commemorative plaques Your guide to a historical journey through ’s amazing past Gateshead’s people, places, events When it comes to history and heritage, Gateshead has a lot to be proud of.

From the invention of electric lighting to famous disasters that changed the life of miners for ever, Gateshead has an amazing history. Famous authors, inventors, artists and musicians have all made their mark on the borough and there are a host of special buildings and places of interest. They have shaped the Gateshead we have today and are a huge source of pride for local people. Gateshead Council has erected commemorative plaques to some of the most significant people, buildings and locations from Gateshead’s history. This leaflet is a guide to those plaques, to make them easy to find and to give a little more historical information. Why not take a tour of Gateshead’s commemorative plaques? You could try to visit all of the plaques celebrating our industrial past or perhaps pay homage to some of the borough’s most famous musicians and song writers. Whatever your interest, this leaflet has handy maps to help you plan your route to the plaques. Included in this leaflet are several new plaques, unveiled in 2012. Be sure to find out more about the Felling Pit disaster, Sir Vincent Raven and the celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the Races. We’re always keen to hear about the people, places or buildings that you think should be nominated to receive a commemorative plaque too. So if you’ve got an idea, please contact our historic environment team on 0191 433 3510.

2 Town Centre and East Gateshead People 1 Daniel Defoe (1660–1731) 3 Sir Vincent Raven NEW On south side of Hillgate, adjacent to On former Greenesfield Works footpath to St Mary’s Square. office building, Fletcher Road Well-known writer, journalist and Sir Vincent Litchfield Raven was the pamphleteer Defoe spent some time last Chief Mechanical Engineer of lodging in Gateshead. He was one of the the North Eastern Railway. He was founders of English novel writing and responsible for some of the most wrote the world-famous Robinson successful and longest lived steam Crusoe. It is believed that he lived near locomotives ever built. He was also Hillgate in the early 18th century . a pioneer of electric locomotives. He oversaw the construction of a prototype high speed electric locomotive in 1922 as part of a plan for electric trains from York to Newcastle, over 65 years before they became reality.

2 George “Geordie” Ridley (1835–1864) On side wall of William IV public house, High Street. Writer of what has been referred to as the “unofficial anthem of ”, The , Geordie was a music hall singer and composer. This plaque marks the site of a previous building where he lived.

3 4 Dr Alfred Cox NEW Places On West View House, Road founded the Gateshead Medical 7 Brandling Station Association and later went on to be both On north wall, Mulberry Street, Felling. Deputy Medical Secretary and Medical The Brandling Junction Railway was a Secretary of the British Medical pioneering railway. This station, one of Association. Dr Cox was also a well the oldest surviving passenger stations published medical writer. in the world, was built in 1842. This plaque celebrates the restoration of the 5 Sister Winifred Laver NEW building in 1978. On Gateshead Evangelical Church, Derwentwater Road. Pastor of Vine Street Mission, Sister Winifred Laver devoted her life to her religion and to helping others. Famed for organising Christmas lunch for up to 1,200 8 The Gateshead Dispensary people and On south front of the Dispensary, taking large numbers of children to the Nelson Street. seaside for trips, she has been referred Founded in 1832 after the outbreak of to as ‘the first .’ cholera in 1831, the dispensary helped to improve public health and made 6 William Henry Brockett NEW medicine available to the poor. It was On King James Street, also used to treat patients injured in the Just off Old Durham Road, Gateshead. 1854 fire – one of whom received A 19th Century treatment for “bruised toes”! The plaque liberal reformer, commemorates the site occupied by the Brockett had a dispensary between 1855 – 1946. prominent career as a commission merchant and ship broker. He is best remembered for lobbying to ensure parliamentary representation for Gateshead, helping to establish the Gateshead Dispensary and for founding Gateshead’s first newspaper – The Gateshead Observer.

4 9 River Police Station 10 Tyne Bridge 75th Anniversary On east wall of Tyne River Police Station (Bridge opened 1928) (former La Riviera Restaurant), adjacent On west side of south tower of Tyne to the Swing Bridge. Bridge, Hillgate. The Admiralty formed the first River A famous symbol of Tyneside, the Tyne Police on 4th August 1845, with 21 men Bridge was designed by Mott, Hay and and six rowing boats. This station was Anderson and built by Dorman Long built for them in 1910. and Co. of Middlesbrough. It was officially opened by King George V in 1928 and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2003, when this plaque was unveiled.

5 11 High Level Bridge 12 High Level Bridge Lamps East side of central pier. West side of central pier. The iconic High Level Bridge was The original cast iron lighting columns on designed by Robert Stephenson, son of the High Level Bridge were brought back railway engineer George. It was officially into use in 2008 as part of a major opened by Queen Victoria in 1849 after restoration of the bridge, this plaque being open to rail traffic for almost a celebrates that work. Network Rail month. carried out the work in partnership with Gateshead Council and Newcastle Council, and the Railway Heritage Trust. Further plaques marking the presentation of the prestigious Europe Nostra Grand Conservation Award to the restoration team in 2009 can be found on the central pier.

Events

13 The 1854 Fire On east side of south tower of Tyne Bridge, Hillgate. This plaque marks the site of Wilson's worsted factory where the Great Fire of 6th October 1854 started. It later spread right across both sides of the Quayside and resulted in an explosion which was heard as far away as , Alnwick and 20 nautical miles out to sea.

6 14 Felling Colliery explosion NEW 15 Felling Colliery explosion NEW On Mulberry Street, near to memorial former entrance to colliery. In St Mary’s Churchyard, Heworth. The 1812 explosion The memorial commemorates all 92 at the John Pit of killed in the 1812 explosion at Felling Felling Colliery Colliery. The youngest killed was just killed 92 men and seven years old, the oldest 65. boys. The disaster Reverend John Hodgson was so led to great incensed by the loss of life that he advances in mine founded the first group to press for safety including improvements in industrial safety, the the introduction of Society for the Prevention the safety lamp. of Accidents in Coal Mines. The group The plaque was was instrumental in the creation of the unveiled in May first miners safety lamps. 2012 as part of the commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the disaster.

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9 Bensham and Saltwell People 18 (1808-1881) Adjacent to main entrance to Saltwell 16 Emily Davies (1830-1921) Towers, . On wall on east side of Bensham Road, William Wailes was one of the most near junction of Rectory Road. noted stained glass manufacturers in Feminist, leading suffragist, founder of Great Britain during Victorian times. In Girton College and long-time the 1850s he bought the Saltwellside campaigner for women's rights, Emily Estate and designed Saltwell Towers, spent most of her youth in Gateshead. where this plaque is located. He lived As a child she used to visit the Gateshead there until he died but sold the estate to slums and apparently nothing was to the Gateshead Corporation in 1876. shock her more in her life than what she Saltwell Park (voted Britain’s best Park in saw there. Her father was the Rector of 2005), has been enjoyed by residents Gateshead and she lived her early life in ever since. the rectory that once stood on the site of this plaque.

19 William (1829-1912) and Catherine Booth (1829-1890) On front wall, 15 Woodbine Terrace. Courtesy of the Mistress and Fellows, William had a Girton College, Cambridge reputation for being a fiery preacher. Together 17 Robert Spence Watson (1837-1911) with his wife Catherine, On south wall, Bensham Grove, he increased the Bensham Road. congregation at the An active participant in Liberal Party Bethesda Chapel in Politics in the local area, Robert Spence Gateshead from Watson was also an educational around 30 to 2,000. reformer. He founded the Girls’ Public Catherine took on more of a preaching Day School in Gateshead and was role, and because a woman preacher was actively involved in the education of such a novelty, requests for her to speak those attending ragged and industrial poured in from around the region. The schools. He was also instrumental in the Booths later moved to the East End of founding of the Durham College of where they founded The Science, now Newcastle University. Salvation Army. 10 P

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Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2012 11 Places 22 Hope, Ruth and Sylvia Dodds On front boundary wall to Home House, 20 Carter’s Well Kells Lane, Low Fell. On wall on west side of Durham Road, These three daughters of bookbinder adjacent to Carter’s Lodge. and amateur historian Edwin Dodds This plaque marks the site of the ancient were very well known in Gateshead in well which was the main water supply the 20th century. Hope was educated at for Low Fell until the late 19th century. Cambridge before women were even Carter’s Well was restored by Gateshead awarded degrees, while Ruth became a Council in 1994. prominent Labour Gateshead councillor in the 1930s. The sisters are best remembered for founding the Little Theatre in Gateshead, which was the only one in the country to open during the Second World War and still entertains audiences today.

23 Sir (1828-1914) On west wall of Underhill Residential People Home, Kells Lane, Low Fell Sir Joseph Swan was born 21 William Clarke (1831-1890) in Sunderland and came to On wall, adjacent to High Fell Social Gateshead as a young Club, Old Durham Road. man to work as a chemist. William Clarke was a very successful He lived at Underhill and industrialist and co-founder of Clarke his experiments here led Chapman, one of the largest employers to him inventing the first incandescent electric light bulb. He was on Tyneside. William was a councillor for knighted in 1904. some years as well as an organiser for the local Volunteer Corps, treasurer of the 24 Alex Glasgow (1935-2001) Children’s Hospital and a supporter of On front wall of 59 the Northern Counties Institute for the Church Road, Low Fell. Deaf. It was said of William that he Traditional working class seldom “strayed from the banks of the singer-songwriter Alex Tyne”. This plaque marks the site of ‘The Glasgow was born in Hermitage’, his large mansion. Low Fell, and developed his own style of political folk music with a Geordie slant. A miner’s son and ardent socialist, many of his songs were trades- union focused but he also wrote music for TV, including “The Tyne Slides By”. He is perhaps best known for singing “ When The Boat Comes In” for the BBC show of the same name. 12 B1296

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25 Katherine (Githa) 26 Arthur Holmes Sowerby (1876-1970) (1890-1965) On boundary wall On front wall of 19 adjacent to the entrance Primrose Hill, Low Fell. of The Drive, Durham A pioneer in his field, Road, Low Fell. Holmes was a much- Playwright, poet and children’s author published geo-scientist Katherine was a member of the noted who was very famous Sowerby family and heir to the huge in the early 20th Ellison glassworks opened by her century. He was once described as the grandfather in 1851. Githa's first play, “Father of English geology” and has a “Rutherford & Son”, was the first serious crater on Mars named after him! play by a female playwright to become a West End success and took London by storm in 1912. This plaque was erected in 2009, the same year her play was brought back to life by Northern Stage. 13 West Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2012

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Places 29 Pinfold In seating area adjacent junction of 27 Summerhouse, Former Main Street and Greenside Road,

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Stella (currently missing). stray animals in the

This plaque marked the spot of the west, Crawcrook summerhouse which is believed to have Pinfold was restored been built in 1840 on the site of the in the mid-1980s. The Stella Hall Estate, home of Joseph idea for restoration came after children Cowen. Stella Hall - now demolished - from Kepier Chare Primary School took was traditionally used as a convent and part in the BBC’s Domesday Project to dated back to the 12th century. The celebrate the 900th anniversary of the estate was home to the army during the Domesday Book. battle of Ford and Oliver Cromwell stayed here in 1651. There are 30 Lilley Brickworks plans to repair the summerhouse and On rear wall, former offices (now private replace the plaque. house) adjacent A694, . The Lilley 28 Ryton Pinfold Brickworks Junction of Barmoor was operated Lane and River Lane, by the Ryton. Priestman This plaque marks the Colliery Co. spot where an enclosure for stray The firm owned a number of collieries in animals existed from the 12th century. the area and converted redundant coke Pinfolds were used in Medieval Britain ovens to produce bricks. At first the when animals grazing on common bricks were just used for the company’s ground were not properly supervised by own purposes but from 1890 bricks were their owners. The Ryton Heritage Group produced for common use. The works restored the Ryton Pinfold in 1974 and closed in 1976. this plaque was erected three years later. 14 28 Ryton N B6317

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31 Old Hollinside Events On south east wall above door opening 33a “Blaydon Races” On wall on north to Old Hollinside, Derwent Country Park, east side of Stella Road (B6319) Whickham. Originally a horse race that first took Old Hollinside is place on Blaydon Island in 1861 and a 13th century later immortalised in George Ridley’s medieval manor famous song of the same name and has which was led to the modern Blaydon Race, now a owned by the road run. Harding family for 200 years. It became 33b Blaydon Races 150th Anniversary part of the Gibside Estate in 1732. One At the corner of Church Terrace NEW of 16 scheduled ancient monuments in and Shibdon Road, Blaydon. Gateshead, it was granted Grade I listed building status in 1950. The manor was People repaired in 2009 with funding from 34 John Brown (Jackey Broon) English Heritage and SITA UK. Left of entrance arch at west end of 32 Ebenezer Chapel Blaydon Shopping Centre. On north side of Market Lane, Swalwell. This plaque marks the site of the home of A commemorative plaque marks the John Brown, the bell-ringer made famous former site of the Presbyterian Ebenezer by Geordie Ridley’s The Blaydon Races. Chapel. The chapel was built in 1750 and demolished in 1976. 35 William Shield (1748-1829) On sandstone block set in grassed area, Hood Street, Swalwell. One time Master of the King’s Music, Shield was born in Swalwell. He was an accomplished violinist, violist and composer of operas. He incorporated the tune we now know as “Auld Lang Syne” into his opera “Rosina”. 15 We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the people, places and events that characterise Gateshead’s history. If you’d like to find out more about our borough’s intriguing past, then pay a visit to St Mary’s Heritage Centre. This Grade I listed former church opposite The Sage Gateshead, is now home to historical records, photographs, maps and lots of fascinating heritage information. There is also an education space for learners of all ages, and a wide range of family and cultural activities take place throughout the year. Even more historical material is held in the Local Studies section of Gateshead Central Library on Prince Consort Road. For more information on Gateshead’s local history contact St Mary’s Heritage Centre, Oakwellgate, NE8 2AU, 0191 433 4699 or visit www.gateshead.gov.uk For public transport information that could help you plan your route around the commemorative plaque sites call Traveline on 0871 200 2233.

Produced by Gateshead Council. © February 2013