William "Willie" Armstrong


William "Willie" Armstrong was a Newcastle upon Tyne concert hall songwriter and performer of the 19th century. His most famous song is probably The Newcassel Worthies.

William's life

William Armstrong was born c1804 in Painter Heugh,, the name possibly derived from the fact that ships tied up here in the tidal parts of the Lort Burn.

His father was a shoemaker owning a business in Dean Street.

William himself was apprenticed to a Mr Wardle, a painter of White Cross in Newgate Street.

After his apprenticeship he worked as a journeyman..

He was admired as the singer "Willie Armstrong" as well as being appreciated as a songwriter, and was known as a performer who enjoyed singing his own songs.
He moved to London c1833-34 after which, very little is known of him or his life.

Works

Many of his songs were of the times, of the Colliers and the Keelboatmen, or humorous occurrences.
Taken as a whole, the collection of songs become a social history of the times as well as a feast of dialect materials
Some of the publications containing his works are :--
The following is a list of just some of his songs :-