Mark Twain's Newcastle quote T-shirt

In 1895, famous American comedian Mark Twain visited Australia. On his way from Sydney to Scone, where he was booked to deliver a lecture, Twain stopped in Newcastle where he had a tooth extracted.

Twain wrote a lot on that trip, describing a fellow passenger on the train as "a slim creature, with teeth which made his mouth look like a neglected churchyard" and also penning the poem "A Sweltering Day in Australia".

While this much we know to be true, there's also a claim that he described our city in less than glowing terms: "Newcastle consists of a long street with a graveyard at one end with no bodies in it, and a gentleman's club at the other with no gentlemen in it."

It's a well-known claim and one that has grown in popularity over the years, but the current thinking is that it's probably a myth. However, every city needs a good myth or two to keep it going.

You can read more about Twain's visit and research into the famous quote in this excellent piece and about his time in Scone here. 

T-shirt design by Lochie Vardy.

• 100% combed and ring-spun cotton
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz./yd.² (142 g/m²)
• Pre-shrunk fabric
• Side-seamed construction
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping

Size guide