Newburn

Newburn is a village and district of

Though some claim the area's name comes from the

The district has many associations with the early development of the railway. The famous engineer George Stephenson, who was born in Wylam a few miles to the west of Newburn, was twice married in Newburn Church, though he is buried in Chesterfield in Derbyshire, and worked in the Water Row pit in Newburn.^[3][6] The area is also the birthplace of an earlier steam pioneer William Hedley, whose first locomotive Puffing Billy was built in 1812, two years prior to his rival's first locomotive Blücher. A gravestone in Newburn churchyard marks Hedley's burial in 1843.^[6] The future railway engineers Joseph and George Armstrong both lived in the village from 1824, and found their first employment at nearby Walbottle Colliery.

In 1855, William Whellan's History, Topography, and Directory of Northumberland described the banks of the Tyne at this point having extensive

In the 1850s, the Newburn Brickworks was built as part of the North Wallbottle and Blucher Colliery Company.[7] The works were situated near Spencer's early mill in the north of Newburn. It was connected to the colliery at Blucher by a small railway, which continued onto the staithes at Lemington. Newburn bricks were mainly used for industrial buildings such as sewers, tunnels and arches. The works closed in 1965 and demolished in 1979 to make way for a council-run recycling centre.^[7] Its sister plant, Throckley Brick Works, still operates.^[9]

In the early twentieth century, around 4,000 people lived in the area. A working men's club was built, comprising a library, reading rooms and lecture rooms for community meetings. By 1925 the building was used as a dole office, and in 1990 adapted for use as a residential care home.^[3]

In 1922, Newburn U.D.C. High Street Fire Station was built. The building still stands today, but the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service moved to West Denton in December 1980.^[6]

Governance

In 1894, Newburn

Prior to its closure, Spencer's Steel Works was a major local employer.^[12] Newburn Industrial Park, and the Newburn Riverside business park are now two of the key local employers.

Culture and Community

In the late nineteenth century there was a

In 1920, the area's war memorial was unveiled. The Battle of the Somme in 1916 accounts for many of the names on the statue's honour roll.

The independent

In 1748, the Wylam wagonway opened between

In the late nineteenth century, the Tyne Improvement Commission arranged for dredging and other works to improve the navigability of the River Tyne. For Newburn, it made the town not only easier to reach by boat, but necessitated the building of a river crossing, and so in 1893 Newburn Bridge was built. It was originally operated as a toll bridge, but was only freed of its tolls on 2 September 1947, making it the last bridge on the Tyne to do so.^[3]

In 1914, the Newcastle tramway network was extended to Throckley through Newburn. By then Newburn was a thriving community because of the expansion of Newcastle and the improvement in transport links. In 1946, the tram line to Throckley was replaced by a bus service.^[3]

Education

Newburn Library was built in the 1960s. However, it has bad accessibility and so there are plans to build a new library near Newburn's community centre. The new library is expected to incorporate a doctor's surgery and pharmacy, costing £24 million, with a planned opening of 2012.^[17] Newburn Hall Motor Museum is situated in the north of Newburn. The museum is housed in buildings originally built in 1924 as a drill hall for the 4th Northumberland Fusiliers. It became derelict in 1979 but was renovated by car enthusiasts and opened in 1981 to house vintage cars and motorcycles.^[18][19]

Newburn has a primary school and nursery called Newburn Manor Primary School, which has been part of the community since 1890.

Religious sites

St Michael and All Angels'

Newburn Leisure Centre was built on the site of the club's ground in the 1980s.[22] The land was reclaimed in 1980 as part of the Tyne Riverside Country Park. The first of the centre's two stages was completed in 1985, comprising changing rooms, management and staff facilities, a function room and car parking. The second phase was completed in 1989, with the completion of the sports hall, storage and ancillary facilities.

A number of rowing clubs also operate on the River Tyne at Newburn, including Durham University Boat Club, Tyne United Rowing Club, Tyne Rowing Club and Newcastle University Boat Club.

Notable people

Born in Newburn

• Billy Allen, professional football
• Jack Allen, professional footballer, centre forward
• Ralph Allen, professional footballer
• William Elsdon, railway engineer in Australia
• Matt Forster, professional footballer
• Tommy Hall, professional footballer
• William Hedley, engineer^[16]
• Jimmy Jones
  , professional footballer
• Norman Smith, professional footballer for Charlton Athletic and Queens Park Rangers
• Norman Smith, professional footballer for Huddersfield Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Queens Park Rangers. Later manager of Newcastle United.
• Ralph Spencer, cricketer
• Owen Swindlehurst, Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle

Worked in Newburn

• Andrew Aitken
  , footballer, played for Newburn Athletic for a time
• Fraser Forster, footballer, played for Newburn FC as a boy
• John Ingham, footballer, played for Newburn AFC for a time
• Jim Mackey, footballer, played for Newburn Colliery FC
• Andy Thompson
  , footballer, played for Newburn FC for a time
• Joe Spence
  , footballer, played for Newburn FC for a time
• George Stephenson, engineer, worked in Newburn's Water Row pit for a time^[26]
• William John Allen, councillor for Newburn Urban District Council for 34 years until his death in 1949. Governor at RVI and Westerhope Primary School. Miners leader. Social housing. Plaque on house on Stamfordham Road / Windsor Gardens

Lived in Newburn

• Joseph Armstrong, engineer

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Newburn.