Fact of the Day - August
All of August’s North Shields 800 Facts of the Day in one place.
August 1st, 1884
A house in Dockwray Square was opened as a hospital with two beds. Demand was so great that steps were taken to begin building a properly equipped hospital. The house was used as an early base for the Tynemouth Infirmary and Benevolent Society.
The foundation stone for the Tynemouth Victoria Jubilee Infirmary was laid at Hawkey’s Lane three years later.
Then, in August 1889, the Shields Daily News reported the official opening of the hospital and that ‘the people of Tynemouth have good cause for congratulation over the happy completion of the scheme’.
August 2nd, 1932
One of the many photographs from the Shields Daily News of the North Shields Carnival, a charity parade that took place annually for many years.
This one featured several parade competitions, including trade exhibits, decorated pit ponies, ladies’ decorated bicycles.
There were fancy dress costumes, a carnival king and queen, a ‘queen of beauty’, girls and boys decorated machines and jazz bands. It was noted that The Pearlies Hall on Northumberland Street and the British Legion Hall in Stephenson Street prepared food for the parade’s adults and the children of the visiting juvenile brass jazz bands.
Those watching along the parade’s route ran into the thousands.
August 3rd, 1886
Suffragette Norah Balls was born in Linskill Street, North Shields. The daughter of a North Shields mariner, she became an active member of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), led nationally by Emmeline Pankhurst.
She later became involved in many other aspects of community life focusing on supporting and improving the lives of girls, women and families and for many years served as a councillor and a magistrate.
August 4th, 1914
A strike by North Shields women fish workers came to an end when war was declared. In June, the women had decided they had gutted fish for long enough on measly wages and walked out. They took the ferry to South Shields, 150 of them marching from the landing stage to Mile End Road, calling on the workers of Robertson’s, Brough’s and Fuller’s to join them.
They were supported by James Wilson of the National Amalgamated Union of Labour who helped organise daily meetings, including at the Spence Assembly Rooms, North Shields.
They were calling for sixpence (2.5p) an hour and overtime pay for evenings and weekends, which was refused with a spokesman from Robertson’s saying the demand was ‘outrageous’ and claiming they averaged 21 shillings a week in season (£1 05p today), compared to one shilling and sixpence a day in the potato fields.
August 5th, 1931
The last Tynemouth tram ran on this day when the company converted to motorbuses.
The electric tram system opened in 1901 operating from New Quay, North Shields to Whitley Bay Links via Tynemouth and Cullercoats.
August 6th, 1849
The Queen in Council grants the Charter to create Tynemouth Borough incorporating North Shields and surrounding districts of Preston, Percy Main, East Howdon and Chirton. The borough is coterminous with the existing parliamentary constituency boundary.
People take to the streets to celebrate and, a few days later, shops close for the day to celebrate.
During the same week, the borough comes formally under the Public Health Acts, empowering the council to prevent disease and remove causes of ill health with regulations.
August 7th, 1849
The long talked about Tyne Regatta took place at the Low Lights, North Shields and the weather being fine, the sports drew together an immense concourse of spectators.
Mr Joseph Straker was commodore and Mr Thomas Harbutt conductor.
The amusements concluded the next day with a ball at the Golden Lion Inn, South Shields.
August 8th, 1850
A general holiday granted by Captain William Linskill – ‘emancipator of the Tyne’ – to celebrate: ‘A new Conservancy Commission affording the strongest prospect for the honest and independent management of our noble river’.
August 9th, 1949
The Evening News: The firm of D Hill, Carter & Company Limited will be 124 years old today. It was founded in 1825 by Mr. Dennis Hill. His first shop was in Bell Street with the opening of the better-known Union Street store three years later.
At one stage it was the biggest department store in the borough, selling all sorts of merchandise, with a cafe and lift as part of the facilities. It employed many North Shields folk. The store was demolished in 1988 after being gutted by fire many years earlier. The Union Square apartments, built in 1997, now occupy the site of the former store.
August 10th, 1934
While carrying out alterations to the Dolphin Pub, Tynemouth, workmen unearthed a human jawbone of a man who was murdered in the 17th century pub of the same name.
The lower jawbone was in remarkable condition, complete with molar teeth. It was believed to have belonged to an Excise man who was murdered by smugglers.
August 11th, 1885
Northumberland Park was opened by the Duke of Northumberland following a campaign by Alderman John Foster Spence. Spence saw an opportunity to provide much-needed employment for local people as well as an amenity for the community. He persuaded the Duke to grant land in Spital Dene, North Shields. Work began in 1884, and the remains of St. Leonard’s medieval hospital, founded around 1220, were discovered.
130 years later on August 11th 2015, following a major revamp and restoration, Northumberland Park was officially re-opened by the Duchess of Northumberland.
August 12th, 1858
Shields Daily Gazette: “Sums awarded to the North Shields branch of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Benevolent Society for shipwrecked men between June 26th and August 7th, 1858, amounted to more than £62 and the mid-summer annual grant to widows and orphans of the branch was just over £61.”
August 13th, 1907
Shields Daily News: The Central Palace of Varieties on Saville Street had engaged at ‘enormous expense’ America’s Greatest Tight Rope Artist, Texas Hattie.
She was described as being one of the best tight rope performers on the music hall stage.
Hattie was a young black artist who performed wearing a wide sailor’s hat and boasted being able to turn somersaults while playing a violin. Her performances across the whole of the country and abroad were many times greeted with standing applause.
August 14th, 1920
The Newcastle Journal: “North Shields widows and orphans were entertained to a pleasant day’s outing’ at Seaton Delaval in the field adjoining the Queen’s Picture House, where 120 adults and 650 children had tea.”
August 15th, 1940
The Shields Evening News published a letter from the Mayor, Robert T Smith launching a local Spitfire Fund for Tynemouth and North Shields. This was part of efforts in towns and villages across the country to deter Hitler’s efforts to invade Britain by raising money to buy more Spitfires, setting a target of £6,000 per new aircraft.
By the end of the month, the fund stood at £1,226 and by the end of September, £5,809. A ‘Mark Vb’, a type of Spitfire, bearing the Tynemouth Borough Coat of Arms was presented in November 1940 and served until October 31st, 1945.
North Shields 800 - Fact of the Day
August 16th, 1960 – The well-known folk song ‘The Shoals of Herring’ by Ewan MacColl was first broadcast by the BBC as part of the radio ballad ‘Singing the Fishing’. It tells the story of Sam Larner, a retired fisherman from Norfolk who spent his life hunting herring. MacColl carried out a number of interviews with Larner and used his words and experiences to craft the lyrics of the song.
A verse of the song refers to landing the catch at North Shields quay:
Well, we left the home grounds in the month of June
And to canny Shields we soon was bearing
With a hundred cran of the silver darlings
That we’d taken from the shoals of herring.
August 17th, 1859
Following a scare about possible war with France, volunteer military units are formed.
The Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery is recognised as the first Volunteer Artillery Force.
They will later be granted the right to wear a uniform shoulder flash ‘Tynemouth’ in recognition of their history.
August 18th, 1863
‘The one o’clock gun’ was fired for the first time from the Ballast Hill at Dock Road.
This confirmed a telegraphically signalled time from the Royal Observatory Edinburgh.
Ships’ masters would set their chronometers by the sounding of the gun. This was vital for navigation and determining longitude in the days before radio, satellite communications and other navigational technology.
42 years later, on August 31st, 1905, it was fired for the last time.
August 19th, 1932
The Shields Daily News reports that work is underway on the Kennel Farm Building Estate, Hawkey’s Lane, North Shields which was recently acquired by Messrs. William Bower & Son for housing development.
The 3.5 acre site would deliver 42 semi-detached houses. These are the current properties between Milton Terrace and Hawkey’s Lane (opposite the old High School and below the Co-op).
August 20th, 1920
A public notice in the Shields Daily News called out to parents that if their daughter had a “commercial leaning” to give her the advantage of “sound training” at Lambert’s Commercial School. The notice said that the tutors were highly qualified specialists, the teaching individual and the progress rapid.
The school was reopening on August 23rd, and students could enrol for classes in shorthand, typing, book-keeping, accountancy, banking, theory and practice of commerce, French, Spanish, Italian, Latin etc. Parents were urged to write at once to the principal at Camden Chambers, North Shields.
August 21st, 1884
The Prince and Princess of Wales (the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) visited the Tyne to perform the official opening of the Albert Edward Dock. There was much rejoicing as the Royal party sailed along the river in the steamer ‘Para-e-Amazonas’.
The colourful scene as the Prince and Princess reached the Low Lights was recorded in a large oil painting by John Davison Liddell (1859-1942).
Since 1998, the Albert Edward Dock has been the home of the award-winning Royal Quays Marina.
August 22nd, 1917
Tynemouth born Lieutenant Kenneth Gordon Garnett, aged 25, died almost a year to the day after being wounded in the neck and paralysed while acting as liaison officer at Delville Wood, France.
He lay on his back in hospital following injury, first at Empire Hospital, Vincent Square, London and then at Lady Cornelia Wimborne's Hospital, Roehampton where he died. In hospital he was known for his ‘smiling cheerfulness’.
For his military service he was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Military Cross, handed to him in hospital by the King.
The son of Dr William Garnett, a former Principal of the Durham College of Science, now Armstrong College, Kenneth was a distinguished student at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took part successfully in rowing, including in the victorious boat race in 1914.
August 23rd, 1828
Under the recently enacted North Shields Town Improvement Act the first watchmen are appointed – a forerunner of the police.
Their area of jurisdiction is from Tanners Bank, along the Low Street to the New Quay and up into the new town centre, and then back along Albion Road and Tynemouth Road to Tanners Bank.
August 24th, 1662 - Black Bartholomew's Day
The Great Ejectment of non-conformist clergymen from the Church of England, included the Revd John Lomax, who was ejected from Wooler, and came to North Shields as the first minister of the Protestant Dissenters who eventually formed the Scotch Church in Howard Street.
The vicar of Tynemouth, the Revd Alexander Gordon, was also ejected.
August 25th, 1916
Rifleman Henry Dunn Hogg, aged 27, of Brannen Street, a lay evangelist in Derbyshire with the Church Army, was killed in action at Delville Wood on the Somme. His parents had lost another son, his brother Robert Henry Dunn Hogg, in April 1916, who left six children.
Rifleman E E King, who wrote to Henry’s family after his death, said: "Our battalion was in action recently, and Harry was mortally wounded. He and I were constant chums all the time we were in the trenches, and we went over the top together; just as we had good hopes of getting clear of the enemy's heavy fire, Harry was hit by Shrapnel…….I stayed with him to do what little I could, such as to make him comfortable and bind up his wound, although we were covered by the debris from shells several times.”
August 26th, 1824
The lowest spring tides were recorded at Shields Harbour. Three pilots, Launcelot Burn (Jnr), Jacob Harrison and William Tully walked across the Tynemouth Bar from south to north.
High tide that day had measured 24 feet 8 inches then fell to just 2 feet (72 cms approx).
August 27th, 1859
The clock in the tower of Christ Church was set going for the first time.
Christ Church was built in the mid-17th century and following delays caused by the Civil War and financial setbacks, it was finally completed in 1668, although it would later undergo many extensions, including the tower.
August 28th, 1889
American aeronaut and parachutist Alma Beaumont provided great entertainment for North Shields when she made an ascent in a balloon from the Cycling Grounds, Hawkey’s Lane and descended in a parachute.
A large crowd assembled on the cycle track, helping by holding down the edges of the enormous silk balloon as it filled with gas.
Once inflated, the balloon rose into the sky with Miss Beaumont sitting on a strap hanging beneath it.
She then leapt from her perch to perform a terrifying free-fall before her parachute opened and returned her safely to the ground.
August 29th, 1953
The Evening News reports that North Shields bandleader Billy Ternent has completed a week’s engagement at Whitley Bay. There was some confusion over whether he was born in Newcastle or more precisely in Rosella Place, North Shields.
He certainly played piano at the old Comedy Palace of Varieties on Saville Street before forming his orchestra.
A multi-instrumentalist he became principal arranger for Jack Hylton, whose show band he joined in 1927. In the 1950s, he provided the backing orchestra to Frank Sinatra when he toured the UK who described him as "the little giant". In the 1960s he was the musical director for the London Palladium.
August 30th, 1898
The lighthouse in Tynemouth Castle is lit for the final time, being replaced by lights on the newly constructed North and South Piers.
A maritime light at Tynemouth Castle, one of the earliest recorded in England, dates back to 1578, when a brazier was sited in the church tower inside the castle. In 1664, after the church tower stairs collapsed, the castle governor, Sir Edward Villiers, had a new tower built to carry the brazier. The tower was later re-built in 1775 and the brazier replaced by an oil lamp with rotating reflectors in 1802.
In 1840, following an Act of Parliament, the lighthouse was sold to London Trinity House and, in 1898, having been superseded by the St Mary’s Island, Souter and Tyne Pier lights, it was demolished.
August 31st, 1971
The River Tyne ferry Northumbrian is back in service between North and South Shields. The service was out of action last year when a ship rammed the ferry landing at North Shields in dense fog. New staging was put up nearer the shoreline but the ferry can no longer carry vehicles.