Alang the Road: Heritage Trail
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Alang the Road A Heritage Trail Following the route of the Geordie anthem Blaydon Races. George Ridley “I took the bus” Balmbras Music Hall Mosley Street & St Nicholas’ Church George Ridley was born Blaydon Races tells the Going to the music hall In 1862 St Nicholas’ Church was not in Gateshead in 1835 into story of a bus journey in was the most popular yet a cathedral. Dating from the 12th a mining family. His first 1862 on a rainy summer leisure activity in the century or earlier, it was one of four job at the age of eight was afternoon. A group of 1860s. There were churches in Newcastle along with St as a trapper boy down people travelled from several music halls in John’s, St Andrew’s and All Saints. It a pit – a horrible job that Newcastle to watch the Newcastle, but Balmbras became a cathedral in 1882. meant sitting in the dark annual races in Blaydon. in the Cloth Market was Mosley Street was the first street in for hours on end, opening The vehicle they went the most famous. It was the world to be lit by electricity. Joseph and shutting doors. After in was an open-topped originally called the Wheat Swan, inventor of the light bulb (made being seriously injured at horse-drawn coach, Sheaf Inn, and was also in Benwell), had his shop here on the work in his twenties, he and the poor condition known as the Royal Music west side of the street. This building, embarked on a successful of the roads would Saloon. John Balmbra which is now Kelburn House, is This is the centre of Newcastle in 1861. career as an entertainer have made this a dirty was the manager. In 1862 marked by a plaque. The town was in the middle of a major transformation. Not only was it booming economi- until his tragically early and uncomfortable the Old Town Hall would cally, but its appearance was changing as a result of the ambitious redevelopment schemes death at the age of 29. experience. Pictured have stood opposite mainly led by the trio of builder and developer Richard Grainger, architect John Dobson and The best known of his here is a scene from the the music hall. This was town clerk John Clayton. The Central Station, the Grainger Market, the High Level Bridge, popular Tyneside songs centenary celebrations demolished when the new Grey’s Monument, and most of Grey Street including the Theatre Royal were among the are Blaydon Races and of the Blaydon Races in Civic Centre was built in creations of the period between 1830 and 1870. Cushy Butterfield. 1962. the 1960s, but Balmbras is still standing today. At the same time, to the west, the peaceful semi-rural environs of Benwell, Elswick and Scotswood were being transformed into one of the foremost industrial areas in Britain. This trail follows the route of the famous bus journey from Newcastle to Blaydon in 1862. Start in Newcastle city centre where you can still see several of the places mentioned in the song. Travel with us along the Scotswood Road by bus, car or on foot. Finally, over the water to Blaydon Collingwood Street & The Infirmary Scotswood Road Armstrong’s Factory Paradise Chain Bridge Blaydon Mechanics Hall to visit the sites where the Blaydon Neville Street Races actually took place. In 1862, stretches of Opposite the Central In 1862 the Infirmary Before the housing the Scotswood Road Paradise is in the south of The Chain Bridge was The Mechanics Hall, which no longer This heritage trail was devised by St James’ Station is the George (pictured here in about clearance programmes were still quite rural. Benwell. Paradise Village built in 1831. Designed exists, was on the opposite side of the Heritage & Environment Group, a local 1795) was at Forth Banks of the 1960s and 1970s, consisted of Paradise by the north east architect road from Blaydon Railway Station. community organisation based in the west Stephenson Memorial. However William end of Newcastle which is dedicated to Stephenson was one of on a site now occupied by Scotswood Road was Armstrong had opened Row with its Methodist and civil engineer, John When the Races started in 1811, they exploring and celebrating the heritage and Tyneside’s most famous the Centre for Life. This at the heart of the his first engineering Chapel. Next to it was Green, it was the first of took place on a site next to where the environment of this area. engineers, responsible for was originally a lovely community. It was a works at Elswick in Paradise House, a large its type. It consisted of a station is now, and stopped when the building the world’s first green area. The building bustling street of shops 1847. Originally building dwelling with extensive suspension bridge hung station was built. They were revived To contact us: passenger railway line replaced an earlier and pubs, with dozens hydraulic machinery, gardens stretching down on chains from two stone in 1861 on an island further west, Visit our website at stjameschurchnewcastle. using steam locomotives. infirmary at Gallowgate, of streets of terraced it soon branched out to the Tyne. Nearby there towers. In 1862 it was a until that site too was subject to re- wordpress.com Write to us c/o Pendower Good Neighbour His engineering works and was itself replaced in housing running down the to bridges, armaments was a factory producing toll bridge, remaining so development. The Blaydon races Project, 12 Sunnybank Avenue, Newcastle were behind the station. In 1906 by the present day steep banks to join it. The and then ships. Pictured oils and pigments for until 1907. The bridge were started again in the 1880s, this upon Tyne, NE15 6SD June 1862 the memorial Royal Victoria Infirmary. Robin Adair, immortalised above is the arrival in paints and dyes. Just to was demolished in 1967 time on Stella Haughs. Visit us at St James’ Church, Benwell Lane, was in the process of being Dr Gibbs lived and in Blaydon Races, was 1861 of a massive anvil the north lay a colliery and replaced by the new any Tuesday between 12-4. erected. The Central Station worked in a big house on one of more than forty and hammer for making and some pit cottages. Scotswood Bridge further had been opened by Queen the north side of Westgate pubs along its length, guns. By 1884 the 50 acre Despite its proximity to to the west. This is a © Newcastle City Council 2012 The trail represents part of the “Alang the Trail created by: Judith Green and St James’ Road” Heritage Lottery funded project to Victoria in 1850 but the Road near the junction many named after the site could build and equip the Newcastle-Carlisle box girder construction portico was not completed with Grainger Street. The adjacent industries, such an entire warship from railway, opened in 1838, and has required major Heritage & Environment Group 2012 celebrate the 150th anniversary of the song. Inspired by 150th Anniversary Blaydon Races until 1863, so the race- Dispensary was in Nelson as the Hydraulic Crane, raw material to finished Paradise would still have strengthening works Guided Tour by Pat Lowery, North East England goers would have passed a Street. A plaque marks the Forge Hammer, and product. By 1895 it been quite a secluded several times already. Blue Badge Guide and local historian building site. the location. the Mechanics Arms employed 11,000 people. spot in 1862. Images courtesy of West Newcastle Picture (above). History Collection and Newcastle City Libraries and Information Service “Gannin’ alang the Scotswood Road” “Reet into Blaydon Toon” Follow the Song This section of the Trail takes you from the city centre along Scotswood Road to the This section of the Trail takes you from Scotswood Bridge to the site of the 1862 Directions for following the Trail Scotswood Bridge. You can go west towards Blaydon on foot, or by bus or car. Blaydon Races. You can go on foot, by bus or by car. This trail follows the route of the bus journey celebrated in the Scotswood Road in 1862 From the Scotswood Bridge, you have a good view along the river in both directions. It is also an excellent vantage point for seeing the changes taking place in Scotswood The Scotswood Road today is very different from the place the race-goers would song. The trail is in three parts – through Newcastle city centre, and Benwell today. along the Scotswood Road, and through Blaydon. The route is have seen in1862. i Blaydon Races during the 19th century also shown in orange on the map below, running from east to By 1862, heavy industry was spreading along the river banks south of Scotswood Road, notably Armstrong’s engineering factory mentioned in Blaydon Races. In 1862 the Blaydon Races took place on an island in the Tyne. A plaque in west (right to left). Following the closure of the Elswick works in the 1970s, the Business Park was built the wall on the north side of Stella Road identifies the site where the Blaydon on the site. o. Races took place in 1862. Earlier in the century, the races were on a site further “Away we went alang Collingwood Street” Just after you pass the signs pointing north to Benwell, you are in Paradise! a. east next to where the railway station stands now, and near to the Mechanics Start the Trail on foot in Newcastle city centre. More information about points of This section of the Trail ends at Scotswood Bridge.