Morpeth will be making a significant contribution in a few weeks time to a year-long celebration of the life and times of one of it's most famous former residents Admiral Collingwood, Nelson's second-in-command at the Battle of Trafalgar. The Collingwood Festival will run throughout the region culminating in a commemorative weekend of March 6th and 7th when the 200th anniversary of his dealth will be marked with a series of special events including a naval parade through Newcastle, a memorial service at the City's St Nicholas Cathedral and activities centred around the Collingwood Monument at Tynemouth including an incoming warship and gun salutes.
For more information about the Festival, please visit www.collingwood2010.co.uk.
Throughout the year Lord Collingwood’s life will be further celebrated in Morpeth.
Northumbrian Concert
Date: Friday 5th March 2010
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Morpeth Town Hall
Cost: Tickets £8.00 (Concessions £6.50) from Morpeth Chantry TIC 01670 500700 or from Kim Bibby-Wilson 01670 513308.
An evening of traditional music and dance. The concert will also act as a fund-raiser for the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering that takes place over the weekend of April 9th to 11th. The March concert will feature local choir Voice Male singing songs of the sea;
Alistair Anderson who plays the small pipes and concertina; Ernie Gordon and friends
(instrumental music); local band the Border Directors performing local songs including
‘Coaly Tyne’ which mentions Lord Collingwood; a sailor’s hornpipe performed by a local dancer; and guest appearances by the Admiral’s dog Bouncer and Morpeth Gadgy and MC for the evening Alex Swailes. Ashington Sea Cadets will help to steward the event and it is hoped to display a replica of Lord Collingwood’s waistcoat along with carvings depicting scenes from his life that were created in 2003 by the Kirkley Woodcarvers.
Storytelling by Sedayne
Date: Saturday 6th March
Time: 10am-1pm
Venue: Morpeth Town Hall
Cost: Free
Sedayne will be telling stories of the sea.
Film showing of Master and Commander
Date: Saturday 6th March
Time: 2pm
Venue: Morpeth Town Hall
Cost: Free
During the Napoleonic Wars in 1805, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America. Rated PG-13 for intense battle sequences, related images, and brief language.
This is a free event and will be operated on a first-come-first-served basis.
Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering (9th-11th April)
Collingwood will be a running theme throughout this year’s Gathering, including a guest appearance of Bounce (Collingwood’s dog) as a hand puppet!
Historic dance workshops with Tradamis dance group as part of the Gathering:
Date: Friday 9th April
Time: Afternoon
Venue: Morpeth Town Hall
Cost: £2 (Concessions £1). For more information on these and other workshops,
please call 01670 513308.
Historic dance workshops will take an informal look at the dances and music of history, including the era of Admiral Lord Collingwood. Open to all, no previous experience necessary! The sessions will be led by Mike Ruff, Director of Tradamis (Traditional Dance and Music in Schools)
Morpeth Antiquarian Society Exhibition
Date: Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th June
Time: All day
Venue: Morpeth Town Hall
Cost: Free
Annual exhibition of the Morpeth Antiquarian Society. This year’s theme is Lord
Collingwood, and former Mayors of Morpeth
Collingwood: Morpeth’s Own Hero
Date: July-September 2010
Venue: Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum
Cost: Free
The story of Trafalgar hero Admiral Lord Collingwood and his fondness for Morpeth, shown through paintings, artefacts of the era, extracts from his letters and more. Produced in partnership with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums.
Talk by Max Adams, ‘Collingwood After Trafalgar’
Part of the Morpeth Heritage Open Days programme of events.
Date: Thursday 9th September
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Morpeth Town Hall
Cost: Free
Admiral Lord Collingwood and Morpeth
Lord Collingwood (later Admiral Lord Collingwood) moved to Morpeth in 1791, aged 42, after marrying Sarah Blackett, daughter of the Mayor of Newcastle. They rented, and subsequently purchased, a house on Oldgate. Collingwood House is now owned by St. Robert’s Church and bears a plaque above its door to
commemorate its notable former owner.
In the grounds of his property there was a riverside path, known as his quarter deck, where Lord Collingwood could walk up and down in the open, as he would have done on his ship. From here you can just make out the remains of his summerhouse, which he called his ‘poop deck’, named after the high exposed deck of a ship. From here he could view the river and the High Stanners when he was in Morpeth on leave from his naval duties. He loved exploring Morpeth and its environs, and he is believed to have planted hundreds of acorns on the river valley sides to replace those oaks used to build the ships of the Royal Navy.
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