leave you to make up your own minds or to argue the outrageous slings and arrows of history.
On the plus side - at least for people here - his ship yard employed 25,000 people, he founded Newcastle University, helped fund the Hancock Museum and pushed for the use of renewable energy. His heir coughed up the cash to build the Royal Victoria Infirmary. The proceeds of death bringing life.
And he gave us a couple of parks that I like to walk through.
But none of that is pertinent to this post. All I have for you here are photographs taken at the end of June at Saint George's Church, Jesmond. The church has been a worshipping community since 1888 and is a parish of the Church of England with worship in the catholic (high church) tradition. The building was paid for by Charles Mitchell, a member of the parish, who was a business partner of the above mentioned Lord Armstrong. There is glass by T. R. Spence and the altar is by Ralph Hedley. There is a blue plaque commemorating Headley in Spital Tongues. Something for me to go and see one day and to create a little adventure round.
With no further delay, let the photographs commence.
