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Politics May 7, 2026

VOTE & VISIT A SPORTS LEGEND'S GRAVE AT UK'S SPOOKIEST POLLING STATION

VOTE & VISIT A SPORTS LEGEND'S GRAVE AT UK'S SPOOKIEST POLLING STATION

Imagine casting your vote in a place where shadows dance among headstones—that's exactly what happened in Whitley Bay, where one polling station set up shop inside a cemetery office.

Voters braved the eerie atmosphere to make their voices heard, surrounded by the quiet stillness of the graveyard.

But this burial ground holds more than just political drama. Last year, rugby enthusiasts stumbled upon the forgotten grave of Ernest William Taylor—a man known to fans as "Little Billie."

A voter arrives before casting their vote in the 2026 local elections at Whitley Bay Cemetery in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside. Picture date: Thursday May 7, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Taylor was no mere foot soldier of the sport; he captained England's national rugby team seven times between 1894 and 1899, earning the glorious nickname "Prince of Half-backs."

His tombstone and that of his wife, Mary Frances, had fallen into disrepair, but recent news confirmed the weathered markers were finally being restored to their former dignity.

Not every polling place in the northeast offers such spine-tingling vibes. Over in Sunderland, lucky residents can cast their ballots at Fulwell Windmill—the only working windmill in the entire region.

Sport, Rugby Union, circa 1896, Portrait of E W Taylor, who earned his England Cap against Ireland in 1891-2 and was Captain of the Rockliffe Club that held the Northumberland Cup for many years Date circa 1896

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