Centenary of Blaydon Races 1862-1962

In June 1962 an extraordinary half a million people gathered on Tyneside (Newcastle to Gateshead) for a week of street parties, fireworks, sports, and sing-alongs at the Balmbras Music Hall. A 3 mile long stream of colour and gaiety in a finale parade is led by the Coldstream Guards band, Blaydon omnibus and glorious Centenary Queen spectacular celebrations for a fictitious bus ride to a once illicit race meeting, immortalised in a famous song by George Ridley.

The week-long Blaydon Races Centenary was filmed by 12 members of the Newcastle Amateur Cinematographers Association, formed in 1927, which included production staff from Tyne Tees TV. The celebrations were initiated by T. Dan Smith, Labour leader of Newcastle City Council, who harnessed the recent folk revival and media interest in the North Easts vernacular culture to promote his big plans for a cultural renaissance in the region. The centenary marked George Ridleys first Balmbras Music Hall performance of The Blaydon Races, long known as Tynesides national anthem, at a testimonial for Tyneside rowing hero, Harry Clasper, where the song also promoted the official Blaydon races of 9 June 1862.