|
Underlined Text & Images are used for Hyper-Links to more Relevant
Information
©
Copyright 2006
Last modified:
September 07, 2006 |
| |
During the Spring of 1873, a shepherd was driving
a flock of sheep from the Cheviot Hills in the far North of
Northumberland intending to travel to the Cleveland hills assisted by
his faithful Border Collie dog, “Willie”.
After a journey of many miles, they arrived at the Old
Steam ferry to cross the River Tyne at North Shields where they found everything
completely different from what they were used to in the peace and quiet of their
native hillsides, with chimneys pouring out smoke, the rattle and banging from
the nearby shipyards, and the general hustle and bustle of the nearby town.
Whilst waiting at the ferry landing, fear mounted in
the sheep until such time as they could stand it no longer, as a result of
which they began to panic and scatter in all directions. Willie, the dog
being good at his work ran after them as quick as a flash, but as the sheep
had scattered so far in their panic, it took him some time to round them up
from some of the strange places they had used on their escape routes.
|
|
The dog eventually managed to round up the sheep, and
direct the flock back to the shepherd waiting at the ferry, who made a quick
count and discovered that there was at least one sheep missing. The shepherd
then ordered Willie off, to go and look for it.
Whilst the dog was making his search for the “lost”
sheep, the shepherd decided to have a quick re-count, and after making a
thorough check, found that his first count was in fact wrong, and that all of
the sheep were accounted for after having been safely returned in the first
place.
Willie had still not returned when the ferry-boat arrived
at the landing, so in order to save time, the shepherd herded all of the flock
onto the boat. When the time came for the ferry-boat to cast-off, there was
still no sign of Willie, and so the ferry boat headed off across the Tyne to
South Shields without him.
|
|
It was some hours later that Willie returned after
having made a vain search only to find now, that his master and the flock
had gone. Willie was probably confused, and then made his way off once more
to look for the “missing” sheep, but not being able to find it, returned
once more to the ferry-landing, tired and hungry to look for his master, who
was obviously nowhere to be seen.
|
People came and went on the ferry for the rest of the
day, and Willie checked each and every one of them. Where could his master have
gone? Willie laid down in hope at the last place that he saw his master and
waited. He was tired and hungry and now lost!
Over the days that followed, Willie rummaged for food and
drink, and spent countless hours on end waiting at the ferry-landing for his
master to return. He refused all offers of comfort, and even bared his teeth at
anyone who ventured too close. He accepted only the food which was carefully
placed within his reach, preferring to scavenge near to the waters edge for
scraps and morsels.
For over six months, the dog waited in the area for his
master to return, and then one dark night, he decided to creep onto the
ferry-boat in his relentless search. Willie was spotted by one of the crewmen,
who caught hold of him, and unmercifully - threw him overboard.
Willie knew that because he must find his master, he
could not allow himself to die by drowning in the river, so despite strong
undercurrents in the water - he only just managed to swim ashore - cold, wet
and shivering.
Over the months that followed, Willie evolved a
system where he would make checks on the ferry-boat to see if the cruel
crewman who threw him overboard was there. If he was, then Willie would
stay ashore, but if he was not on the boat - he would make numerous journeys
to and fro across the river in his relentless and unending search.
|
|
By the Autumn of that year, Willie’s master had returned
to the area, after his long and arduous journey, and learned of the dogs long
and lonely wait, but because of the shepherds haste to
return to the Northumbrian Hills, they sadly missed their re-union by only a
matter of minutes at the ferry landings.
Many more months passed, and Willie not realising that
his master had now passed by on his return North, succumbed to the goodwill and
hospitality of friendly passers-by. Willie became well known to many of the
locals, who would occasionally manage to encourage him to their homes and feed
him, but irrespective of that - the outcome was always the same.
Willie would stay with his new-found friend for anywhere
between a day and a couple of weeks before running off to return to the
ferry-landing to continue the search for his master.
As the year progressed into the Winter, concern was
beginning to grow in relation to Willie’s health, as well as grave doubts about
whether or not he would be able to survive the winter weather.
Willie was by now growing very thin, frail, bedraggled
and dirty, but had managed to become more trusting, and responded well to the
kindness of his regular friends.
|
|
Over the months that followed, a Mr. Thomas Hudson,
of North Shields became one of Willie’s best friends, who on realising that
the dog was close to death - took him to his home, where he was cleaned up,
fed regularly, and nursed back to health.
A Mr. Frazer, from South Shields, who was an expert
metalworker and a long time friend of Thomas Hudson, made a fine brass collar for Willie, which the dog seemed well proud
of, but unfortunately it did not last long, as it was soon stolen from the
dogs neck. The despicable theft angered a lot of people.
|
Willie regularly made off to his place near the
ferry-landing in the hope of meeting up with his now long gone master.
The painstaking result of his search, had taught the dog
his way around North and South Shields, and passengers would arrive at the
ferry-landing perhaps asking directions to the railway station, only to be told
- “Just follow Wandering Willie”.
The dog would lead people to the station gates, and then
return quickly back to the ferry-landing and perform a similar task on the other
side of the river.
Willie became well known, and made hundreds of friends
amongst the ferry passengers, crews and workmen on both sides of the river. On
Sundays, Willie would always make his way to Tynemouth where he would wander
round for several hours before returning as usual to the ferry-landing in the
unending search for his master.
As the years passed by, and Willie grew older, he
became tired and weary, so one of the ferry crewmen - Mr. Ralph Cruikshanks
decided that it would be right to take Willie home with him to Dean Street,
in South Shields, where the now aged dog could live the rest of his life in
the comfort of a home, with all the food, kindness and sleep as Willie could
manage.
|
|
Mr. Cruikshanks was asked on many occasions to part with
the dog, and even refused to accept the sum of £50 when offered! In April 1882
Willie died of old age, Mr. Cruikshanks had became so attached to Willie, that
he decided to give the carcass to a Mr. G. Green, a well-known Taxidermist in
South Shields. He made such an excellent job on Willie that he now stands
preserved forever,on display for all to see, in what has been his home for many
years now - behind a glass case in the main bar of a Public House on Front
Street, Tynemouth.
|
|
Http: