South Shields

South Shields (/ʃiːlz/) 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. 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

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

In the ninth century,

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

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

Before 1820, South Shields was a predominantly sparse

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

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

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

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

Economy

The last shipbuilder,

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

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

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

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.

They are a number of trade related landmarks: this includes the headquarters, warehouse and factory of the fashion company

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

Notable buildings in and around the town include:

• Hilda
  's seventh-century chapel
• The combined Jubilee Clocktower and Wouldhave Memorial, which stands on Pier Parade alongside "Tyne", Britain's second-oldest preserved lifeboat.
• the
  National Trust-owned Souter Lighthouse
  .

Lighthouses and pier

Lighthouse

Tyne South Pier light

Location	South Shields
Coordinates	55°00′40″N 1°24′04″W / 55.011208°N 1.400980°W / 55.011208; -1.400980
Tower
Constructed	1895
Construction	stone tower
Height	12 metres (39 ft)
Shape	tapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings	unpainted tower, white half lantern, red half lantern
Operator	Port of Tyne[40]
Fog signal	bell every 10s
Light
First lit	1895
Focal height	15 metres (49 ft)
Range	white: 13 nmi (24 km; 15 mi) red: 9 nmi (17 km; 10 mi) green: 8 nmi (15 km; 9.2 mi)
Characteristic	Oc WRG 10s.

Lighthouse

Herd Groyne Light

Grade II listed building 

Fog signal	bell every 5s.
Light
Focal height	15 metres (49 ft)
Range	white: 19 nmi (35 km; 22 mi) red and green: 11 nmi (20 km; 13 mi)
Characteristic	Oc WRG 10s.

Work on the North and South Tyne Piers was begun in 1854 by the newly formed

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

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

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

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

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

Notable people

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

• Angelic Upstarts - punk band formed in South Shields in 1977.^[69]
• Michael Algar, a.k.a. Olga – guitarist, singer and songwriter with band The Toy Dolls^[70]
• Kane Avellano – long-distance motorcycle rider with Guinness World Record for youngest person to circumnavigate the world by motorcycle (solo and unsupported) at the age of 23 in 2017^[71]
• William Reid Blyton – Labour MP and member of the House of Lords^[72]
• Elinor Brent-Dyer – children's author^[73]
• Phil Brown – former manager of Preston North End F.C.^[74]
• Jack Brymer – clarinettist^[75]
• Craig Conway – actor^[76]
• Catherine Cookson – author^[77]
• Josef Craig – paralympic swimmer and gold medal winner at the 2012 Summer Paralympics^[78]
• Tom Curry – former Newcastle United player and Munich air disaster victim
• Dorfy – dialect author and journalist^[79]
• Martin Durkin – director
• Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall - singers and performers - members of record-setting girl group Little Mix, winner of the eighth series of The X Factor;^[80] Thirlwall originates from the Yemeni community in Laygate^[81]
• Christie Elliott, professional footballer for Partick Thistle.
• Eva Elwes (1876–1950), actor, playwright and manager of Alexandra Theatre, South Shields
• John Erickson – historian and UN advisor^[82]
• Sir William Fox – politician who was Prime Minister of New Zealand four times in the 1800s
• Steve Furst – comedian^[77]
• Professor John Gray – philosopher^[83]
• Eric Idle – comedian actor and songwriter^[84]
• Lulu James – singer^[85]
• John Simpson Kirkpatrick – ANZAC war hero^[86]
• Joe McElderry – singer and X Factor winner^[87]
• Sarah Millican – comedian^[88]
• Tish Murtha – photographer^[89]
• Robert Olley – artist and sculptor, creator of the painting "The Westoe Netty"^[90]
• David Phillips – chemist^[91]
• Chris Ramsey – comedian^[92]
• Flora Robson – Oscar-nominated actress^[93]
• Claire Rutter – leading operatic soprano^[94]
• Ridley Scott − film director^[95]
• Sermstyle – remixer
• Demi Stokes - Footballer, won the 2022 women’s euros as part of the Lionesses
• Ernest Thompson Seton - author and wildlife artist^[96]
• Martyn Waghorn – professional footballer, currently playing for Derby County
• Ginger Wildheart – Wildhearts singer and guitar^[97]
• Frank Williams – founder and manager of Williams F1 Formula One team^[98]
• Dave Wilson – England rugby union international
• Edward Wilson - Stage and screen actor, and second Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre
• John Woodvine – stage, screen and radio actor^[99]
• William Wouldhave – creator of the lifeboat^[100]
• Gary Young – screenwriter and director of Harry Brown.
• Eileen O'Shaughnessy – wife of George Orwell.

Sport

Football

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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

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

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

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^[101]

Westoe RFC (now called South Shields Westoe), formed in 1875, still play at their original ground, Wood Terrace.^[102][103] In 2005 they had an Intermediate Cup run and got to Twickenham but were beaten by Morley R.F.C. from Yorkshire.^[103][104] 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 is a safe Labour Party Parliamentary seat,^[106] the only constituency in existence since the Great Reform Act of 1832 never to have elected a Conservative MP.^[107] 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.^[108] 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

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).

The

There is a frequent pedestrian ferry service to

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.

Gallery

• 
  Westoe village 1904
• 
  The retired 'Tyne' life boat in 1904; A tribute to all crewmen who served on her, some mistakenly think this is a tribute to William Wouldhave
• 
  River Tyne Docks in 1906
• 
  Tyne Docks in 1902
• 
  Tyne Docks in 1886
• 
  Sands at South Shields in 1903
• 
  King Street in 1905
• 
  South Shields Pier in 1904
• 
  Early 1900s Tyne Ferry Boat
• 
  South Shields once had an open-air swimming pool
• 
  Market Place in 1904
• 
  King Street in 1906
• 
  King Street in 1904
• 
  Early 20th century South Shields Pier

See also

• South Shields (UK Parliament constituency)
• North Shields
• Trolleybuses in South Shields
• List of people from South Shields
• South Shields power station

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South Shields.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for South Shields.

• South Tyneside Council & Community website – Local council website