Shopping in Ravensworth Road

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

Ravensworth Road (A)

	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

Railway Street (B)

	1903/4		1930s
	George Burns	shopkeeper	John Close	shopkeeper
	Johanna Cook	shopkeeper
	James Goulburn	butcher	Wm Griggs	hairdresser
	Chas Moffatt	hairdresser	Martha Noval	shopkeeper

Railway Terrace (K)

	1903/4		1930s
1
		Gertrude Bushell	shopkeeper

Ravensworth Terrace (C)

	1903/4		1930s
10			Jos Coulthard	Baker
11			John Baines	butcher

Rothesay Terrace (X )

	1903/4		1930s
11	Thos Cheeseman	grocer
41	John R Bell	chemist

Return to map of Dunston Shops

Victoria Street (D)

	1903/4		1930s
4	Andrew Buchanan	confectioner

Ellison Road (E)

	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

Dunston Road (F)

	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

Atkinson Square (I)

	1903/4		1930s
	Sam Buttery	beer retailer

Market Lane (G)

	1903/4		1930s
	Culey	baker
19			Henry Robinson	grocer

Spoor Street (H)

	1903/4		1930s
22	Richard Wigham	grocer
29	Richard Culey	cycle repairs

Return to map of Dunston Shops

West View Terrace (L)

	1903/4		1930s
	James Gardener	beer retailer

Sadler Square (M)

	1903/4		1930s
	Sarah Gardener	shopkeeper
11			Anne Donaghue	newsagent
			Sarah Shaw	shopkeeper

Mill Street (N)

	1903/4		1930s
	Wm Kelly	shopkeeper

Orchard Place (X)

	1903/4		1930s
	Geo Noble	grocer

Return to map of Dunston Shops

Winslow Terrace (X)

	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

Stokoe Square (R)

	1903/4		1930s
	Jos Stokoe	grocer	Hannah McCauley	shopkeeper

Clavering Avenue (J)

	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

King George Avenue (P)

	1903/4		1930s
			Geo Charlton	fishmonger

Davison Place (X)

	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

Wellington Road (QZ)

	1903/4		1930s
3			Norman Kidd	butcher
19			Sarah Smith	draper
55			John & M Tindale	shopkeeper
56			Bart Ridley	shopkeeper
			Geo Shanley	grocer

Church Street (S)

	1903/4		1930s
20			Robt Menzies	shopkeeper

Catherine Terrace (O)

	1903/4		1930s
			Catherine Pickering	cocoa rooms

Staithes Road (UV)

	1903/4		1930s
			Thos Plews & Co	outfitters
			Eliz Pollard	shopkeeper

Return to map of Dunston Shops

Surtees Terrace (X)

	1903/4		1930s
			Susanne Robinson	shopkeeper

Wood Street (TT)

	1903/4		1930s
1			Robt Elliott	grocer

Commercial Buildings (UV)

	1903/4		1930s
			H H Foster	tobacco/stationer
14			Eliz Wharner	fruiterer
22			Jos Stout	butcher

Return to map of Dunston Shops