Jump to content

South Shields

Coordinates: 54°59′42″N 01°25′48″W / 54.99500°N 1.43000°W / 54.99500; -1.43000
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

South Shields
Town
South Shields is located in Tyne and Wear
South Shields
South Shields
Location within Tyne and Wear
Population75,337 (2021 census)
DemonymSandancer
OS grid referenceNZ365665
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSOUTH SHIELDS
Postcode districtNE33, NE34
Dialling code0191
PoliceNorthumbria
FireTyne and Wear
AmbulanceNorth East
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Tyne and Wear
54°59′42″N 01°25′48″W / 54.99500°N 1.43000°W / 54.99500; -1.43000

South Shields (/ʃlz/) is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England; it is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. The town was once known in Roman times as Arbeia and as Caer Urfa by the Early Middle Ages. In 2021 it had a population of 75,337. It is the fourth largest settlement in Tyne and Wear, after Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and Gateshead.[1]

Historically within the county of Durham, South Shields is south of North Shields and Tynemouth across the River Tyne; and east of Newcastle upon Tyne and Jarrow.

History

[edit]
Arbeia Roman Fort: ruins and reconstruction

Evidence of human inhabitation at South Shields dates from the Late Mesolithic.[2] The first evidence of a settlement within what is now the town of South Shields dates from pre-historic times. Stone Age arrow heads and an Iron Age round house have been discovered on the site of Arbeia Roman Fort. The Roman garrison built a fort here around AD 160[3] and expanded it around AD 208 to help supply their soldiers along Hadrian's Wall as they campaigned north beyond the Antonine Wall.[4] Divisions living at the fort included Tigris bargemen (from Persia and modern day Iraq), infantry from Iberia and Gaul, and Syrian archers and spearmen.[citation needed] The fort was abandoned as the Roman Empire declined in the fourth century AD. Many ruins still exist today and some structures have been rebuilt as part of a modern museum and popular tourist attraction.

There is evidence that the site was used in the early post-Roman period as a British settlement. It is believed it became a royal residence of King Osric of Deira; records show that his son Oswin was born within 'Caer Urfa', by which name the fort is thought to be known after the Romans left. Furthermore, Bede records Oswin giving a parcel of land to St Hilda for the foundation of a monastery here in c. 647; the present-day church of St Hilda, by the Market Place, is said to stand on the monastic site.

South Shields Town Hall, built at a time of industrial self-confidence

In the ninth century, Scandinavian peoples made Viking raids on monasteries and settlements all along the coast, and later conquered the Anglian Kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia, who hailed from Angelnen in Denmark (modern day Germany).[citation needed] It is said in local folklore that a Viking ship was wrecked at Herd Sands in South Shields in its attempts to disembark at a cove nearby. Other Viking ships were uncovered in South Shields Denmark Centre and nearby Jarrow.[citation needed]

The current town was founded in 1245 and developed as a fishing port.[5] The name South Shields developed from the 'Schele' or 'Shield', which was a small dwelling used by fishermen. Another industry that was introduced, was that of salt-panning, later expanded upon in the 15th century, polluting the air and surrounding land. In 1864, a Tyne Commissioners dredger brought up a nine-pounder breech-loading cannon; more cannonballs have been found in the sands beside the Lawe; these artifacts belonged to the English civil war.[6] At the outbreak of the war in 1642, the North, West and Ireland supported the King; the South East and Presbyterian Scotland supported Parliament.[7] In 1644 Parliament's Scottish Covenanter allies, in a lengthy battle, seized the town and its Royalist fortification,[6] the fortification was close to the site of the original Roman fort.[6] They also seized the town of Newburn.[6] These raids were done to aid their ongoing siege of the heavily fortified Newcastle upon Tyne, and in a bid to control the River Tyne, and the North, and the Shields siege helped cause their battalions to maneuver south to York;[6] this may have also led to a brief winter skirmish on the outskirts of Boldon, though the topography is not favourable for a battle.[8]

In the 19th century, coal mining, alkaline production and glass making led to a boom in the town. The population increased from 12,000 in 1801 to 75,000 by the 1860s, bolstered by economic migration from Ireland, Scotland and other parts of England. These industries played a fundamental part in creating wealth both regionally and nationally. In 1832, with the Great Reform Act, South Shields and Gateshead were each given their own Member of Parliament and became boroughs, resulting in taxes being paid to the Government instead of the Bishops of Durham. However, the rapid growth in population brought on by the expansion of industry made sanitation a problem, as evident by Cholera outbreaks[9] and the building of the now-listed Cleadon Water Tower to combat the problem.[10] In the 1850s 'The Tyne Improvement Commission' began to develop the river, dredging it to make it deeper and building the large, impressive North and South Piers[11] to help prevent silt build up within the channel. Shipbuilding (along with coal mining), previously a monopoly of the Freemen of Newcastle, became another prominent industry in the town, with John Readhead & Sons Shipyard the largest.

During World War I, German Zeppelin airships bombed South Shields in 1916.[12] Later during World War II, the German Luftwaffe repeatedly attacked the town and caused massive damage to industries which supported the war effort, killing many innocent residents. Particularly, a bomb shelter in the market place of South Shields, where the deceased were commemorated in a cobblestone of the British flag. Later controversially removed and the bodies interred elsewhere. Gradually throughout the late 20th century, the coal and shipbuilding industries were closed, due to competitive pressures from more cost-effective sources of energy (including workers) and more efficient shipbuilding elsewhere in Eastern Europe (e.g. Poland) and in South East Asia. In the 21st century, the local economy primarily includes port-related, ship repair and offshore industries, manufacturing, retail (nearby Newcastle, Durham, Washington and Sunderland), the public sector and the ever-increasing role of tourism. This is illustrated by the new multi-million Haven centre, Dunes centre and seaside improvements in the coastal area and a new multimillion-pound library The Word.

Geography

[edit]
Frenchman's Bay: much of the South Shields' coastline is undeveloped, in part as a result of natural sea erosion.
Sandhaven Beach

South Shields is situated in a peninsula setting, where the River Tyne meets the North Sea. It has six miles of coastline and three miles of river frontage, dominated by the massive North and South Piers at the mouth of the Tyne. These are best viewed from the Lawe Top, which also houses two replicas of cannon captured from the Russians during the Crimean War, the originals having been melted down during World War II.[13]

The town slopes gently from Cleadon Hills down to the river. Cleadon Hills are made conspicuous by the Victorian Cleadon Water Tower and pumping station (opened in 1860 to improve sanitation)[citation needed] and a now derelict windmill, both of which are listed and can be seen from many miles away and also out at sea.

South Shields boasts extensive beaches, sand dunes and coves, as well as dramatic Magnesian Limestone cliffs with grassy areas above known as The Leas, which cover three miles of the coastline and are a National Trust protected area. Marsden Bay, with its famous Marsden Rock and historic Grotto public house and restaurant set in the cliffs, is home to one of the largest seabird colonies in Britain.[14]

One of the most historic parts of the town is the quaint and beautiful Westoe village, which consists of a quiet street of first grade and second grade Georgian and Victorian houses, many of which had been built by business leaders from the coal and shipping industries in the town. Given its beautiful setting, parks and trees, this street was often the setting for a number of books by the novelist Catherine Cookson.[15] Westoe village was once a separate village about a mile from South Shields, but urban sprawl has now consumed it, along with the village of Harton to the south on the main route towards Cleadon and Sunderland.

Climate

[edit]

Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate).[16]

Climate data for South Shields
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 7
(45)
8
(46)
9
(48)
10
(50)
13
(55)
15
(59)
18
(64)
18
(64)
16
(61)
13
(55)
9
(48)
7
(45)
12
(54)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 3
(37)
3
(37)
4
(39)
5
(41)
8
(46)
10
(50)
13
(55)
13
(55)
10
(50)
8
(46)
5
(41)
3
(37)
7
(45)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 33
(1.3)
33
(1.3)
30
(1.2)
43
(1.7)
48
(1.9)
43
(1.7)
38
(1.5)
48
(1.9)
48
(1.9)
53
(2.1)
53
(2.1)
51
(2)
520
(20.6)
Source: Weatherbase [17]

Demographics

[edit]
A view of the town

Before 1820, South Shields was a predominantly sparse hamlet- and village-based rural economy with some small-scale shipbuilding, glass making and salt processing along the riverside. Beyond 1820 and into the Industrial Revolution, South Shields expanded into an urban settlement built around shipbuilding and coal mining. Migration came from up the River Tyne, with other migrants from rural County Durham, Northumberland, Scotland and Ireland. The majority of the people living in South Shields are descendants of those who migrated and settled in the area during the Industrial Revolution in order to work in expanding coalmines and shipyards. Towards the end of the 19th century, with the British Navy needing seamen, Yemeni British sailors settled in the town, this resulted in the first roots of the Yemeni British community in the town.

South Shields Compared 2011[18]
South Shields South Tyneside
White British 93.3% 95.0%
Asian 3.2% 2.2%
Black 0.4% 0.3%

In South Shields, 6.7% of the population are from an ethnic minority (non white British), compared with 5.0% in the surrounding borough of South Tyneside.[19] Most of the Asians in South Shields are Bangladeshi, with the Beacon and Bents ward that covers South Shields town centre, had 9.9% of the population registering as that ethnicity. The Bangladeshi community is the third largest in Tyne and Wear, after Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland with 1.7% of the town's population being Bangladeshi or 1300 people.[18] Nearly all of the ethnic minority population in South Tyneside is concentrated in South Shields town centre and suburban areas immediately to the south such as Rekendyke and Westoe. There are hardly any in Jarrow, Hebburn which are the other two major areas in the borough. The population of the South Tyneside Metropolitan borough had decreased from 152,785 in 2001, to 148,127 in 2011. In 2001, the population of South Shields was 82,854. Population data from the 2011 United Kingdom Census return classifies South Shields as a medium-sized coastal town.[20]

Yemeni community

[edit]

South Shields has been home to a Yemeni British community since the 1890s. The main reason for the Yemeni arrival was the supply of seamen, such as engine room firemen, to British merchant vessels. Similar communities were founded in Hull, Liverpool and Cardiff.[21] In 1909, the first Arab Seamen's Boarding House opened in the Holborn riverside district of the town. At the time of the First World War there was a shortage of crews due to the demands of the fighting and many Yemenis were recruited to serve on British ships at the port of Aden, then under British protection. At the end of the war, the Yemeni population of South Shields had swelled to well over 3,000. Shields lost one of the largest proportions of Merchant Navy sailors. Approximately 1 in 4 of these men was of Yemeni background. The port in South Shields employed men of Yemen, Aden, Somalia, African, Indian and Malaysian nationalities.[22]

Disputes over jobs led to race riots – also called the Arab Riots – in 1919 and 1930. However, over time, attitudes to Yemenis in the town were softened and there was no significant recurrence of this violence.[23]

After World War II, the Yemeni population declined, partly due to migrations to other industrial areas such as Birmingham, Liverpool and Sheffield.[24] However, the main reason for the reduction in numbers was the end of the shipping industry and the need for sailors as coal-burning ships decreased in numbers. Today, the Yemeni population of South Shields numbers around 1,000.[25] Many Yemeni sailors married local women and became integrated with the wider community, resulting with a migrant population less distinct than in other mixed communities across the UK. The Yemeni are the first, settled Muslim community in Britain and have been used to justify multiculturalism.[26]

There is a mosque at Laygate, including the Yemeni School, which was visited by American boxer Muhammad Ali in 1977. He had his marriage blessed at the Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the earliest mosques in UK. It is often noted that Al-Azhar in South Shields is the first purpose-built mosque in the UK, however, this is the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking. This story is covered in a documentary film, The King of South Shields.[27] Throughout April and early May 2008, the BALTIC Arts Centre in Gateshead chronicled the Yemeni community of South Shields, including interviews with the last remaining survivors of the first Yemeni generation. The exhibition depicted the Yemeni story as an example of early successful multi-cultural integration in Britain, as well as showcasing the high-profile 1977 visit by Muhammad Ali.

In 2005, the Customs House commissioned author Peter Mortimer to write a play on the subject of the 1930 Yemeni Riot. The resultant play RIOT was staged at the venue in 2005 and 2008.[28]

In 2008, South Shields resident and filmmaker Tina Gharavi unveiled plans for a plaque to mark Ali's visit.[29]

In 2008, a critically acclaimed exhibition about the South Shields Yemeni community was held entitled The Last of the Dictionary Men – Stories from South Shields' Yemeni Sailors, was held at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead.[30]

In 2009, the detective series George Gently, based on the novels by Alan Hunter, portrayed the Yemeni integration in a 1960s setting.[31]

Bangladeshi community

[edit]

The Bangladeshi community is actually larger than the Yemeni community. However, Yemenis have been in South Shields a lot longer. The Bangladeshi community is the third largest in the North East of England.

In 2008, the Bangladesh Welfare Association was opened in South Shields.[32]

Economy

[edit]
Abandoned docks in South Shields' Harbour

The last shipbuilder, John Readhead & Sons, closed in 1984 and the last pit, Westoe Colliery, closed in 1993.[33] Today, the town relies largely on service industries, whilst many residents commute to work in nearby Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and Sunderland.

Despite a skilled local workforce, for many years South Tyneside had the highest unemployment rate in mainland Britain,[34] although between December 2002 and December 2008 unemployment in South Shields fell by 17.8%,[34] and that of South Tyneside by 17.7%,[34] the best performance in the North East region over that time period.

In January 2011, the Guardian reported the unemployment rate at 6.5%, and at 7.5% in October 2011.[35]

The Port of Tyne is one of the UK's most important and is further developing its freight and passenger activities. In 2007, it imported two million tonnes of coal. Manufacturing and ship repair/engineering are other significant sectors.

South Shields benefits from significant public and private sector investment. More recently this has included primarily the town centre, riverside and foreshore areas, given the decline of once-traditional heavy industries with the town's growing importance as a major commercial centre and tourist destination.

Tourism

[edit]
The amphitheatre

The town is a popular seaside resort with multiple landmarks and tourist attractions. As with other resorts tourism is a large part of the town's economy: to attract tourists the town has an extensive network of cycle paths and walking trails; a promenade; parks-and-gardens; fairground rides; amusement arcades, crazy golf, laser tag, a miniature steam railway; boating lake; a ten-pin bowling centre and an amphitheatre.[36][37]

Leisure and entertainment

[edit]

There is a good choice of restaurants, cafes, public houses and nightlife as well as hotels, guest houses and caravan parks in and around the town.

South Shields plays host to an annual free summer festival and each autumn the town is the seaside finish to the week as well as public gala shows at the Customs House. During the week is the Magic Convention – 3 days of lectures and shows by the world's best magicians.[38]

Landmark

[edit]

A notable landmark in the town is the reconstructed Roman fort and excavations of the ancient Arbeia Roman Castra. This form part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site. South Shields is also home of the oldest provincial newspaper in the UK, the Shields Gazette.[39]

The town's museum & art gallery, includes a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and times of Catherine Cookson. From 1985 to 2009 the area marketed itself as "Catherine Cookson Country", which attracted many visitors.

The Customs House Theatre

They are a number of trade related landmarks: this includes the headquarters, warehouse and factory of the fashion company Barbour; the Customs House theatre and arts venue and the historic Mill Dam riverside. The town hosts traditional, continental and farmers' markets and has high street of shops.

Geographical landmarks include The Leas cliff tops and Haven Point as well as the bays of Littlehaven, Sandhaven and Marsden.

"Tyne" lifeboat of 1833

Notable buildings in and around the town include:

Lighthouses and pier

[edit]
Tyne South Pier light
Map
LocationSouth Shields
Coordinates55°00′40″N 1°24′04″W / 55.011208°N 1.400980°W / 55.011208; -1.400980
Tower
Constructed1895 Edit this on Wikidata
Constructionstone tower
Height12 metres (39 ft)
Shapetapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingsunpainted tower, white half lantern, red half lantern
OperatorPort of Tyne[40]
Fog signalbell every 10s
Light
First lit1895
Focal height15 metres (49 ft)
Rangewhite: 13 nmi (24 km; 15 mi)
red: 9 nmi (17 km; 10 mi)
green: 8 nmi (15 km; 9.2 mi)
CharacteristicOc WRG 10s.
Herd Groyne Light
Map
LocationSouth Shields, South Tyneside, United Kingdom Edit this at Wikidata
OS gridNZ3684368285
Coordinates55°00′29″N 1°25′27″W / 55.008021°N 1.424082°W / 55.008021; -1.424082
Tower
Constructed1882
Constructionmetal skeletal tower
Height15 metres (49 ft)
Shapehexagonal frustum skeletal tower with observation room, balcony and lantern
Markingsred tower and lantern
OperatorPort of Tyne[40]
HeritageGrade II listed building Edit this on Wikidata
Fog signalbell every 5s.
Light
Focal height15 metres (49 ft)
Rangewhite: 19 nmi (35 km; 22 mi)
red and green: 11 nmi (20 km; 13 mi)
CharacteristicOc WRG 10s.

Work on the North and South Tyne Piers was begun in 1854 by the newly formed Tyne Improvement Commission, for the protection of shipping entering and leaving the river. The principal architect and engineer was James Walker, until his death in 1862 (whereupon John F. Ure took over).[41] Construction was delayed by storm damage in 1862, which led to parts of the foundations having to be rebuilt. The South Pier was finished in 1895 and its lighthouse was operational that same year (it was equipped with a third-order fixed optic and a clockwork occulting mechanism, by Chance Brothers & Co.).[42] The lighthouse currently displays an occulting sector light with white, red and green sectors; the green sector is used to indicate safe waters near the coast to the north of Tynemouth, while red indicates an area with numerous wrecks to the east and south of the lighthouse.[43] The pier is 5,150 ft (1,570 m) long (accessible from South Shields seafront, it is open to the public except in bad weather).

It was originally intended that the North (Tynemouth) Pier and lighthouse would mirror their South Shields counterparts, but a series of breaches and collapses meant that the North Pier was completed much later and to a different design. Following completion of the North Pier, in January 1908 the South Pier Lighthouse was provided with a bell, which sounded once every thirty seconds during foggy weather (in contrast to the reed fog horn sounded from the North Pier light).[44]

On 20 October 2023, Storm Babet hit the North East Coast with high winds.[45] The South Pier Lighthouse lost its dome due to waves breaching the pier wall.[45]

There is a third lighthouse, just upstream of the pier, on the Herd Groyne at South Shields (which was constructed in 1861–67 to preserve Littlehaven Beach, then known as Herd Sands, which had begun to be washed away by the change of currents caused by the new piers).[46][47] This very unusual lighthouse resembling a 1940s sci-fi movie space craft was built by Newcastle-upon-Tyne Trinity House in 1882 (ownership was passed to the Tyne Improvement Commission the following year). It consists of an upper hexagonal part (including the lantern) of wood and corrugated iron construction, sitting on twelve cylindrical steel legs. The whole structure is painted red and stands 49 ft (15 m) in height. The Groyne shows an occulting light which marks a safe entrance course between the piers, showing white to a vessel approaching from seaward on the correct course, green to a vessel off-course to the north, and red to one off-course to the south.[43]

In 1928, both the South Pier and the Groyne lights were converted from incandescent gas to automatic electric operation. They were run off mains electricity (the gas lights being retained as an emergency standby). At the same time each lighthouse was equipped with an electrically activated fog bell; these were switched on and off remotely from a control hut in the pier blockyard. In the event of a power cut, each bell was designed to keep ringing for a further six hours.[48] In 1961 the Commissioners installed a groundbreaking system by which the two fog bells would be switched on and off by the keepers on duty in the Tynemouth Pier lighthouse, using an 'infra-red ray' beamed across the river.[49] This was in turn replaced by a radio link to an automatic fog detector when the latter lighthouse was automated in 1967. At the same time the South Shields lights were themselves fully automated, with the addition of standby diesel alternators and automatic lamp changers.[50]

In 1999, the white sector of the light was intensified by the addition of a PEL sector light above the optic, with the same occulting characteristic but a range of 19 nautical miles[51] (rather than 13, as previously).[52] The installation of this powerful light (which is visible during the day as well as by night), rendered the High and Low Lights of North Shields redundant, and they were therefore decommissioned at the same time.[53] The Herd Groyne lighthouse was refurbished and repainted in 2014,[54] and still acts as a navigational aid to ships entering the River Tyne.[55] In 2015 it was stated that the fog bells on the two lighthouses were no longer operational.[56]

Town halls

[edit]

A prominent landmark is South Shields Town Hall, built 1905–1910, a sumptuous building "the most convincing expression in the county of Edwardian prosperity".[57] The architect was E. E. Fetch of London. Ornamentation includes several references to the town's nautical heritage: Britannia and other sculpted figures in the pediment above the front entrance, a figure of Mercury atop a globe on the dome of the Council chamber, fountains and nymph lampholders in the forecourt alongside a statue of Queen Victoria. The 145-foot clock tower contains a Potts chiming clock and five bells, and is topped by a weathervane in the shape of a galleon.[58]

The Old Town Hall, a square building of 1768, provides the centrepiece of the Market Place and closes the vista along King Street. The ground floor is open with arches on each side (and a central pillar which predates the rest of the structure); the enclosed first floor has pitched roof, topped by a wooden bell turret. Originally built and used by the Dean and Chapter of Durham, it was sold by them to the town Corporation in 1855.[59]

Education

[edit]

South Shields is home to South Tyneside College, one of the two leading maritime training centres in the UK, with facilities including a marine safety training centre and a simulated ship's bridge for the training of deck officers. The college was also home to the only planetarium in the region, and to an observatory; and in its time was a popular visitor attraction for local schools and visitors in general. The observatory was used for 20 years and in 2008 it was deemed redundant to the future curriculum needs of the college. The domed room that housed the planetarium is now a mosque.[60] The college provides a wide range of other flexible vocational and training courses.[61]

Local schooling is generally regarded as being very good, which is reflected in continuing improvements to school results and independent inspections.

In 2007, Brinkburn Comprehensive and King George V Comprehensive merged forming South Shields Community School. The new school was built at a cost of £19 million on the King George V School site and was opened in September 2011.[62][63] However this school closed in 2020.

St Mary's C of E Primary School was a Christian voluntary aided school educating children aged 3–11 located in South Shields. The school was founded in 1867 to provide education for the children of the labouring and manufacturing and poorer classes, with regard to the principles of the established church of the same name which was affiliated with the school. This school closed July 2008.[64] Demolition of the school began early October 2016 and was finalised late November 2016.

Regional identity

[edit]
The 1998 sculpture Spirit of South Shields, by Irene Brown, embodies the town's maritime heritage. It overlooks the mouth of the Tyne.

People born in South Shields are considered to be Geordies, a term commonly associated with all residents of Tyneside.[65][66]

A less commonly used colloquial term is Sandancer. It is presumed to originate from the town's beach and history.[39]

Notable people

[edit]
(1892–1915) John Simpson Kirkpatrick: lost son of the Gallipoli campaign in World War I,[67] seen with his donkey; Ocean Road, South Shields, Sculpted by Robert Olley, the statue was unveiled in 1988 by the Mayor, Councillor Albert Tate.[68]

A number of notable people have been associated with South Shields. They include:

Sport

[edit]

Football

[edit]

South Shields F.C. is the town's main football team. Originally formed during the first decade of the 20th century, the team played in the Football League during the 1920s. The club recently shot to fame with a run to win the FA Vase in 2017. The side currently play in the National League North after winning promotion to it in 2023, the sixth tier of English Football. They also have a women's team who play in the fifth tier of the Women's pyramid, the North East Regional Women's League Premier Division.

Recently[when?], the town were also represented by Harton & Westoe C.W. They played their games at the Harton & Westoe Miners Welfare near Whiteleas and spent the majority of their existence in the Wearside League before going out of existence in 2019.[citation needed]

Rugby

[edit]

South Shields is the home of two rugby union clubs, South Shields RFC and Westoe RFC.

South Shields RFC have been playing at Grosvenor Road, South Tyneside College since they were formed in 1956. They currently play in the Durham & Northumberland 3rd Division, the ninth tier of the English rugby union pyramid[100]

Westoe RFC (now called South Shields Westoe), formed in 1875, still play at their original ground, Wood Terrace.[101][102] In 2005 they had an Intermediate Cup run and got to Twickenham but were beaten by Morley R.F.C. from Yorkshire.[102][103] They rose to the fourth tier National League Two. They now play in rugby's seventh Tier, the Durham & Northumberland 1st Division.

For two seasons 1902–03 and 1903–04 the town also had a semi-professional rugby league club, South Shields who played at Horsley Hill while the club competed on the second division of the Northern Union. The club was voted out of the league at the end of their second season and the club disbanded shortly afterwards.[104]

Politics

[edit]

South Shields is a safe Labour Party Parliamentary seat,[105] the only constituency in existence since the Great Reform Act of 1832 never to have elected a Conservative MP.[106] It is currently held by Emma Lewell-Buck, who won the seat in a by-election held on 3 May 2013 which had been triggered by the retirement from politics of the previous incumbent David Miliband, who had served as Foreign Secretary in the government of Gordon Brown.[107] Previous incumbents of the constituency's seat include former cabinet ministers David Clark and Chuter Ede; the latter was Home Secretary in Clement Attlee's post-war government for 6 years.

The local authority, South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council, is also controlled by Labour.

The town has a local independent political party, the Progressive Party. This broadly centre-right party was formed in the 1950s to address hostility towards the Conservative Party. The Progressives have no representation beyond South Shields. The party controlled the old County borough of South Shields council until 1974.

Transport

[edit]

South Shields is bounded by the A19 trunk road to the West and situated close to the Tyne Tunnel at Jarrow. The town is well connected to other areas of Tyne & Wear and to the strategic road network – the A194(M) motorway provides a direct link between the Borough and the A1/A1(M).

South Shields Interchange

The Tyne and Wear Metro light rail system was introduced in the 1980s and replaced British Rail services over the same route. The Metro network serves South Tyneside, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Sunderland and Newcastle Airport. The platform at the former South Shields Metro station is situated on a bridge directly above King Street – the town's main shopping area. When Metro services were introduced, the railway line at the former High Shields LNER station at Laygate was re-routed eastwards to the then-new Chichester Metro and bus interchange. The former South Shields LNER station was also closed and the Victorian buildings survived as a secondary entrance to the Metro station until they were demolished in 1998. As well as in South Shields town centre and in Chichester, there are other Metro stations at Tyne Dock, Simonside and Brockley Whins. Long-term plans by Nexus to re-open the former Sunderland to South Shields line between Tyne Dock, Brockley Whins and East Boldon would create a direct rail service between South Shields and Sunderland[citation needed], without the need for passengers to change trains at Pelaw in Gateshead. Nexus also plans to open two new stations at Harton and Cleadon, raising the number of metro stations within the town from four to six. There are no railway stations within the town (stations operated by National Rail) or in the surrounding borough. The new integrated bus and Metro interchange opened on 4 August 2019 on Keppel Street - across the road from the original Metro station at King Street - on the site of the former head post office and Royal Mail delivery office.[citation needed]

South Shields Ferry terminal

There is a frequent pedestrian ferry service to North Shields on the opposite bank of the Tyne. The Shields Ferry carries tens of thousands of commuters and pleasure trippers each year. There has been a cross-river ferry service between the two towns since 1377.[108]

The Port of Tyne headquarters and international freight terminal are located at Tyne Dock in South Shields. The Port has a freight rail connection.

Local bus routes are operated by Stagecoach North East and Go North East, which are planned to integrate with Metro services.

There is a National Express coach service direct to London.

The town's extensive network of strategic footpaths and cycle routes includes the Sea to Sea Cycle Route and National Cycle Route 1.

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "North East England (United Kingdom): Counties and Unitary Districts & Settlements". www.citypopulation.de.
  2. ^ Hodgson, Nick; Stobbs, G. C.; Van der Veen, Marijke; Croom, Alexandra T.; Waddington, Clive (2001). ""An Iron-Age Settlement and Remains of Earlier Prehistoric Date beneath South Shields Roman Fort Tyne and Wear."". Archaeological Journal. 158 (1): 84–85. doi:10.1080/00665983.2001.11079009. hdl:2381/9572.
  3. ^ "Arbeia Roman Fort - Visit South Tyneside". Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  4. ^ Elliott, Simon; Hughes, Tristan (18 March 2018). "The Scottish Campaigns of Septimius Severus". Turning Points Of The Ancient World. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  5. ^ Morton, David (7 May 2014). "Remember When: Images that shed light on rich past of South Shields". The Chronicle. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e "North East's role in the Civil War". shieldsgazette.com. southshieldsmuseum.org.uk. 9 January 2014. Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  7. ^ Eric Foner and John A. Garraty (2009). "ENGLISH CIVIL WARS". history.com. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  8. ^ Dodds, Derek (20 October 2005). Northumbia… (Battlefield Britain). England: Leo Cooper Ltd (20 Oct 2005). p. 139. ISBN 1844151492.
  9. ^ "South Shields St. Hilda burials 1820-1840 | Durham Records Online". 10 December 2010.
  10. ^ Historic England. "Detached chimney at Cleadon Pumping Station (1416041)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Our History". Port of Tyne. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  12. ^ Henderson, Tony (3 February 2015). "When war in the air came to the North East". The Journal. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  13. ^ "Ten interesting facts about South Shields". Evening Chronicle. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  14. ^ "Marsden Bay - Visit South Tyneside". Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Dame Catherine Cookson". Archived from the original on 30 March 2002. Retrieved 22 December 2007. 4. Sir William Fox Hotel, Westoe village, South Shields. The village is a conservation area and was the setting for many of her books including Katie Mulholland and Kate Hannigan.
  16. ^ "Climate Summary for South Shields". Weatherbase.com. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  17. ^ "South Shields, England". Weatherbase.com. 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  18. ^ a b UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – South Shields Built-up area sub division (1119884118)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  19. ^ "South Tyneside". UK Census Data. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  20. ^ "2011 Census: Coastal Communities". nationalarchives.gov.uk. gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 January 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2017. Large coastal communities are defined as 2011 population >100,000; medium 20,000 to 100,000; small <20,000
  21. ^ "The British Yemeni Society". Al-bab.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  22. ^ "When The Boat Came In". BBC.
  23. ^ "The North East's Yemeni Race Riots". BBC News. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  24. ^ Morris, Tim (1994). "Yemen Reviews". Archived from the original on 12 April 2000. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  25. ^ "David Miliband MP – Maiden Speech to Parliament". Davidmiliband.info. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  26. ^ "Less Cookson, more Ali: Tyneside town finds hidden Muslim history". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  27. ^ "The King of South Shields". Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  28. ^ "Plays". Peter Mortimer. 2 August 1930. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  29. ^ Reed, Angela (8 August 2008). "MP backs moves to mark Muhammad Ali's South Shields visit". South Shields Gazette. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2008. Ms Gharavi, from South Shields, creative director of Bridge + Tunnel Productions in Newcastle, said: "Mr Miliband's support for the plaque project is exciting and has brought momentum to the campaign. "I'm sure the people of South Shields will be glad to hear that it is another step closer to reality.
  30. ^ "British-Yemeni Society: From South Shields to Sheffield: A photographic journey". Al-bab.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  31. ^ "Inspector George Gently is back for four new single dramas for BBC One – Gently In The Blood". BBC News. 7 April 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  32. ^ "New Association Launched In Borough". 2008.
  33. ^ "PICTURE SPECIAL: Exhibition marks collieries' closure". Shields Gazette. 15 May 2013. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  34. ^ a b c "Version 5, Change in Claimant Count / Unemployment rate in the borough". southtyneside.info. 5 May 2008. Archived from the original on 14 May 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  35. ^ "CLAIMANTS, OCTOBER 2011". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  36. ^ "Dunes Adventure Island". Dunesadventureisland.co.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  37. ^ "Foreshore set for big revamp". South Shields Gazette. 13 March 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2007.
  38. ^ Duffy, Martin. "South Tyneside magic festival". Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  39. ^ a b "Ten interesting facts about South Shields". nechronicle. 1 January 2012.
  40. ^ a b Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Northeastern England". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  41. ^ Historic England. "South Pier, South Shields (1436854)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  42. ^ Chance, James Frederick (2018). A History of the Firm of Chance Brothers & Co. Sheffield: Society of Glass Manufacturers. p. 182.
  43. ^ a b "Tyne, (River) including Moorings and Marinas up to Newcastle". www.visitmyharbour.com.
  44. ^ London Gazette, Issue 28099, Page 327, 14 January 1908.
  45. ^ a b Sharma, Sonia (20 October 2023), "Metros suspended, trains cancelled and events off - Storm Babet batters North East with rain and winds", chroniclelive.co.uk, Newcastle, retrieved 28 October 2023, South Shields lighthouse lost its distinctive dome after it was lashed by strong winds and rough seas overnight.
  46. ^ "Handbook of local landmarks". Archived from the original on 1 January 2015.
  47. ^ Jones, Robin (2014). Lighthouses of the North East Coast. Halsgrove.
  48. ^ "Tyne Piers and Lighthouses". Proceedings of the Institution of Municipal and County Engineers. 58: 875–876. 19 September 1931.
  49. ^ "More Efficient Tynemouth Light". Shipbuilding & Shipping Record. 58: 255. 1961.
  50. ^ "Modernised Light for Tyne". Shipbuilding & Shipping Record. 109: 499. 1967.
  51. ^ List of Lights, Radio Aids, and Fog Signals 2010 - British Isles: English Channel and North Sea. Bethesda, MD: National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. 2010. p. 34.
  52. ^ List of Lights, Radio Aids, and Fog Signals 1998 - British Isles: English Channel and North Sea. Bethesda, MD: National Imagery and Mapping Agency. 1998. p. 31.
  53. ^ "June 2018 (June Newsletter)". Northumbria Sailing. RYA. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  54. ^ Butcher, Joanne. "South Shields' Herd Groyne lighthouse is shipshape after facelift". The Journal. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  55. ^ "Herd Groyne Lighthouse, River Tyne". Northumbrian Lighthouses. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  56. ^ "South Shields Herd Groyne Light". RYA Northumbria Sailing. September 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  57. ^ Pevsner, The Buildings of England – County Durham, 1953, 1983.
  58. ^ "Town Hall Weathervane - South Tyneside Libraries". southtynesidehistory.co.uk.
  59. ^ "South Tyneside council: building description". Southtyneside.info. Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  60. ^ Reed, Angela (21 July 2008). "Planetarium's future saved – with move out of town!". South Shields Gazette. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2008. THE future of South Tyneside College's planetarium and observatory has been secured – with a move outside the borough.
  61. ^ "College Info – Courses by Subject". South Tyneside College. 2008. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2008.
  62. ^ "ANY QUESTIONS?". South Shields Gazette. 9 February 2007. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  63. ^ Shaw, Leah (10 February 2007). "Parents meet to discuss concerns over superschool". The South Shields Gazette. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2008. King George V and Brinkburn schools will merge on April 16 to form South Shields Community School on split sites in Nevinson Avenue and McAnany Avenue. "Pupils will then move to Brinkburn School's buildings while a new £19m superschool, due to open in 2009 at the earliest…
  64. ^ "Pupils' sad farewell as school closes". Shields Gazette. 18 July 2008. Archived from the original on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  65. ^ "AskOxford: Geordie". AskOxford.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2007.
  66. ^ Dickens, Jnr, Charles (1872). All the Year Round. new ser.:v.8. Charles Dickens. p. 487. the engineer, a brawny Geordie from South Shields, imbued with a thoroughly English contempt for every thing foreign;
  67. ^ "Not Only A Hero, An Illustrated Life of Simpson, the Man with the Donkey". Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 5 November 2007.
  68. ^ Mulholland, Jim (14 May 2015). "John Simpson Kirkpatrick: The Untold Story of the Gallipoli Hero's Early Life". Shields Gazette.
  69. ^ Glasper, Ian “Burning Britain: The History of UK Punk 1980–1984,” Cherry Red Books, 2004, p132
  70. ^ Guitarhoo (22 February 2006). "Actor John Woodvine collapses on stage". interview. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  71. ^ "Youngest person to circumnavigate the globe by motorcycle (male)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  72. ^ . parliament.uk https://members.parliament.uk/member/2403/career. Retrieved 18 April 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  73. ^ "From literature..." People. Visit South Tyneside. 24 March 1943. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  74. ^ "Phil Brown". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  75. ^ Emerson, June (18 September 2003). "Obituary: Jack Brymer". The Guardian. London.
  76. ^ a b Walsh, John (24 December 2011). "Sarah Millican: Gossip girl". The Independent. Londpn. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  77. ^ "Meet the Team – Josef Craig". swimming.org. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  78. ^ "A housewife's lot, according to Dorfy". Shields Gazette. 22 July 2009. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  79. ^ "Little Mix waxworks unveiled at Madame Tussauds". BBC News. 28 July 2021.
  80. ^ Allouche, Yasmina (12 September 2020). "Little Mix's Jade Thirlwall praised for opening up on Arab heritage". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  81. ^ "Professor John Erickson". The Independent. London. 12 February 2002. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  82. ^ "Philosopher John Gray: We are not facing our problems". The Independent. London. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  83. ^ "Eric Idle Biography". Flmreference.com. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  84. ^ Lester, Paul (27 February 2013). "New band of the day: Lulu James (No 1,461)". The Guardian. London.
  85. ^ "South Shields tribute to Aussie war hero John Kirkpatrick". Shields Gazette. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  86. ^ Kinghorn, Kristie (26 November 2009). "Joe McElderry's got the X Factor". BBC Tyne. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  87. ^ "Sarah Millican". Who Do You Think You Are Magazine. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  88. ^ Tish Murtha: Works 1976-1991, The Photographers Gallery, London, 2018
  89. ^ "About Robert Olley". Robert-olley.myshopify.com. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  90. ^ "Honorary Degree for David Phillips CBE – Durham University". Durham University.
  91. ^ "Chris Ramsey's Newcastle – in pictures". The Guardian. London. 4 February 2013.
  92. ^ "Dame Flora Robson (British actress) – Encyclopædia Britannica". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  93. ^ Hodgson, Barbara (26 June 2013). "Soprano Claire Rutter visits Newcastle". The Journal. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  94. ^ "Director Ridley Scott quizzed". BBC News. 26 March 2001. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  95. ^ "Biography page". Biography.yourdictionary.com. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  96. ^ "How Ginger Wildheart's shoestring album beat Rihanna". London Evening Standard.
  97. ^ "Sir Frank Williams – Formula 1". VisitSouthShields.com. 8 December 2009. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  98. ^ Alastair, Craig (13 May 2012). "Actor John Woodvine collapses on stage". The Chronicle.
  99. ^ "Jan. 30, 1790: The Lifeboat, an Idea Whose Time Has Come". WIRED.
  100. ^ "Home page". South Shields RFC. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  101. ^ "Westoe RFC". Official site. Westoe RFC. Archived from the original on 14 September 2008. Retrieved 8 September 2008.
  102. ^ a b "Westoe RFC History". Official site. Westoe RFC. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2008.
  103. ^ "Westoe grit wipes staines clean away". South Shields Gazette. 7 March 2005. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2007.
  104. ^ Pitchfork, Richard (2010). London:Rugby League's Lost Heartland. Paragon. p. 24. ISBN 9781899820887.
  105. ^ "2015 Polling Guide – South Shields". UK Polling Report. Archived from the original on 19 March 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  106. ^ "South Shields – David Miliband – Official website". Davidmiliband.net. 23 March 2013. Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  107. ^ "2005 General Election results – South Shields". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 26 May 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  108. ^ "Ferry gets first woman boss in 700 years". Shields Gazette. Johnston Press. 12 August 2008. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2008. There has been a ferry service between North Shields and South Shields since 1377.
[edit]