Greg: Yes, I am absolutely sure about Newcastle being separate (in the pre-Tyne'n'Wear days) from Northumberland. Given that, I may be wrong about the precise phrase "City Borough" that I used - I recall a sign "The City and County of Newcastle upon Tyne" but this may be no more than a paraphrasing. I believe that City Borough is the right term, but am ready to be corrected.

I think that the county town of Northumberland is Alnwick. Given that Alnwick is the home of the Percys, I would be very surprised to be told otherwise. Where the actual county offices may be, that I can't say, I've been in exile too long.

Jim: I grew up in County Durham, believing that Darlington is "Down South" let alone Manchester! Now living in Preston after time in Bristol, St. Albans, Cranleigh and Kingston, I've no doubts about being "in the North". I'd put the border somewhere around Nottingham, but my Birmingham born and bred wife definitely does not consider herself a Southerner. I suppose that's what the term "Midlands" was invented for.

One New Year's Eve, I was leaving Scotland to the bemused disbelief of some Scots. When told I was going to a party in Newcastle, I was told "That's OK then, Geordies are the next best thing to Scots." I'd have put it the other way around, myself, but a free lift in the snow was not to be emperilled.