Bloodaxe
04-27-2006, 03:25 AM
One of the real ale pubs I frequent- "The Turk's Head" is known more often as the above. Guess why? Yup, it has a stuffed dog in a glass case in the bar, known as "Wanderin' Willie".
The story goes back to 1860. Whilst driving sheep down from Northumberland down to the ferry on the River Tyne, Willie got parted from his master. He waited at the ferry landing for his master's return, sustained by scraps of food by the riverside workers- his master never returned, so his loyalty was to no avail and he died several years later- a sad story, eh?
Anyway, as a sort of tribute to a Geordie version of Greyfriars Bobby, the Landlord of the The Turks Head had him stuffed and his rather sad gaze has observed quite a few generations of drinkers since.
The story goes back to 1860. Whilst driving sheep down from Northumberland down to the ferry on the River Tyne, Willie got parted from his master. He waited at the ferry landing for his master's return, sustained by scraps of food by the riverside workers- his master never returned, so his loyalty was to no avail and he died several years later- a sad story, eh?
Anyway, as a sort of tribute to a Geordie version of Greyfriars Bobby, the Landlord of the The Turks Head had him stuffed and his rather sad gaze has observed quite a few generations of drinkers since.