Val R Brown

Geordie Bell's Muggles Val R Brown

Who's Geordie Bell? In his own words, he's his own man and a very lucky man. What are muggles? Muggles is the old Tyneside word for marbles, Geordie's favourite game. Combine Geordie Bell and muggles, and you have another good yarn from author, Val R. Brown. Geordie Bell, born just after WWII, grew up in a coal mining community, where it was customary, on leaving school, for sons to follow their fathers and forefathers to work down the pit. That became impossible in Geordie's village when the pit closed down as part of the decline of the north-eastern coalfield. Long-term unemployment and poverty loomed large until the community, including Geordie, stood together as one to take some control over their own destiny. Although Geordie took an active part in community activities, he was never destined to work down the pit. A bright boy, he seized opportunities that came his way and became a highly regarded member of the legal profession. His route wasn't always easy and could have been totally different if it hadn't been for that day when he dropped his favourite muggle in the long grass. That was a turning point enabling his passage into a different sector of society but Geordie remained his own man throughout, successfully carving a unique track through life, mixing with the rich and famous while always keeping his feet firmly on the ground in the company of his original friends and community. This story was inspired by a newspaper article reporting on a research project that found modern teenagers didn't understand or use the old Tyneside dialect; there was a sense it might fade from existence through lack of use. Spurred on by this, Val R. Brown set about creating a fictional tale that would not only use much of the dialect but would also demonstrate the humour and resilience of the old Geordie culture. The author trawled the recesses of her memory to recall the language of her childhood and has included a glossary of over 100 words and sayings of Tyneside dialect at the end of the story.