TheJournal~ Fantasy tale
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TheJournal~ Thursday,October 29, 1998 Regional ~ Fantasy tale Children's book spotlights statues of Newcastle ByTonyHenderson ~nvironmentEditor A GOLDEN boyhood memory . has inspired writer Chris Goulding and illustrator Chris Mabbott to put the Toon into cartoon. The pair, who are near neighbours in Jesmond,haveteamed up to '. produce a cartoon book tale of how statues in Newcastle come to life one Christmas Eve. The result, Tinseltoon, is the first. children's book to be published by Newcastle Libraries and Information Service and is expected to be a big seller at £4.99for Christmas stockings. And in the book the two Chris's have included a ritual which they say has become a regular part of Newcastle's nightlife. Among the statues which are brought to life are railway pioneer George Stephenson, who stands in . Westgate Road, and the four classical figures representing North-East industries who sit at his .feet. . "They continually end up with . traffic Conesontheir headsin what has become a modern folk tradition in Newcastle. So we had to have . them wearing the cones in the book," said Chris Goulding.. The book is narrated by Grainger the cat, who while prowling around the city sees the golden lady on the top of the Northern -<~ldsmith's clock in Pi.1grimSffeetspring to life. She flies fairy-like over the city, sprinkling magic.dust on the statues, who climb down from their pedestals and buildings for a night - of high jinks. The first to mQveare the statues of two mayors of Newcastle, John Marleyand Roger Thornton, then engraver Thomas Bewick and the knight Harry Hotspur. Earl Grey slides down his monument and the 19th Century inventor and industrialist Lord Armstrong decides to pay a visit to his Swing Bridge creation. Queen Victoria joins in and is followed by St George, a miner, King Neptune and Jackie Milburn, who organises a football match among the statues in Northumberland Street. Former tax inspector Chris Goulding is now a writer and actor, who has appeared in TV's Byker .. Grove and in Catherine Cookson dramas, and is also a post-graduate student at Newcastle University. He is also the author of the library , service's best-selling Hidden Newcastle book, on the little-known curiosities to be found in the city. He said: "It started as a bed-time story off the top of my head for the children of friends. "As a child I had always been conscious of the statues looking down on people and used to wonder what would happen if they came to life." Raised in Chester-le-Street, he would come on shopping trips to the city with his mother. "We would get off the bus at Worswick Street and walk up Pilgrim Street, and the first thing I used to see was the golden lady on the top of the clock. ''Living in a small town like Chester-le-Street, Newcastle was . always a special place for me. ''People would be surprised if they stopped to consider how many statues there are in Newcastle but they tend to go 'unnoticed as people go about their business." He hopes that the book will have an educational benefit for youngsters. "The worry is that they don't look at anything unless it is on a TV or computer screen, and don't notice their surrolUldings as much as earlier generations. . "We hope that from the book they can learn something of the city's hif!tory,of why certain people were commemorated and what a fine place Newcastle is." Chris Mabbott, who worked as a t~ch~r for};?_year~ !tad~C?£i put5IISfiea in Puncn.and other magazines. He now works as a supply teacher so that he can devote more time to his work as a cartoonist and illustrator. He said: "The book opened my eyes to how many statues there are in the city and a lot of research went into each picture." The book is available only at Newcastle Central Library until Monday, when it will be on sale in shops. . THE four statues of Roger Thornton, John' Marley, Thomas Bewick and Harry Hotspur are on a building in Northumberland Street, opposite Saville Row.- Jackie Milburn's statue is at St James'sPark. . The miner stands on top of Burt Hall in Northumberland Road, opposite the City Hall. The golden lady in Pilgrim Street has an identical sister in Westgate .. . . Cl Tlnseltoon - statues come to life Funsaga: Left, the golden lady on Northern Goldsmiths' clock. Right, the golden lady and the' cat in the story. Bottom, left, author Chris Goulding, top, and illustrator Chris Mabbott with one of the Stephenson statue figures. Bottom right, Stephenson and his "mates" dance in the story. - , Road. Queen Victoria sits outside St Nicholas Cathedral. Lord Armstrong is in front of the Hancock Museum. King Neptune stands on top of the old Fish Market on the Quayside. St George and the Dragon are in Old Eldon Square. THE METROCEr.rrq
Transcript of TheJournal~ Fantasy tale
TheJournal~ Thursday,October 29, 1998 Regional~
Fantasy taleChildren's bookspotlights statuesof NewcastleByTonyHenderson~nvironmentEditor
AGOLDEN boyhood memory .
has inspired writer ChrisGoulding and illustrator Chris
Mabbott to put the Toon into cartoon.The pair, who are near neighbours
in Jesmond,haveteamedup to '.
produce a cartoon book tale of howstatues in Newcastle come to life oneChristmas Eve.
The result, Tinseltoon, is the first.children's book to be published byNewcastle Libraries andInformation Service and is expectedto be a big seller at £4.99forChristmas stockings.
And in the book the two Chris'shave included a ritual which theysay has become a regular part ofNewcastle's nightlife.
Among the statues which arebrought to life are railway pioneerGeorge Stephenson, who stands in .
Westgate Road, and the fourclassical figures representingNorth-East industries who sit at his.feet. .
"They continually end up with. traffic Conesontheir headsin what
has become a modern folk traditionin Newcastle. Sowe had to have .them wearing the cones in the book,"said Chris Goulding..
The book is narrated by Graingerthe cat, who while prowling aroundthe city sees the golden lady on thetop of the Northern -<~ldsmith'sclock in Pi.1grimSffeetspring to life.She flies fairy-like over the city,sprinkling magic.dust on the statues,who climb down from theirpedestals and buildings for a night -of high jinks.
The first to mQveare the statuesof two mayors of Newcastle, JohnMarleyand Roger Thornton, thenengraver Thomas Bewick and theknight Harry Hotspur.
Earl Grey slides down hismonument and the 19th Centuryinventor and industrialist LordArmstrong decides to pay a visit tohis Swing Bridge creation.
Queen Victoria joins in and isfollowed by St George, a miner, KingNeptune and Jackie Milburn, whoorganises a football match amongthe statues in NorthumberlandStreet.
Former tax inspector ChrisGoulding is now a writer and actor,who has appeared in TV's Byker
..
Grove and in Catherine Cooksondramas, and is also a post-graduatestudent at Newcastle University.
He is also the author of the library ,service's best-selling HiddenNewcastle book, on the little-knowncuriosities to be found in the city.
He said: "It started as a bed-timestory off the top of my head for thechildren of friends.
"As a child I had always beenconscious of the statues lookingdown on people and used to wonderwhat would happen if they came tolife."
Raised in Chester-le-Street, hewould come on shopping trips to thecity with his mother.
"Wewould get off the bus atWorswick Street and walk upPilgrim Street, and the first thing Iused to see was the golden lady onthe top of the clock.
''Living in a small town likeChester-le-Street, Newcastle was
. always a special place for me.''People would be surprised if they
stopped to consider how manystatues there are in Newcastle butthey tend to go 'unnoticed as peoplego about their business."
He hopes that the book will havean educational benefit foryoungsters.
"The worry is that they don't lookat anything unless it is on a TV orcomputer screen, and don't noticetheir surrolUldings as much asearlier generations. .
"Wehope that from the book theycan learn something of the city'shif!tory,of why certain people werecommemorated and what a fineplace Newcastle is."
Chris Mabbott, who worked as at~ch~r for};?_year~ !tad~C?£iput5IISfieain Puncn.and othermagazines. He now works as asupply teacher so that he can devotemore time to his work as a cartoonistand illustrator.
He said: "The book opened myeyes to how many statues there arein the city and a lot of research wentinto each picture."
The book is available only atNewcastle Central Library untilMonday, when it will be on sale inshops.. THE four statues of RogerThornton, John' Marley, ThomasBewick and Harry Hotspur are on abuilding in Northumberland Street,opposite Saville Row.-
Jackie Milburn's statue is at StJames'sPark. .
The miner stands on top of BurtHall in Northumberland Road,opposite the City Hall.
The golden lady in Pilgrim Streethas an identical sister in Westgate
.. .
.Cl
Tlnseltoon - statues come to lifeFunsaga: Left, the golden ladyon Northern Goldsmiths' clock.Right, the golden lady and the'cat in the story. Bottom, left,author Chris Goulding, top,and illustrator Chris Mabbottwith one of the Stephenson
statue figures. Bottomright, Stephenson andhis "mates" dance in thestory.
-,
Road. Queen Victoria sits outside StNicholas Cathedral.
Lord Armstrong is in front of theHancock Museum.
King Neptune stands on top of theold Fish Market on the Quayside.
St George and the Dragon are inOld Eldon Square. THE METROCEr.rrq
. .RegionalNews 3
tale.
Cl sTinseltoon- statuescometo life
Funsaga: Left, the golden ladyon Northern Goldsmiths' clock.Right, the golden lady and the'cat in the story. Bottom, left,author Chris Goulding, top,and illustrator Chris Mabbottwith one of the Stephenson
statue figures. Bottom~ right,Stephensonand
. his "mates" dance in thestory.
Road.Queen Victoria sits outside StNicholas Cathedral.
Lord Armstrong is in front of theHancock Museum.
King Neptune stands on top of theold Fish Market on the Quayside.
St George and the Dragon are inOld Eldon Square.
."
- THE METROCENTRE. SATURDAY31STOCTOBER~, ~~
