John Harbottle

John Harbottle (born c. 1851) was a Newcastle businessman, songwriter and angler in the late 19th century.

His most famous song is probably "Streams of the North" which won the local newspaper prize in 1891.

[2]] He took up poetry at a very young age and had written many poems and acrostics before he reached his twenties.

His poems appeared on a regular basis in the local Newcastle newspapers, and when the Northern Weekly Leader [3] (published from 9 Feb 1884 until 27 Dec 1919), in 1889, ran a competition offering a prize for the best poem about the River Tyne, John Harbottle entered his "Streams of the North" and won the first prize.

He was an active member of the Northumberland Angling Club, and also wrote many, sometimes racy, poems and songs intended to be used at their annual meetings.