A throwaway line in a recent Facebook post by North Shields Now and Then group owner Colin Sarin certainly got the tom-toms banging at NS173 HQ the other week.
Colin had mentioned that he had worked at Wilkinsons in the sixties….And since we have very little info about the activities of the firm post the 1941 bombing…it was clearly time for a chat….
Colin had left Linskill school and was 15 when he worked at Wilkinson’s between 1963-1965.
At that time the business was being run from a yard just up from King St Club, close to the junction with Tynemouth Road.
Colin worked as a van lad for the 3 wagon drivers delivering Wilkinson’s pop to businesses and homes across the town.
He recalls the following old-timers: Charlie Cobb (drove a Comma van), Billy Craig (drove a bullnose Austin) and Gordon Madgin.
He remembers carrying 12 bottle crates of pop down to King Edward’s Bay and along the Long Sands on hot summer days. In addition to deliveries he remembers regular trips across to the Joseph Wilkinson factory in Gateshead.
The manager in North Shields at that time (and here Colin’s memory is less sharp) was an Albert or Alfred Towns?
(now confirmed that a Mr Albert E Towns married Irene Wilkinson in 1962 – thanks Terry Wilkinson for the family research)
There was also 3 women working in the factory washing bottles and re-filling them with varieties of pop. At that time Wilkinson’s did not sell beer or alcoholic drinks.
Colin remembers working from 7.30 – 5.00 for £2.00 a week. He left for a better paid job.
Big thanks to Colin!
If you have further information…please get in touch!
Here’s a piece about Billy Craig – researched by Jim Rickard some years ago.
Found this article to be very interesting as in my childhood days in the mid 1960s I lived on Askew Road West and a couple of streets away I can recall a Wilkinson’s soda factory/warehouse being burnt down ! However, 50yrs on and living in Australia I have lost contact with friends and family from that area and any Geordies I have met from the area I have always asked them if they could recall the fire or the existence of Wilkinson…But no-one seems to be able to shed any light on the matter. So if there is any one out there that knows of wilkinsons location in Gateshead… I would be very interested
Hi Neil,
Joseph Wilkinson was at 95 and 97 Cuthbert Street, Gateshead and they had cellars and offices in Tyrrell Terrace off Cuthbert Street.
Hope that helps.
Peter
Hi peter,
WOW… what a surprise your blog was.. for years and years it seemed like I was the only one that had any re-collections of wilkinsons being in Gateshead…. and your info has confirmed that I haven’t been dreamin it for the past 40 yrs or so !!!
My quest, to find out more about wilkinsons , really came about awhile back when I was browsing articles on Gateshead and Tyneside.. and I came across some old tv footage and on one clip there seems to be a workshop/factory with crates (wooden ) stacked in the yard of this business. the factory has a a tall chimney, all the rest seemed familiar.. but the chimney threw me.. as I could have sworn it was wilkinsons property ?I have searched for other factories but nothing comes up, ive added a link below for the vid… take notice around the 20second mark !!! Thanks again for your info !! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rM9eZlcd3E Would be interested on any of your thoughts or comments
cheers
neil hammond