Friday , March 29 2024

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Here Comes the Sun

What beautiful weather weve been having this week. I would like to suggest that all this rain has been good for the garden but unless you own a rice paddy then thats probably not true. Some areas of the country have been really badly hit but I suppose weve been fairly …

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Smoke Signals

In a few days time the no smoking ban will finally be introduced to workplaces and enclosed public areas in England. As usual with anything contentious, the government have tested out the policy in other countries in the British Isles first… and SHOCK! HORROR! It worked!   I am not …

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Hi Jean! How are Ya?

After suffering a very bad attack of food poisoning earlier in the year (which was, I’m afraid, attributed to a local restaurant) I am heartened to see that a new scheme has been setup to rate the hygiene in all food premises in our area. The Tees Valley Food Hygiene …

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Restoring the HMS Trincomalee

In July 1987 Trincomalee, still called the TS Foudroyant, was transported to Hartlepool by a special chartered barge. The Foudroyant Trust, with the aid of cash from Hampshire County Council, had commissioned a study regarding the best option for the ship’s future. Hartlepool was selected on the strength of the …

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History of the HMS Trincomalee

In 1812 a set of plans for two new Leda Class Frigates were drawn up in England. Why a frigate? Frigates were light, fast and agile warships that generally concentrated their firepower on one deck. In terms of both firepower and armour they were no match for a ship of the …

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History of the HMS Trincomalee (Page 2)

Due to the end of the Napoleonic Wars (1819), Great Britain’s naval strength was reduced. After fitting out, which cost a further £2400, Trincomalee was placed ‘in ordinary’ – that is she was roofed over, had her masts removed, and was placed in Portsmouth harbour under general maintenance until such …

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At Odds with Society

Sometimes Hartlepool really delights me with how good it can be to live here – We’ve got lots of green spaces, a fairly efficient council, a good standard of social housing, a brewery, some good museums and heritage sites and if you look hard enough then you can find just …

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Lights! Camera! Inaction!

Having a bit of free time (and a hangover from a session at the Pint and Fight on Sunday night) I needed a quiet diversion to while away the daylight hours on Monday. Darkness was the thing needed to help with the head, so after consulting the current Mrs Headlander …

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We Don’t Need No Educayshun

There’s no avoiding it any longer… we have a problem here in Hartlepool that just isn’t being addressed properly. Adult education. I keep running into the thick and ignorant on my daily ramblings round the town. Perhaps Im just unlucky. I have a gut feeling that a significant proportion of …

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Bleating about Eating

Anyone who reads this twaddle regularly will know that my great passion is food and beer… No wait a minute… my TWO great passions are food, beer and moaning… hang on now – my THREE great passions are food, beer, moaning and old Monty Python sketches. Well anyway being a …

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Fading Fashions

What is this latest fashion craze that is sweeping the country (well.. Hartlepool anyway)! Young and middle aged women have decided that the ?in thingis to go out wearing an item of pregnancy clothing? the Pinafore dress!   Is this really the latest fashion or are a large proportion of …

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We Are Not a Loon

Well Im back from my break in Scotland and Ive been catching up on the news courtesy of our reliable organ of truth the Hartlepool Mail. In amongst the usual stories of convictions for shoplifting and continuing football success (well done Pools by the way!) was a brilliant one about …

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A Public Nuisance

As he said last week, Mr Headlander and his long suffering spouse are having a break out of town this week. Theyve gone for a drinking week up in Scotland and theyve asked me to stand in for them. No problem here Ive got lots and lots to sound off …

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Grub up!

As any resident of our little North Eastern Paradise will be aware Hartlepool is lousy with restaurants Hang on a minute lets clarify this a bit that doesnt mean that its lousy for restaurants or that its a lousy town with restaurants, it simply means that its a town with …

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Park and Ride

Ding ding fares please – Two to the local park please Mr Conductor. What Three farthings each Thats a bit steep isnt it Once upon a time Granddad & Grandmama Headlander may have travelled this way to the park for their Saturday constitutional. But, with a few exceptions not anymore! …

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Paraskavidekatriaphobia

If youre reading this soon after publication, welcome to Friday 13th. One comes around every few months and its the day where superstitious plonkers everywhere delight in telling us sensible folks that we all have to be very careful or a great misfortune will befall us. We all secretly know …

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Trincomalee Pictures

Britain’s oldest warship afloat! The wooden frigate – previously called HMS Foudroyant has become the symbol for Hartlepool and takes pride of place in the center of Hartlepool’s Historic Quay and Maritime Experience. You can come and visit the Trincomalee and climb aboard to see what it was like to captain a …

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BONG – Here is the News

Good evening and here is the Ten o Clock news, read by Moira Stewart Today a hard working, long serving female news reader was fired from the BBC for allegedly being too old and ugly to face the TV cameras anymore. Moira Stewart, 55, from London, was said to be …

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Spanking the Monkey

Crime has struck in our beloved town again! A drug addict has stolen the charity money which passers by throw into the bowl thats held by the brass monkey mounted by the inner lock gates at the Marina. Fortunately the powers that be have seen fit to jail the nasty …

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Diary of a Madman

Brriiinnnggg!!! At 6:30 am on Tuesday morning the alarm clock rang in my ears and I arose and readied myself for the exciting day that lay ahead of me. An important day this and one that had me excited with expectation all week I was off on a quick errand …

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Quaking in my Boots

Anyone up for a nice chat and (probably) a free cup of tea Well, being the centre of world events that it is, Hartlepool is hosting a half day seminar next Tuesday to help local firms and other organisations plan in the event of a terrorist attack and its FREE! …

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Gerrem Orf!

How happy am I this week Answer: VERY! Loads of awful programmes featuring premium rate phone lines have been withdrawn. Unfortunately it seems that this is only on a temporary basis. ITV have suspended their god awful late night interactive quiz channel and all their other programs containing premium rate …

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Service with a Sneer

What has happened to politeness in this lovely little town of ours? In fact Ill extend that whats happened to it everywhere in England? Whilst the average man or woman in the street is usually friendly, nice and helpful with a quick smile and ready wit, in some cases it …

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Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre

Visit the ever popular Town Hall Theatre, where performances, be it theatre, variety, music, comedy or dance, indulge enthusiastic audiences The Box Office The Box Office is situated in Hartlepool Art Gallery & Tourist Information Centre – Church Square, Hartlepool, TS24 7EQ. Telephone 01429 890 000 Tickets for shows at …

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Infamy, Infamy, They’ve all got in Infamy!

Myself, Mrs Headlander, her sister Camella and brother in law Boss Hogg were sat around having a quiet drink last night watching the footy on the telly Newcastle were playing a Belgian side called The Zulus or something similar – when I threw out the old challenge Can anyone think …

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The Valentine’s Day Massacre

Bloody Valentines Day indeed! Over the past few weeks, the Mem-Sahib drilled into my little grey cells that she was buying me a puppy for Valentines Day. Whats more it would be a Spaniel as she knows that I adore them I get all gooey and start going aaahhh a …

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Astride the Rock Of Justice

You know I really do like living in Hartlepool. I may moan about it a lot but compared to a lot of places it really is pretty good. Of course it has its problems, the main one being a high unemployment rate, but when you compare the headlines from the …

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In Sickness and in More Sickness

You may have noticed, dearest reader, that there was no blog entry last week. This was because Ive been very ill with food poisoning from which Im still recovering. Heres what happened: Two weeks ago, before my last uploaded blog entry, myself and Mrs H went for a lunchtime meal …

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Take the Doorstep Challenge

Here at Chez Headlander weve been troubled by a plague of doorstep salespeople this week (well 3 anyway). In my experience it seems that anyone who knocks on your door unannounced and who isnt a friend or a neighbour only ever wants one of two things your money or your …

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Gallery of images – building the nuclear power station

Building Hartlepool nuclear power station is a collection of over a hundred images taken during the construction of the Reactor Hall Building and the construction of the two pre-stressed concrete Pressure Vessels which contain the reactors and boilers. The images date from summer 1969 – summer 1972 Building of the power …

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Old Pictures of Hartlepool

Surrounded on three sides by the sea, the Magnesium Limestone headland or peninsula called the Heugh at Hartlepool is more familiarly known as Old Hartlepool.

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Old Pictures of Hartlepool

Hartlepool was originally two towns, the ancient town of Hartlepool ‘Old Hartlepool’, known locally as the Headland, and the more recent ‘West Hartlepool’. They amalgamated in 1967 to form what is now the single entity known as Hartlepool.

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Wind Turbine Pictures

The Wind Turbines – Near Elwick, Hart & Dalton Villages were a love it or hate it sight on Hartlepool’s skyline when first installed.

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Church Street Pictures

Fully restored to its former glory Church Street is full of beautiful architecture from back in the days when trams used to grace its streets. You can see our old pictures of Church Street in our Gallery too!

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The Headland Pictures

In prehistoric times Hartlepool’s headland is thought to have been an isolated tidal island covered by thick forests. In the nineteenth century during excavation of the adjacent marshy area called the Slake, trunks of trees from the ancient forest were found embedded in the clay along with antlers and the …

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Seaton Carew Pictures

A splendid promenade connects the Marina with one of the Victorian’s favourite North-East resorts. Seaton Carew with its miles of broad golden sands and safe sheltered bathing is still the perfect venue for a traditional family day out at the seaside. See also: Old Pictures of Seaton Carew.  

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Summerhill Pictures

Summerhill is a 100 – acre site on the edge of Hartlepool being transformed for the benefit of conservation and outdoor sports.

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Ward Jackson Park Pictures

Ward Jackson Park, Covering 8.1 hectares, is one of the most original in the North East region. Provided by public money in 1883 to commemorate one of Hartlepool’s greatest entrepreneurs, Ralph Ward Jackson.    

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Hartlepool Marina Pictures

Hartlepool Marina is one of the most modern Marina facilities in Europe. Featuring one of Europe’s biggest boat hoists and attracting hundreds of vessels, the £60 million Marina is Hartlepool’s most alluring and relaxing location.

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Heugh Battery Pictures

Heugh Battery and its sister sites were first conceived in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars to protect the important port and ship building centre of Hartlepool from attack by sea. Pictures with thanks to the Heugh Battery trust. You can find out more about visiting the Heugh Battery here. …

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Gallery of images 2 – building the nuclear power station

Building Hartlepool nuclear power station is a collection of over a hundred images taken during the construction of the Reactor Hall Building and the construction of the two pre-stressed concrete Pressure Vessels which contain the reactors and boilers. The images date from summer 1969 – summer 1972  

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History of the Heugh Battery

Heugh Battery and its sister sites were first conceived in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars to protect the important port and ship building centre of Hartlepool from attack by sea. In 1859 a more substantial battery was constructed, which required the sealing of ancient caves in the cliffs below …

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Special / Alternative Schools in Hartlepool

Hartlepool PRU Seaton Lane Hartlepool TS25 1HN Tel: (01429) 265637 Catcote School Catcote Road Hartlepool TS25 4EZ Headteacher: Mr A Chapman Tel: (01429) 264036 Fax: (01429) 234452 Email: admin.catcote@school.hartlepool.gov.uk Springwell School Wiltshire Way Hartlepool TS26 0TB Headteacher: Mr K Telfer Tel: (01429) 280600 Fax: (01429) 230717 Email: admin.springwell@school.hartlepool.gov.uk   Pupil …

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Colleges in Hartlepool

Hartlepool Sixth Form College Hartlepool Sixth Form College has the widest choice of academic courses at level 3 (A level, AS level, Applied A level and BTEC) in the area and in the last five years has the highest pass rate at A level in the Tees Valley. Brinkburn, Hartlepool, …

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Secondary Schools in Hartlepool

Dyke House School Mapleton Road Hartlepool TS24 8NQ Headteacher: Mr W Jordon CBE Tel: (01429) 266377 Fax: (01429) 866404 Email: admin@dykehouse.hartlepool.sch.uk English Martyrs RC School & Sixth Form College Catcote Road Hartlepool TS25 4HA Headteacher: Mr J Hughes Tel: (01429) 273790 Fax: (01429) 273998 Email: admin@ems.hartlepool.sch.uk Website: http://www.ems.hartlepool.sch.uk/ High Tunstall …

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Primary Schools in Hartlepool

Barnard Grove Primary School Barnard Grove Hartlepool TS24 9SD Headteacher: Mr B Lennard Tel: (01429) 230300 Fax: (01429) 230301 Email: admin.barnardgrove@school.hartlepool.gov.uk Brougham Primary School Brougham Terrace Hartlepool TS24 8EY Headteacher: Mrs S Clarke (Acting) Tel: (01429) 273663 Fax: (01429) 231171 Email: admin.brougham@school.hartlepool.gov.uk Clavering Primary School Clavering Road Hartlepool TS27 3PN Headteacher: …

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