paul mann

See that Water Water everywhere is ID'd as posted by Paul Mann - me. Not the case. Can't see how to contact the moderators so hopefully they'll pick this up.

Sad to see Bedlington struggling. Now the pits are gone it's actually a very pretty place in a very beautiful part of the world.

Good to see all this Northumbrian culcha.

Some of the simplest and greatest pleasures in life cannot be had in the U.S. - like sly cake.

The old picture house at the top end was The Prince Of Wales. Upstairs was barely a step up but cost a couple of pennies more than the stalls. When The Blue Lamp was shown there in the mid-1950's my dad, a local polis, was one of the presenters of crime exhibits on display in the foyer. The picture house at Bedlington Station was bigger with a real upstairs and was called The Wallaw. - Paul Mann.

Does anybody mind when an iron was an iron? Not one of them electrical things that spits steam and wettah, but a lump of heavy black iron shaped like an iron that your mam heated on the hob? It had a high handle clad with wood to stop you bornin' your mitts off and she had to iron owa a cloth so she wouldn't leave born marks or smuts on your short. But the hoose smelled great wi' the laundry dryin' in front o' the fire on weshin' day.

Can anybody remember when bread and dripping with salt was a health food?

Amazing how a book about growing up in Bedlington in the 1950's can start ripples that spread over 50 years. With the Kindle version out for six months now it's been a joy to get contacts from old classmates at Westridge and crack on via email about the old days. Still a lot of old mates in the area but many more have scattered to the four corners of the earth. For those who may be interested the print version is out on Amazon next week.

Looks like one thing hasn't changed in 50 years. The police still manipulate crime statistics to make it look like they're solving more crimes than they are. The average crime resolution rate is around 20 percent. The police always claim higher than 50 percent.

Just heard about the Bob Rich connection to The Bedlington Terriers and watched the BBC doco. Anybody know when the next cup match will be? I understand the Terriers will have to return to Buffalo for the rematch after the yanks hammered them 5-0. Buffalo is a day's drive away for me - I'd head up to see the next one.

Fifty five years ago around this time of year my dad took me to my first leek show at Netherton. As more leek seasons passed and I learned about leek slashings and thieving and miner's wives who sat up all night with a poker to ward off leek saboteurs I thought it was all just another slice of life in Bedlington. Which was a lively place back then with plenty of likely lads. The first year I worked at the Chronicle in Newcastle I was assigned to write about the leek shows. I still remember the intro word for word: "Autumn, season of mists and mellow fruitfulness - and for thousands of northeast miners, season of leeks." It was too. Thousands of miners throughout Northumberland and Durham showing thousands of leeks at hundreds of leek shows. I never imagined one day I'd write a book about it or that it would take me most of my life. But, it was all so vivid and colourful it stuck in my head forever. And when I realised how unique it was, and after talking to other writers, how important it was, I knew it had to be put into a book. And that's how The Leek Club came about. And there isn't a leek show season goes by that I don't think of those cool damp nights and that warm hall with the leeks all washed and cleaned up for judging. Last April/May when I was back, I stayed with my old friend from West Lea, Elizabeth Tate, now at Haydon Bridge, and was tickled to meet an old bloke - same age as me - who still grew leeks for show. He even had a bunch of them stolen - the cheeky buggers used his wheelbarrow to carry them to the getaway car.

Just read a note from Patsy Bower on Kindle for The Leek Club - the girl who sparked a brawl in the Clayton Ballroom 50 years ago - and she's still with the bloke who punched me! Glad to have been of service.

Well done - more memories.

Better late than never - some publicity about the leek club in the news post leader. Now, maybe North East Life will run its piece. http://www.newspostleader.co.uk/news/local/writer-goes-back-to-his-roots-for-latest-book-1-4568175

Back in the States after my flying visit to Bedlington and wanted to thank everybody who turned out. The reading at The Black Bull, while sparsely attended, was fun. I gather we could have promoted it better. But, it was a highlight to read for Tom Pickard and to have The Leek Club banned by Lionheart Radio. I want to thank Chris and Sue and John Singleton and Colin Patterson for all they did to give it a push. The rest is up to social media and word of mouth. I'll keep you all posted. Paul M.

No hard copy yet so even I can't get one. Should be up in another month or so. In the meantime, you don't need a Kindle as long as you have a P.C. You can download the Kindle app free from the Amazon site. Paul M.

Hello again, For those who want to revisit a slice of Bedlington history from the 1950's and get some idea of The Leek Club, to ask questions or just to have a bit crack, I'll be doing a reading at The Black Bull, 7.30 p.m. Friday, April 27th. All welcome. Paul Mann.

24 hours later than planned The Leek Club is up on Kindle. It's for the funny price of six pounds seventeen, which must be 5.99 with VAT. All feedback welcomed .

Looks like technical glitches will delay Kindle availability of The Leek Club for a couple of days - will advise as soon as it's up there.

Just heard the Chronicle ran a two page spread on The Leek Club - hopefully they'll send me the link. It's six weeks till the book comes out but there's nothing like a bit of advance advance publicity. Paul Mann.

My mam used to say: 'Don't throw food in the fire, you're feeding the devil.' I thought she was daft.

I have a friend who visited her son and his wife in Philadelphia and he took her to an upscale pizza place that featured a pizza with braised leeks - she said it was scrumptious. Paul M.