Meadow Well Riots

[OohBaldyBally]

I used to work in Howdon and a lad there had had a scalding hot lighter forced into his mouth because he’d grassed someone up for smashing up a corner shop during the riots.

Other lads in the factory from the Ridges talked about the riots as if If was some glorious campaign that they’d served in. These were lads in their 30’s and 40’s at the time, not bairns.

 

[Kevj]

It still is and always will be a shithole.

No matter how much money you invest in an area, unless the attitudes of the inhabitants change, nothing will ever change

Education changes attitudes.

 

[Slow joe]

Stones throw from my house, remember it well, was terrifying at the time. Think it was 1993ish so I'd have been 12-13.

 

[Gillythedilf]

I’d just arrived back from holiday the day after and I remember the taxi driver saying they were expecting it to spread to Sunderland that night. It didn’t.

I remember daft copy cat attempts in Southwick on Beaumont street .Big fire etc on the waistland by the shops and pinched cars onfire

 

[Slow joe]

...

 

[DH1]

'meadow well that's where wa from remember the riots from 1991'

 

[max wartbug]

Remember graffiti on the roof of a building reading "piss off" or similar. I was amazed at the thought and effort that had gone in to it just to abuse the police helicopter!

 

[Hank Scorpio]

I’d just arrived back from holiday the day after and I remember the taxi driver saying they were expecting it to spread to Sunderland that night. It didn’t.

Shortly after the riots (which as you say, didn’t spread to Sunderland), ITV released a documentary about Pennywell. It was grim viewing and attracted a lot of national attention. Images of feral kids chucking stuff at the police etc.

 

[Northumberland Rocks]

They got a lot of regeneration money invested in the area as well as the west end of Newcastle after that. City Challenge money I think it was called.

Perhaps the poorer areas of Sunderland should have rioted too and they may have got investment too.

 

[Bakerlooline]

them breathed a sigh of relief that I lived in Washington .

I bet it’s not often that happens.

Stones throw from my house, remember it well, was terrifying at the time. Think it was 1993ish so I'd have been 12-13.

91 mate.

A schoolmate’s dad from Farringdon, was doorman I think... anyway, he jumped straight in his car with a mate, camcorders in hand and made a small fortune selling the footage to the TV channels. He went through every night they went on. Enterprising is the word I think.

 

[Billy2Sheds]

They were just copycat riots after Brixton and Toxteth. The local vermin had seen pictures of them looting and thieving so wanted a piece of the action themselves.

Mmm it was 10 years later... I know news travels slower than it does today but...

 

[OOOSH YEAH]

People smashing up their own community. I really have never got this.

 

[Dark Traveller]

The Metro station in the Meadow Well area was originally called Smith’s Park, but after it was torched/wrecked during the riots, there was a public consultation with the locals it was rebuilt to what it looks like now and renamed Meadow Well.

 

[errant]

With hindsight, they’d be fucked by the time they walked to Sunderland.

i don't think that's how inner city decay works...

People smashing up their own community. I really have never got this.

poverty's version of a cry for help?

 

[OOOSH YEAH]

Remember back then Peterlee and a lot of places around the area I’m trying to put this correctly but it seemed ok to a fairly large amount of people to commit vehicle crime. Our local shop was ram raided twice. I remember they filled the alarms with wall insulation foam to stop the bells on them from ringing.

i don't think that's how inner city decay works...


poverty's version of a cry for help?

Probably aye. It was a really shit time back then or was around where I grew up. Obviously people have their own experience but personally looking back it was rough as fuck.

 

[Deleted member 5265]

I remember on the 2nd night when it spread to the west end (which was arguably worse and went on for another 3 nights until it rained) that my gran who lived in Benwell had to come and stay with us. At that time the west end had the highest arson rate in Europe (even before the riots).

The meadowell riots were kicked off by the deaths of 2 young joyriders (although their parents famously denied they were joyriders staring they were professional car thieves..) during a police chase where the community blamed the police. Both meadowell and the West end were tough places at the time with mass youth unemployment and the riots were always going to happen (not condoning people stoning and housing petrol bombs at the police and destroying property) it just seemed inevitable at the time.

I lived in student flats in Cruddas Park at the time and there weren’t riots in the west end that I remember. We were on the fourteenth floor and used to watch the joy riding though. There was maybe a fire or two. But there weren’t riots IIRC.

They were just copycat riots after Brixton and Toxteth. The local vermin had seen pictures of them looting and thieving so wanted a piece of the action themselves.

They weren’t.

 

[zwartekat]

Lived in a flat up Arthur's Hill. There was a distinct burning smell for a couple of mornings although the main action was deeper in the West End. Although it was handy for nights out at the time it was probably the worst place I ever lived. Moved on after being burgled 4 times in 6 months and just took a hit the sale of the flat. Shame because there were still some canny people lived round about.

 

[Bob Fleming]

Aye there were rumours it was all going to kick off down Hendon. So we went down for a neb. But nothing happened.

 

[Stato]

I started working for Sykes pop not long after the riots as a van lad and my round would Be meadowell on a sat afternoon.

Just about every door I had to knock on for empties had a massive dog behind it,so it was knock on the door and sprint as quick as I couldn’t back out the garden and shut the gate before door was open.

The area was very run down and a lot of empty/abandon houses at the time.


Went back late 90s to play football against North Shields fc who’s ground was bang in middle of it and it was like going to the Den at millwall.

Kids would be spitting at you from the sidelines and grown men in 40s/50s pissed singing songs and giving you loads of shit when you went near there side of pitch,we scored a late fee kick to level game at 2v2 and my team mate decided to run towards this group of around 40 blokes and celebrate his goal.(bad idear and he didn’t bother going in there bar after game for a pint)

Made his excuse and went home

There’s some footage of riots on YouTube with Tyne tees news interviewing the locals about what’s been happening.

 

[Billy2Sheds]

I lived in student flats in Cruddas Park at the time and there weren’t riots in the west end that I remember. We were on the fourteenth floor and used to watch the joy riding though. There was maybe a fire or two. But there weren’t riots IIRC.


They weren’t.

How Meadow Well riots spread to the West End of Newcastle

My family lived in Benwell and Scotswood it went on for 3 days one of the most famous images is of the dodds Arms in Elswick on fire. Can't believe you didn't remember it it made national news the home Secretary at the time visited meadowell and the west end in the aftermath. 1991.