The Legendary Colmans, 1997 by Robert Olley, South Shields Museum & Art Gallery
Robert Olley (b. 1940) The Legendary Colmans, 1997 oil on canvas board
Words by the artist: “My inspiration came from the host of interesting characters going about their business, with Colmans as a backdrop. It could be a Friday, the traditional day for many to dine on fish and chips. “Situated only a few hundred yards from the North Sea, Colmans is not only appreciated by human diners, but is also an attraction for hungry gulls with a penchant for top-quality fish and chips. As a gesture of appreciation for Mr. Ord’s excellent fare, a small deposit is often left by the gulls on his car! “This painting, which usually hangs in the Ocean Road restaurant, has been admired by many since 1997, including the many celebrities that have been invited to speak at David Miliband’s annual lecture. They include Sir John Major, David Walliams, Hillary Clinton, Sting, Jo Brand, Gary Lineker and many others that have visited THE LEGENDARY COLMANS.”
Food and drink is the mouth-watering theme for South Shields Museum’s latest exhibition. The exhibition charts the story of food and drink across South Tyneside and celebrates the traditional cuisine of the North East, from regional favourites such as stottie cakes and leek pudding, to singing hinnies and panaculty.
In this exhibition, visitors can discover South Tyneside’s evolving food and drink story, from Roman times up to the present day, and learn of the origins of some of the borough’s most iconic eateries, including Colmans fish and chips, Dicksons pork butchers and Minchella & Co’s ice cream. In the decades following the Second World War, culinary horizons were expanded with the introduction of flavours from places far beyond UK shores.
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