North by North-East

North East Natters: Ishy Din on Playwriting, the North East, and ‘Champion'

Award-winning playwright and screenwriter Ishy Din joins us to talk about his latest play, Champion, inspired by Muhammad Ali’s 1977 visit to South Shields.
Ishy also shares some insights into his wider career, and reflects on the cultural significance of North East England.
For more on Muhammad Ali's visit to the North East, keep your eyes and ears peeled for the next instalment of North by North East!

Ep 2: The Bombardment of the Hartlepools

We're turning back the clock to December 1914, examining a moment when the Great War quite literally hit home for Britain. Indeed, the bombardment of the Hartlepools was not just significant for the people of the area, but also a pivotal event in the long and tragic course of the First World War.
Why did the Imperial German Navy target the North East coast? How did Hartlepool’s defenders respond on land and at sea? What was the civilian cost?
As always, Ben and Glen will do their utmost to answer these questions and more, hopefully without getting lost at sea in the process.

Ep 1: The Cramlington Train Wreckers

In our first (official) episode, we travel back to 1926, a year dominated by industrial unrest and political discord. Like the Flying Scotsman, our destination is Cramlington. Unlike the Flying Scotsman, we're here by choice, not by sabotage (though we can get 'off track' every now and then).
How was the country's most famous train derailed at a Northumberland mining town? Were the perpetrators terrorists or working class heroes? What repercussions did the accused face? 
For the answers to the above, hit play, and join Ben and Glen as they uncover the dramatic tale of a derailment that shook not just Northumberland, but the Nation.

North East Natters: Playwright Ed Waugh & Director Russell Floyd on 'The Cramlington Train Wreckers'

We have the pleasure of chatting with both Ed Waugh, the writer of 'The Cramlington Train Wreckers', and Russell Floyd, the play's director. Focused on the 1926 derailment of the Flying Scotsman by striking miners, the play tours North East England in November.
Ed and Russell share some of their thoughts regarding that fateful day and discuss their reasons for bringing this story to the stage.
This special instalment serves as a companion to our upcoming episode, which will cover the Cramlington derailment and the General Strike of 1926.

North East Ethnonyms Part 6: Conclusion

Well, this it it, we've reached the end of our ethnonymic/demonymic/whatevernymic journey.
In this sixth and final part of our series, we identify some of the common trends that link the topics discussed, and consider their potential significance for the future of North East England.
So what does this all mean for our region? How does being labelled a Geordie, Mackem, Smoggie, etc. shape one's perspective? Does it matter?
Listen here and find out. 

North East Ethnonyms Part 5: Cold off the Press

In this fifth part of the North East Ethnonyms series, Glen and Ben scour the British Newspaper Archive in search of pertinent materials.
In a segment that has been christened 'Cold off the Press' (wordplay is up for criticism) we journey through the printed pages of history, analysing a variety of newspaper articles that relate to the topics discussed in previous episodes.
Listeners will be treated to poetic accounts of Tyne-Wear derbies, polemics on 'phoney Geordies', and questionable attempts at a Danish accent.

North East Ethnonyms Part 4: What is a Smoggie?

We head on down the A1 (or the A19?) as we turn our attention to our final ethnonym of focus: Smoggie.
In their quest to define Smoggie, Glen and Ben scrutinise English counties, consult Hansard, and take to the streets of Ironopolis.
Like a Teesider leaving Manjaros (other parmo providers are available), we hope this episode will leave you satiated and satisfied. Just don't ask us about béchamel sauce!
 

North East Ethnonyms Part 3: What Is a Mackem?

In Part 3 of our exploration of the numerous nicknames for native northeasterners, we head on over to Wearside to meet the Mackems.
As Glen and Ben take a saunter through the saga of this Sunderland-centred term, they speak to locals, revisit an FA Cup Final, and trawl one of the internet's most opinionated message boards.
But who, exactly, is a Mackem? What is the meaning of Mackem? Where does Mackem come from? If you wish to know, join us on our quest to obtain a mastery of everything Mackem, and take a listen to this episode of North by North-East!
 

North East Ethnonyms Part 2: What Is a Geordie?

In the second part of our series, we take on North East England's 'ethnonym-in-chief': Geordie.
Many denizens of our region would lay claim to this noted nickname, citing various reasons of various repute.
Through close analysis of countless tomes, along with a few interviews with the fine folk of Northumbria, Glen and Ben drill to the core of this titan of a term.
So, who exactly is a Geordie? Are they a loyalist Hanoverian? Are they a long-suffering Newcastle United supporter? Might they be neither?
Lend us your ears and all will be revealed in this episode of North by North-East.

North East Ethnonyms Part 1: Introduction and Interviews

Join Glen and Ben as they take a close look at the many 'ethnonyms' of North East England, i.e. the words and terms used to refer to peoples across the region.
In this opening episode, we introduce the overall ethnonymic landscape of the North East, before taking to the streets and seeing what the people of the region have to say on the matter. Through our chats with our fellow Northeasterners, we not only shed light on the 'big three' (Geordie, Mackem, and Smoggy), but also become acquainted with some of the region's more curious nicknames.
Do you know where you would find the 'Doggies' of County Durham? What exactly is a 'Skuetender'? Were the people of Hartlepool really responsible for a simian's demise? Listen up, and find out.
Indeed, whether you're seasoned with Sand-Dancers, or perplexed by Pit-Yackers, you're sure to learn a thing or two about the people, places, and history of the North East.