Janis Blower retires after 44 years with the Shields Gazette

Last Sunday (8th November 2015) I was invited to attend and represent the Tyne Area Shipping Club at a reunion evening with members of the ex. Tyne Dock Engineering personnel and others at the Alum Ale House South Shields.

GE DIGITAL CAMERA
Janis and Brian with friends

Special guest for the evening was Janis Blower along with husband Brian.

Janis had recently retired from her work at the Shields Gazette, where she had worked for the past 44 years. She is very well known in the North East for her work with this newspaper (that is the Oldest Provincial  Evening Newspaper in the country.)

Continue reading “Janis Blower retires after 44 years with the Shields Gazette”

Four Generations of the Purvis Family

Four generations of Purvis’s representing the family tradition of piloting

Top Left: James Purvis, who in the 1920's at the age of 73, was the oldest working pilot on the river. He had three sons, George William, James and Thomas, all pilots. Top Right: George William Purvis, son of James (top left) Below Left: George William Purvis, son of George (top right) and grandson of James,was piloting on the river from 1947 until his retirement at the age of 70 in 1980. Below Right: George William Purvis, son of George William (below left) grandson of George William and great grandson of James, was piloting from 1966 until 1998.
Top Left: James Purvis, who in the 1920’s at the age of 73, was the oldest working pilot on the river. He had three sons, George William, James and Thomas, all pilots.
Top Right: George William Purvis, son of James (top left)
Below Left: George William Purvis, son of George (top right) and grandson of James,was piloting on the river from 1947 until his retirement at the age of 70 in 1980.
Below Right: George William Purvis, son of George William (below left) grandson of George William and great grandson of James, was piloting from 1966 until 1998.