Just up from Whitehill Point coal staithes, There stood a small public house
Just up from Whitehill Point coal staithes
There stood a small public house
Its real name I cannot remember
But it had a lot more than just one small mouse
It was always called Minnie Beck’s pub
After the lady who was then in charge
In fact, she was quite a small lady
But her body build was fat to large
Lads off the collier ships getting loaded
Would pop in for a laugh and a pint
On the captain’s orders, Minnie would throw them out
So the ship they would make flight
Minnie herself was a canny old dear
A good landlady with a golden heart
When seamen from any nation popped in
They were made welcome right from the start
Just like Whitehill Point coal staithes and the shops
The little pub has now been pulled down
When a lot of the seamen heard this
They showed more than a depressing frown
To the many sailors, Minnie’s was a happy place
Always good drink, laughter and fun
But its another piece of the Tyne’s riverside history
That was shot with the progress gun
Editor’s Note – The pub itself was down towards the river on the Hay Hole road.