Many will still recall the now-vanished everyday sounds that characterised Tyneside in years gone by - from the shipyard buzzers of the River Tyne, to the call of street vendors selling the Evening Chronicle on Northumberland Street, to the indecipherable but unmistakeable cry of the rag and bone man doing his round.
But, coming right up to date, what are the everyday (and not-so-everyday) sounds that best represent our region in 2022?
Tyne & Wear Archives wants to hear suggestions from the public so it can go out and record them to preserve for future generations, as part of Making Waves: A Festival of Sound at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum.
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Could it be the sound of the matchday crowd at St James' Park? The public announcements on the Tyne and Wear Metro system? Or the call of the kittiwakes on the Tyne Bridge? Tyne & Wear Archives want to hear your suggestions.
Carolyn Ball, museum manager at Discovery Museum said: “Rediscovering and preserving the sounds of the North East for the British Library Unlocking Our Sound Heritage Project has prompted us to capture sounds that represent 2022 for future generations.
“We’d like people to send us their suggestions of everyday sounds they think encapsulate Tyneside today. We’ll choose the most popular requests then send our team to record them.
“People can tweet us their ideas on @TWArchives or by emailing archives@twmuseums.org.uk.”
Making Waves: A Festival of Sound was inspired by recordings digitised by Tyne & Wear Archives as part of the British Library Unlocking Our Sound Heritage Project – which has preserved sound recordings that were at risk of being lost forever.
The Unlocking Our Sound Heritage online exhibition, on Google Arts & Culture, shares notable sound highlights from Tyneside history, such as King George V’s speech during the opening of the Tyne Bridge in 1928, the Newcastle talking budgie from the 1950s Sparkie Williams, commentary of Jackie Milburn’s goal for Newcastle United in the 1951 FA Cup Final, and people talking about the Miners' Strike in 1984.
Making Waves: A Festival of Sound combines digital exhibitions, a sound-themed family event programme and an audio museum trail through the galleries until March 27, 2022.
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