This is a free day for local people to explore and celebrate the history, heritage and culture of North Shields.

It is being led by the Northumbria World War One Commemoration Project with support from the North Shields Heritology Project and the Old Low Light Heritage Centre.

The event has four main parts – six talks, music, displays and a community marketplace.

Booking is not necessary for any of the activities which will be well signposted on the day.

Talks

A black and white image of the fish quay with the coble boats with their sails up and the Old low Light building in the background

10.30am – 11.30am

North Shields – an overview of 800 years by Mike Coates

Author of several books on the history of North Shields, Mike will provide an overview of 800 years of his hometown, describing the highs and lows of the town’s fortunes and how, over centuries, conflict with Newcastle over trading rights, impacted on North Shields’ early history.

10.30am – 11.30am

That’s Women’s Work by Nina Brown

Founding trustee of the Old Low Light Heritage Centre, Nina will talk about women who have played an important part in the local fishing and maritime industries, including the ‘Scotch herring girls’, who travelled from the Scottish islands in spring, working at ports along the way, following the ‘silver darlings’.

A black and white image of a painting of the Fish Quay in olden times with big galleons in the port and the Old Low Light Building, people in a small rowing boat on the river in the foreground

12 noon – 1pm

History of the River Tyne and its three conservators by Phil Collinson

Port of Tyne marine manager, Phil will talk about the history of the River Tyne from the earliest of times to the present day, explaining how three statutory bodies – the Corporation of Newcastle, the Tyne Improvement Commission and the Port of Tyne were set up to conserve the economic viability of the river and the safety of its navigation.

A colour photo of the wooden doll statue outside the Old Wooden Doll pub on the Fish Quay, the statue is a buxom woman in a red dress with curled black hair

12noon – 1pm

Dolly, a North Shields Legend by Susan Lynn

Local historian Susan, will talk about how the wooden Dolly has become a legend and an important part of North Shields streetscape and seafaring history for over 200 years, starting in 1814 with the original Dolly, a ship’s figurehead from a collier brig.

A colour photo of the TVLB watch house in Tynemouth, a historic building with wooden cladding and a tower

1.30pm – 2.30pm

The history of the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade by Dave Bell

Dave Bell, honorary captain and honorary life member of the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (TVLB), will talk about the history of the organisation - the first of its kind when it was set up over 160 years ago – including some of its rescues and the famous North Shields people behind it.

A Victoria sepia photo of Lyd Sawyer, he is wearing a necktie and has curly short hair, a moustache and light eyes

1.30pm - 2.30pm

Lyd Sawyer – the Sheriff of Shields, by Dave Young

Founding member of the North Shields Heritology Project, Dave who has extensively researched local artists, will talk about Lyd Sawyer, who rose from humble beginnings to became one of the Victorian era’s most gifted art photographers, winning more than 50 of the highest honours in the photographic industry.

Music

Music in the Burnett Hall and Trevelyan Garden will include Northumbrian pipes, sea shanties and North East work songs, primary schoolchildren and community choirs.

Northumbrian pipers - Richard Heard from North Shields, a member of the Northumbrian Pipers Society, will explain about the pipes’ history, with music by internationally acclaimed musician Andy May, also an accomplished Northumbrian pipe maker, and Gosforth-based piping group Robson’s Choice.

Pupils from New York Primary School will sing The Spirit of the North, a beautiful song about local pride in community and heritage, repeating the performance that delighted guests at the launch of North Shields 800.

The Mariners and Marras Mariners, who describe themselves as ‘a rum old bunch of community singers’ will entertain with their unique mix of sea shanties, Northeast traditional working songs and poetry.

The Linskill Community choir performing with around 50 people visible on stage all wearing red and a conductor and the backs of the audience's heads in the foreground

Linskill Community Choir, led by Irene Anderson and Paul MacDermott present for the first time, Riversong, a heartfelt tribute to their hometown. Written by local resident Raymond Anderson, this original script brings to life the rise, fall and regeneration of North Shields, told through verse, narration and song. The choir has been rehearsing this performance since January.

Can’t Sing Choir will lead a singalong outside to songs of the sea, the river, the town’s fishing heritage, and much-loved local area.

Displays

There will be displays in rooms by several local organisations:

A colour photo of Dave Young from the Heritologists holding a framed painting by Victor Noble Rainbird while standing on Clifford's Fort in North Shields

North Shields Heritology Project – will be showing films of some projects they have worked on, including The Role of Shields in the abolition of Slavery, Smith’s Dock Ship Repairers, Child Poverty and Crime and Artists of Shields. They have also been involved in the placing of blue plaques and headstones to remember and celebrate the lives of individuals who have played an important role in the town’s heritage.

Additionally, they will have an exhibition covering the work of North Shields artist Victor Noble Rainbird, including more than 20 examples of his work. They will on hand to answer any questions about Rainbird and his paintings.

North Shields Steam Railway Association – this charitable organisation dates back almost 50 years and aims to create a high quality and authentic evocation of the steam age in the North East for all ages.

North Shields has a rich railway history which made a significant impact on our social, economic and industrial past.

The main attraction will be a model of the association’s North Shields site, which shows the line at Middle Engine Lane platform. There will also be displays with more information about the association.

Northumbrian pipers – an opportunity to talk to members of the Old Low Light Centre pipers’ group, most of whom are active members of the Northumbrian Pipers Society.

There will be display materials about the Northumbrian Pipes which have an important place in the history of North Shields. Local pipers will explain how North Shields has been a centre of Northumbrian piping since the late 18th century. The keyed small pipes played today were first developed in their present form in the town during the first half of the 19th century by Robert Reid, and subsequently his son James. Today, there is still a tradition of piping, reed-making and pipe-making in the town.

Three people seated playing the Northumbrian pipes in an indoors room,

Other Northumbrian pipers, including internationally acclaimed piper Andy May and Gosforth-based group Robson’s Choice will be playing in the Burnett Hall so also may be present in the room during the day.

Northumbria World War One Commemoration Project – find out more about this fascinating project that researched the lives of more than 4,000 men and women from North Tyneside whose deaths were related to war causes (1914-21).

There will be display boards and representatives available to answer queries about any family member who may have died during the conflict or immediately afterwards. They will also lead guided tours of the on-site World War One Memorial Garden, which lists 1,800 casualties from the former Tynemouth Borough area – a unique war memorial in the UK.

Researchers from the Tyneside Irish Brigade Association will have a display and can answer questions about men from the four battalions of volunteers forming the brigade.

Volunteers from the North East War Memorials Project will also be present to respond to queries about anyone from Berwick to Teesside who may be listed on the thousands of local war memorials included in their comprehensive database.

Old Low Light Heritage Centre - if you haven’t already visited the centre – in the oldest surviving building on the fish quay - there will be an opportunity to find out more about what they do, including some examples of display boards from previous exhibitions, and, also, the important role played by volunteers.

The centre has a popular café, heritage gallery where its main exhibitions are displayed and a large community room which is used as a meeting space for local organisations and showcases display boards from exhibitions over the years about the history, heritage and culture of North Shields. There is also a viewing platform offering spectacular views over the mouth of the river.

The centre has a full programme of talks, walks, workshops, music events from folk to classic and wellbeing classes including mindfulness and yoga.

Community marketplace

In the Trevelyan Hall, around 30 local organisations will promote their role in the local community, many of them relying on volunteers. You can find out more about what these organisations do, and, if you are interested with time to spare, what volunteering opportunities exist.

Supported by Radar Taxis and the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB)