I'm told that it was a very cold night when I was born in the winter of 1947. It had been snowing heavily and my mam was in labour at our one-roomed downstairs flat in South Shields. The doctor was called and arrived straight from a dinner dance he had been attending and was still dressed in his formal evening suit.

John Bage - (7th boy from left side on back row - with dark pullover) c1954 at Barnes Road School, South Shields

I was christened at St. Mary's Church, Tyne Dock, South Shields. Godparents were uncle James Morrison, George Hannent and aunt Isabel Watling. We lived in the South Palmerston Sreet area for the first 10 years. I attended Barnes Road Infants and Junior Schools from the age of 5 years. The very first day is still etched into my memory. We were taken to school by our mothers and then left sitting on wooden forms in a room which I remember had wire mesh lockers for P.E. shoes along the walls. My main friends were Keith and Raymond Mackie who lived a few doors away in the same street, and Peter Finch, whose dad owned the Cobblers (Shoe repair) shop in Eldon Street which was nearby. I attended Dean Road Senior School from age 11. Encouraged by my excellent teacher, Mrs Pat Welch, I did well in my schoolwork and she also encouraged me to do reading of bible passages for the school morning assembly which I did quite often in the two years at the school, and I remember being extremely nervous doing this in front of several hundred people. At this time I moved area to Whiteleas Way, South Shields, which was a new 3 bed roomed council house on the edge of town....really out in the country as far as we were concerned, and an excellent 'adventure playground' for growing kids. I also spent almost a year at my Aunt Jean Husband's house at Tasmania Road, Brockley Whins, South Shields were I child-minded my cousin Allen for five shillings a week. With little or no parental supervision, this particular year could easily have been detrimental to my education and career. Cigarette smoking at this time was regarded as manly and grown-up, and I started the habit at this time. Much time was also spent wandering the streets of Brockley Whins with other girls and boys instead of doing homework.
At age 13 I passed an exam which led to my attending the South Shields Grammar Technical School for Boys. My parents were quite poor but managed to pay for the school uniform and other kit which was required, as well as buying me a super red racing bicycle as a 'well-done' present, and my transport to and from the school at Harton. The school was of very high quality, very strict about personal appearance and behaviour, and had excellent sporting and technical facilities. My friends at the school were Peter Finch, Andy Kelso, Rob Nicholson, Stan Simpson and Lester Hewitt. After passing G.C.E. exams I applied for and was successful in obtaining an Apprenticeship in Shipbuilding Draughting at the local shipyard of John Readhead & Sons, South Shields. Best friend at this time was Sandy (Alec) Hardie who was a welder at the shipyard.

I started in the Outfit Drawing Office, and worked there with some really nice people. Douglas Wilson was a senior, highly respected draughtsman. Dougie was the Secretary of Marsden Road Baptist Church for many years. Also in the office were Norman Musgrave, Eddie Weightman, Ray Liddle, Ronnie O'Cain, Len Barron, Ian Wilson, Ernie Russell. Others who worked in the other offices were Sylvia Graham, Linda Winter, Dennis Maccoy, John Horsburgh, Jim Wood (see newspaper article below), Gary Newman, Dave Moon, Fred Connaughton, Ronnie Clapham, Dave Warne, Dave Wilson, Dave Stephenson, Micky Dawson,  John Relph, Billy Cooper, Bob Hamilton, Ray Smith, Bob Redhead, Duncan Bedlington, Mavis Donkin and a few others whose names I can't remember. Des Cook was the Chief Draughtsman, Alistair Townsend was Technical Manager, George Atkins was Naval Architect and Bob Henderson was Yard Manager.

I left Swans in 1975 and started at Sunderland Shipbuilders.

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It was with a great deal of sadness that I read the following in the Shields Gazette on Saturday, Mar.20 2004 page 5;-

SAD LOSS OF TYNE JOB CAMPAIGNER by LEAH SHAW

A CRUSADER who worked tirelessly to bring work to Tyneside has died after a 15-month battle with cancer.

South Shields-born Jim Wood was instrumental in bringing big-cash projects and jobs to his native north east..............

Jim was a good friend of mine from when I started at Readheads in 1964 to 1975 when he moved with his family to the U.S.A. to work for an oil company. He was just 58 and only 4 years into his retirement when he died on Saturday 13th March. He was a great character, highly intelligent, excellent sense of humour and fun to be with, and we had many great nights out together................................and he still owes me a couple of beers!!!

                                           To be continued

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