Services
Marley Hill shops
The only shop
in Marley Hill,
near Church Street
and St. Cuthbert's Street
In spite of being a busy mining community Marley Hill had very few shops. At the end of the twentieth century there were no shops open in the village.
High Row (A)
High Row had at one time, a small shop run by a Mrs Ellison. There was no shop window, which suggests that the business was in her home. She sold sweets, pop, cooked meats, threads and needles.
Return to map of Marley Hill Shops
Post Office Row (B)
There was a shop here in 1860 run by a family called Bean. In 1882 it was taken over by Thomas Brabban, who in 1890 added the Post Office which gave the street its name. The Post Office was located nearer the southern end of the street at bottom right of the map. Thomas stayed there until 1922. The shop was then taken over by Hannah Hutchinson as a Post Office and General Dealers. Hannah retired in 1965. The shop closed in 1973.
Return to map of Marley Hill Shops
The Hut Shop (A)
This shop was opened at the west end of Church Street in 1925 by John Aimers. Later in the 20's it was owned by Bob Wintrip, as a General Dealers and Post Office, until 1951. The shop, which was a wooden structure, was then rebuilt in brick. Tommy Gibson had the shop and Post Office until 1974. Sometime in the 1980's the Post Office part was closed and residents of Marley Hill had to travel to the Post Office in Sunniside. The shop closed in 1994.
Street Traders (D)
Street TradersFrom about 1914 Marley Hill was served by traders coming round the doors. First there was Margaret Davy selling fish from her creel. In the 1930's John Davy continued the family tradition but selling from a van. Barty Phelphs from High Row sold fish for a short time. In 1948 Norman Curry from Burnopfield Co-op came round with fish.
A McCourt in the early part of the century sold items necessary for the pitmen such as carbide for their lamps and lamp oil. He also sold kitchen utensils. There was also a muffin man, a trader selling eggs and yeast and a woman with haberdashery in her pack.In the 1930's Harry Ismay came in with his horse and cart selling fruit and vegetables. Bobby Lowden began coming round in a van, with a counter, in 1950's selling fruit and vegetables.
Return to map of Marley Hill Shops
Sunniside Shops
The main street through the centre of Sunniside is known as Front Street
This is where all the shops are situated.
Dewhurst Terrace (A)
This terrace was named after Mr. Dewhurst who was the Headmaster at Marley Hill School from 1895-1913
Approaching from Gateshead it is on the right hand side of Front Street, nearest to Marley Hill.
Possibly the main shop was 'the store'. This was the Sunniside Branch of Burnopfield Co-op, which was opened at No.1& No2. Dewhurst Terrace in 1911.
There were grocery, butchery and drapery departments with leisure facilities upstairs.
In 1921 the new premises were opened adjoining the top end of Dewhurst Terrace.
The Co-op closed in 1987 and the shop was eventually taken over by the Spar before being completely destroyed by fire on 12th. March 1992.
It was rebuilt as a supermarket with shops attached and opened by Coronation Celebrity Ken (Reg. Holdsworth) Morley on 16th. September 1993.
It is now a mini-supermarket opening late.
Sunniside Co-op, 1911.
Sunniside Spar shop,
formerly the Co-op,
after the fire in 1992.
Crowder's Chemist shop,
2000.
Post Office, 2000.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| No 1 Sunniside Chippy | Sunniside Co-op | |
| No 2 Rajdhoot Indian Takeaway | Sunniside Co-op | |
| No 3 Vacuum Repair Centre | Woodville Barbers | |
| Ladies Hairdressers | ||
| No 4 Orchard | Coffee Shop | |
| Amulree Coffee/Dress shop | ||
| Nearly New Shop | ||
| Co-op Butchers | ||
| No 9 Crowder Chemists | Off Licence & General Dealers | |
| Previous owners: Alma Kelly, Hopkins, Gelstones, Fishers, Lucas',Blackmores, Greys | ||
| No 12 Post Office - Paul Mein | Previous owner: Andy White 1960-1998. Opened as Post Office 1972 | |
| Tommy White, Newsagent/General Dealer 1952 - 1960 | ||
| William & Sydney Blackburn Drug Store 1929 | ||
| Harry Ord Drug Store 1921 | ||
| No 13 Chinese Take Away | Dunphy's Fish & Chips 1956-1983 | |
| James Shorten Fish & Chips | ||
| No 16 | Jack Mason Newsagent 1920s - 1952 | |
| No 18 Designer Curtains | Off Licence 1970 - 1993 | |
| Mrs. McAvoy Ladies Draper |
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
Sun Street (B)
This is situated on the right hand side of Front Street
from the junction with Sunniside Road, which leads to Whickham.
Hebe Hairdressers and
upstairs, Belle Naturelle
Beauty Salon, 2000.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| no 8 | George Wilkinson Dentist, rented room from Mrs.Bell 1930's | |
| No 10 Paul Johnson BDS Dentist since 1983 | ||
| No 12 Hebe Hairdressers | Bob Grieveson Barber | |
| No 12(Upstairs) Belle Naturelle, Beauty Salon | John Cadwallender let a room to Mr Dunn Barber |
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
The main road leading into Sunniside from Lobley Hill.
A hut, which belonged to Robert Boyd the cobbler, was erected opposite the Butcher's shop. Mr Boyd started his business in Prospect Terrace. He retired in 1961 when his son, Ernie, took over the business until he retired in 1986. The hut remained until 1993.
Chapel Stores, Mini
Supermarket, 2000.
The Sidegate Gallery, 2000.
| 2000 | Previous owners | |
| No 1 Sidegate Art Gallery | Tommy, Butcher | |
| Michael Furness, Butcher 1974 | ||
| John Reed, Butcher 1950's-1960's | ||
| Ned Reed, Butcher opened 1913. On Saturday afternoon he would go out with his horse and cart and sell people their Sunday joints. | ||
| No2 Chapel Stores, Mini Supermarket | 1960 Mr. Smith Post Office | |
| Margaret & Bob Middleton, General Dealers until 1960 | ||
| Mr & Mrs Ralph Bell, General Dealers early 1920's - late 1930's |
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
Alexander Terrace (D)
Situated on the left hand side of Front Street opposite Dewhurst Terrace.
Previously known as "Honeymoon Terrace" as most of the occupants were newly weds.
No.2 Owned by George Cook, a baker and confectioner. The bakery was in the yard behind the shop.
In 1928 Sarah Greenhill served in the shop and her husband, Walter, delivered bread and cakes in a horse drawn cart before using a Morris Oxford van.
Mrs. Greenhill was widowed in 1930 and she became Post-mistress until 1930 as well as running the bakery.
In 1932 Joe Hall ran the bakery and his son, Havelock, with his wife Louise took over. At Christmas, as a favour, they would cook turkeys for people who had small ovens.
This shop became Ramsey's Bakery in about the 1960's.
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
Granby Terrace (E)
Situated on the left hand side of Front Street, just past Sunniside Road, leading to Whickham.
The Beauty Box.
This is the site of the
first ladies' hairdressers
in Sunniside, 1945.
Pot Pourri, Gift Shop, 2000.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Travellers Rest | ||
| No2 Beauty Box | 1945 First Ladies Hairdressers in Sunniside | |
| Lottie Dillon's Fish & Chip Shop | ||
| No 4 Janet Maughan, Antiques | Fruit Cabin | |
| Florence's Baby Wear | ||
| Wet Fish Shop | ||
| Carr's General Dealer | ||
| No 6 Pot Pourri, Gift Shop | ||
| Early 1900's Post Office run by Walter Fenton. On his death his wife,Mary, ran it as a Grocery and Drapers as well. | ||
| No17 House | Kehoe sisters Milleners Shop |
Return to map of Sunniside Shops
Whickham Shops
Introduction
At the beginning of the twentieth century and up to the 1920s the shops were small and many were part of people's homes, for example:-
Mordue-General Dealer and Haberdasher
Kit Thompson-Confectioner and Newsagent
Dann-Confectioner
Edwin Elliott-General Dealer
Bailey-who baked and sold from his home
Even the Post Office in The Knowles was part of a house.
In the 1930s a terrace of purpose-built shops was erected on the south side of Front Street, just north of Whickham Chase Park. On the opposite side of Front Street houses were converted into shops. Next came General Stores such as Thompson's Red Stamp Stores, Moore's Stores, Law's Stores and the Hadrian Supply Company.
The 1970s saw the demolition of the north side of Front Street from Church Chare to the Spoor Chapel. This included houses, Sam Curry's electrical and TV shop, Rae and Dolly Curry's drapery with ladies outfitting and Henry Taylor's butchers' shop. In their place the shops of St. Mary's Green were built. Another group of shops was built in The Square to the west of the Spoor Chapel.
In the 1980s as shops became vacant they were taken over by Building Societies and Estate Agents. The 1990s saw the introduction of Financial Agencies. The last home/shop, Starks, closed in the early 90s having been established in 1921 in Whaggs Lane.
The main shopping area is still on Front Street from St. Mary's the Virgin Church to Whickham Community Church on Fellside Road. On the Grange Estate is a Post Office with Newsagents, Safeway Supermarket (formerly Presto) and another Newsagents. There are no shops on Fellside Park or Clavering Estates.
The building of the Metro Centre Shopping Mall in 1986 saw a decline in the number of small shops in the whole of the area.
Fellside Road looking
toward Front Street, 1900.
Fellside Road looking
toward Front Street, 1970's.
Fellside Road lies to the west of Whickham and joins Front Street. There has always been a group of shops around the junction.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| David H Gents Hairdressers | Homeseekers Estate Agents | |
| Econofreeze | ||
| Edwin Elliott Grocer | ||
| Marjories Ladies Hairdresser | ||
| Orchid Dress Shop | ||
| Razzmatazz Hair Studio | ||
| Sun Wah Chinese Take-Away | Co-op Grocers | |
| Demolished | Mordues |
Fellside Road at the junction
with Front street, 2000.
The site of William Mordues
general dealer's and the Co-op.
Fellside Road lies to the west of Whickham and joins Front Street. There has always been a group of shops around the junction. The original shops were demolished in the 19?? to make way for the shops which exist today.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Keith Pattinson Estate Agents | Kitchen & Bathroom Design | |
| Co-op Drapery and Hardware |
Front street, West End, 2000.
This group of shops was built in the late 1950s after some cottages had been demolished.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Stewart Eye Care | Pat Symons Dress Shop | |
| Offices | Offices | |
| W ayne's Barbers | Barry's Bakery | |
| Walters and Todd Butchers | Wet Fish Shop | |
| Wallpaper & Paint Shop | ||
| barkin shark Fish and Chip Shop | Friars Plaice | |
| Sports Shop | ||
| Dave Younghusband | ||
| Ken Robbins Footwear |
Top of Whickham Bank, 2000.
This group of shops lies just to the west of Whickham Front Street School at the top of Whickham Bank.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| C&H Glass | Davison Antiques | |
| Dodd's Chemist Shop | ||
| Whickham Ale Store Off Licence | ||
| Eggleston's General Dealers | ||
| Lavender Box Ladies hairdressers | Alan Campsell Hair Stylist | |
| Pellets Shoe Repairer | ||
| Empty | Swinton Insurance | |
| Wilson & Ritson Newsagent | ||
| George & May Bailey | ||
| Piccadilly Cake Shop |
Between Front Street
Primary School and the
Bridle Path pub 1975.
This was formerly a row of cottages.">
Between Front Street Primary School
and the Bridle path pub, 2000.
This group of shops was once a mixture of private houses and shops. Although probably they began life as cottages.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Village Sweet Shop | Bert's Gents Hairdressing | |
| Sun Cradle | Whickham Travel | |
| Blades Hairdressers | Dobson's Sweet Shop | |
| Off the Peg Cleaners | Off the Peg Dress Shop | |
| Muncaster's Cobblers | ||
| Moti Jheel Indian Take Away | Billy Wigham's Fish & Chip Shop | |
| John Davy's Fish & Chip Shop | ||
| Agar's Grocery Shop |
The site of The Square, 1920's,
looking towards Spoor Chapel.
Note the gas lamp.
The Square, 2000
The Square was built in 1960s. For a great number of years most of the land had been derelict, however some stone built houses had to be demolished to give a larger area for building.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| JG's Hairdressers | Ladies Hairdressers | |
| Patterson Solicitors | Wilson & Ritson's Newsagents | |
| Jack Percy Cycles | ||
| Revolver Video | Scott's Pork Butcher | |
| Stanley Racing | Bookless Greengrocers | |
| Post Office | ||
| Post Office | Carricks Bakery | |
| United Newsagents | Hadrian Supply Company | |
| Jamdani Indian Restaurant | Hadrian Supply Company | |
| Wine Cellar | Berkeley Wines | |
| Blayneys Wine Merchants | ||
| Whickham Travel |
The Back Row, 2000.
Whickham Sale Rooms Superstore
was formerly the Miners' Welfare Hall.
The Back Row runs from the Spoor Chapel to Whickham Front Street Primary School and almost parallel to Front Street. At one time there was a row of shops which was demolished and the extension to the Gibside Hotel occupies the site. One of the shops was an office for a taxi firm with parking spaces. This taxi rank still exists today.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Gibside Hotel | Roberts Drug Store | |
| Home Craft Supplies | ||
| Pellets Shoe Repairer | ||
| Penrose Hairdressers | ||
| Whickham Sale Rooms | Miner's Welfare Hall | |
| Oxley's Fish & Chip Shop | Back Row Fish & Chip Shop |
Whickham Telephone Exchange,
1970, at the bottom left of the photo
is the Gents underground toilet.
Spoor Chapel
with Gibside Hotel at right.
Telephone Exchange, 2000
This part of Whickham extends from the Spoor Methodist Chapel to what is now St Mary's Green. In the earlier part of the century there were a great number of shops on both sides of Front Street. The shops on the south side were demolished to make way for the enlarged telephone exchange. On the south side there was also demolition of the stone built houses.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Elle Beauty Salon | Hill's Chemist Shop | |
| Thompson's Red Stamp Stores | ||
| McFarlane Partnership | Henry's Hairdressers | |
| Gibside Hotel | Fishburn's Post Office | |
| Lily Butler's Milliners | ||
| Hunter's Fruiterers | ||
| Co-op Fish Shop | ||
| Telephone Exchange | Co-op Chemist shop | |
| Turnbull Butcher with abattoir | ||
| Co-op Butcher with abattoir | ||
| Brown's Fruit Shop | ||
| McGregors Haberdashery | ||
| Pork Shop |
The site of Curry's shops
looking towards the Crown
Hotel now Ye Olde Lang Jack
J H Taylor's Butchers Shop,
just before demolition to
make way for St Mary's
Green shopping centre.
St Mary's Green, 2000.
Walker's Greengrocers and
Florists, 2000.
The shops in St. Mary's Green were opened in the early 1970s.
This was not without controversy as it meant the demolition of some fine stone built houses and in many people's opinion ruined the character of the "village" of Whickham.
Among the buildings demolished were Sam Curry's Electrical, Radio, TV and Cycle Shop. It was here that you could take an accumulator, for a radio, to be charged up. Next door was Rae and Dolly Curry's Ladies Dress Shop and Drapers. Set back a little was Atkinson's Butcher Shop with its own abattoir. This later became Henry Taylors.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Kwik Save Supermarket | ||
| Ramsey's Cake Shop | ||
| Charles Thompson - Butcher | Factory Meat Shop | |
| R.A. Dodds - Butcher | ||
| Oxfam Shop | Peter Dominic Wine Merchant | |
| Bookless Greengrocers | ||
| Co-op Supermarket | ||
| Home & Gardens Hardware | William's Organs | |
| Margo's Dress Shop | ||
| Baker's Oven | Carricks Bakery | |
| Ruffles Hair Design | ||
| Electrical Shop | Iceland Frozen Foods | |
| Whickham News | Cook's Corner Newsagent | |
| Library | ||
| Dry Clean 2000 | Sunlight Dry Cleaners | |
| Co-op Dry Cleaners | ||
| Whickham Cards & Gifts | The Card Shop | |
| Walkers Greengrocers | Salad Bowl Greengrocers | |
| Martin & Son Butchers | John Taylor Butcher | |
| Henry Taylor Butcher | ||
| Dixon & Spearman Chemist | ||
| Lloyd's Bank | William Low Grocery | |
| Laws Stores (Grocers) | ||
| Village Dental Practice | Laws Stores |
Front Street, Whickham (South East End) (H)
Front Street, Whickham 1970,
outside what is now
Ye Olde Lang Jack pub.
Front Street, Whickham
(south side) 2000
showing the former library
in the background.
The row of shops on the south side were built in the 1930's, by "Pop" Wilkinson. Those on the north side were formerly cottages which have over the years became a wide variety of businesses, from greengrocers to financial advisors.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Bairstow Eves Estate Agents | Travel Needs | |
| Wool Shop | ||
| A McGregors Haberdasher | ||
| Fernleigh Ladies' Hairdressers | ||
| Diva Ladies Hairdressers | Wool Shop | |
| A McGregor Haberdasher | ||
| Robinson Drapers | ||
| S.K. Handa Chemist | Leigh & Dunn Chemist | |
| H Dixon Chemist | ||
| Moores Stores (Grocers) | ||
| Reed Rains Estate Agents | Leigh & Dunn | |
| Moores Stores (Grocers) | ||
| Library | ||
| Travel Needs | Midland Bank | |
| Donaldson's Sweet Shop | ||
| Flower Design | G.R. Armstrong Confectioner & Tobacconist | |
| Derwent Valley Estate Agents | Ken's Gents Hairdresser | |
| Lloyds Bank | ||
| Leigh & Dunn Chemist | ||
| E Dunn Chemist | ||
| Culey's Bakers | ||
| Bigger Bite Sandwich Bar | Sam's Snacks | |
| Lloyds Bank | ||
| Mc Kechnie's Radio and TV | ||
| Cool Tan | Fezzywigs Health Foods | |
| Lloyds Bank |
Front Street, Whickham ( North East End) (H)
Shops between the
Church Green and
Rose and Crown pub
in the 1970's
Front Street (north side)
1970, with Moores's stores
below the Rose and Crown pub.
Front street looking
towards Church Green, 2000.
The row of shops on the south side were built in the 1930's, by "Pop" Wilkinson. Those on the north side were formerly cottages which have over the years became a wide variety of businesses, from greengrocers to financial advisors.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Ye Olde Lang Jack Public House | Wilson & Ritson Newsagents | |
| Rose & Crown Public House | ||
| Crown Public House | ||
| Moores Supermarket | ||
| Barclay's Bank | Crown Garage | |
| Barclays Bank | Armstrong Butcher | |
| Charlie Young Butcher | ||
| Ken's Hairdressing | Derwent Valley Cycles | |
| Walkers Greengrocers | ||
| Billy Boyd Greengrocers | ||
| Harry Hutchinson Greengrocers | ||
| Casa Carbone Italian Restaurant | ||
| Newcastle Bakery | ||
| Finance Company | Hugh Stephenson Hardware | |
| Maughans Hardware | ||
| Newcastle Building Society | Grainger & Percy Building Society | |
| Your Move Estate Agents | J.M. Clark Estate Agents | |
| Bindman Solicitors | Northern Rock Building Society | |
| Piccadilly Cake Shop |
Return to map of Whickham Shops
Trams
The first Gateshead trams were steam driven but by the time the Dunston line was built the system was electrified. The route was single line along Pine Street then double line past the Gas Works. The line turned single again past the Team Gut, then a short double stretch, and another single stretch led to the double line terminus.
Tram terminus on Askew Road looking towards Dunston
The Dunston route was withdrawn on 4th August 1951 and crowds of people turned out to see what was the the last tramcar to run on Tyneside. Commemorative tickets were issued to the passengers.
Metro Centre Shopping
Metro Centre Countdown
The aim of Cameron Hall, the original developers, was to provide a shopping and leisure centre that combined North American innovation with European shopping tradition.
1980
The 120 acres of the River Tyne flood plain cover with waterlogged ash waste, from Dunston Power Station, was designated to be the site for a pioneering retail and leisure revolution. Its only advantage was its
location in the heart of Tyneside.
1981
The project to became financially viable with the choice of the area as one of the first Enterprise Zones in the United Kingdom.
1984
Gateshead M.B.C. hosted an exhibition to publicise the proposed scheme. Over 1000 visitors including the top retailers in the U.K., Marks & Spencer, Boots, B.H.S. and House of Fraser, came to the North East to view the exhibition and express their interest in the development. Gateshead M.B.C. together with the Department of the Environment agreed to pay £1.7 million towards the cost of vital access roads linking the centre to the A69 Western Bypass (now the A1). The Church Commissioners for England agreed to fund the project entirely.
1986
In April a small number of units started trading and on October 14th the first malls officially opened.
1989
On the 2nd December 1989, 370 private coach trips visited from all over the U.K.
1990
The retail park was developed
1995
Capital Shopping Centres plc purchased a 90% interest in the Centre.
1998
Asda moved to a purpose-built building near the Retail Park.
Metro Centre Facts
- Each year 13000 Norwegians travel to the Metro Centre.
- More than £10,000 is collected from the Metro Centre fountains then donated to charity each year.
- An unique attractions is shopping on a theme - where local entrepreneurs can compete with High Street chain stores.
- Leisure facilities play a large part and include an 11 screen Multiplex Cinema, a bowling alley, Metro Land Funfair, eating places and pubs.
- The Metro Centre has its own bus and railway stations making easy access.
- 6,000 people are employed in all capacities coping with up to 40,000 vehicles and visitor numbers, which can rise to 156,000 in just one day.
Link to the Metro Centre website:
Swalwell Station
Swalwell railway station
Coal was sent down a tunnel (or drift) from the mine at the top of Whicham Bank to the station at the bottom where it was transported away by train or keel boat.
Iron goods such as anchors and chains for the Navy from the Crowley Millington Works, which had their own sidings, were transported away by goods trains.
Parcel trains were stopping to be loaded and unloaded.
Over the years trade fell away and Blaydon became more important. Passenger traffic ceased in November 1953, although excursion trains including Swalwell Social Club's annual trip to the coast, continued and the station continued to accept parcels until 1955 when this facility too was withdrawn, leaving only goods traffic. As this too declined as local collieries closed the station and the whole line finally closed on 7 March 1960.
A substantial station, with living accommodation and passenger facilities was built. A Station Hotel (now known as The Gamekeeper) was built on the other side of the road. Passengers from the surrounding districts of Whickham and Sunniside as well as Swalwell were using steam trains to take them to Newcastle, Consett, and Carlisle and even down to the coast.
1901 Railway traffic from Swalwell to Newcastle reached its peak with a totalof 98,000 passengers and fluctuated between 70,000 and 90,000 for the next twenty years.
1908 The work of enlarging Swalwell Station and putting in an extra line was completed.
By 1953 passenger trains no longer stopped at Swalwell and in 1960 the station finally closed.
Before 1920 the only other way to travel from Swalwell to Newcastle was to walk across Scotswood Bridge and catch a tram.
History of The Whickham Practice.
.
About to set out on the rounds. Doctor Andrew Smith standing on the steps of Rose Villa with Mr Turbittt (subsequently killed in the Boer War) at the head of his mount.
"The practice was founded in the late 1870s by the first Dr. Andrew Smith in Whickham where he bought a small, run down practice at Hillcrest, a stone terrace house on Fellside Road. He paid 50 pounds down and another 50 pounds in a years time for it. He soon began to attract patients and before long the house was too small to accommodate both patients and the beginnings of what was to become his own large family. In August 1883 he bought Rose Villa, a large house in the middle of the village.
As the years went by the practice expanded steadily and Dr. Andrew employed assistants to help with the increasing workload, making it clear that there was little hope of a future partnership because three of his four sons were expected to join him when they qualified at Newcastle Medical School.
When the Great War of 1914-1918 broke out there was a call for doctors for the front and Andrews three medical sons, Andy, Edward and Wilkie went into the R.A.M.C. leaving their father to cope with a very large practice without even an assistant to help him. He took it in his stride, having bought a motor car in which his eldest daughter Irene (who died in Whickham Cottage Hospital in her 99th year) drove him round on his visits to the widespread practice. At the end of the war his sons returned from their respective theatres of war, each one took over part of the practice.
In 1924 old Andrew died at Rose Villa in his armchair with a newspaper on his lap after a heavy day in the practice. His death occurred after a conversion of the old Rectory to a Cottage Hospital in which he and the Rector had played a major part.
Waiting for father. The doctor's son, Henry, holding his horse in readiness for departure on the daily visiting round. Henry, who is the father of Doctor David Smith, later emigrated to South Africa.
Wilkie came down from Burnopfield and took over the Rose Villa part of the practice. This was a most appropriate move in that he had been appointed G.P. surgeon to the hospital and dealt with many colliery accidents as well as operating a Tonsil and Adenoidectomy session every week with Andrew as anaesthetist. Wilkie had initially intended to be a surgeon. He was on the lower rungs of the consultant ladder at the RVI at the outset of the war in which he become a military surgeon and was awarded a Croix de Guerre by the Belgians for his surgical work for wounded soldiers.
The practice continued uneventfully throughout the 2nd World War with the three brothers meeting every week at the Cottage Hospital after the operating session until 1950 when Wilkie died as peacefully as his father, sitting in a chair at the bedside of a farmer at Hollinside Farm who had influenza.
Andrew Smith, having returned from active service in the Far East, had joined the practice in 1947 and now took over Wilkie's part of the practice and moved in to Rose Villa.
The practice continued to expand with the population as more and more housing estates were built around Whickham. It became obvious in the 50s that both Rose Villa and Stronsay were too small to accommodate the influx of new patients despite the addition of three more consulting rooms and a small secretary's room being built on to the West side of Rose Villa.
With considerable reluctance the partners decided to ask the health authorities to build a Heath Centre. It soon became obvious that the Heath Authority had little idea of what a good Health Centre should be like as the partners found out when they visited some of the Centres the Authority had built. Many hours were spent arguing about the sort of building the doctors wanted but in the long run it was worthwhile because it is the kind of building they wanted.
Modern Times. A family group outside the Burnopfield Surgery about 1922. The motorcar has replaced the horse; its proud owner Dr Wilkie Smith is at the left of the picture. Irene Smith is at the wheel, Josephine Smith (wife of Henry Smith, a non-medical brother of Edward, Wilkie and Andrew) on the running board, and Elsie Smith (sister of Edward, Andrew, Wilkie, Irene and Henry). The other woman pictured is may be to the right of the child may be Mabel Smith, wife of Wilkie Smith or she could be David Smith's nurse. The bonnetted babe is Dr David.
In 1969 the first cohort of vocational trainees joined their teaching practice."
Andrew Smith.
Four Minute Warning by Don Scott.
During the 1960’s the ‘cold war’ was at its height, and the world, together with its political and military leaders, appeared on the brink of a disasterous armed confrontation.
An horrendous stand off existed in Europe between the communist eastern block states, and the ‘democratic’ western alliance resulting in world leaders playing off one another for marginal political and territorial gain. The massive amounts of military hardware and atomic weapons of mass destruction were trained head to head, threatening enormous devastation and loss of innocent lives.
Instructional memos, directives and amendments on how best to handle this situation, cascaded down the chain of command to the very basic level – to the ‘sharp end’ so to speak.
A particular example of the futility of political and military thinking was the ‘Four minute Warning’ procedure, which was rather like ‘Dad’s Army’ without it’s bite! And in particular how it applied to County Durham, Durham Constabulary and ultimately to PC Scott, who was the guardian of the peace at Sunniside, which in those dark threatened years was part of the police division of Whickham.
Verbal instructions, written memoranda and manuals of guidance percolated down the chain of command advising PC Scott of what to do, and when to do it, in the event of a nuclear attack on these isles.
Courses of instruction followed by further courses were implemented to ensure that PC Scott could fulfil his duties to Queen and Country should Sunniside be the target of an atomic attack from the communist block!!
The ‘Four minute warning’ was uppermost in the officer’s mind when an electronic transmitter was installed on the wall inside the small police office adjoining his home at Streetgate, Sunniside, together with a medium sized wooden crate containing a mobile siren. The documentation which accompanied these two items of equipment reminded PC Scott that, should he be advised to do so by a government warning broadcast over the radio and television from the B.B.C., this vital equipment so necessary for the defence of the realm, and Sunniside in particular, was to be taken into use immediately, once of course the officer had secured the starting handle to the siren!
The electronic wall transmitter, when switched on, would emit varying bleeping sounds dependent on the state of emergency perceived by central government. A constant bleeping merely indicated a state of readiness, followed by a Red Alert (imminent danger) and finally, the much feared Black Alert giving a warning that the Soviet Block was sending, by one means or another, an atomic explosive device which would be striking this area in the prescribed Four Minutes.
At this juncture, PC Scott, as well as countless other constables throughout the country, was expected to manually operate the mobile siren by turning the handle faster and faster in a clockwise direction, until a very loud wailing sound was being emitted, which was capable of being heard throughout Sunniside.
His next task was to climb onto his pedal cycle, and ride as quickly as he could around the village streets, blowing his whistle furiously!! This sounds more like a very early Margaret Rutherford British film comedy that a serious attempt to save civilization from extinction! The combination of the wailing siren and the sight of a by now somewhat red-faced constable riding furiously around the streets blowing his whistle, was assumed to indicate to all and sundry the impending disaster about to befall the village.
Unfortunately, to PC Scott’s knowledge, very few of the village people would be aware of the message being portrayed by PC Scott during these last Four Minutes of village life as they knew it. Consequently the sight ant sound of this spectacle unfolding before their very eyes, would only lead to the inevitable caustic comment and ridicule directed in the officer’s direction, not to mention the probable injuries PC Scott might suffer from packs of irate dogs which delight in attacking anyone in uniform, particularly if they happen upon a pedal cycle blowing a whistle!
Following numerous complaints from village constables throughout Durham Constabulary area and Whickham Division in particular, it soon became apparent that this aspect of Civil Defence in relation to the Four Minute Warning was totally inadequate.
To be fair to those in authority at this time of world tension, it must have been patently obvious to them that this warning of the approaching nuclear device and its arrival at Sunniside, presented the local population with insufficient time to take any form of defensive action. Nevertheless, they would be duty bound at the very least to try to give people some warning so that they could face together, as a family, the consequences of political and military blundering.
Police
WPC Dorothy Hall
Portrait of Miss Dorothy Hall, born 1st April 1921, in her Woman's Auxiliary Corps uniform. She joined the WAPC in November 1941 and was stationed at Whickham in a shed behind the Sergeant's house. In 1944 she was moved to Barnard Castle.
Fire Service
Dunston Fire Brigade-(Circa1904) in Beresford Street, Dunston. This was an unofficial fire service started by Jimmmy Goulburn
The officer in charge was Mr Jimmy Goulbourn (sitting on the waggon).
Dunston fire station, Dunston Road.
Swalwell Shops
The Co-op
The village's main shopping services were provided by Swalwell and District Industrial and Provident Co-operative Society, (known locally as the Co-op or the store), but was supported by many small shops.
Co-op First Quarterly Report 1864
Co-op Drapers, Butchering and Grocery
The Co-op opened for business in March 1864 at premises in Long Rigg.
In 1889 land was purchased in Market Lane and a butchers and drapers shop opened there in 1890, with greengrocery and grocers departments commencing in 1903 and 1907 respectively, (see map E). Then a shoe shop followed by a chilled meats department, butchers, hardware and a chemist shops, (these last two in Lyndhurst Terrace, see map H) and upstairs in the drapery department was a Co-op bank.
There was also a Co-op grocery shop in Clavering Road, which later became Laws Stores and is now NBA A Stores.
Finally, a branch of Swalwell Co-op opened in Whickham in 1921.
From the 1960's the Co-op faced competition from supermarkets and changing shopping habits because of widespread ownership of refrigerators people no longer did their shopping several times a week in the village, but were able to do one big shop for food in town or, increasingly, out of town. This led to the demise of not only the Co-op but also of many other small shops.
Unlike many local Co-op Societies, Swalwell Co op, was not part of the North Eastern Co-op, and it closed in the early seventies. The old Co-op premises on the south side of Market Lane are now occupied by Denholm Electrical, Pringle design, Paquart, the Cash Register Centre, the Sink the Ink tattoo studio, Foxhill's driving school, and Amco accountants and tax advisor.
Many other shops existed and were to be found in:-
Return to map of Swalwell Shops
Barnes Shop
A street of terraced houses with a shop at the bottom corner called Barnes Supply Stores, a grocery and general dealer which later became Wilson's, a general dealer, then a bakery and it is now Ramsay's Bakery. There was a barbers shop next to Barnes in Crowley Road at one time, where the present Post Office now is.
Once had a butchers, Billy Browns, and at various times also had a barbers, fish and chip shop and now has a grocery convenience store NISA A Stores. The present fish and chip shop is called Carlo's Fish and Chips. Further west there is Parkdale Press Ltd and on Quality Row near Miller's Bridge is Sports Car Supplies for Triumph and MG spares. Along at the other end opposite the Community Centre is Henrys News Fruit and Wine store.
Ramsay's bakery was on the corner with Napier road, and is now Swalwell Barbers (Lawson and Wilson) and was formerly Colley's bakery. Crowley Road also had a cobblers in the 1950's called Ropner's, the premises later becoming a greengrocers (Jack's) in the 1970's.
At the extreme west end near Jubilee Terrace is the firm of Knox and Wilkin, corn merchants and pet food suppliers.
Agar's Shop
Further east a shop once existed near the school back gate called Atkinson's and known as the 'school shop'. Agar's general dealer's shop was at the corner of Crowley Road and Napier Road, this later became Friar's, then Hunters and is now Hussains Grocers.
Shield Bros. the builders once occupied premises opposite the back of the school now occupied by MMF Group, a firm specialising in flues and chimneys.
Return to map of Swalwell Shops
Fletcher's the Printers
Here were the Co-op abattoir and Fletcher's the printers. These premises were destroyed in a recent fire although empty by then. Fletchers were also once in the old chapel in Station Road next to Bourgognes, or the Queens Head as it then was, before moving to the Team Valley. At present Star Plas double glazing and Holt's Insulation have premises in the street together with Swalwell Motorists garage, where MOT testing is done.
Swalwell Front Street
looking west 
Swalwell Front Street
from Station Road
looking east
Had several shops, on what was known as Spencers corner at the bottom of Hood Street, was Spencers haberdashery (now Pizza Luciano), then Hawkins hardware then T J Robinson, a butcher (now Ladbrokes betting shop), then R Armstrong, a barbers shop. Spencers shop was occupied at an earlier period by Robson Ryle.
On the next block came Alec McGregor's drapers (with branches at Whickham and Winlaton Mill) on the corner of Brewery Bank, the shop later became a funeral director's until quite recently.
Front Street looking east
from Station Road
towards Three Tuns.
Compare this picture with
the much later one above
Post Office in 1960's
with Highlander to left
and Lumley's Snack Bar to right
Then came the Post Office, once the Angel Inn, Swalwell's oldest surviving building and now the Angel Guest House and Angel Therapy and then Lumley's Café, much frequented by lorry drivers, who parked on the vacant land opposite the Queens Head pub on Station Road. Lumley's is now the Double Dragon, a Chinese take-away.
The vacant land west of Jubilee Terrace once had more shops but these had largely disappeared by the time of the Second World War (1939), and included Topsy Robson's shop which did survive until after the war.
Topsy Robson's shop
These were Logan's, a general dealers which was near to Fowles which was off Railway Street opposite the old Crowley pub.
The present day fish and chip shop, McGuire's, was once Dunford Smith and Moor an industrial chemist and later it became an electrical premises. Prior to all these uses it was the original Crowley pub.
Further east behind where the present War memorial is, there were other shops. Robinson's, a grocery, then came Hutchinson's greengrocers and Jimmy Foster who sold firewood, going around the doors with a horse and cart. At Christmas he sold wreaths, mistletoe and holly and he also kept pigs on the nearby allotments. (now B and Q). Browns the butchers moved next door to Robinson's from Spencer's corner where he had occupied Robinson' butcher's premises, later moving up to Clavering Road.
Return to map of Swalwell Shops
On Hexham Road are Style Interiors (soft furnishings) and Nisha's Indian takeaway, next to Bourgones pub's Mamba bar, and McGuires fish and chips etc.
Opposite is the Jet filling station which has a car wash and shop. Just around the corner is Park Drive and Fred Kain roofing and building contractors and near to Blaydon Rugby Club's Crowtree Park ground and clubhouse.
Hawkins of Spencers corner built premises here, which housed a tool hire shop called Second Chance and now is Da Vinci's pizzas. Further up Hood Street the lane in Hood Street is a dental mechanic's called Dental Repairs.
Sammy Brewis's dairy was here, later moving to Napier Road.
Brewis's Dairy
Long Rigg (D)
On Long Rigg was Coxon's fish and chip shop (see Spencer's bank) and also Wendy's, a ladies hairdresser's was here for a time at Dial House, then a sandwich bar then a tanning studio - the Tanning Booth - and Pure Beauty all near to the Sun Inn.
Lyndhurst Terrace on Market Lane (H)
Swalwell's original Post Office was located here and was part of Rutherford's cycle repair shop photo on Market Lane near where the Co-op hardware was, then the Post Office moved to the Angel Inn, then back to the old Co-op hardware premises in Lyndhurst terrace and is now in Crowley Road. (but closed in 2006).
The old Post Office
in Lyndhurst Terrace
In Lyndhurst Terrace at present are the Swalwell Motorist's centre shop which also has the small garage across the road mentioned previously, Peter Pan Upholstery and the Newsmarket on the corner of Napier Road.
Return to map of Swalwell Shops
Next to the Co-op (see above) which occupied the whole block from Napier Road to Spencer's Bank were, in the next block, a chemists shop, Blackburns, with large coloured glass bottles in the window which had to be broken up when the premises came down in about 1970. Then came Ken Waite's fruit shop, and at one time a grocers called Spoors. Also an electrical shop at one time, Gilmartins. Arthur Kimber's photo newsagents was on the corner next to the Seven Stars. Later Mrs Goodson also had a sweet shop on the block later on and there was also Ella Wright, a ladies hairdressers. Occupying the first floor above all these premises was the Cosy picture hall (1908 to 1957).
Robert Watson and Selby McGregor builders and undertakers were behind the Co-op.
Stephen Johnson's
newsagent's and tobacconist's
shop with the barber's next door
and Co-op at right
and the Sun Inn
and Three Tuns at left
On the other side of Market Lane were Stephen Johnston's newsagents (formerly P J Brown) and Armstrong's barbers shop.
Further east along Market Lane are the Bike Place and the Stepping Stones Day nursery in the former Methodist Church at the bottom of Colbeck Avenue and further east again is Croft Windows on Beverley Drive.
Further east along Market Lane at the top of the hill is Millers Lane with the new fire station at the top and further
down the lane are H G Block's auto parts and Herdman's, a haulage contractor where you can also buy soil, stone,gravel etc.
Napier road looking north downhill
Gregory's bakers originally sold their goods from their house and they also sold
boiled ham, broth and pease pudding.
Fletcher's the printers had a shop near the top of Napier Road. At the top of the Road .
On the east side was Nellie Fletchers a stationers.
Going down the hill from Crowley Road were Hutchinson's greengrocer's, next door to Hunters, then came Morris's, a general dealer, sometimes known as Edna's after Edna Bell who worked there, and now BUP auto parts.
Williamson's was a grocer's at the corner of Napier Road and Crowley Road. This
was then taken by Olive Hardy and her daughter then it became Gwen's, a ladies
hairdresser and is now Lynda's, still a ladies hairdresser.
There was once a haberdashery at this corner.
Craig Veitch's shop with Anne's
and the newsagents further down
On the other side of Napier road, at the bottom, was Lily Angus later Vevers, now a
newsagents (Newsmarket). Then came George Shields the cobblers, and this was later
Ann's family and ladies wear shop while next door was Craig Veitch, wallpaper, paints
hardware and timber, now Swalwell Taxis. In this block prior to Ann's shop a dentist
called Bowerbank once had a surgery. At the bottom, in the old Presbyterian Church is
Comma Print.
Return to map of Swalwell Shops
At the bottom in the back lane was Ralfie's shop, actually Ralph Atkinson's, in an upstairs flat which only opened in the evening and sold everything from candles to chewing gum and washing powder to pop, cigarettes, razor blades, soap, etc. etc. If you ran out of anything Ralfies was the place to go and there would often be a queue on the outside stairs.
Mrs Hepple sweets and general dealer, another 'house' shop, later moving to Fletchers old shop in Napier Road.
Two long established fish and chip shops existed until about 1970 known as the 'top' and 'bottom' fish shops, the top one was Tinnions on Spencers Bank and the bottom one was Annie's (Coxon's) next to the Sun Inn on Long Rigg.
Also on Spencer's Bank were Faldon's fruit shop, a dairy and, at the top an abattoir belonging to Browns the butchers.
Several shops existed here before the War. Shields, a hardware and paraffin dealers was later occupied by Fowlis, who had a similar shop originally on Front Street. Miners from the nearby collieries used this shop to replenish the paraffin in their lamps.
Margaret Dabblers sweet shop was at the bottom of the bank next to the Elephant Inn. These properties were all demolished when the foot of Whickham Bank was widened in the late 1960's.
Further up across the road is Gateshead MBC depot occupying the old railway station approach and further up again is the Whickham Industrial Estate with Michaels Tile Centre, Café Mega, breakfasts and lunches, Factory Direct kitchens, conservatories and bathrooms, the Team Valley Brush Co, Ramsay's Bakers bakery, UK Tyres and Gateshead MBC Local Environmental Services depot. Finally just off Whickham Bank is Thirlwell's Coaches in the former Axwell Colliery buildings.
Just over the Derwent is E & M Motors and MOT motor engineers although strictly speaking this is in Blaydon, being across the river and has a Blaydon phone number.
Return to map of Swalwell Shops
At various times both before and after the Second World War there were several carts or vans which made the rounds of Swalwell.
Angus Smith the 'stick man,' who sold firewood and who also kept pigs.
Walls ice cream van.
Boyle, a fishmonger with a van.
Billy Brown the butcher with a horse and cart.
The Co-op milkman (horse drawn), and Tommy Watson who sold greengroceries for the Co-op from a horse and cart.
Easton's the coal merchant, of Long Rigg with his lorry.
Gledhill's mineral waters from Gosforth with a lorry.
Gillie (Gilbert) Gray, a greengrocer who came around with a horse and cart and worked from a hut in his back yard at the top of Axwell Terrace, number 95. He was the father of the man shown in the picture of the Henry Pit under Swalwell Collieries.The stables, operated by Billy Wilkin, were in a field over the Hikey Bridge bordered by the railway embankment and the River Derwent.
Hepple was a rag and bone man in the seventies and 80's with a horse and cart.
Eddy Nixon with his horse and cart sold milk.
Oxley's farm at the bottom of Millers Lane sold produce from the farm and hired out horses and carts for removals or haulage.
Nancy Snaith who sold milk.
Ringtons tea were regular callers with their horse and cart and later with a van.
George Ruddick the 'egg man' from Whickham carrying a large wicker basket.
The only survivor being Ringtons.
Return to map of Swalwell Shops
Swalwell only ever had two banks the Coop bank which was upstairs in the Coop building and Lloyds on Front Street at Spencer's corner next to Billy Brown's the butchers.
Few people used banks before the war or for some time after. In the fifties teachers at Swalwell School were still being paid cash collected from the bank by a member of staff!
The buildings on the north side of Market Lane were demolished in the seventies, but the others, including those in Lyndhurst Terrace, are occupied by a wide variety of businesses as shown above.
Swalwell Shops Gallery
Co-op female employees circa 1914
Co-op male employees
circa 1914
Co-op boot and shoe repairing,
greengrocery, hardware and
chilled meat departments,
circa 1914
Co-op Jubilee Celebrations
Programme 1914
Another view of Stephen
Johnston's newsagents,
looking east up Market
Lane, with Armstrong's
barbers shop next door
and the Co-op next to that
Stephen Johnston's shop
windows
Stephen Johnston's shop
interior 1
Stephen Johnston's shop
interior 2
Prices
Click here for a list of prices for various foodstuffs etc. recorded by a local resident.
Return to map of Swalwell Shops
Shopping Prices 1900 - 2000
The prices pre - 1971 have been converted from £.s.d. to the current decimal system.
| 1900 | 1914 | 1947 | 1966 | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ½lb butter | 3p | 5½p | 4p | 9p | 78p |
| ½lb margarine | 3p | 1½p | 2p | 4p | 25p |
| ½lb cheese | 2p | 2p | 2p | 9p | 57p |
| ½lb bacon | 1½p | 2¼p | 3½p | 7¾p | 95p |
| ¼lb tea | 1½p | 1¾p | 3½p | 4p | 37p |
| ½lb coffee | 3½p | 41p | £3.25 | ||
| 2lb sugar | 1½p | 2p | 3p | 8p | 45p |
| ½ dozen eggs | 3p | 4p | 9p | 76p | |
| 2lb potatoes | 1p | 1p | 77p | ||
| 2lb loaf | 1p | 1p | 2p | 7p | 52p |
| 1 pint milk | ½p | 1p | 2p | 34p | |
| 3lb flour | 2p | 10p | 69p | ||
| large tin baked beans | 3p | 31p | |||
| tin pineapple chunks | 8p | 75p | |||
| tin Heinz tomato soup | 7p | 41p | |||
| 1lb jar marmalade | 9p | 89p |
Some local prices recorded by Nora Makepeace
Prices are not available for all items for every date
| Date | 11/12/73 | 11/12/74 | 11/12/75 | 18/12/76 | |
| Bacon Grill (tin) | 19p | 24p | 27p | ||
| Beer (pint) McEwan's Scotch | 12p | 16p | 20p | ||
| Beer (pint) Newcastle Exhibition | 13p | 18p | 23p | ||
| Beer (pint) Newcastle Brown Ale | 15p | 19p | 23p | ||
| Bread (1lb white loaf) | 10p | 12p | 16p | ||
| Bus fare (Swalwell to Newcastle) | 9p | 13p | 16p | ||
| Butter (Lurpak half pound) | 11p | 13p | 16p | ||
| Carnation milk (big tin) | 9p | 1p | |||
| Cheddar cheese (1 lb) | 52p | ||||
| Cigarettes (20 Embassy Regal) | 23p | 29p | |||
| Coffee (8oz jar instant) | 54p | 58p | 74p | £1.25 | |
| Cooking oil (bottle Mazda) | 40p | 65p | |||
| Corned beef (12oz tin) | 35p | 49p | |||
| Eggs (half dozen) | 22p | 24p | 22p | 23p | |
| Flour (3lb) | 16p | 19p | 21p | ||
| Haircut | 45p | 65p | 75p | ||
| Heinz tomato ketchup (12oz bottle) | 11p | ||||
| Heinz tomato ketchup (20oz bottle) | 18p | 20p | 36p | ||
| Hoff & kidney (for pie) | 25p | ||||
| Lard (quarter lb) | 5p | 11p | |||
| Margarine (1lb Blue Band) | 19p | 31p | 29p | 33p | |
| Marmalade (1lb jar Chivers) | 14p | 14p | 20p | ||
| Matches (Puck big box) | 3p | 4p | |||
| Milk (pint, delivered) | 5½p | 5p | 6½p | 10p | |
| Mince (1 lb) | 40p | ||||
| Paraffin oil (2 gallon) | 22p | 53p | 65p | ||
| Petrol (5 star Shell per gallon) | 22p | 53p | 65p | ||
| Potatoes( bag) | 1.30 | 2.60 | |||
| Salmon (8 oz tin) | 50p | 49p | 66p | 96p | |
| Sausages (Dunelm pork 1 lb) | 33p | 36p | 43p | ||
| Soap (Boots pack of 3 bars) | 14p | ||||
| Soup (Heinz tin) | 8p | 9p | 15p | ||
| Stamps (1st class) | 3½p | 4½p | 8½p | ||
| Stamps (2nd class) | 3p | 3½p | 6½p | ||
| Sugar (2lb granulated) | 8p | 20p | 22p | ||
| Sugar (2lb caster) | 14p | 30p | |||
| Sugar (1lb icing sugar) | 10p | ||||
| Tea (half lb Rington's) | 20p | 22p | |||
| Tea (quarter lb Typhoo) | 7p | 8p | |||
| Tea (quarter lb PG Tips) | 9½p | 16p | |||
| Toilet roll (Andrex) | 13p | 19p | 22p | 25p | |
| Train fare (Newcastle to South Shields) | 19p | 29p | |||
| Washing powder (Ariel large packet) | 23p | 32p | |||
The Blue Bus (Frazers) Founded 1937
Watergate - Whickham - Winlaton
This was a wooden seated Bedford bus, which ran every hour. It was owned by a father and daughter called Sarah.
Sarah was the conductress and was a very, very large lady who had difficulty passing down the aisle even when nobody was standing.
This bus was the only way to get to Blaydon, very few people having cars in those days. Blaydon was a very busy shopping area, with three cinemas, the Plaza, the Pavilion and the Empire and a Dance Hall, which was very popular.
On Saturday evenings the Blue Bus had more passengers standing in the aisles than sitting, there were even people sitting on each other's knees. Nobody was ever left behind at a stop. With the bus so full Sarah could not collect the fares. When the bus stopped at the bottom of Shibdon Bank, the nearest stop to Blaydon, Sarah stood at the front of the bus to collect the fares. However, many people alighted by the rear door, saving their 3p fare which they used to buy a bag of chips on the long walk home if they had missed the last bus at 10.30 p.m.
In winter weather the bus had great difficulty getting up Whickham Bank. The men had to get off and push it.
Sarah was awarded the M.B.E. by the Queen.
The Bus Company eventually became Derwent Coaches.
St. Mary's Roman Catholic School
Whickham acquired its first Catholic School in 1972. Catholic education in Whickham began in the house of Mr and Mrs McWilliams in Eleanor Terrace. Father Walsh came from Dunston to instruct the pupils of the County School (Front St.) Catholic Schools existed at Byermoor, Dunston and Blaydon. When Father Pickering founded the Whickham Parish in 1948 it was with the intention of founding a school also. Negotiations were begun which were not completed till 1970, when the then Minister for Education, the Rt Hon Edward Short, MP, instructed Miss Alice Bacon (Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of Education and Science) to inform the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle that the new Whickham R.C. School had been accepted and placed on the "Design List".
Work was entitled to begin on April 1st 1970, but there were more snags, including the death of the quantity surveyor, financial difficulties for the appointed building company, the death of the architect in charge of the project and the departure from the firm of his deputy architect. However, a new architect and building firm were appointed and the project was given a kick-start. From then the work proceeded fairly smoothly with excellent co-operation between the builders and the headmaster, Mr Leo Mason, culminating in the opening on April 10th 1972.
The new school was "Open-Plan" with seven teaching areas, 3 for the Infants and 4 for the Juniors. 74 children attended the school, but it was expected that this number would rise to 250. The school has its own kitchen adjoining the hall. In the grounds there was an "Adventure Playground" a lovely field and an adventure area. Future plans included grassing the front entrance grounds at the top end, putting a rockery around the school's frontage and separating the car park from the children's entrance with a flagged and grassed centre-piece.
St Mary's Head Teachers
Mr Leo Mason 1972 - 1985 (Dec)
Mr Arthur Burke 1986 (Jan) -
Preparatory School
Dorothy Cline started at this school in 1931. It was run by Mrs Easey, who used to teach at the Parochial School, and was situated in what is now the Cuthbert Room in the St. Mary's Centre. There was a big table in the middle of the room with forms on either side to accomodate the pupils, about 8. A blackboard stood beside the fireplace. What is now the lounge held two billiard tables which were always shrouded. The pupils had to pass through there to go to the toilets, which were where the kitchen is now. The pupils wore purple blazers with a school badge, WPS in gold on a purple background. The girls wore purple berets and also black velour hats.
When Mrs Rollins took over the school, she moved it to the building where the Healthlands Cafe is now. (Dorothy also remembers a Miss Conner teaching them, but is unsure of exactly where she fits into the picture.) During the war, Mrs Rollins ran the school from her house on Fellside Road, situated on the R.H.S. going up from the Front Street. Dorothy left WPS in 1938 to go to Dame Allan's Girls School. However, when the girls were evacuated from there during the war, Dorothy's mother would not let her go. She returned to WPS on Fellside Road for about a year until the evacuees started returning to Dame Allan's.
Parochial School
In 1900 Whickham Parochial School was a mixed school under the mastership of Mr Castles, the Boys' and Girls' Schools having amalgamated in 1897 (not in 1900 as recorded in other publications. See the Log Book held in the Tyne & Wear Archives). The Infant Department was separate at this stage, although on August 1st 1910 it became an Infant Class, under the general control of the Head Master. In 1900 the Infant Department was under the control of Miss Mary Elizabeth Pratt, who had been a pupil teacher at the school and commenced duties as Certificated Mistress on January 9th 1899.
Mr Castles was meticulous in recording information in the Log Book, however his entries mainly dealt with the attendance, which was governed by the weather, the season and illness. As many of the children came from outlying areas and the roads were unmade, heavy rain or snow made them impassable, preventing the children from attending school. Childhood illnesses often became epidemics earlier in the century and sometimes the entire school had to be closed. In 1918 the school was closed for 9 weeks because of the influenza epidemic at the end of the First World War. In the fruit, and potato picking seasons and at hay making time attendance at school was poor because the children were working in the fields.
The school holidays were not taken at a set time every year. The summer holidays were taken in two parts and the timing seemed to vary from year to year. If the school had been closed for illness then the holidays were shortened. When the hoppings came to Whickham in May the children had two days' holiday.
The school premises were used for social functions and Mr Castles often recorded that they were left in disarray. Furniture was left in the wrong place and/or overturned, beer bottles were left lying around, the Master's back door was once marked with obscene pictures and his doorpost was used as a urinal. (Nothing changes!)
The entry for October 31st 1902 conjures up a lovely picture. "54 children were 'draughted' into the Mixed School today." Taking note of the date, was this done by the spirits that were around at the time?!!
Headteachers of the Parochial School
During the twentieth century there were 6 headteachers.
Mr Robert Ord Castles 1881 - 1923: Mr Castles started as a pupil teacher at the school on March 12th 1871, before rising through the ranks to become the Master in 1881, as the head teacher was known in those days. His entry in the school log book for January 26th 1923 reads as follows:
"Resigned the Mastership of this school after a service of nearly 42 years - in harmony with Managers, Teachers and parents. Appointed July 18th 1881 - left January 26th 1923. Signed Robert Ord Castles.
Mr William W. Rose 1923 - 1956: His entry in the log book for January 29th 1923 reads:- "I took charge of the school today as headmaster, in place of Mr R.O. Castles, who resigned duties on Friday January 26th 1923. William W. Rose.
Mr R.W. Edwards 1956 - 1974
Mr M.L. Mears 1974 - 1983: When Mr Mears retired in July 1983 he presented the school with a miner's lamp to remind the children that the school, which was set up as a charity school in 1714 by Dr Thomlinson, taught the poor children of local miners. Mr Mears said "The lamp will work if you fill it with fuel and ignite it, just as the children's minds will work if they are filled with fuel from the teachers, but the spark must come from the children." He also said that the lamp will remind them that Christ is the light of the world.
Mrs P.A. Pritchard 1983 - 1988
Mr Alan Dobson 1988 - Mr Dobson joined the staff in 1973 as a newly qualified teacher, staying for 1 year. He returned in 1983 as Deputy Head, taking over the headship when Mrs Pritchard left.
Front Street School
Whickham Front Street Infant School and Whickham County Mixed School were opened together in August 1909 and were governed by Durham County Council. The Infant School catered for about 90 children aged 5 to 7 years, while the County Mixed School housed another 270 children from 7 to 14 years. A few pupils were admitted to Blaydon Secondary School at 11 or 12 years of age. This pattern prevailed until 1962, when most of the children over 11 years transferred to the new Whickham Secondary Modern School, which became Whickham Comprehensive School.
The County Mixed School eventually became Whickham Front Street Junior School. In April 1974, when local boundaries reorganisation came into effect, the schools came under the jurisdiction of Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council.
The school buildings were extended in spring 1950 with the opening of a dining room and the prefabricated classrooms. In September 1980 the Nursery Unit was added. In September 1986, the two schools, which had opened together 77 years earlier, were at last amalgamated as Whickham Front Street Primary School, under the headship of Mrs Pat Farrell (later to become Mrs Pearson).
Fanny Stephenson's Private School
The Durham Directory of 1870s mentions a private school kept by Miss Fanny Stevenson. "Some Chapters in the History of Whickham" by Helen Bowling records that this school was said to be the one in Church Chare taken over by Mrs Easey. However, in the Whickham Journal No 5, Winter 1978, there is an article by Alan Wright about Grace Hilda Cook. She says that she "was educated at a little private school known as Miss Fanny Stevenson's, which is now the Co-op next to West End Methodist Church." (The Co-op no longer has these premises and the church has become Whickham Community Church - 1999.) Miss Cook was born in 1892 and when she was 11 she went to Rutherford College in Bath Lane.
The Kelly's Directories of 1906, 1914 and 1921 mention Fanny Stevenson's Private School, but it isn't mentioned in the 1925 edition.
Whickham Schools
Cloverhill School
Cloverhill was built in 1977 to bridge the gap between the schools in Whickham and Marley Hill. Separate infant and junior schools were going to be built, but the money ran out. It became a 1-form Primary School, initially taking children who were surplus from Marley Hill School. When Cloverhill was due to open the building wasn't ready so the children went to Marley Hill and used the huts. The first headmaster was Mr Robin Foreman, who retired in 1995, when the post was taken up by Mr P. Coker.
There are now 197 pupils in the school with 7 members of staff, one of whom has been there since the school opened, having transferred there from Marley Hill. There are 7 forms in the school which has 8 classrooms. The reception area is going to be extended to make room for ICT work. (Information, Communication, Technology.) Some children now come to the school from outside the Whickham area.
The school had a very good Ofsted Report recently. It was said that the ethos of the school was one of the best that the inspectors had ever seen.
The school has lovely grounds adjoining Sunniside Park and the children do environmental work there. The school is going to create a Millennium Garden with timber seating. The children have also designed squares for a Millennium Tapestry, which are being embroidered by one of the mothers.
Swalwell
Swalwell Board School
Swalwell Junior and Infant Schools were built in Market Lane in 1874 and opened on December 14th 1874 by J.B. Alexander Esq. as Board Schools. The first entry in the Log Book was on January 15th 1875. Both schools were overcrowded from the time they opened and between the wars classes were also held in the Ebenezer Chapel. The Infant School moved to new premises in South View Terrace in April 1973. A site was allocated next to the Infant School for such time as a Junior School would be built. This took so long to happen that the parents formed SWAG (Swalwell Action Group) to fight the deferment of the building programme. One couple took their daughter to Downing Street to deliver a letter of protest. She was given VIP treatment and treated to a ride in the Prime Minister's car. The Junior School was finally completed in1987 when the 2 schools were combined to form Swalwell County Primary School. The old school was demolished shortly afterwards.
Swalwell Junior School produced a Centenary Magazine in 1975 and a booklet on Swalwell County Mixed School 1875-1987 was compiled on the closure of the old school. All who remember their time at Swalwell School look back on it with affection because of the school's friendly, welcoming atmosphere. The old building was regarded as "grand and proud, fashioned in stone, with spacious rooms and high ceilings, difficult to heat but very nice to work in". One inspector, who visited the school in October 1923 reported:- "One marked feature of the School is the corporate spirit found in every room. Teachers and scholars strive to produce the best that is in them, and the school is truly a habit forming centre, which cannot fail to exercise a high influence on the social life and outlook of the village in which it is situated. In a word, this school is one of high ideals, based, after careful and thorough preparation, on hopeful, enthusiastic endeavour, which overcomes inherent difficulties and achieves success of high order."
As with all schools, the wars of the twentieth century greatly influenced school life. Military victories eg the relief of Ladysmith and of Mafeking, were celebrated by the granting of half day holidays. During the Second World War, air-raid shelters were built in the school yard and from October 1941 pupils over the age of 12 years were permitted to take one week's holiday in order to help with the potato picking. Teachers, helped by villagers, were required to fire-watch from sun-down to sun-rise; watching for incendiary bombs which might fall from enemy air-craft after an air-raid warning. Some teachers, who lived a distance from the school, had to stay right through. The fire watching room was the staff room, but the only toilet facilities were across the yard. One lady teacher remembers walking the dark stairs , through the school and across the yard with only a small torch for lighting as more frightening than the possibility of bombs. At the end of the war the children gathered round the Union Jack in the schoolyard and sang patriotic songs with great gusto.
Apart from Military Victories, Royal occasions were also celebrated, such as Jubilee Day, May 6th 1935 and the Coronation of King George V1 and Queen.
Open Days have long been a feature of Swalwell Schools, parents visiting the schools as early as 1901:-
October 2nd 1901. Visiting Day. "About 60 mothers arrived during the afternoon. They were very much interested in the children's work and made themselves very much at home, clapping sometimes and talking to the children about the school. The children behaved well and were pleased with the praise. Drill was taken in the yard first, and as the mothers wished to see it again, the children drilled at the finish. The sum of twelve and sixpence was contributed towards the children's Christmas treat."
The school motto is "Hold Fast To That Which Is Good". It would seem that Swalwell School has done, and continues to do, that.
During the General Strike of 1926, Swalwell School played a large part in helping to organise a Soup Kitchen for the children in Swalwell affected by the strike. The meals were supplied in the church hall and the Head Teacher, Mr H.A. Davison, was the Superintendent of the Feeding Centre. In the first week there were 397 children on the meals list.
Streetgate
The White Elephant School
This curiously named school opened in 1923 and closed in 1963. The reason for its name has been lost in the mists of time. The building was erected in 1914 and was burnt down in a mysterious fire in 1975. A bungalow called "High Trees" is now on the site. It was named after the high trees in its grounds which were in the school yard. The caretaker lived in a cottage where the police houses are now. Lottie Brabban was the caretaker at one time and there is a wood named after her (Lottie's Wood) on the opposite side of the road at the entrance to the Whinney Fields.
There was just one big room for the classes - they were open plan before their time! There were just 3 headteachers in the lifetime of the school.
Marley Hill
Marley Hill CPSMarley Hill Community Primary School, a stone building facing the road, celebrated its centenary in 1995. Over the years there have been only 7 Head Teachers, namely: - Mr. Dewhurst 1895 - 1913, Mr. Bellerby 1913 - 1945, Mr. Atkinson 1947 - 1965, Mr. Gardener 1965 - 1971, Mr. Sykes 1971 - 1991, Mr. Rowland 1991 - 1999, Mrs. Westgate 1999 - to the present day.
The school started off, under the control of Durham Council, as a small village school catering for children aged 5 - 14 years old. The Senior Pupils transferred to Burnopfield Modern School in 1958. In 1974 the Infant and Junior school was taken over by the Gateshead Authority.
Over the years the numbers of children on the roll have fluctuated. In 1895 there were 240 pupils, but by 1977 there were 330. Since Cloverhill School opened in 1977 the roll has dropped and today there are approximately 150 children in five classes.
Marley HillThe school was first extended in 1964 with the addition of a hall, inside toilets and a classroom. It was further extended in 1974 with another classroom. Gas central heating was installed in 1978, so the caretaker no longer had to stoke the boilers!
Today, in spite of many changes, it is still the happy caring school with the family atmosphere that most past pupils and former staff remember with nostalgia. It can look back with pride over more than a hundred years at the achievements of others.
Dunston Schools
Dunston "Board" School
Dunston Junior and Infant Schools were built on the site of an old orchard and opened as Board Schools by Ralph Carr-Ellison on December 14th 1874. They came under the auspices of the Whickham School Board. Under the Education Act of 1902 School Boards ceased to exist and the schools were taken over by Durham County Council from April 1st 1904. The name, "Board School" still lives on and even in 1974 it was still known as the Board School. It has been known as Durham Council School and Durham County School. In April 1974 it came under Gateshead MBC with the reorganisation of county boundaries and renamed Dunston Junior and Infant Schools. It is now called Dunston Riverside County School.
Pupils of Dunston Board School.
Dunston Church School
Dunston Church School was opened on November 4th 1818. The Church of England Mission was built opposite the school and later became Mission Cottages. These buildings continued in use as school and lecture rooms until the outbreak of the Second World War.
Dunston Hill School
Kingsmeadow Community Comprehensive School
At Easter 1959 the senior departments of Dunston Hill School and Dunston County School combined to form Dunston Hill Modern School, moving in to new premises on Market Lane. The Headmaster was Mr Henry Nattress who was succeeded by his Deputy Alan Johnson.
It became Dunston Comprehensive School in 1973. This coincided with the raising of the school leaving to sixteen. An extensive building programme was started comprising of a large dining hall and kitchen, until then the meals had been cooked at a central kitchen and brought to the school. At the same time a Science, Art and Handicraft Block was built with provision for two Year Group Assembly rooms and offices. The School at this time was organised on a Year Group system with a Head of Year.
In 1975 with the reorganisation of boundaries the School was transferred from Durham County Council to Gateshead Metropolitan Borough and the building programme was suspended. Other Headteachers were Mr Winwood and Mr Robinson.
In 1990 with the reorganisation of Secondary schools in Gateshead a new school was created, taking pupils and some teachers from Dunston Comprehensive, Saltwell Senior High School and Hillhead Junior High School. The school was
Education in Twentieth Century Whickham & District
Introduction
At the dawn of the twentieth century there was only a handful of schools in the Whickham and District area. In Whickham there was the Parochial School and one or two private schools, Dunston had the Church School and the Board School and Marley Hill and Swalwell both had Board Schools.
Whickham Parochial School began life as Whickham Charity School in 1714 when Mrs Joan Blakiston left £100 in trust to the Rector of St Mary's Church, the Rev Dr Robert Thomlinson, for the education of 36 poor children in Whickham Parish. In 1742 the first school building was erected in School Lane and was altered and extended in 1825 and 1869, before ceasing to house the school on October 22nd 1971, when it moved to its new premises on The Broadway. This new school was officially opened on February 29th 1972.
The one or two private schools do not appear to be documented. In the "Whickham Journal" No 5, published in 1978, there is an article by Alan Wright in conversation with Grace Hilda Cook, who was born in 1892. She was "educated at a little known private school known as Miss Fanny Stevenson's, which is now the Co-op next to West End Methodist Church." (The Co-op is no longer there and the Whickham Community Church now occupies the church building.) In 1929 a private school, Mrs Easey's Academy, which became Whickham Preparatory School, opened in Church Chare.
In the early part of the century the Parochial School was becoming overcrowded and in August 1909 the Whickham Front Street Infant School and Whickham County Council School were opened. With changes in education required by law and the huge house building programme which began in Whickham in the 1950s, many more schools were needed to meet the educational needs of the town. Whickham Secondary Modern School opened in 1962 and became Whickham Comprehensive School in 1970. In 1966 Fellside Junior School was built, followed by Fellside Infant School in 1968. Washingwell Primary School and St Mary's Roman Catholic School were opened in 1972 and Cloverhill School followed in 1977. Whickham Chase Hall School and Whickham Cottage Nursery School began in the old Cottage Hospital in 1987. Gibside Special School was the last school to be opened in the twentieth century. It was created on the Fellside Infant School site, as this became vacant when the Infant School merged with the Junior School.
Dunston Church School was opened on November 4th 1818 and then Dunston Board School was built in 1874, becoming Dunston Council school in 1904. Since then it has been Dunston County School and is now Dunston County Riverside School. However, the name "Board School" lived on for years after it ceased to be that. Dunston Hill School opened in 1910 and Dunston acquired its Comprehensive School in 1973.
Marley Hill Colliery School, which was built by Isaac Bewley, was opened by Sir Charles Mark Palmer, a major industrialist of the region, on August 1st 1895. The school is now Marley Hill County Primary School and in its 105 year history to the end of the twentieth century has had only 7 Headteachers. The history of Marley Hill School has been recorded in a book written by Mrs Joan Telford, a former teacher at the school and a member of the Sunniside Local History Society.
Streetgate had its own primary school from 1923 to 1963, the unusually named White Elephant School. The origin of this name is lost in the mists of time, so if you know the reason for it, we should be delighted to hear from you. The school was on the site of the property, "High Trees", named after the high trees in its grounds, which were in the yard of the school. The school building was burned down in a mysterious fire in 1975.
Swalwell Board Schools, the Junior and Infant Schools, were opened by J.B. Alexander on December 1st 1874. The Infant School moved into new premises in 1973. After extension to accommodate the Junior School in 1987, the two were combined to form the Swalwell County Primary School. The original buildings were demolished soon afterwards.
Dunston Shops
Stan MacRae's Memories of Shopping at the beginning of the century
The great difference between shopping before the War and now is the disappearance of the small specialist shops, often dealing in only one commodity compared with the multiple retailers and department stores of the present time. Along with this goes the disappearance of the old-time personal service of the small shopkeeper. Many shops greeted you at the door with attentive shop assistants and even chairs for the use of customers. You would be hard pressed to find a customer's chair anywhere in Asda or Tesco and even high class shops like Fenwicks, Bainbridges or House of Frazer.
The other difference is the disappearance of the street trader and the door-to-door salesmen, Ringtons being a notable exception with regular deliveries of tea, coffee etc. to your door even today. I remember the time when bread, vegetables, vinegar, lino dealers, haberdashery pedlars (usually Indians in colourful turbans), clothes prop men, umbrella repairers, knife sharpeners, pan and kettle menders (tinkers) and even dentists regularly visited the village of Dunston. My Grandmother told the tale of having her teeth pulled, without anaesthetic, in the kitchen by an itinerant dentist. Most of the milkmen have disappeared, not being able to compete with the price of milk at the big supermarkets.
Shopping in Ravensworth Road
Club Card from Stern's the chemists in Ravensworth Road.
Club Card - reverse side.
There were eight grocers in Ravensworth Road. Some have gone out of business but others, like Walter Willsons and the Gateshead Co-operative Society still exist, whilst others have been absorbed by the large supermarket chains. The small independent grocers however have all gone. I remember the system at the Co-op was butter, bacon, lard etc. were on one side of the shop and dry goods such as sugar, peas, lentils etc. were on the other side, which meant getting into the queue twice. There was no such thing as self-service. An assistant stood patiently whilst the customer decided what she wanted, and then weighed it out, put it on the counter and proceeded to the next purchase. Shopping was an art form in those days. The price was then calculated and money paid out of a big leather purse, not forgetting the dividend cheque of course. I can still remember my mother's and granny's cheque numbers - 829, 1945- my granny's being the lower as she had been a member for much longer. The dividend varied each quarter, depending on the profits made, anything between a shilling in the pound 5%, and 2/6 in the pound 12½ %. You could buy everything you needed on Ravensworth Road, from shoe repairs to a new wireless set, a new hat to a handmade corset. I had a good business collecting glass accumulators from neighbours and taking them to be charged at Rowells. I got a penny for each one. Another good scam was collecting bottles and getting the deposit, usually a penny, on returning them to the off-licence, of which there were many. Shops stayed open late in those days. I loved the smell and warmth of the gas lights lighting the shops, especially at Christmas time when the fruit shops had all their piled up on the pavement outside. Shopkeepers were characters - Fred Creed was a small man with a waxed moustache, straw boater on the back of his head, bustling about the shop exchanging gossip with the customers and jollying up the young shop assistant. Larner, the butcher, was a big man with a ruddy face, wearing a blue and white striped apron over a brilliant white coat, wielding a meat cleaver or saw and sharpening his knife on a steel rod. In contrast when you went into Miss Barnard's drapery shop you were met by a small bird-like lady dressed all in black, her hair drawn back in a bun, wearing gold rimmed spectacles perched on the end of her nose. She sold everything, from safety pins to hats, ribbons to elastic of various width and types. She even sold lace curtains. One of my favourite shops was McCoys, the pork butcher and I lingered there many a time savouring the smell of the roast pork, saveloys and other mouth- watering delicacies. I occasionally spent a penny on a saveloy dip, a large bread bun dipped in gravy with coloured sausage sticking out of it. I remember getting pig's trotters there, which I thought disgusting. Not far from McCoys was Culeys, the bakers. My Auntie worked there, so I sometimes got a broken cream cake or sly cake passed to me. Culeys had a bakery on Ravensworth Terrace, just where the library used to be in Brompton House. I often called there to see my Auntie Minnie, who was the pasty cook. Always I came away with something to eat.
Return to map of Dunston Shops
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 1 | Mary Charlton | Fancy draper | Laws Stores | |
| 2 | Robt Aggio | shopkeeper | Geo Shanley | grocer |
| 4 | Stephenson & Mallams | grocers confectioners | ||
| 7 | Marg. Gillies | shopkeeper | ||
| 10 | Jos Coulthard | baker | ||
| 11 | Geo Bell | fried fish | ||
| 12 | Robt Hopper | hairdresser | ||
| 15 | Police Station | |||
| 17 | Norwood & Wilson | greengrocers | ||
| 18 | Albert Scott | butcher | ||
| 24 | Jos Eastland | hairdresser | ||
| 31 | Gateshead Industrial Co-op Soc Ltd | |||
| 38 | Mary Halliday | shopkeeper | ||
| 49 | John Wharrier | butcher & fruiterer | ||
| 56 | George Hall | draper | ||
| 59 | Geo Coates | butcher | ||
| 62 | Thos Johnston | shopkeeper | ||
| 66 | Henry Davidson | shopkeeper | ||
| 82 | Ralph Broadbent | fancy draper | ||
| 83 | Archibald Thompson | grocer | ||
| 85 | Lawrence Wigston | draper | ||
| 89 | Thos Surtees & Sons | boot dealers | ||
| 90 | Geo Charlton | fishmonger | ||
| 97 | Benj Chas Attwood | fruiterer | ||
| 101 | Septimus Bullock | confectioner | ||
| 102 | Mark Sherington | confectioner | ||
| 106 | Robt Carr | newsagent | ||
| 110 | Rebecca Binnie | confectioner | ||
| 116 | Wm Barrett | baker | ||
| 119 | Fred Creed | grocer | ||
| 121 | Progressive Co | fancy dealers | ||
| 125 | Eliz Surtees | boots | ||
| 128 | Arthur Charlton | outfitter | ||
| 129 | John McCoy | pork butcher | ||
| 132 | Jos Wm Bonner | newsagent | ||
| 133 | John Robinson | draper | ||
| 136 | Mary Menzies | hosier | Alex Usher | confectioner |
| 137 | James Goulburn | butcher | Ann Johnston | confectioner |
| 147 | W & E Bell | draper | ||
| 151 | Lily Winter | confectioner | ||
| 167 | Irene Robinson | confectioner | ||
| 186 | A&A Fletcher | stationers | ||
| 188 | Jane Baggott | confectioner | ||
| 192 | Geo Armour & Son | confectioner | ||
| 196 | Horn & Son | grocer | ||
| 204 | Wm Gray | beer retailer | ||
| 206 | Walter Willson Ltd | grocer | ||
| 208 | Emerson Shepherd | boot dealer | ||
| 210 | (Rachael Bernard | draper | ||
| (Rachael Larner | butcher | |||
| 212 | Matt Tait | confectioner | ||
| 214 | Wm Gale | pharmacist | ||
| 218 | Geo Noble | grocer | ||
| 222 | Norwood & Wilson | greengrocers | ||
| 224 | John Newman | grocer | ||
| 228 | Kate Taylor | general dealer | ||
| 232 | Gallons Ltd | grocer | ||
| 234 | Henry Jarron | newsagent | ||
| Thos Wilkinson | butcher | |||
| 238 | Susan Perkins | draper | ||
| Miss Isabella Alcraft | grocer | Clifford Brayson | fried fish | |
| Arthur T Brunswick | butcher | Jos Eastland | hairdresser | |
| Thos Coulson | hardware | Cassie Hackney | confectioner | |
| Lambton House | Robt Hall | fried fish | ||
| Coulthard & Co | grocer | |||
| Benj Dixon | grocer | |||
| Mary Gallon | millener | |||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
Ravensworth Road (AA)
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 1 | Mary Charlton | Fancy draper | Laws Stores | |
| 2 | Robt Aggio | shopkeeper | Geo Shanley | grocer |
| 4 | Stephenson & Mallams | grocers confectioners | ||
| 7 | Marg. Gillies | shopkeeper | ||
| 10 | Jos Coulthard | baker | ||
| 11 | Geo Bell | fried fish | ||
| 12 | Robt Hopper | hairdresser | ||
| 15 | Police Station | |||
| 17 | Norwood & Wilson | greengrocers | ||
| 18 | Albert Scott | butcher | ||
| 24 | Jos Eastland | hairdresser | ||
| 31 | Gateshead Industrial Co-op Soc Ltd | |||
| 38 | Mary Halliday | shopkeeper | ||
| 49 | John Wharrier | butcher & fruiterer | ||
| 56 | George Hall | draper | ||
| 59 | Geo Coates | butcher | ||
| 62 | Thos Johnston | shopkeeper | ||
| 66 | Henry Davidson | shopkeeper | ||
| 82 | Ralph Broadbent | fancy draper | ||
| 83 | Archibald Thompson | grocer | ||
| 85 | Lawrence Wigston | draper | ||
| 89 | Thos Surtees & Sons | boot dealers | ||
| 90 | Geo Charlton | fishmonger | ||
| 97 | Benj Chas Attwood | fruiterer | ||
| 101 | Septimus Bullock | confectioner | ||
| 102 | Mark Sherington | confectioner | ||
| 106 | Robt Carr | newsagent | ||
| 110 | Rebecca Binnie | confectioner | ||
| 116 | Wm Barrett | baker | ||
| 119 | Fred Creed | grocer | ||
| 121 | Progressive Co | fancy dealers | ||
| 125 | Eliz Surtees | boots | ||
| 128 | Arthur Charlton | outfitter | ||
| 129 | John McCoy | pork butcher | ||
| 132 | Jos Wm Bonner | newsagent | ||
| 133 | John Robinson | draper | ||
| 136 | Mary Menzies | hosier | Alex Usher | confectioner |
| 137 | James Goulburn | butcher | Ann Johnston | confectioner |
| 147 | W & E Bell | draper | ||
| 151 | Lily Winter | confectioner | ||
| 167 | Irene Robinson | confectioner | ||
| 186 | A&A Fletcher | stationers | ||
| 188 | Jane Baggott | confectioner | ||
| 192 | Geo Armour & Son | confectioner | ||
| 196 | Horn & Son | grocer | ||
| 204 | Wm Gray | beer retailer | ||
| 206 | Walter Willson Ltd | grocer | ||
| 208 | Emerson Shepherd | boot dealer | ||
| 210 | (Rachael Bernard | draper | ||
| (Rachael Larner | butcher | |||
| 212 | Matt Tait | confectioner | ||
| 214 | Wm Gale | pharmacist | ||
| 218 | Geo Noble | grocer | ||
| 222 | Norwood & Wilson | greengrocers | ||
| 224 | John Newman | grocer | ||
| 228 | Kate Taylor | general dealer | ||
| 232 | Gallons Ltd | grocer | ||
| 234 | Henry Jarron | newsagent | ||
| Thos Wilkinson | butcher | |||
| 238 | Susan Perkins | draper | ||
| Miss Isabella Alcraft | grocer | Clifford Brayson | fried fish | |
| Arthur T Brunswick | butcher | Jos Eastland | hairdresser | |
| Thos Coulson | hardware | Cassie Hackney | confectioner | |
| Lambton House | Robt Hall | fried fish | ||
| Coulthard & Co | grocer | |||
| Benj Dixon | grocer | |||
| Mary Gallon | millener | |||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
Photographs Showing Shops on Ravensworth Road
Return to map of Dunston Shops
Shopping in other Parts of Dunston
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| George Burns | shopkeeper | John Close | shopkeeper | |
| Johanna Cook | shopkeeper | |||
| James Goulburn | butcher | Wm Griggs | hairdresser | |
| Chas Moffatt | hairdresser | Martha Noval | shopkeeper | |
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 1 | ||||
| Gertrude Bushell | shopkeeper | |||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 10 | Jos Coulthard | Baker | ||
| 11 | John Baines | butcher | ||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 11 | Thos Cheeseman | grocer | ||
| 41 | John R Bell | chemist | ||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 4 | Andrew Buchanan | confectioner | ||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 9 | Miss Eliz Beveridge | grocer | Chas Fish | beer retailer |
| 12 | Wm Linsley | grocer | ||
| Henry Johnston | confectioner | |||
| Grace Dixon | friuterer | |||
| Thompson's Stores | ||||
| 18 | Eliz Tait | draper | ||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 2 | Thos Havis | butcher | ||
| 7 | Angus Randell | draper | ||
| 37 | Alex Henry | confectioner | ||
| Mary Murton | shopkeeper | Sarah Oysten | shopkeeper | |
| 86 | Arnold Boothroyd | grocer | ||
| Thos Stokoe | butcher | |||
| 92 | Jos Eastland jnr | hairdresser | ||
| Henry Jarron | newsagent | |||
| Percy Sweet | shopkeeper | |||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Sam Buttery | beer retailer | |||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Culey | baker | |||
| 19 | Henry Robinson | grocer | ||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 22 | Richard Wigham | grocer | ||
| 29 | Richard Culey | cycle repairs | ||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| James Gardener | beer retailer | |||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Sarah Gardener | shopkeeper | |||
| 11 | Anne Donaghue | newsagent | ||
| Sarah Shaw | shopkeeper | |||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Wm Kelly | shopkeeper | |||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Geo Noble | grocer | |||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Walter Smith | grocer | |||
Kensington Terrace on Ellison Road (Q)
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 1 | Stephenson & Mallams | grocers/confectioners | ||
| 13 | J G Lee | fruiterer | ||
| 17 | Chas Young | butcher | ||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Jos Stokoe | grocer | Hannah McCauley | shopkeeper | |
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 138 | Violet Bulmer | shopkeeper | ||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
The Crescent on Ellison Road (T)
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 10 | Ilfracombe Dairy | &;;;;;;;;nbsp; | ||
| 11 | Catterick Caterers | |||
| 12 | Arthur Hoggett | hairdresser | ||
| 13 | ; | Mary Cunningham | fruiterer | |
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Geo Charlton | fishmonger | |||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 1 | Wm Gladstone | shopkeeper | ||
| 3 | Alf Kumble | hairdresser | ||
| 16 | Ernie Clasper | cycle repairer | ||
| 18 | Frank Graham | confectioner | ||
| 20 | Wm Gale | pharmacist | ||
| 24 | John Soulsby | newsagent | ||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 3 | Norman Kidd | butcher | ||
| 19 | Sarah Smith | draper | ||
| 55 | John & M Tindale | shopkeeper | ||
| 56 | Bart Ridley | shopkeeper | ||
| Geo Shanley | grocer | |||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 20 | Robt Menzies | shopkeeper | ||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Catherine Pickering | cocoa rooms | |||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Thos Plews & Co | outfitters | |||
| Eliz Pollard | shopkeeper | |||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| Susanne Robinson | shopkeeper | |||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| 1 | Robt Elliott | grocer | ||
| 1903/4 | 1930s | |||
| H H Foster | tobacco/stationer | |||
| 14 | Eliz Wharner | fruiterer | ||
| 22 | Jos Stout | butcher | ||
Return to map of Dunston Shops
Can you remember? Can you remember?
Ganny Willis - The Pink House
- On Sunday evening she would open her front room and sell sweets and lemonade to the passers - by who made the regular Sunday evening stroll from the Village to the top of Carr's Bank. The sweets were displayed on a big round table. Ganny Willis always wore black with a cameo brooch at her neck.
Fernleigh Ladies Hairdressers
- The shop open about 1934 with a special offer of a permanent wave for 5/=. Marcel waves 1/=, hair cut 6d, shampoo and set 2/=. There's no Wave like a Eugene Wave - 10/6d and it took 3 hours for hot perming. There were 4 cubicles for privacy. A high chair for the little ones. Hair was dyed with red henna.
Lloyds Bank
- when it was on the other side of Front Street. It was open for only 4 mornings a week. There was a guard with a dog outside.
The Crown Garage
- with petrol pumps by the roadside. It is now Barclay's Bank.
The Piccadilly Cake Shop
- site of the late lamented Northern Rock Building Society. Lovely steak pies! Cakes ! Cream when no-one else could get it.
Eggleston's General Dealers
- black treacle out of a barrel, belly pork and a wooden counter.
Thompson's Red Stamp Stores
- next door to Spoor Chapel
The Co-op on Fellside Road
- Groceries where the Chinese Take-away is and Hardware and Drapers opposite.
Whickham Shops by Type
BOOT REPAIRERS
Edward Douglas 1906
Thomas Cunningham 1913
Edward Hilary 1913 - 1918
William McPherson 1921
John Robinson 1921
J Mole 1931
John G Muncaster 1931 - 46
Leslie Muncaster 1946 -1977
William Pellett 1934 - 1960s
Harry Edwards 1939
John Robson 1939
HAIRDRESSERS
Charles Rising 1906 - 1931
M Penrose 1931 - 1939
M Potter 1931 - 1939
Fernleigh 1939 -
Edward Watson 1939 -
Bert's (Striped Barbers' Pole)
Edna Arnold
Henry's
Curry's
Diva
JG's Ladies Hairdresser
Lavender Box
Blades
Ruffles
Dave's
Wayne's
Ken's
David H
NEWSAGENTS / STATIONERS
Andrew Whitfield 1939
Armstrong
United
Martin's
Kendal's became Cresswell
J & B
The Card Shop
WINE MERCHANTS/OFF LICENCE
Whickham Ale Store (Off Licence)
Blaney's became Berkeley Wines then Wine Cellar
Victoria Wine ?
SWEET SHOPS
Ganny Willis (The Pink House. Sundays only)
Donaldson's
Dobson's
Village Sweet Shop
MISCELLANEOUS
Whickham Travel Agents
Travel Needs
Flower Design
Sam's Snacks became Bigger Bite
Cool Tan
Stanley Racing (Betting Shop)
Video Shop
Davison's Antiques
C&H Glass
Econofreeze
BUTCHERS
George Turnbull 1906
Jonathan Atkinson 1906. In 1939 became R Atkinson then sold to :-
Henry Taylor, shop demolished in 1970s to make way for St. Mary's Green.
Moved to St. Mary's Green. Sold out to:-
John Taylor (no relation)Sold out to owner of Salad Bowl who put in a manager. Next
R Martin & Son 1995 - present day
A. Thompson 1913 - 1915
W. Smith 1931 - after 1939
Charley Young 1931 -
Arthur Glendinning 1939 - ( Pork Butcher )
G Armstrong
A Dodds 19 ( became Factory Meat Shop then renamed R Thompson )
Walters & Todd
FISHMONGERS/ FISH & CHIPS
John Davy 1931 (Became Billy Wigham. Then Moti Jheel Indian Take Away)
Lance Oxley (Back Row )
Barkin Shark
Co-op Wet Fish Shop
CHEMISTS
Whickham Cash Chemist 1913
E Dunn 1931 Later became Leigh & Dunn
Roberts (Drug Store) 1958
Spearman & Dixon 1974
Co-op Chemist 1950 - 1966
Robert Hill 1964 - 1981 Sold out to Harry Dixon
S Handa
GREENGROCERS
Thomas Gardiner 1906 - 1921
Albany Battensby 1913 - 1918
William Hunter 1931 - 1939 (became Co-op Fish Shop)
Harry Hutchinson 1931 -1939
Florrie Garrett
Billy Boyd
Appleby (Church Green now Bakehouse)
Browns
Salad Bowl 1970? Walkers of Whickham
Bookless (opened in The Square 1964, transferred to St Mary's Green 1975)
DRAPERS Thomas Bruce & Son 1906 - 1913
Elizabeth Ann Everard 1906 - 1913
Joseph Armstrong 1913 - 1915
M McGlen 1931 - 1934
M Curry 1939 - ( corsets )
Alex McGregor 1939 -
John Robinson 1939
DRESSSHOPS & MILLINERS
Lily Butler 1939
Dolly Curry
Pat Symons
Margo Robson
Off the Peg
Orchid
IRONMONGERS & DIY
Frank Maughan 1934
S Stephenson became :-
Home & Gardens (moved to St Mary's Green)
DIY Back Row
Smith's 19 - 1999 (became Magnum Fitness Centre)
CYCLE REPAIRERS
John Proud 1906
Wilfred Bourne 1921 - 1931
Sam Curry 1939 - 1970s (Moved to School Lane when property demolished for St Mary's Green)
Derwent Valley Cycles 1998 - 2000
GROCERS/SHOPKEEPERS/GENERAL DEALERS
Miss Isabelle Banks 1906
Albany Bell Battensby 1906 - 1918
Thomas Bruce 1906 - 1934
Mrs Maggie Donnelly 1906
Edwin Elliott 1906 - 1934 (West Street)
William Henzell 1906 - 1915
James Hope 1906 (1915 Misses M & B Hope ) - 1918
Mrs Isabelle Smith 1906
Mrs Elizabeth Stark 1906 - 1918 (Front Street )
Annie Stark 1913 - 19?? (Whaggs Lane )
William Mordue 1913 - after 1939 ( Fellside Road )
James Dand 1921 - 1934
Robert Eggleston 1921 - after 1939
Margaret Curry 1921 - 1934
Christopher Thompson 1921 - after 1939
Emanuel Agar 1934
William Dobson 1934
Margaret Irving 1934 - after 1939
William Brown 1939
Co-op 1921 - to present day. (Started as a branch of Swalwell Co-op)
Thompson's Red Stamp Stores 1931 -
Hadrian Supply Company 1939 -
Laws Stores 1939 -
Moores Stores 1939 -
Kwik Save 197
Presto ( became Saveways in 199)
BAKERS / CONFECTIONERS
Percy J Bailey 1931
R & J Culey 1931 - 1934
G Soulsby 1931
Robert Bantham 1939
David Donaldson 1939
Picadilly
Carricks Previously in The Square. Eventually became Bakers Oven
Newcastle Bakeries
Bakehouse Craft Bakery 1980 - now
Ramseys