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A cavalierattitudefor UnitedNOW it can be

told. Theorigin ofNewcastle

United's famous black-and-white colours hasbeen traced to a 17th

Century cavalier.It allbegan with a soldier

calledWtlliamCavendish. who led the firstToon Anny

in the 16408.I bring you this world

exclusiveas a result of someinspired research by 1Ynesidelocalhistorian, ChristopherGoulding. "My theory istotally original,and I believeit finallyexplainsthe trueoril!in of Newcastle United'!;

THE CAVENDISH CONNECTION

Wll..LIAM Cavendishwas also Lord Lieutenantof Nottinghamshire andhis wartime campaignsincluded a periocfofoccupation onHumberside.

The only other long-established dubs to sport.black-and-white stripesare Notts County andGrimsby Town. Couldthat be down to theCavenctish connection,too?

I

cavalier influence the choice

I

Newcastle.of coloursof a football team The black-and-whitemore than 200years later? connec!i~>D?]be h~~<!ic ..

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The Journal/Thursday, September 16, 1993 +. J)

..ones II

1. All there in black and white: Local historian Christopher Goulding.

I..I

origin of Newcastle United'sfootball colours," he said.

Christopher unveiled histheory yesterday during alunchtime lecture at theLaing Art Gallery inNewcastle.

1 reckon he.has come upwith a watertight case. Heeven has the evidence ofSamuel Pepys who reportedin his diary (Vol VIII, May1667) that he had seenCavendish's wife in the familycoach.

Pepys observed "a largeblack coach, adorned withsilver instead of gold, and sowith curtains and everythingblack and white. . . "

So how did a 17th Century

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arms of the Cavendish familyinclude a shield of black(sable) with three silver(argent) stags' heads. Inpractice, the heraldic colourof argent is represented aswhite.

Those family colours wereused extensively to mark hispresence in the Newcastlearea.

The Toon Army? Whilemilitary governor inNewcastle during the civilwar, Cavendish raised anarmy from the localpopulace. He was unable toobtain red coats, so heequipped them with coats ofundyed white cloth.

His men became known asthe Whitecoats orNewcastle's Lambs.

Christopher Gouldingreports: "Along with theirblack leather boots, belts andpouches, they must indeedhave looked like the very firstToon Army."

The dukedom of

- n. - -- wnuw. L.\Aia1II.::;LUIli:111vlln::;"1ufJlltn\:IuUlomg.Newcastlebecame extinct in Jesmond), WelbeckRoad of course, the red-and-whitethe 18thCentury and the (Walker) and Bentinck Road favours clashedwith theirestates passed to the Dukes (Elswick). rivals at Sunderland.of Portland and Devonshire When NewcastleUnited No explanation is given inwho were related members were admitted to the the club records for theof ~e Cavendish-Bentinck Football League in 1893,the historic decisiontaken by thefamily. team played a fullseason in club directors in August 1894

The estate included parcels the clu~colo~ of ::red shirts !~ change the <:<>lo~toof land in Newcastleand the and white knickers. black and white shirts (twoconnection liveson in the Those colours were taken inch stripe) and darkstreet names: Cavendish from the heraldic coloursof knickers".Place,Devonshire Place and Newcastle'scityshield (a red Christopher GouldingPortland Terrace (all shieldwith white castles)but, reckons it must have been.

Mick gives faris food for thoughtNEWS from the Milbum Stand. I hear that Mick Quinn,former Newcastle folk hero, was fiercely barracked by IUsold admirers when he showed IUsface at St James's Parkon Monday night.

The heavyweight striker, a match SUIDIIl8I'tierwithBSkyB, was greeted with unkind chants of "Sumo, Sumo"and another variation which cast doubt on IUsparentage.

Mr Quion returned to the scene later. He arrived with atray of hot pies which he distn"butedamong the same fanswho then responded with a round of sentimental applause.. .. A peace offering from an old hero? Or were the pies

Qlllnn: Pies of peace. originallyintended(or him?

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The Goulding theory datesback to one WilliamCavendish (1593-1676),soldier, master horseman,bawdy poet and landowner,who was born into a wealthyMidlands family with estatesat Welbeck and Bolsover.

As a young man, heinherited, via his mother, theancient Northumbrianbarony of Ogle. During thecivil war, his North-Eastconnections prompted KingCharles 1 to appoint him ashis military governor of theNorth.

As a reward, Cavendishwould be created Earl,Marquis, and then Duke of

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS. ".. - , ,...,..,.,.,... ..,.. I:

.1

RUSS ABBOTT,TV actorand comedian, is 46 today.

Other birthdays:Lauren BacalI, fihn star,69; Peter FaIk, TV actor,66; Nevlne SouthaII,goalkeeper, 35; MlckeyStewart, ex-Englandcricket manager, 61.

Roger rewinds to days before the Pink Palace

. Auntie's pi.: The former BBCheadquartersin Newcastle.

GONE, but not forgotten.The old BBC Televisionstudios in Newcastle will beremembered in acommemorative bookletpublished ne~ summer.

The author will be TVproducer Roger Burgess whois working on the book thatmany colleagues havepromised, but none havedelivered.

The bu1J.dingwas originallydesigned in 1824 by JohnDobson as a lying-in hospital,then became a traininghospital for nurses during theFirst World War.

The BBC arrived in 1922and the building- modified,strengthened, but

increasinglycramped -served as regionalheadquarters until 1989 andthe move to the Pink Palacein Fenham.

The abandoned buildinghas since been gutted and willre-emerge next summer asthe centrepiece of NewcastleBuilding Society's PortlandTowersheadquarters. .

Roger Burgess tells me: "Iam particularly interested instories of the Victorianbuilding itself and itssomewhat inappropriate Ienclosure of the activities of adaily broadcastingorganisation." !You can contact Roger on(091) 258-7905.

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