1880 The 5th Durham Rifle Volunteer Corps was formed by the amalgamation of several rifle volunteer units from the Gateshead, South Shields, Blaydon Burn and Winlaton areas. The 5th later became the 5th Volunteer Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, and in 1908 the regiment's 9th Territorial Battalion.Members of the battalion served in South Africa during the Boer War. In 1914 three battalions were provided for war service, two members gaining the Victoria Cross while serving in France.In the Second World War the battalion also saw service in N Africa, Sicily and NW Europe. Another Victoria Cross was awarded to a member of the 9th Durhams, Pte. Adam Wakenshaw, for his part in an action at Mersa Matruh in the Western Desert on 27 June 1942. Wakenshaw was killed that day and is buried in the El Alamein War Cemetery in Egypt.In 1948 the battalion was converted as the 17th Battalion, Parachute Regiment. This battalion is now represented as part of the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion of the Regiment.
1880 Swalwell Cricket Club The first matches were played between 1880 and 1892 on the "Forge Field" situated at the Dam Head. Sir Henry Clavering then gave them permission to play on the "Avenue Ground".
1880 Blaydon Co-op bought The Mechanics Hall in Tyne Street and made it into a pork shop and a snack bar. Walter Pearson was The Manager. The stone from above the door is in Blaydon Library.
1881 William Renwick, ship and general smithThere are several Renwicks, all involved in the ironworking or manufacturing trades who appear in directories in Winlaton from the mid 19th century onwards. William Renwick of North Street, Winlaton was probably the son of William Renwick of Back Street, Winlaton who was in business by 1881. The earliest reference to William the younger appears in a trades directory of 1894, at North Street, Winlaton where his business was based until about 1930. Thereafter he was based at 10, Front Street until at least 1939.
A high proportion of Renwick's work was for local shipbuilding companies such as Swan Hunter, Hawthorn Leslie and Armstrong Whitworth, but he also undertook contracts further afield, for the Admiralty at Chatham and Devonport dockyards.
1881 Blaydon Haugh, River Tyne, log-boat This logboat was revealed as a result of a big flood in the Tyne, and found on 18 March 1881. One end of the boat was "sticking out above the sand, between high and low water-mark, about 50 yds. above Scotswood Railway Bridge, on the south side of the Tyne...". When it was dug out of the sand it was "jet black and as soft as a ripe cheese".(1) W.A.Hoyle of Denton dried it out, and subsequently displayed it at Denton Hall.(2) Many years later Dodds reported that, when it was "in the last stages of disintegration, samples were submitted to a dendrochronologist who returned the surprising date of +/- B.C. 5!!". He does not say when this happened, or where the boat was at that time. It probably no longer exists, but there is no information about its final fate. Heslop suggests that the log boat survived because it was buried in the river bed when it was dry or reduced by seasonal drought and that it was a votive offering in the same tradition as the deposition of metal objects in the preceding Bronze Age.
1882 St Cuthburts Church restored.
1882 July Winlaton gets a piped water supply from the springs at Chopwell.
1883 Joseph Cowen Jnr. made a speech to Blaydon Burn Lodge of the Durham Miner's Union in Oct 1883, including this paragraph -
"When many busy centres of industry were moorland and forest, Winlaton was a seat of vigorous industry. The semi-socialistic experiment of Crowley was interesting both politically and industrially. It got together a body of workmen who gave distinctive character to the village, who afterwards acted as pioneers in the special trades in other districts. They lived largely in community; they began their work with a prayer; they ate together; they adjusted their differences with voluntary courts; they had a church and a school, a cock-pit and a bull-ring. They were stout church and king men, rough, but loyal."
1883 Mary Theresa and Mabel Street Blaydon built by T.C. Nicholson.
1884 California, Winlaton which comprises about three acres of land, purchased by a number of working men from the Hon. H. T. Liddell in 1848, and laid out for gardens, which have been very successful. A number of excellent houses were afterwards built, and altogether California is one of the prettiest and healthiest parts of Winlaton.
1885 Crowleys Iron Works was acquired by the Raine family, under whose hands it flourished.
1885 Gibside The death of John Bowes, he was buried in the crypt next to his wife, Josephine. Having no children, on his death, all the English estates reverted to the Earls of Strathmore the Bowes-Lyon family.
1885 Fatel Gun Accident at Winlaton. Thomas Hope aged 25 died from the effects of a accidental discharge of a gun. Passing along a road near Winlaton with friends and carrying the gun in 2 parts in his pocket somehow the barrel fell to the ground and went off firing into his left thigh. He died at his home abouth 9.30.
1886 9th Sept VESSELS OF BRONZE Dr. Bruce, vice-president, presented to the Society a bowl found about three years previously in the bed of the river Tyne opposite Blaydon Burn. It was found, bottom up, at a depth of about 7 feet. The vessel has been hammered into bowl shape, and has a plain rim about 2 inches wide rivetted to it. Its width is 1 foot 4^ inches inside measurement, and its depth 6 inches; its thickness about inch, and weight 7 lbs.
1888 Blaydon Rugby Club started when Blaydon Star played Benwell Juniors at Blaydon .Blaydon RFC had first played on Dick Gibson’s field at the Sand hole Path head which was adjacent to the Summerhill in the grounds of Stella Hall.
1888 Aug. 24th Two boys drown at Blaydon. Dowson aged 7 and Carnafar aged 5 Living at Summerhill were found in The dam of the Old Forge by Blaydon Waggonway. One had fallen into the water and clinging on to the other pulled him in also.
1889 Telephone call station introduced to Blaydon.
1889 Jan George Macdonald, a cart man, died at Blaydon, from the effects of injuries to his head, inflicted by Edward Tench, during a quarrel, on the 16th. The man Tench pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter, before Mr. Baron Pollock, at Durham Assizes, and was sentenced to ten months' hard labour.
1889 Board School, built at the bottom of Shibdon bank. They are built after the design of Mr. T. C. Nicholson,of Biaydon,they are large,commodious, and handsome, and occupy a comoding view northward.
1890 The Bisley Pub was built on Shibdon Road. This splendid establishment was erected for Edward Adams Esq. of Swalwell. Set over 3 full storeys with 2 half storeys, it provided the very latest facilities in the most modern taste at the time, with a large and airy public bar, sitting rooms, and a large clubroom, as well as generous accommodation. The pub was named for the National Shooting Centre at Bisley, home of the National Rifle Association, as the publican was a noted and successful rifle shot.
The building is finely constructed in neat cyclopean rusticated sandstone, with smooth dressings. The degree of intactness of the composition is remarkable, with the single modern intrusion being floodlights to the front elevation, which are even then modest and discreet. It is beautifully detailed, with moulded stone stall riser, elaborately carved corbels with fluting and sweeping canopies, and solid window surrounds enfolding mainly tripartite windows, but some bipartite to the side. It is uncertain whether the form of the windows has been changed, or whether the detail of what was constructed strayed from the original plans, but certainly the ground floor windows are of a different form. The proposals involved a fairly conventional arrangement, dividing the windows in two with slender columns, but the present windows are unusual in form, divided both vertically and horizontally into 3 sections, with transoms of varying height. The upper windows also have this unusual 3 light form, with single pane sashes topped by fixed lights. The neat and cheerful dormers that animate the steeply pitched slate roof retain their timber sashes, terracotta ball finials and glazed cheeks. The timber fascia with raised lettering is absolutely in keeping, and even the cast iron rainwater goods and some of the vents below the windows are still in situ. This is a handsome building, remarkably complete, extending to the interior with attractive panelling, ceilings, and even decorative tiling to the gents toilets! MATERIALS Sandstone, slate, timber ARCHITECT T Leslie Anderson & Albert P Farthing (7 Royal Arcade, Newcastle) DATES 1892
1890 Crowleys Millington Ironworks the factory was removed from Winlaton the goods afterwards being made at Swalwell.
1890 The premises of the Swalwell Co-operative Store are large and commodious, especially those opened in 1890. This is the most handsome building in the village. The number of members for the quarter ending June 20th, 1892, being 366
1890 Winlaton Mill is an old-fashioned little village seated on the north side of the Derwent, one mile and a quarter west of Swalwell Bridge, and a similar distance south of Winlaton. The most of the houses are old, and after being whitewashed, give to the village a picturesque appearance. Before the advent of Sir Ambrose Crowley, the hamlet was called Huntlayshaugh. In 1361, Agnes, widow of John Menevylle, held of Ralph Nevill,
the hamlet of Huntlayshaugh, in Wyrilawton, by 2s. rent. The old public-house (Golden Lion) is still called Huntlay's Hall; the well at the east end of the village Huntlay's Well; and the burn, which runs down the wood on the north side, Huntlay's Burn, by the old people.
1890 25th Oct Newcastle Weekly Chronicle: The Crowley operations were carried on at Winlaton (on the hill top) at Winlaton Mill (in the Derwent Valley); at the Forge, now worked by Messrs. R. S. Bagnall and Sons,between Swalwell and Winlaton Mill ; at Swalwell ; and at the Teams. After a time, Mr. Millington acquired an interest in the undertaking ; whereupon the business proceeded under the style or firm of Crowley, Millington, and Co. In further course of time, the proprietors descendants of Crowley-Millington gradually fell out of the run, and ultimately, about 25 or 30 years ago, relinquished all connection with what, up to then, had remained in operation of the once extensive works. Portions of these works are, however, carried on under other proprietors. Winlaton Mill, nestling amid charming scenery in the Derwent Valley, between Axwell and Gibside Parks, now employs more men and pays more wages than at any other time of its 200 years' industrial history. Many of these men for instance, of the name of Massey, Brooks, Brown, Laybourn, Hunter, Vinton, ElliEon, Bennett, Lockey, etc. are direct descendants of members of the "Crew." Messrs. Raine and Co., the proprietors, have very successfully blended the new with the old. Under the shadow of buildings with an inscription stone of 1690, may be seen machinery of the most modern description, whilst, in conjunction with old water wheels with their water courses and ams, there are boilers and engines representing later day methods. The main site of the Swalwell establishment is occupied by the new steel works of Messrs. RiSley and Co. ; whilst at Winlaton (on the hill top) are the premises of the Winlaton Nut and Bolt Company, R, S. Bagnall and Sons, the Thompsons and the Whitfields, John Howdon and Co., Jared Nixon, and others, who, more or less, occupy the shops of the historic firm. As to the Teams, the main portion of the ground is covered by the paper mill of Messrs. E. Richardson and Sons.
1891 Blaydon Cricket club founded.
1891 BLAYDON. This village, in the township of Winlaton, lies immediately on the south side of the Tyne, and east of Blaydon Burn, The name is probably derived from Mac = bleak, and dun = a hill. The population in 1891 was : males, 2570; females, 2291 ; total, 4861. Blaydon has no historical record of any importance. It belongs exclusively to the modern days of material development. Few villages on Tyneside have risen so rapidly in commercial importance during the last fifty years ; and with a growing population, and a yearly increasing trade, it will undoubtedly play an important part in the great volume of Tyneside industry. In a plan of Blaydon dated 1775, the village was composed of a number of houses bordering the Hexham turnpike, on the east side of the Blaydon Burn. The present road from Winlaton to Blaydon was Sir Edward Blackett's "lead-way," by which the lead was carried from the mines at Allenheads to the smelt mill at Blaydon. At the east end of the village, where the bridge crosses the railway near to Blaydon Haughs, there was a windmill. On the site of the present railway station was the smelt mill belonging to Sir Edward Blackett. Between the smelt mill and the west end of Tyne- street was the village Green, extending southward to the present turnpike. Alongside of the Green, at the river side, was Lord Strathmore's quay. On the south side of the turnpike was the Dockendale estate, the property of George Silvertop, Esq.; and on the north side of Dockendale stands the house at present occupied by Mr. Michael Hawdon, which, prior to 1775, was in residence of the Silvertop family before their removal to Stella House. Mr. Hawdon's house is still designated the Manor House. On the west side of Mr. Silvertop's mansion were the Horse-crofts, and on the north side of the turnpike, and opposite Mr. Silvertop's house, was a number of small houses, probably the residence of keelmen. Such is the picture of Blaydon one hundred and twenty years ago. The old houses on the east side of the Horse-crofts, which form Fountain-lane, are among the oldest in Blaydon.