Commemoration Stone

This stone beside the Civic Centre commemorates the historic visit of Jimmy Carter to Newcastle upon Tyne in 1977.  Masses of people lined the streets to see him.  Jimmy addressed the crowds outside of the Civic Centre and won them over with his opening words 'Howay the lads' - a well known Geordie saying often used at football matches which means 'Come on the boys.'   I wasn't there that day but Mr YB was and remembers it well.

In July that year the Queen came to visit Newcastle as part of her Silver Jubilee Tour and I remember seeing her arrive at the Quayside on the Royal Yacht Britannia.  Several days later the boxing legend Muhammed Ali visited the city.  So all in all 1977 was quite a year for the Newcastle upon Tyne.