Treasure Trove sold at Boldon Auction Galleries

A TREASURE trove of football player’s autographs has been gifted to the SAFC Foundation from a collector.

John Kirton from Boldon Auction Galleries with Lot 109, a folder of autographs given as a gift to SAFC Foundation.


The folder included autographs from players including Bobby Moore, Bill Shankly, Geoff Hurst, Wayne Rooney and Ferenc Puskas and raised £280 at Boldon Auction Galleries.

It was left as a legacy to the charity from a lifelong Sunderland fan.

Lynsey Thompson, SAFC Foundation head of development, said: “We’re always very grateful for donations of items that we can auction off to raise funds for SAFC Foundation, whether they’re from private collectors, businesses, or the football club and the players themselves.

“They’re a great way of giving Black Cats fans a chance to own something unique whilst contributing to the improvement of the region through our programmes.”

Meanwhile, Black Cat-daft mackems have been bidding online for some footballing history gems.

The Foundation launched their Christmas charity auction on eBay featuring exclusive and unique SAFC items such as signed and match-worn items including boots and goalkeeping gloves.

Proceeds from the auction go to supporting SAFC Foundation, the official charity of Sunderland AFC, which last year worked with more than 40,000 young people and their families in the Sunderland, South Tyneside and Durham areas.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon kindly donated worn football boots and gloves along with defender Michael Turner donating worn boots.

Former players Bolo Zenden and John Mensah’s signed boots were also up for grabs in the auction along with matchday programmes signed by former and current players.

Lynsey Thompson, Head of Development for SAFC Foundation said: “We have been delighted to be able to offer Black Cats fans the chance to pick up some unique items and help the local community in the process. I’d like to thank Sunderland AFC and all of the players who made this possible.”

The winning bidders are expected receive their lots before Christmas.

Monday 19th December -  Sunderland Echo.

Flog It! transmission date

The Flog It! programme filmed at both Alnwick this summer; and Boldon Auction Galleries September Fine Art & Antique Auction will be transmitted on Friday 6th January at 15:45 on BBC2.

Please check your television listings nearer to the date in case there are any changes to the schedule.  If you miss the programme you can watch it again on BBC iplayer within 7 days of original transmission.

We hope you enjoy the programme.

Best wishes,

Boldon Auction Galleries

Letters From A Life At Sea

HISTORIC documents have surfaced which shed light on the seafaring career of the admiral who built one of the North East’s great mansions.

A collection of 26 items of correspondence from Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Byng in 1718 to Admiral George Delaval will be sold tomorrow at Boldon Auction Galleries in South Tyneside.

It was George Delaval who bought the Delaval estates from his relative Sir John Delaval and who invited the architect Sir John Vanbrugh to design Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland, now in the care of the National Trust.

The letters were sent to George Delaval by Admiral Byng when both men were based in the Mediterranean at a time of conflict with Spain. Admiral Delaval led the Blue Squadron under Byng’s command.

The documents include:

Details of the positions which ships were assigned in battle, each vessel’s commander and its number of crew and guns;

Arrangements for a rendezvous point should the fleet by split up by bad weather or accident;

A form to be filled which details crew numbers, stores and rate of consumption of bread, beer, beef, pork, peas, oatmeal, butter and cheese;

A command to Admiral Delaval in which he is “desired and directed whenever you meet any ships belonging to the King of Spain or his subjects you are to take, sink, burn or destroy.”

A letter advising that an agent in Lisbon has procured a large quantity of wine and that if ships’ pursers have the funds they can buy stocks.
The documents, which are from a North East vendor, are expected to fetch £1,500-£2,000.

Everything was rationed at sea - but beer!

By GARETH CRICKMER
Published on Wednesday 14 December 2011 10:21  South Shields Gazette

UP FOR AUCTION ... Boldon Auction Gallery admin assistant Lucy McKelvey with Admiral George Delaval's letters.


HISTORIC naval documents being auctioned in South Tyneside later today reveal 18th-century sailors suffered supply shortages – of everything but beer.

Pork, oatmeal, beef, butter and all other foods were rationed during British war manoeuvres around the Mediterranean in 1718.

But only their daily intake of beer escaped limitation.

The order is detailed in one of 26 documents going under the hammer at Boldon Auction Galleries.

Spanning the months March to October, they were sent by Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Byng to Admiral George Delaval.

Both were based in the Mediterranean while Britain engaged in conflict with Spain.

Caroline Hodges, a Boldon Auction Galleries director, described the items as “fantastic”.

She said: “I was surprised and very excited when they were presented to us.

“You can chart the battles and see what was happening. It has been a real pleasure to be able to look through them.

“They are not easy to read or follow, but each is like a piece of a jigsaw showing how these men lived.

“There is a romantic idea of life at sea and of the battles fought at this time, but these show what it was really like.

“They reveal the difficulties of day-to-day life and the real circumstances in which they lived.

“They build up a picture and give a sense of history.

“The one about the beer is quite amusing.”

The items have been donated by an anonymous private female seller whose family have owned them for generations. She is not a descendant of either admiral. Described as in “delicate” but very good condition, they have a reserve price and are expected to sell for up to £2,000.

The documents detail the positions ships were given for battle, as well as each vessel’s commander and its crew numbers and guns.

One, a short amount allowance order, dated May 29, shows how a ship’s stocks were to be rationed except for beer.

Another tells of arrangements being made for a rendezvous point should the fleet be split by accident or bad weather. And a command to Admiral Delaval tells how he was to “take, sink, burn or destroy” any ship he encounters belonging to the King of Spain.

There is also a letter which shows that an agent in Lisbon had secured a large quantity of wine.

Admiral Delaval owned Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland.

It now belongs to the National Trust, which has shown an interest in the documents.