Category Archives: local history

Ordnance Survey History in the Walls of Newcastle

Posted on February 27, 2016 by

Chiseled into the walls of buildings around the UK are marks which might seem strange—even mysterious—if you’re not familiar with their purpose. [1] The symbols comprise a horizontal line with three lines pointing toward it to create an arrow. Although … Continue reading →

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Secret Architecture of the Tyne & Wear Metro

Posted on February 26, 2016 by

I was fascinated when I first read Geoff Manaugh’s post about New York City’s fake house. 58 Joralemon Street in Brooklyn has all of the appearances of a Greek revival townhouse but is in fact an elaborate façade for a … Continue reading →

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Cartography of the Tyne & Wear Metro

Posted on February 26, 2016 by

There’s a very strong relationship between a transit system’s cartographic representation and its user efficiency. Henry Beck’s iconic London Underground map was an instant success with the public precisely because it showed a ‘clear and consistent visual of the lines, … Continue reading →

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Photoessay: Derelict Newcastle

Posted on January 9, 2016 by

This is a portrait of city in perpetual stasis. The collection shows an unauthorised narrative of Newcastle behind fences, over walls and in places you’re not meant to look. Images of the Tyne Bridge are cultural shorthand for Newcastle. The greeny-blue steel … Continue reading →

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Jarrow Slake

Posted on January 9, 2016 by

Jarrow Slake was a large area of mudflats which would fill up and drain according to the level of the River Tyne. Industry sprouted along the Slake, with historical ordnance survey maps showing timbre ponds in the spot where the … Continue reading →

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Friar’s Goose Pumping Station

Posted on November 28, 2015 by

This piece of Gateshead’s industrial history was engineered by Robert Stephenson, which makes it baffling that it has not been a candidate for preservation. The pumping station’s job was essentially to remove over 1.5 million gallons of water from the … Continue reading →

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