General Businesses
Swalwell Industries in the Nineties
H & H Wholesale, owned by Mr Peter Hobson who has other business interests in Yorkshire, has been in situ for three years. Prior to this Premier Wholesale had been on the same site for approximately eight years.
Brunswick Warehouse, owned by Brown and Jackson who also own "Poundstretcher", moved onto the site in Swalwell in 1995.
Bespoke Concrete Products.
BUP Autoparts on Napier Road.
Comma Print on Napier Road.
Denture Centre
Denholm Electrical
The Cash Register Centre
Pringle Design
Paquart
Foxhills Driving School
In the Imex Business Centre in Swalwell
Take a Break
N.D. Autos
Thirlwell Coaches, a successful family run coach travel business which has been there for many years.
Ramsey's Bakers
Kells Lane Joinery Works
Milburn Electrical Contractors
Leonard's Pizzas
Valet Car Services
More information available on the Tyneside History Website - Here
Swalwell Industries in the Eighties
D.H.Miller, Joiners Ltd.
D.M.Armstrong, Building and Roofing Contractors, 48,Richmond Avenue, Swalwell.
On the site where the Ebenezer Chapel stood for many years is a company called "Starplas Trade Supply", who sell windows and doors and another company called "Holt Insulations".
At the bottom of Swalwell Bank there is a company called " Sports Car Supplies".
Swalwell Industries in the Seventies
B & Q Warehouse, (originally called Dodge City), a multi-national company opened their branch in Swalwell on the 21st of April 1979. They had the whole of one side of the Sands Industrial Estate and a section of the other side where they had an Auto Centre.
Swalwell Industries in the Sixties
J.Gibson, Crowley Road, Swalwell - First Class Decorating.
Swalwell Industries in the Thirties
A.A.Fletcher & Son, Foundry Lane, Swalwell - General printers,engravers, book binders and wholesale stationers.
Messrs A.A. Fletcher & Son Ltd., Printing Works
Mr A.A. Fletcher, a young engineer on a visit to a printing works was so impressed by what he saw that he decided to open his own printing business. He found premises at Foundry Lane, Swalwell, and the works opened in 1888. The typesetting was done by a team of compositors, Mr Fletcher did the machine work and a small staff of girls finished off in the bindery department. One of Mr Fletcher's achievements in 1909, was the introduction to this country of coloured postcards of local buildings etc. In 1914 Mr W.B. Fletcher, his son, became a partner in the firm and the business was managed jointly until the tragic death of both partners in 1952. Mr Alan Fletcher took over the business at a very difficult time in the history of the firm. He introduced mechanised typesetting and automatic printing machinery resulting in greater efficiency. The business expanded rapidly and in 1965 a larger building was obtained in Station Road, Swalwell. Eventually the business moved to the Team Valley Trading Estate and changed hands in the 1990s.
Whickham Industrial Estate, Swalwell
In 1972 Shield Brothers Ltd built the new complex called "Whickham Industrial Estate" located at the bottom of Whickham bank in Swalwell.
Team Valley Brush Company- original company started in 1936.
Swalwell Tyre Services.
Gateshead Council Cleansing Services (formerly Magnet Joinery).
Gateshead Council - Swalwell Depot.
Gateshead Council Public Works Area Depot Swalwell, Whickham Bank.
Whickham Motor Company
Whickham Motor Company, formerly Leslie's Garage.
Sermac
On Pennyfine Road, Streetgate there is a small factory "Sermac" which has been supplying and installing garage doors since 1969.
Industry in Dunston in the second part of the Century.
All Vent Systems moved onto the site which had previously been the site of "The Old Collingwood Hotel".
The Sewage and Treatment Works are on the site of Dunston Power Station.
Woodhead RSR, Lancaster Road.
Saltwell Signs, Staithes Road Dunston.
Rope Works
Glass Works
Dewsons, Dunston Saw Mills, Flour Mills Road, Dunston.
Dunston Federation Brewery, Wellington Road.
More information available on the Tyneside History Website at:- http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/north_east_england_history_page/Tyneside.htm
Industries in Dunston in 1903/4
The Dunston Ferry Co Ltd Direct ferry to Water Street, Newcastle and to Elswick.
The Tyne General Ferry Co. Boat Landing
Marsh Thamas & co. Ltd. manufactures of iron and steel stern frames, keel bars, rudders, marine and other forgings, general smiths.
Dunston Engine Works Co Engineers and makers of stone ore and cement crushing machines, land steering gear and all kinds of colliery work and ship repairers, also Capell Patent fans
River Plate Fresh Meat Co. Ltd ,10 Rothesay Terrace.
Robert Thubron & Co oting works and sawmill
Younger & Gallon Iron founders (High Dunston)
Dunston Industries
The main area of industry has always been concentrated near the River Tyne at Dunston and Swalwell.
Dunston is believed to have its origins in fishing. Historians believe that the settlements original houses were built along the Teams and the Tyne because of the rich pickings on offer. The advent of heavy industry along the riverside put paid to that. Now it is all gone, salmon are back in the Tyne!
The River Tyne provided a good method of transport as it was navigable for ships of about 8,000 tons beyond Derwenthaugh and in the 1950s was dredged to about 30 feet.The factories were also connected to a branch railway.
Long before the end of the century all had changed. The old industries were replaced by light industry, retail and service trade sited at the industrial estates in Dunston and Swalwell. At the Metro Centre, various supermarkets, hotels and food outlets became the main employers. Sadly much of the work is part-time and or shift work.