This cache is on the edge of Laurel Park, named for classic movie star Stan Laurel, comedy partner of Oliver Hardy. The park features a bronze-finish statue of Stan, commemorating the fact that he grew up here and lived in the surrounding Dockwray Square from 1895 - 1905. Stan's dad owned a string of theatres, including the three that once thrived in North Shields, and these provided the young boy with open access to the colourful and characterful world of theatre from an early age. It has been theorised that this inspired Stan to pursue a life in showbiz, and led to his legendary career. In addition, his decade living above the Fish Quay gave him insight into a side of life and its capacity for comedy that can be seen reflected in many of his films.
We wanted to place this cache for a personal reason, too. Stan Laurel's original name was Arthur Stanley Jefferson. Members of my family lived next door to the Jeffersons when they lived in Longbenton in the 1960s, and they were good friends growing up together. They have many delightful memories of playing traditional street games like Hide & Seek and What's the Time Mr Wolf? with Stan's nieces and nephews, and remember them sharing family photo albums featuring Stan and an array of Hollywood stars. Happy days.
The cache is accessible from outside the park but we encourage you to go in and visit Stan's statue. It's visible from the cache location through the fence. The park is not lit - we'd advise only going in daylight. There is a gate which the local residents like to keep closed but as this is a public park it should not usually be locked. There is free parking on the main road alongside the park, from which you can enjoy stunning views of the river. You will need tweezers and a pen.