THE TYNESIDE SAGAS: Box set of three dramatic and emotional stories: A Handful of Stars, Chasing the Dream and For Love & Glory

by Janet MacLeod Trotter

  Jo saw Mark react with fury, and he was on Kevin in a flash. They punched and rolled on the ground, cursing each other with venom. The others circled, not knowing quite what to do. A moment later, there was noise from behind as revellers from a nearby house responded to Marilyn’s frantic knocking for help. At the same time, the landlord appeared on the steps of the pub, bawling at them to clear off, and then there was the sound of a police siren wailing down the street.

  The gang scattered into the back lanes, shouting at Kevin to follow. Levering himself up quickly, he gave Mark one last kick in the head and ran off. Jo, watching in horror, went to help her old friend, who was writhing on the ground, clutching his head and groaning.

  ‘Mark! Are you all right?’ she asked in agitation. Then there were people swarming around them, hands reaching to steer her away. Everywhere was commotion. Pulling Mark roughly up by his jacket, a policeman called out, ‘There’s one still here!’

  ‘Careful!’ Jo cried. ‘Can’t you see he’s hurt?’

  But in the confusion she was ignored. The neighbours who had responded to Marilyn’s cries insisted Jo come with them. She tried to resist but everything was happening too quickly. Mark was hauled to his feet and pushed towards a police car. Another constable was questioning Colin and Skippy.

  In desperation, she tried to shout, ‘He saved me!’ But her voice was cracked and hoarse from so much screaming, and she dissolved into uncontrollable tears. Mark glanced towards her as he was bundled into the car. She met his look for a snatched moment and thought she saw the trace of a smile, an attempt at reassurance. Then he was gone and she let herself be led into the warmth by her rescuers, numb with shock.

  Chapter Six

  1972

  They never got to Ivy’s that terrible night. Someone went for Jack and the Leishmans and there were emotional tears and furious arguments over Pearl’s idea of letting the girls walk through Wallsend alone.

  ‘I’m not letting you out of me sight again!’ Jack declared, hugging Jo to him. When he heard Mark had been mixed up in the attack on Colin, he forbade either of them to see him. ‘He’s not right in the head,’ he raged. ‘He’s nothing but trouble these days; even Ivy’s at her wits’ end with the lad.’

  ‘It wasn’t him that gave me a kicking.’ Colin tried to defend his old friend, as Pearl cleaned up his face and bandaged his hand, which had been raked by a boot.

  ‘And he stopped Kevin from…’ Jo tried to tell her father, but found herself in tears again.

  ‘Hush! I don’t want to think what might have happened,’ Jack fussed. ‘Mark was one of that gang and as long as he’s mixed up with them skinheads you’ll steer clear of him.’ He cradled Jo in his arms like a child. ‘To think of all the kindness this family has shown him over the years; we’ve been more family to him than his own. And he betrays us like this – turning on his own childhood friends.’ Jo was too shaken to protest further, and only Pearl was brave enough to show her concern.

  ‘Well, I’m going down the police station tomorrow to explain he wasn’t the one that started it,’ she insisted.

  ‘You’re wasting your time.’ Jack was dismissive. ‘Leave it to the coppers to deal with him. A night in the cells ’ll give him the fright he needs.’

  Over the following days, news filtered through that Mark was being charged with affray and breach of the peace. By then, Kevin McManners had been brought in and charged with assault. Jo and Colin went back to school, but Jo could tell her brother was edgy about giving evidence against Kevin. He was tetchy at home and the niggling arguments between brother and sister escalated once Pearl was back at sea, until Jack despaired of them.

  ‘Can’t you agree on anything?’ he pleaded. ‘You used to be that close…’

  ‘She won’t leave me alone,’ Colin grumbled, ‘always poking her nose in me business.’

  ‘No I don’t!’ Jo protested. ‘I just wanted to know if you’re going to speak up for Mark. Tell the whole story about what happened inside the pub − before the fight. Mark was being picked on by some drunks, Dad, but no one stood up for him. Did they, Colin? That’s why they all got chucked out.’

  ‘I couldn’t have done anything,’ Colin said, stung by her accusation. ‘Anyway, he had his skinhead mates to protect him.’

  ‘Oh aye? And look how they turned on him and called him worse than muck!’ Jo replied. ‘Skippy said they were spoiling for a fight. They just picked on you as the first ones to come out. Mark had nothing to do with it.’

  ‘Don’t waste your pity on that lad,’ Jack said firmly. ‘I used to feel sorry for him, but it seems he’s turning out just like his father; only interested in drinking and fighting. He’s a bad influence and beyond our help.’

  Jo silently wished that Pearl was still at home so that she could confide in her. She knew her aunt had been to see Mark and had tried to comfort Ivy, but she did not know what had been said. Finally the boys were dealt with by the juvenile court. To everyone’s surprise, Mark was saved by the intervention of Mr Bewick, who attested to his good character and said he employed him as a part-time gardener. Mark was put on six months’ probation, while Kevin was sent to a young offenders’ institution for nine months.

  ‘I didn’t know he still went to Grumpy’s house,’ Jo said in amazement.

  Colin shook his head. ‘Me neither.’ He was relieved that Kevin would be off the scene for a while, but Jo could tell he was anxious about what might happen come the end of summer.

  ‘Are you going to go round and see Mark?’ Jo questioned.

  ‘Why should I?’ Colin answered defensively. ‘He was part of Kevin’s gang, wasn’t he? And he’s never bothered to see me since New Year’s Eve.’

  Jo let the matter drop, but she agonised over whether to go and see Mark herself. Her father would be angry if she did, for he still blamed Mark for being part of the trouble. But she wanted to thank him for saving her from Kevin. She talked it over with Marilyn, but her friend was cautious.

  ‘He’s still a skinhead,’ she reminded Jo. ‘He’s not the same lad we grew up with. How can he be if he hangs around with that lot? My mam says I’m not even to visit Ivy’s any more in case he’s there. Just forget about him.’

  But Jo could not. She put off making contact until Easter, when it occurred to her that she could go round to Ivy’s and invite her to the play in which she would be performing over the holidays. Jo was getting good parts now at the Dees Theatre. She had stuck at the acting, whereas Marilyn had grown bored with the time taken up with rehearsing. Her friend preferred sport and, increasingly, hanging around the Forum or the park with Brenda and chatting to boys.

  To Jo’s disappointment, Mark was not at Ivy’s when she called.

  ‘He’s hardly ever here,’ Ivy confided, ‘he’s that restless. But he’s keeping out of trouble as far as I know,’ she said, as if trying to convince herself. ‘I’ve told him he’ll shame me into an early grave if he gets into any more bother with the police.’

  But Jo’s visit cheered the old woman and she broke into a packet of caramel wafers in celebration. ‘By, you’re looking bonny these days with your wavy hair. I can’t believe how quickly you’re growing. When I think of how you bairns used to be always round here…’ Her hazel eyes shone behind her pink-framed National Health spectacles. ‘I miss all that,’ she sighed. Jo, feeling guilty at staying away, promised to call more often.

  As she was going, Jo paused. ‘Tell Mark I was asking for him,’ she said with a bashful look.

  Ivy nodded. ‘He’ll come in telling me he’s spent the day working for Mr Bewick, but I think he’s found another interest.’ She tapped the side of her nose conspiratorially.

  ‘What’s that?’ Jo asked, intrigued.

  ‘I think he’s courtin’,’ Ivy answered with a wink.

  Jo’s jaw dropped. ‘Courting? Who with?’

  ‘I’ll be the last to be told,’ Ivy chuckled. ‘But I think it’s a lass from Joan Street, Christine they call her. Anyways,
that’s who he’s been seen with.’

  Jo left, feeling a tightness in her stomach. She could not think why the news was such a shock; Mark was sixteen after all, and not bad-looking. Maybe it was because he had always been like an older brother to her and she felt piqued that she knew so little of what he did any more.

  Ivy came to see her in the play, but there was no sign of Mark or the mystery girlfriend. Jo determined she had done all she could to try and make amends and would waste no more energy fretting over her wayward former friend. Her life was taken up with school and acting and going up to Brenda’s on the fourth floor and listening to ‘Maggie May’ on her record player. She and Brenda loved Rod Stewart, whereas Marilyn’s choice of music − the Osmonds and David Cassidy − was to be avoided at all costs. They would sprawl on Brenda’s bed and floor reading copies of the new Cosmopolitan, a magazine that Jo would not have dared bring home, going into fits of embarrassed laughter over articles on sex and men.

  ‘Me dad left Auntie Pearl to tell me the facts of life,’ Jo confided. ‘She explained about periods, but when it came to sex she said, “If you don’t want babies, go to bed with both legs stuck down one leg of your tights!”’

  The girls fell about laughing. Brenda was always keen to discuss how far they would go with a boy, and they would try out magazine questionnaires to gauge their love lives. Brenda was told she was a bad judge of character and would get hurt, Marilyn that she was incurably romantic and Jo that she was too choosy and likely to end up a nun.

  ‘That would probably suit me dad,’ Jo said wryly. ‘Even if I was interested in a lad, I wouldn’t dare bring him home. Dad still thinks of me as six, not nearly fifteen.’

  ‘Well, at least you’ve got a trendy aunt,’ Marilyn consoled her. ‘She’ll always fight your corner.’

  ‘Aye, you could always keep a lad in Pearl’s cosy love nest on the ninth floor,’ Brenda fantasised.

  To Jo’s delight, her aunt came home unexpectedly at the beginning of May, just in time to see the launch of a super tanker at the Wallsend yards. They all went down to gaze at the World Unicorn, which towered over Nile Street and the surrounding terraces that dipped steeply down the bank. Thousands of people had turned out to watch, and there were police cordoning off the route for the arrival of Princess Anne. Some of the children who had been allowed off school for the occasion, had union flags to wave, and a band played jauntily above the din of voices.

  In the press of people, Jo and Pearl got separated from Jack and found themselves squashed up against the fence at the bottom of Nile Street, craning for a view of the slipway and the launch platform.

  ‘Can you see anything?’ Jo asked, stretching on tiptoe.

  ‘Not really,’ Pearl answered. ‘I can see the top of the flags. Here, you’re taller than me.’ Pearl squeezed Jo in front of her. She could see the bows of the monster ship lined with proud workers. There was a lot of activity around the berth, a clanging of chains as the ship was unshackled. In the distance she could just see tiny figures gathered under the awning of the launch platform, one of which must be the princess.

  Suddenly a hush came over the crowd and Jo could clearly hear the metallic shudder of the ship as it stirred. Slowly at first, like a lumbering whale, it slid backwards down the slipway, sighing and groaning with the effort. The awestruck crowd seemed to echo its groans, as if no one could quite believe that a ship of this size could possibly stay afloat. But as it moved and dipped its huge flanks into the murky river with a triumphant splash, a deafening spontaneous cheer went round. Jo felt her heart hammering with pride at the sight of what Wallsend had produced. She waved and shouted at the top of her voice and noticed that people on the far bank of the river were waving in admiration too.

  They waited around for a while, enjoying the sound of a brass band and chatting to the people beside them. Then Pearl suggested they call in at Ivy’s. ‘It’ll be useless trying to find Jack in the crowd now, he’s probably headed home already.’

  Turning, Jo suddenly caught sight of Mark. Her stomach lurched to see his arm around a fair-haired girl in a yellow minidress. Pearl saw him at the same time and beckoned him over. Mark hesitated, then pushed his way towards them, holding on to the girl’s hand. His hair was growing out again and he was dressed simply in jeans and T-shirt. The boots and braces were gone. He looked broad-shouldered and fit from hours of strenuous outdoor work. For months Jo had imagined what she would say on meeting him, but for the first time in her life, she was tongue-tied before him. So she let her hair fall in front of her eyes and left Pearl to do the talking.

  ‘You’re looking well, pet,’ she enthused. ‘Isn’t this a fab day? And who’s your friend?’

  Mark grinned sheepishly. ‘This is Christine.’

  ‘Please to meet you, pet,’ Pearl smiled. ‘Mark’s an old friend of our family. Isn’t that right, Joanne?’

  Jo squirmed at the formal use of her name, but nodded. She saw the other girl give her a suspicious look, but as Mark ignored her, Christine seemed to relax. Both girls looked uninterested while Pearl chatted on to Mark. She was encouraging him to join the Merchant Navy.

  ‘You’d love it,’ she assured him, ‘a fit lad like you. And you’d see so much of the world. It’s a wonderful life.’ She put a hand on Mark’s arm. ‘You haven’t been given much of a start, but I know you’ve got it in you.’ She smiled at him. ‘Give yourself a second chance, eh? You deserve it, pet.’

  Jo was embarrassed by her aunt’s forthright words and thought they were not being well received by Christine, judging by the downturn of her lipsticked mouth. But Mark was staring back at Pearl, as if struggling to answer. Eventually, he simply muttered, ‘Ta. I’ll think about it.’ Then Christine was dragging him off and they were soon part of the crowd again, disappearing from view.

  When Pearl and Jo reached Ivy’s, they found Jack there, fretting.

  ‘Where’ve you been? I thought you’d’ve come here when we got separated.’

  ‘Hello, Ivy,’ Pearl beamed, ignoring Jack’s fussing. ‘It’s lighter in here already with the Unicorn away.’

  ‘You know what I think of crowds,’ Jack continued.

  ‘Stop going on,’ Pearl said, losing patience. ‘Jo was with me all the time. She’s not a bairn any more and the sooner you realise that, the more peace we’ll get!’

  ‘Well, it’s canny to see you all,’ Ivy interrupted, ‘I never see enough of you now you live up at the flats.’

  She calmed everyone down with some warm beer for the adults and a Pepsi for Jo, but the arguing started again on the way home when Jack heard they had been speaking to Mark.

  ‘I thought I told you−’ he began, but Pearl cut him off.

  ‘Don’t be so daft! She can’t go avoiding the lad for ever. Colin and Jo are old enough now to know their own minds and choose their own friends without us interfering. Besides, Mark seems to be calming down – got a girlfriend – he’s not going to lead our two astray any more. There’s no harm in being civil to the poor lad if we see him.’

  Jack finally admitted he might have overreacted, and the subject was dropped. Jo wished Pearl was always around to defuse the squabbles at home, especially between her father and Colin. Her brother was about to sit his O levels and was constantly being badgered to decide what he was going to do afterwards. Jack wanted him to get an apprenticeship in the shipyards, while Pearl thought he was bright enough to stay on and do A levels. Colin refused to be drawn on either option, and it led to constant battles.

  That evening, Pearl took her nephew and niece for a walk along the river. Jo had the feeling she was trying to tell them something but didn’t know how.

  ‘I know sometimes he’s a right nuisance, but don’t be resentful towards your dad,’ she said, linking arms with the two of them like friends. ‘He’s only this protective because…well, with losing your mam so young. It’s sometimes been hard for him bringing you up and knowing what’s best. If you’ve lost someone that close; you’re always
more anxious about the others you love. Can you understand that?’

  Colin grunted. ‘Aye, but why does he have to make every decision for me?’

  ‘He doesn’t,’ Pearl admitted. ‘Only you can do that. Just let him know what you’re thinking.’

  They walked along in silence, until Colin stopped and said, ‘I want to join the army, Auntie Pearl.’

  ‘The army?’ she said, amazed.

  ‘Aye, I want to play in an army band; see a bit of the world like me dad did when he was young,’ Colin enthused.

  Pearl was doubtful. ‘I can’t see him being keen on that; you going away. And with all the troubles going on in Northern Ireland just now. It’s not just about playing the trumpet.’

  Colin protested, ‘Auntie Pearl, you sound just like Dad!’

  Pearl flushed. ‘I’m sorry, pet. I didn’t mean to put you off, it’s just…’

  ‘You were telling Mark he should get away from here and see a bit of life,’ Jo pointed out, ‘so why shouldn’t Colin?’

  Pearl laughed. ‘You’re right, I was.’

  ‘So you’ll stand up for me when Dad says no?’ Colin persisted.

  Pearl looked at him fondly. ‘If that’s what you really want − of course I will.’

  ‘Champion!’ Colin cried. ‘You’re the only one he’ll listen to.’

  Jo kept out of the way that summer while the battle over Colin’s career raged. ‘What’s wrong with stopping at home and getting a steady job?’ Jack demanded. But eventually, with Pearl’s help and Colin’s dogged persistence, they wore down his opposition. He was helped by the news from Ivy that Mark, his probation over, had taken Pearl’s advice and joined a ship. ‘If he can do it, then so can I,’ Colin insisted. So, having passed his exams, he went off to a training camp in Yorkshire in the autumn, writing home enthusiastic letters that eased his father’s worries.

  Jo said to her friends, ‘If Dad’s like that with Colin, imagine what he’d say if I decided to leave home!’ But unlike her aunt and brother, Jo was content where she was. Although she missed Colin, things at home were calmer once her brother was gone, and there seemed more space in the small flat. She and her father settled into a comfortable routine, enjoying each other’s company more than they had in recent months.