Not a lot of people know that...

…my story today is about the Watch House at Cullercoats, which we walked along to this aft…
 
Cullercoats Life Brigade was formed in 1865, and consisted of about 70 men, nearly all of whom were fishermen. The concept was that they would assist the Coastguard in saving lives from shipwrecks by means of a rocket apparatus. This meant that a strict watch had to be kept during storms and rough seas, both night and day.
Initially the only shelter was a wall overlooking the bay, so the construction of a Watch House was proposed. It was funded partly from the Mercantile Maritime Fund, and partly by fundraising efforts from the fishing families themselves. The Clock Turret was later added to the plans – it contained a bell which could be rung in foggy weather to assist fishing boats with their approach to land.
The Watch House was completed in 1879, and it is now a Grade II Listed Building – but fundraising is again needed for essential structural repairs.
The “surprise” in the story is that all the rescue apparatus was stored at the Rocket Brigade and Apparatus House on John Street, just across the road from the Watch House. It is now the premises for The Rocket Garage – and we’ve always wondered about its name ;)