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Dunston Terraces
Terraces were typical of housing in late 1800s and early 1900s.
Some pre 1900 terraces had been built on Ellison and Ravensworth Roads and Victoria, Athol and Seymour Streets. These tended to be simple and lacked the later refinements of bay windows, stone door surrounds and neat garden walls topped with metal railings. Most of these earlier terraces were built directly onto paths facing roads and only after 1900 did gardens become almost obligatory, no matter how small these might be.
Although the terraced houses varied in size the general layout tended to be standard. Two up, two down with kitchen and bathroom built in an offshoot tended to be the norm, with toilet and coalhouse at the bottom of the yard. Front rooms were for best, or for the unexpected visitor not afforded access to the back room where family and close friends gathered.
Not all of Dunston's terraces fitted this standard pattern. West View Terrace and Ravensworth Road showed examples of Tyneside flats whilst Spoor Street is a Tyneside rarity. These terraced cottages built from the late 1880s are a Wearside phenomenon found in vast numbers in Sunderland
Whickham Avenue and Clephan Street are examples of pedestrian terraces, a trend very much again in fashion. The Crescent must rank as Dunston's grandest terrace, our answer to Leazes Terrace in Newcastle.
Long may Dunston's terraces remain.
Comments
Hiya,
I have really enjoyed looking through this site. Always interested in finding out more about Dunston as my Grandmother's family originate there. (Although I unfortunately never got to meet her, I do remember coming through to Newcastle on the train from Carlisle as a kid and my Dad pointing to Dunston from the window.) Anyway, back to the terraces. When my grandparents married, 1926, my Grandmother gave her address as 9 Collingwood Terrace, Dunston, Whickham. I have looked about, but cannot find any mention of it now. Has it been demolished? Perhaps you would be able to tell me something about it? I would be very grateful to know anything about the area.
Thanks for a cracking site.
Judith
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Thanks for your comments Judith. Collingwood Terrace is still there and is shown on the Dunston shopping map on our website (click on Shopping on the main page) at the top right of the map just to the left of the green box marked UV. The Tudor Rose pub is on this street and the old Dunston Community Centre lies opposite. Nearby was the Imperial cinema and the Excelsior Club and Ministry of Labour Employment Exchange were on Staiths Road around the corner. Tthis was a very busy part of Dunston being near the staiths with many shops on nearby Ravensworth Road. Now there are lots of new houses on one side of the street although the other side is less changed. Hope this is of some help.
Posted by: Judith at January 17, 2007 7:13 PM