Reports

South Tyneside Meeting - March 2004 "A Virtual Walk along the Quayside" by Bill Saunders A Report by Margaret Stafford

Another challenge this evening and one which will require you to apply your imagination-the topic, "a virtual walk along the quayside" in slides!

As Bill Saunders says himself he is an enthusiastic local historian and he gave us a whistle-stop tour of some of his favourite spots. He said this was his first talk in a chapel-and our setting at the Mission to Seafarers is quite awe-inspiring. Bill also "preaches" that history can be fun!

The quayside has seen some dramatic changes, but there are buildings with a long history which survive and yet we often walk past without noticing. We started at the Tyne Bridge, opened in 1928 and still one of Newcastle's most recognised images. St Peter's Basin has become the latest "des res" area but there, behind the colourful new housing, are the pigeon duckets-so reminiscent of the history of the North East.

The next image was of the Seamens' Bethel on Nelson St, built at a cost of £2, 000 in 1875. It has had a chequered history-a doll factory during the Boer war, a community centre, a centre for Danish seamen around World War 2. It is the subject of an LS Lowry painting, prompting the anecdote about Lowry's visits to Hexham where he stayed in a bed and breakfast establishment and would leave sketches for the landlady which she promptly put in the bin!

There is much new "public art" on the Quayside, on closer inspection however there is often a historical context, as with the blacksmith's needle. This represents the senses and was commissioned by the company of blacksmiths. In Wesley Square there is a tiller, representing the maritime heritage. Wesley's Column recalls the first occasion he came to Tyneside in 1742, another link to him is the Orphan house on Northumberland St, the third one in the country to be opened in 1743. A less well-known fact is that during his time in Newcastle John Wesley formed a relationship with a "serving wench" called Grace Murray. He proposed, she accepted. She had been previously married to a seaman who had drowned. John's brother Charles, however, did not approve of the match-Grace was beneath his social class and the engagement was ended and she went on to marry another.

Within the square, on one of the walls, is a sculpture representing the Tyne from source to sea, with landmarks represented on it (another one I must have walked past without seeing!). The wall itself stands on the site of the original Town Wall.

Behind is the impressive Keelman's Hospital, built in 1701 from funds the keel men donated, it also cost £2, 000 to build. It leaves nothing to chance as it has a clock and a sundial. Then onto the newish court house-be warned although it is worth going in to look at the views-you are allowed-if you try and take a camera in it will be confiscated!

Into Broad Chare, now largely given over to solicitor's offices and pubs with names like the Wig and Pen, here is Trinity House, one of only three in the country and this one had its charter granted by Henry VIII. Its concern was the welfare of mariners. Levies were collected to fund the support and Bill pointed out a small window quite high up through which a watch was kept for ships coming up river. Foreign ships had to pay 4d, British ships 2d.

Trinity House is like the tardis. A plaque near the red door indicates it has been an alms house since 1786, caring for elderly and infirm mariners, in sympathy with our surroundings this evening. At one point there is what looks like a chimney but is in fact a garde-robe-a toilet. Bill assured us it had a defensive function-the walls were so slippery that they were difficult to climb!

Not an image to linger on! Trinity Hall itself was built in 1772 and has a school, a hospital and a chapel. A plaque indicates the school was rebuilt in 1753! The pews from the chapel are reputed to be built with wood from the original Roman bridge, making them about 1800 years old. The stained glass in the windows is by contrast quite modern-1911!

The Board room has a picture of the four seasons-Reubens style. The story is that when it was cleaned in the Victorian era, prudery overcame the cleaner and the "naughty bits" were painted over, only to be revealed again with another cleaning in 1958! There are boats carved from bone and scrimshaw. The dining room has a grand ceiling with images of seahorses and paintings of ships around the room. Apparently ladies are allowed in-on Trinity Sunday.

The next image was of the Baltic chamber-now another trendy nightspot-but at least it has meant the building has survived! The room perched at the top is someone's home-with the best view over the river vista.

Eldon Chambers have to be more closely inspected. Below the end window is what looks like a mousehole and there is a handle on the window frame. In a previous life this building was the post office and the bobby on the beat would use the "mousehole" for a foothold, haul himself up by the handle on the window frame and shine his torch into the window to ensure the safe was still intact! All confirmed by one of the audience who pounded that very beat for many years!

Then to the "leaning church" All Saints, previously All Hallow's. Apparently one of the finest elliptical churches in the land-though none of us had any idea if there were any others! It was deconsecrated as people became more affluent and moved away from the river. It became an education facility and had to be updated for fire regulations. Look closely at the pavement and you can see a metal oblong, where it meets the wall there is a jigsaw effect which apparently opens up and slides out to reveal a cleverly camouflaged fire exit-almost worth setting off the fire alarm to see this. Ironically the church has now been reconsecrated as the riverside area becomes the "must have" location.

Down Akenside Hill, once Butcher's Bank because of the butchers' shops. One of the aforementioned butchers was Mark Akenside b 1721, he walked with a limp after dropping a cleaver on his foot and went on to become a doctor and a poet, though Bill wasn't impressed by his poetry.

Dean Street is John Dobson country-he is often credited with having built much more of Newcastle than he actually did-this street was formerly a dirty river, an open sewer where boats carried cargo.

Next to the Bob Trollop pub built in 1656-who was Bob Trollop I hear you cry. Trust Bill to know-he was the man responsible for building the Guild Hall (Bob, not Bill) where the town court was held from 1665-the old court room remains very impressive. Bob was apparently from York, son of a stone mason, buried in St Mary's Gateshead. His tomb was originally topped by a statue pointing across the river to the Guild Hall and the memorial carried the inscription "here lies Bob Trollop who made your stones, when death doth take his soul up, his body filled this hole up ". Don't go looking for it, it has long gone!

The Merchant Venturer's Hall has a wonderful fireplace. It is a reminder of the pre-eminence of guilds in the 17th and 18th centuries when you had to be a member to do business, still in use today by the guild. Bessie Surtees House was next-a topic dear to Bill's heart as he has written a book on the subject. Bessie and John Scott eloped, as her family disapproved of her match with a student. The student went on to become Lord Eldon and Chancellor of England.

Another timber-framed building is the Cooperage, now transformed into-yet another trendy pub. There has been a building on that site since the 13th century. It became a cooperage in 1876 under John Arthur, and continued through 5 generations of that family until the business relocated to Throckley in 1974. It is reputed to be haunted.

Onto the Swing Bridge, opened in 1876 and then the oldest bridge over the river still standing, the High Level Bridge opened in 1849. Built by Robert Stephenson, Bill argues it could have been considered the 8th wonder of the world. It was opened by Queen Victoria who apparently stepped out, cut the ribbon and hastily re-boarded the train. She was reputed to drive through the city with her blinds drawn apart from 1854 when the train halted briefly to enable her to see the extent of the major fire that year. , as bill commented-that was her loss!

We finished with a look at the Keep and the cathedral bathed in sunlight. As I mentioned last week some of our members had thought we were actually going to have an outing to the Quayside, I think it's safe to say that after tonight, many of us will put our boots on do just that!

Thank you Bill

Other news from the group tonight-the transcribing of the plaques commemorating lost seafarers is going well. We are also invited to participate in the transcription of the South Tyneside registers.