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| Historical Notes on Cullercoats, Whitley and Monkseaton
| The Maid of Monkseaton
Monkseaton and HillheadsTempus Publishing, 2000, ISBN 9780752420646
Released in September 2000, and still available at all good booksellers, at a cost of £12.99, more information about Monkseaton Village can be discovered in this 96 page publication by local historian Charlie Steel.
The book gives a fascinating pictorial history and insight into Monkseaton Village and the surrounding areas, which include Whitley HillHeads, Holywell Dene, New York, Murton, and Earsdon Villages. There are over 150 photographs included which span a period of over 100 years.
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Inns and Taverns of North Shields
Tempus Publishing, 2007, ISBN 9780752443652
It has often been said that the best way to learn history is to study castles and churches; however it cannot be denied that the best way to learn about the history of North Shields
is to study the Pubs!
From 1822 to the present day, approximately 440 Public Houses have been recorded in
North Shields with over 110 additional premises in the surrounding areas. These numbers
do not include the small independent Ale, Porter, Wine & Spirit Merchants, and Brewers
which themselves numbered in excess of 225.
As a relatively small town in the 1800’s, North Shields hasprobably had the highest number of Inns, Taverns, Ale Houses
and Beer Sellers to be found anywhere in the country. The Low Town in particular had an extremely high concentration of pubs, with some Inns actually adjoining the next one, and others just being a matter of feet away from the next.
In 1853 alone, it was estimated there were 217 Inns, Taverns
and Alehouses in the Borough of Tynemouth, which included
North Shields, Tynemouth and Cullercoats.
Many of these establishments, particularly those in the ‘Low Town’ of North Shields, were dirty and seedy drinking dens of vice and intemperance, dimly lit with tallow candles, where drunkenness
and prostitution was commonplace and many unlawful and
immoral schemes were plotted.
Those dark days have disappeared into the mists of time,
and most of the Inns and Taverns of the past have long since been demolished. The
Chirton and Percy Main areas comprised around 17 Public Houses, and Preston Township
had 14 known Inns and Taverns. Over the years, Tynemouth was well catered for, with around 34 establishments, and moving north up the coastline to Cullercoats there are
11 recorded here, including the modern premises on Marden Estate. Next was Whitley
Bay (Whitley Township), which had around 24 Inns, Taverns, and Hotels but that excludes any of the modern theme bars in the South Parade area which tend to change their names
on a regular basis, and strictly speaking, cannot be considered as true pubs anyway.
Monkseaton Village has had 8 Inns and Taverns over the years, and Earsdon Village has
had 6. The Backworth and Shiremoor Areas, including New York and Murton Village,
had 12 licensed premises. (It should however be remembered that not all of these
premises existed at any one time.)
Released on 1st September 2007, and available at all good booksellers, at a cost of
£12.99, this new 128 page publication by local historian Charlie Steel will serve as
a reminder of not just the old pubs in the area, but also of the newer ones that have appeared up to the present day. The book is an illustrated gazetteer and directory
which gives a fascinating insight into the many Inns, Alehouses and Taverns that have existed in North Shields and the surrounding areas over the past two centuries, and
includes old photographs with sections covering: Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Monkseaton, Earsdon, Shiremoor and Backworth.
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Historical Notes on Cullercoats, Whitley and Monkseaton
Frank Graham, 1980, Out of print
An accountant by profession, William Weaver Tomlinson wasa prominent local historian and writer and his residence for many years was at Lillevilla, in Hawthorn Gardens,
Monkseaton. The most well known of his books was entitled ‘Tomlinson’s Comprehensive Guide to Northumberland’; however another publication called ‘Historical Notes on Cullercoats, Whitley and Monkseaton’ first appeared in 1893.
This book was last reprinted in 1980, by local publisher, Frank Graham, and although scarce, copies can still occasionally be
found at many good second hand booksellers.
The book itself takes the reader on a fascinating journey through Cullercoats, Whitley, Monkseaton and Tynemouth as the writer describes all the interesting streets, buildings and history associated with these places in the late 1800s.
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The Maid of Monkseaton1908, Out of print
Probably the only known fictional work ever written about Monkseaton was this book by local author James Cuthbertson, entitled ‘The Maid of Monkseaton’ and published in 1908.
The book is a 335 page historical novel about a Saxon maid living amongst the monks, during the 7th century. A youthful monk,
one calm July evening whilst shepherding cattle through Holywell Dene, happens upon the maid in evident peril from a herd of heifers and rushes to her rescue!
Although scarce to find, North Tyneside Libraries have copies available for the lending.
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