History

Here is a selection of the photos from the clubs long history, and underneath those is a history of the club written in 1959.

From “Uncle” Jimmy Linkleter (1959)

Tynemouth Sailing was founded during the late 1880’s, their boat house being a wooden erection at the north side of the Haven, practically on the same site as the present club house. The club boats at that time were mostly centre board canoes, yawl rigged, balanced lug sails. One member worthy of mention at that time, being a Mr Kipling, a canoeist of international fame. He had two boats – the “Spruce” and the “Slipper” both of which had sliding seats to enable to crew to sit outboard and keep the craft on her feet. Kipling, at that early date competed with his boats in races as far afield as the USA.

The membership at that time included Mr McConnell of “Olde House” Tynemouth and his brother, the latter unfortunately was drowned along with a man called Bell, when the latter’s canoe, in running back to Blyth in a stiff SE wind turned over in Blyth Bay. The club at that time did not have a very long lease of life, as during a heavy winter gale, the high tide broke into the boathouse and wrecked most of the boasts that were housed inside. Shortly afterwards, the RNLI lifeboat house on the south side of the haven became vacant. The TSC was reformed and became tenants to the RNLI for the lifeboat house.

At that time a Mr Hurst was commodore and the fleet consisted of a mixed lot of boats ranging from Cutters – long legged – down to smaller centre board boats. About 1910/12, Capt (later Major) Burton became commodore with HB Nisbet as Vice,  C. Featonby and Spencer being Secretary & Treasurer. The old “Zulu” was at that time owned by Guy Clepham and his brother, junior members, and they several times sailed this little boat as far north as Perth. On more than one occasion the club suffered the loss of a number of the larger boats in September gales. Capt. Burton’s “White Heather” breaking adrift from her moorings and dragged right through Rogersons Jetty on the south side (Battery Point), the damage causing the final demolition of the construction.

The 1914/18 war put a stop to all sailing from the Haven. After the war, a new committee was formed, the flag officers being the same, viz:  Major Burton – Commodore, with H.B. Nisbet – Vice, Harry L Heslop (Son of R. Oliver Heslop the Newcastle historian) Hon. Secretary. James Linkleter – Treasurer. Committee, J. Lishman and Mark Potter (of “Potters Rock” fame). It was at this time that the club became owners of the lifeboat house, purchased at a very low figure from the RNLI, through the good offices of Major Burton, at that time local secretary for the RNLI.

It is also interesting to note that the club rules were formulated prior to the First World War and with two alterations and additions, are practically the same today. Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Major Burton retired and H.B. Nisbet became commodore, with W.A. Linkleter Vice for a short while, followed by Mr Ridley Copeland and Mr Frank Mallett. Thanks to the efforts of Mr Cecil Gre, who took charge of all the club documents during the Second World War, the records were kept, and at his instigation a meeting was held as soon as it was possible to return to the Haven, when Flag Officers and a Committee were elected. J. Linkleter – Commodore, I. Slater – Vice.

It was at this meeting that it was first proposed to try to obtain permission from the commissioners to erect a club house on the North side of the Haven, and through the assistance of Mr Jack Liddell, a new member at the time, some old army huts were purchased at Cragside, Rothbury and Netherwitton, which formed the start of the present club premises. Ian Slater took over Commodoreship, followed by Jack Liddell, then Kenneth Stanger and then Robin Steavenson.

It was just after the start of building the present club house that the present Commodore, Robin Steavenson joined, and introduced to us class dinghy sailing, resulting in the N.E. Coast eliminating trials for the Olympic Games (Fireflies) being held in the Tyne Estuary under the auspices of the T.S.C.