Our story starts in the 1880's. The modern
day lake started out as
a duck pond at Paddy Freeman's farm in Heaton.
The overflow from the pond
filled a second pond lower down the Dene,
which Lord Armstrong used
to power an organ in the banqueting hall
in Jesmond Dene. In the 1880's
the duck pond was enlarged to form a
new ornamental pond. The lake bottom
was covered in puddled clay and
the sides were cobbled. At this time there
was an island in the lake,
(it was removed in 1933).
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| Local modellers were quick to make use
of the new lake. The picture on the left, taken in 1908 shows a young
man with a yacht and 2 small steam powered models. The models were
of the full size naval craft of the day i.e. torpedo boats or destroyers. They
needed to be small as they had to be carried on the Tram to the
park. |
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This interest culminated in 1910 in the
formation at the lakeside of a club to be known as the'Heaton
and District Model Power Boat Club' with the declared aims of fostering
the interest and pleasures of sailing and constructing model boats.
There were some 20 founder members and they contributed the sum of 1-13-6d |
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By the following year, 1911, the success
of the club led to an increase in membership to around the 40 or so.
Over the last century numbers have slowly risen to around 60 members.
Pictures of this period show the official sailing dress code to be
a black peaked cap with white top and club badge. Members generally
wore a black suit, winged collar and tie, with short wellington boots. |
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The design of the boats became more sophisticated,
steam propulsion was improved and the boats became longer to give improved
accuracy. Most members were employed in the various engineering factories
and shipyards of Tyneside and as such were very able to develop and
improve their craft. |
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The type of competition held using these
boats was called Straight Running. Each boat was allowed
4 runs down the length of the lake aiming at a set of flags at the
opposite end of the lake. Points were awarded for hitting the target
flags, 20, 15 and 10points respectively. The boat with the highest
total score won. |
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As early as 1923 an interclub competition
was set up, with an umbrella organisation, the Northeast Coast
Association or NECA. The picture on the left shows a NECA regatta
at Roker Park Lake in Sunderland . |
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This association still exists today. Over
the years many clubs have come and gone from the association, only
Heaton, South Shields, and Tynemouth remain today. The picture on the
left shows a regatta at Tynemouth, note the Plaza in
the background. |
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For the winners of the regatta, there followed
the prize giving ceremony. Considerable club prestige was gained from
winning the NECA annual regatta as it was a team event and the competition
was fierce. The picture on the left shows the winner of the regatta
at Tynemouth receiving his prize outside the Tynemouth clubhouse. |
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Whilst individual team members won prizes,
the winning club was awarded the NECA flag which they then held for
a year. Traditionally the flag was flown from the flagpole behind the
boathouse. (The flagpole was originally one of several erected at the
1929 Northeast exhibition held in the Exhibition park. At the end of
the exhibition the flagpoles were surplus to requirements, and so were
moved, one placed in each park in the city) The picture on the left
shows the winner of the 1958 regatta at Paddy Freemans lake. |
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| Over the years several unusual competitions
were held. In the early days balloon bursting was a popular
event, with sharp pins of considerable size being fixed to the front
of boats. Later towing the log competitions over a timed
75 yard course were held, and towing the punt proved
popular. The boat owner sat in the punt and controlled the direction
of the boat with reins as though it was a mechanical horse. |
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The Boathouse; now a familiar
landmark in the park was built in 1923. The members originally each
rented a locker as individuals. It has changed much over the years,
mostly due to pressure from vandals, but it is still home to
the club.The picture on the left was taken in 1928 and shows the boathouse as originally built with glass windows in the public shelter.
The punt was always a vital piece of club equipment, which
had to be manhandled in and out of the lake on a trolley. Today the
invention of chest waders has largely replaced the use
of the punt. |
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The Straight Runners were
never the only type of boat raced. The picture on the left shows a
petrol engined hydroplane which was raced around a pole on a tethered
wire. These boats could reach very high speeds indeed, and always drew
huge crowds when sailed. |
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It was also traditional to launch new boats.
The picture on the left shows the SS Ash being launched
in 1957. The boat made its first dip into the lake by means of the
launching ramp after being named, and then one of the model tugs was
used to tow it across the lake for its first steaming of
the engine and boiler. |
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As the years have passed we have seen many
members come and go. The 4 gentlemen on the left were all founder members
from 1910, pictured here in 1960 at the clubs Golden Jubilee celebrations. |
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Today the club is very different from the club of the
20th century. Modern technologies and the changing times mean that
today's competitors are more likely to sail radio controlled scale
models or race fast electric boats made from thermoset plastics,
Nearly
100 years ago when the first Club rules were written, rule 2 described the purpose of the club, it said:
"The bringing together of those
interested in the construction and manipulation of model power boats and
in such kindred subjects;
the reading of papers and the discussion of topics relating to model
marine matters and generally increasing the knowledge of members
by mutual assistance".
Today that rule is still valid despite the passing of the years and the changes in technology and lifestyle. |
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