# Westoe Netty

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{{Short description|Painting by Robert Olley}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox artwork
| image_file         = The Westoe Netty by Robert Olley.gif
| image_size         = 240px
| title              = The Westoe Netty
| other_language_1   =
| other_title_1      =
| other_language_2   =
| other_title_2      = 
| artist             = [Robert Olley](/source/Robert_Olley)
| year               = 1972
| height_metric      = 
| width_metric       = 
| height_imperial    = 
| width_imperial     = 
| metric_unit        = cm
| imperial_unit      = in
| city               = 
| museum             = 
}}

The '''''Westoe Netty''''' is a painting by [Robert Olley](/source/Robert_Olley). It depicts a historical scene inside a [public toilet](/source/washroom) (''netty'' is a [Geordie](/source/Geordie) dialect word for toilet). Painted in 1972,<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/apr/04/artnews.art Urinal finds museum home] ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)'', 4 April 2007</ref> it has become a cultural symbol of [North East England](/source/North_East_England) working class history.<ref>"North East Netty takes pride of place at Beamish", Durham Tourist Board, 21 August 2008</ref>

Olley was a former [miner](/source/miner) turned local artist, and his painting was inspired by a real toilet that was formerly sited in [Westoe](/source/Westoe), [South Shields](/source/South_Shields).<ref>[http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/1298826.famous_toilet_to_go_on_display/ Famous toilet to go on display] ''[The Northern Echo](/source/The_Northern_Echo)'', 30 March 2007</ref> His painting depicted six working-class men and a little boy using the netty, which was used by workers travelling to the nearby Westoe [Colliery](/source/Coal_mining). The painting portrays the wall of the netty covered in humorous and often vulgar [graffiti](/source/graffiti), reflecting many local phrases and cultural references.

The original toilet was built in 1890. When the area it was sited in was earmarked for regeneration, the toilet was saved from demolition by friends of the artist, who dismantled it and put into storage in 1996 in a local shipyard. In 2008 the toilet was rebuilt as a permanent exhibit at the [Beamish Museum](/source/Beamish_Museum), [County Durham](/source/County_Durham), and opened on 25 July 2008 with a recreation of the picture's scene staged for the media.<ref>[http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/07/26/famous-westoe-netty-finds-home-at-beamish-61634-21408794/ Famous Westoe netty finds home at Beamish] ''[The Journal](/source/The_Journal_(Newcastle_upon_Tyne_newspaper))'', 26 July 2008</ref>

However, by 2010 the authenticity of the rebuilt North Eastern icon became a victim of its own success as its visitors thought it was for public use so a decision to retire it into temporary storage until funds allowed the ''Westoe Netty'' to be relocated, reconstructed and plumbed in as a working urinal.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.robertolley.co.uk/ Robert Olley's website]

Category:Tourist attractions in County Durham
Category:Culture in Tyne and Wear
Category:English paintings
Category:Toilets in art
Category:1972 paintings
Category:Paintings in North West England

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Westoe Netty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westoe_Netty) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westoe_Netty?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.