Expat recalls six pence Oxo drinks at the baths and watching Engelbert Humperdinck at Steels Club

Ian Kemp, 82, lives 3,000 miles away in Naples, Florida, but he still keeps in touch with the Sunderland Echo and follows the fortunes of SAFC.

He responded to our recent article – on memories of the Newcastle Road baths – and also described life in the USA under the pandemic.

We are indebted to the former Monkwearmouth Grammar School pupil for sharing some great memories.

Ian had vivid memories of learning to swim at the baths and said: “Once a week, the class would walk to the baths.”

He recalled a teacher called Mr Duckworth, who was ‘a stickler but very fair’ and taught him to swim.

“I also remember the Oxo drink after the swims, think they cost sixpence.

“Ironically a swimming pool was to be built at the Monkwearmouth Central School, before it changed to a grammar school. But the plans were halted when the Second World War started, consequently the pool was never built, although the foundations were still there in 1949.”

Ian also responded when we took a nostalgic look inside Sunderland’s nightclubs recently.

“My best recollections of Sunderland nightclubs go back to the 60’s. Weatheralls on the Green, some good turns including Tom Jones.

“The Perama High Street West, saw Scott Peters who did excellent work of Sinatra’s songs, and of course the La Strada in Fawcett Street, beside the old Town Hall.

“Had some good Saturday nights at these venues.”

"Also the working men’s clubs were a great place to go. I remember seeing Engelbert Humperdink at Steels Club before he made his hit record Please Release Me.

“The cover charge was half a crown (old money).”

Ian was a keen footballer and said: “For many years I played for Roker Methodist football team.”

He has been in the USA since 1981 but he added: “I still follow the fortunes of Sunderland football club.”

He also told us about life under the pandemic in America and said: “As you are no doubt aware there have been substantial cases of Covid-19 in the USA.

“In our development we have had as far as I am aware only two positive cases but they have since been given the all clear.

“Most people are wearing masks when they go out shopping or to doctors visits.

“Restaurants are open with supposedly social distancing between the tables.

“Our golf course is open for play with several restrictions in place, such as one person only in the golf cart, unless they are living together. There are no rakes in the bunkers, no removal of the flag stick, there is a special lifting device in the hole for which to remove the ball. All carts are sanitised before and after usage.”

Ian left school in 1953 and ‘went to Doxfords to serve an apprenticeship for marine engineering’.

He added: “In 1959 I joined the merchant marine as a junior engineer, finally ending up as chief engineer.”

By 1976, he went to the company’s head office in Monaco to work in the new building department and ‘was offered a position as a superintendent engineer in the London office. This meant leaving Sunderland to go south.”

In 1981, Ian was transferred to New York to manage a small fleet of oil tankers.

“In 1999 I went to the Miami office until retiring in 2005 and moved to Naples to the home we built in 2000.”

Our thanks go to Ian for some great memories and we would love to hear from others who would like to reflect on life in Sunderland in times gone by.

Are you a former Sunderland person who would like to tell us about your memories of Wearside? We would love to hear from you.

Or are you someone who till lives in the Sunderland area and would like to reminisce on a favourite school, workplace, pub, restaurant or nightclub?

We would love you to share your memories and we would especially like to hear from people who have old photos of Wearside to share.

To get in touch with us, contact [email protected]

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