It was coming up lunchtime by the time I reluctantly left Alameda Gardens; I didn’t really want to leave the place because it was just so opposite to anything I’d experienced in my life. I loved it. My home town Newcastle was cobbled streets, outside netties and bone yards on the Tyne, hardly the beauty of a botanical garden. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a botanical garden. And now I’d found one I wanted to move in. Having said that being a Geordie is a massive part of my identity and so naturally I am very much connected to Newcastle. I guess if there’s a Ying and a Yang inside us all mine are Gibraltar and Newcastle.
Just opposite the Trafalgar Cemetery there’s a statue of Nelson standing keeping an eye on the Cemetery gate; two of the men who fought in the Battle of Trafalgar are buried there but it wouldn’t be until my visit in 2016 that I would actually go into the cemetery and find their graves. They were Captain Thomas Norman who died in the Naval Hospital on 6 December 1805 and Lieutenant William Forster who died 21 October 1805. I wondered if the Naval Hospital building then was the same one that my daughter would be born in 172 years later? Probably not.
Being ex-Naval I see something very respectful about a senior officer looking out for those serving under him and in a weird sort of way that still seemed to be the case (to me) even though all three are dead, purely on account of where Nelson’s statue has been placed. The road junction outside the Cemetery is far more developed now with a couple of pedestrian crossings to help walkers avoid what seems to be a lot more traffic in Gibraltar; but in 1974 I just crossed the road, walked down the hill and went through the archway at Ragged Staff Gates.
Walking along the quayside is something I’ve always loved to do and as a boy in Newcastle I spent a lot of time watching the ships come and go up and down the River Tyne. Looking over at the dockyard I could see my ship HMS Scylla berthed and it was quite surreal to think I would be on her and sailing off to tour the Far East in a few hours time. All the more reason, I thought, to keep walking in the other direction and make the most of my remaining free time on the Rock.
Although it felt familiar the quayside wasn’t especially memorable so much as it was functional, a place where ships berthed alongside and took on stores. I couldn’t have known then that in a few years time I would be living and working in Gibraltar and part of my role would involve me working on this quayside storing visiting war ships.
That quayside may well not have been memorable in 1974 but that was not the case 42 years later when I returned in 2016. It was totally unrecognisable to me following the major development of a beautiful Small Boats Marina, a number of apartment sky-rises and a host of restaurants; indeed I checked out a couple of the eateries and they were excellent, particularly the Waterfront. Come to that I checked quite a few out in the town too and all of them were excellent and catered as you would expect them too. I must admit I went back to Jurys on Main Street more than once and found a lovely little Moroccan restaurant called Marrakech up behind the Gibraltar Art Gallery. With apologies (just jumping a few years ahead here) if I had one disappointment at all it would be that St Michael’s Cabin now no longer serves meals in the evening and has evolved into a day time snack bar but then that’s a story for Chapter 2.
A few shipmates had said that Irish Town was somewhere I should go to eat as there were loads of cafes and restaurants there although I decided to keep an open mind in case they were setting me up; last time I took their advice as a naïve youngster in Flensburg I ended up in a red light area to their hilarious delight although I’m in no way suggesting Irish Town boasts those services. I’m not altogether quite sure how I got there from down on the quayside but I think I asked for directions; when I got into the area I immediately recognised being back at the Piazza and I think it was then that I realised how small Gibraltar actually was (which delighted me).
Back in 1974 people said there were 25000 people living in Gibraltar which I thought was a lot for a small Nation of 2.6 square miles. Since then I’ve naturally researched to find the correct figure (out of curiosity) and it turns out there was more than that, it appears there was 29000; today there is 32000. On my first visit I wondered where on earth so many people lived but on my visit in 2016 I didn’t need to ask; I think the sky-rises are breeding as they did in Hong Kong. I did walk around the sky-rises but actually preferred the back streets. But I can see why Morrisons opened a store here; my days back in the seventies it was either Liptons or the NAAFI.
Brilliant work.Did you not see the little NAAFI shop up by Europa whilst you was here.
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No alas I didn’t Sandra. I went down to check out the New University, then the lighthouse, the mosque and all. I had my MedSteps water bottle so didn’t need to buy anything although I did see a cafe? When I lived at Edinburgh house the NAAFI was opposite on Queensway as part of the Fleet Pav. I didn’t know there was also one at Europa bug will check it out next time 🙂 And thank you for your nice comment 🙂
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Alan this is very interesting and look forward to reading more. I was in Gib from 1980 to 1982 and my 1st son was born in RNH. Guess what i was also a Stores Accountant and did 23 years. When in Gib I was the POSA in RNH, a fantastic job.
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Hey hi Nick and welcome to my blog. Thanku for your nice comment. It’s brilliant you we a jack dusty and in gib at that. I only rose to killick and was based in Rooke and did ten years but it’s great we have things in common. I’m writing daily from now till Christmas so hope you stay the course and stay in touch. Warm regards Alan
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Hello Alan ,Like you I am also from the North East ( Sunderland in my case ) and I also was in Gibralter in 1974 for 8 weeks (Oct-Nov) as a 17 year old Junior Soldier . It was my first time ever abroad and it left an indelible mark on my memory , and reading your blog brings it all back again . As you know back in the early -mid 70s Gibralter was full of Navy bars along Main Street and up some of the back alleys . I used to drink in a little bar called the Corjito Bar run by Pablo a Spaniard and every night I would be in there getting absolutely smashed . I remember buying a 10p lottery ticket off Pablo and going in the next night only to find out that I had actually won and the winnings consisted of every type of bottled spirit you can think of . As you can imagine I was quite popular and I can remember giving away all of the bottles of dark rum to the British sailors because I couldn’t stomach it ! I was in there one night with an ex British squaddie who I regularly drank with and who lived in Gib when a massive fight broke out . Covered in blood and totally legless I would have been incapable of getting back to camp but as often happens fate stepped in and the Commanding Officer of the Gibralter Regiment had been drinking in the bar at the time . he bungled me into his car and drove me through the camp gates using his rank and ID card to sweet talk the guard room and certainly saved me from 4 days nick . 35 years later my wife and I were visiting Gib for the day whilst holidaying in costa del Sol and I was trying to point out some of my old haunts . Walking up a back alley I eventually found the Corjito Bar and was amazed that it was still open, imagine my amazement when walking up to the bar to order drinks when Pablo was still there serving , albeit somewhat older looking . He couldn’t remember me ( probably dementia ) but we did reminisce about those days and some of the characters that drank in there .
I can remember on a spot of R and R relaxing by myself on the beach at Catalan Bay , it was a wonderful warm balmy afternoon , and to me it felt like I was in paradise miles away from the back streets of Sunderland . I said to myself one day I will come back here and relive this one day . Well when I did return
I took my wife and we sat at the local bar drinking a cool pint whilst looking out over the hazy coast of Africa . I felt like I had returned home !
As you were talking about Trafalgar cemmetary , I also used to go and visit there and sit in the shade of the trees thinking about those British Sailors who lay there in such a lovely setting
Happy , Happy memories Alan
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Hi Mike and thank you so much for sharing your amazing memories! And how cool that the corjito bar was still open and pablo was still there!! It’s those kind of memories which I guess endear is to our beautiful Gibraltar and gives us that feeling of belonging there. I’ve recently moved house and job and I’m still settling down but once I have I’m treating myself to a return visit hopefully this year.
Mike thank you for reading and taking the time to comment. I hope you and you’re lovely lady have a fabulous Christmas and a brilliant 2019. Warm regards ALAN
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Hello Alan ,
Thanks for getting back to me , much appreciated .It is good reading your blogs about Gibralter as it evokes many great memories . As I was only just turned 17 when I visited with the Army , I had been there two years before on a school cruise . My visit to Gib with the army was my real eye opener as I had the freedom of being able to wander about the place and do as I pleased within reason of course . It felt like I had just stepped into a Hollywood film set as it seemed so mysterious at that time as there were also a great deal of Morrocans about then . I can remember being smashed with the drink and walking along Main Street one hot afternoon looking for a present to take back for my Mam . Somehow I ended up buying a carpet wall tapestry of the Lords Last Supper from a Morrocan carpet seller . I also bought her a lovely black and Siamese silver bracelet , my Wife wears it now so its still getting used . Gibralter back in 74 was a great place for a young boy to be experiencing his first adventure and I often talk about it to my wife . Although even now if I ever go back it has a great feeling of nostalgia . Its strange how things pan out but I ended up in British special Forces and my RSM was the guy who led the team in to Gibralter to eliminate the 3 IRA terrorists .
My Grandson is hopefully joining the Royal Navy next year after his GCSEs and it would be great if he also would one day visit Gib and have some similar experiences as we did
Anyway Alan , take care mate and you and your Family have a good one and have a happy and healthy new year 2019
Cheers Mike
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Hi Mike
Lovely stories there about your mans carpet and bracelet and brilliant it is still being worn by your wife.
Indeed Gibraltar has always been mysterious to me which is one of its many attractions. When I walk the back streets I’m literally in another zone. When I was there last time I climbed all three summits and thoroughly enjoyed the ‘me’ time with warm sun on my back.
When I finished my memoir I decided to do some acrylic paintings to illustrate my story and so that’s my next project which I’m looking forward to as soon as I get time. I’m in a busy job at the moment but hopefully once settled in a routine I’ll make a start painting.
Christmas was lovely with family and I hope yours was too Mike. And here’s to a very good 2019 for us both. Warm regards Alan
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Thanks for your comments alan.Stay safe.Mike
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