Newcastle History (non footie)

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Probably a big yawn to a lot of people, but Galaxy is partly responsible, so you can blame her ;-)

A month or so back, she put down some of the details of her family history that she'd been researching, and it prompted me to delve a little deeper into mine sooner rather than later. Anyway, what I find most interesting rather than names and dates, is the actual lives and history aspects, and seeing as this BBS seems to be well endowed with history buffs, I thought I would ask for info here as a first port of call, so here goes.

I've managed to trace my direct male ancestors back to a James Miller, born 1795. Him and his son where both shipwrights, living on North Shore (which seems to have been on the eastern quayside, south of what's now City Road). So the questions are about shipbuilding in Newcastle around that time, and what was the shipyard called down there? Was the area re-developed in the 60's or before? If it was more recent, does anyone know what the building were like - I assume they were large tennements, because the 1851 census has sometimes three families under the same house number.

Even the teeniest information would be eagerly lapped up, even if it's a pointer in the right direction.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001

Answers

On the off chance that getting it on the main page will provoke a response ;-)

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001

Would love to be able to help but can't....just letting you know that I read it :))

Out of interest how did you actually manage to trace back to James Miller?

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001


Most of the family history had been done by other relatives, and was stored away and forgotten. I've managed to verify some of the details by getting birth cerificates and census details, for which I took a trip to the Family Records Centre in London. Getting back further would need a trip to Newcastle - I always like a good excuse though ;-)

It's actually quite easy - most people would know their grandparents details, and with any luck their great grandparents. If you get you're great grandparents birth certificate, it'll give where they were born, and their parents details, age, occupation etc. Then you do the same for the great great grandfather and so on. Problem being birth certificates only started around 1810, but on the plus side people moved around less, so if you can find the parish church, then you might find baptism and marriage records. As I said earlier though, I'm more interested in understanding their lives rather than their dates...although being able to prove that I'm descended from at least 5 generations of Miller's born within the walls of Newcastle (well, just outside perhaps) gives me a certain amount of pleasure ;-)

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001


Gav,

I can get you the names of a few websites which claim to help in this sort of search, if you want them.

They were listed in the Sunday Times' internet publication 'Doors' last Sunday, I've still got it at home so I'll keep an eye on this thread for a request to post them on here.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001


Nice one DeB! I've got a vague interest in trying to track down a family tree but have difficulty knowing where to start since most of my direct relatives are gone and the information I have is sketchy to say the least....

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001


Windy...not much use but my Grandma was born in those tenements south of City Road in 1900. I'd ask her about it but she died ten years ago. :( From what i remember her telling me, they were really narrow alleyways that cut back from the quay. Like you said, there were families living on top of each other. She was one of seven kids. I'll ask my dad - he might be able to remember some of the things she used to talk about....

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001

I too, like Windy, am fascinated by recent history. Not so much about family etc, but comparing what I see with what used to be there. Sadly, I can't contribute much to the intial inquiry, but I have found a (recent) book with some interest. It is actually a chronical of the rise of the Northern Rock BS, but obviously they had some interest in property in Newcastle during their growth.

I can't find anything which particularly relates to the tennements on the east quayside, althouhg there is a painting of the area immediately under the Tyne Bridge (prior to it being built in 1928). The actual strip next to the river doesn't look much different to the eat quayside (apart from no cars) so it shows the redevelopment left something similar to the original state. The painting is dated 1895 (I think I recognised ITK in the picture so it may be worth asking him!)

However, I'm sure this book is nothing special and much more relevant info will be available in Newcastle itself (canny excuse for a BBS re-union!). Hopefully, when I get back to my roots, I might have the time and opportunity to explore a bit more. As I said, I'm facinated by old/new comparisons of the same area. Me Ma's got an excellent book of photos of Blyth showing the original (?) state and the modern-day view from the same spot. Brilliant!

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001


I've got some addresses :-

http://www.ancestry.com/

http://www.familytreemaker.com/iffintro.html

http://www.familysearch.com/

http://genforum.genealogy.com/

http://www.genealogy.com/

http://www.genealogytoolbox.com/

I've done some research - my Mums maiden name is Gilhom/Forster - there's reams of Forsters in the North East but I think only 2 Gilholm families - one in Mackem land and the other (hers) from Alnwick - Langdale.

If anybody has any other Genealogy sites I'd be interested.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001


Thanks for all those links! I despair of ever being able to trace back the English(Scottish??) branch of my family because whoever first emigrated did so loooooooooong ago and there's virtually nothing to go by on my grandfather's side, other than a few sketchy names he was able to remember. But I've always wanted to delve a bit moe in the Irish branch(grandmother's side). We at least have names and some sketchy dates going back into the mid-late 1800's.

I'm also immensely fascinated by the way people have lived and how areas have changed(or not) over time. I do remember seeing a book with then and now photos of Newcastle. Can't remember what it's called, but I wish I'd bought it. Next time!

Not the quayside, but Segedunum(sp?) in Wallsend has a fascinating computer animation video in the observation tower showing how the area has changed from Roman Times until now. And being the 'ruins' freak that I am, I had a great time wandering around the Roman fort excavations. Also love the contrast of it all being right next to the shipyards.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001


www.origins.net

www.genuki.org.uk

www.familysearch.com

After looking at the rest of them they don't appear to be of much use!, but you could try these as a starter.

-- Anonymous, January 24, 2001



Ive searched all options and come to the conclusion , I have no ancestory at all - Boo Hoo!!!!

-- Anonymous, January 25, 2001

Thanks for the snippets of info. - especially Min and Screacher. One web site I found that was quite interesting as a measure of change is www.old-maps.co.uk where you can pull up old ordnance survey maps of all over the UK. There's one of 1864 for Newcastle, which allows you to drill down with good detail. North Shore is clearly shown, on the shore south of St Anne's Church, and what looks like a slipway to the right of it - presumably a shipyard. Annoyingly I can't read what it's called...

North of that area, Shieldfield, has obviously mostly changed too, which is where my more recent ancestors moved on to after North Shore - Wesley Street to be precise. They'd reached the heady heights of Men's Mercers by then (which I take to be a draper).

-- Anonymous, January 25, 2001


Kennyboy, et al

I never had any luck whatsoever with any of the ancestor searches on the internet, whichever branch of the family, but always worth a go as a first port of call I suppose. Genuki has some good links. But as we seem to be way behing the US on info available via the net - an hour in Newcastle Central Library or Morpeth Record Office is probably worth 5 hours sifting through the net.

-- Anonymous, January 25, 2001


Knock Knock, may we come in and say a prayer in your house? Elder gus here from the Mormon missionary.

My sister did a lot of research on our family history. She obtained most, or at least a lot of it from Salt Lake City in Utah. The Mormons have the biggest and best information on genealogy. Sorry I cannot give site addresses etc.

Best of all there was not a dramatic increase on door knockers to her house after she did the research.

-- Anonymous, January 26, 2001


Sorry to pick up on this one so late Windy, but I`m pleased if my bletherings spurred you into action on this one. Unfortunately, when my computer had galloping gutrot over Christmas I lost all of the sites that I had found. I intend spending some time next week doing a bit more investigation, and I`ll pass on any interesting sites that I find. Good luck - it`s quite fascinating when you get started isn`t it?

-- Anonymous, January 28, 2001


Gus the www.familysearch.com is the Mormons site (Church of the Latter day whatsits all over it).

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

So far familysearch.com is the only one that's given me half-way useful responses without putting their hand out for money. Still can't manage to find anything other than death records for my paternal grandparents and a few uncles on my mom's side. I think the previous generations were all illegals who swam or walked into the country and failed to keep any form of records when they got here. ;-))

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001

No apologies needed of course, Galaxy. Although if I really get obsessed with it all, then my wife might need an apology!

I managed to find the name of the slipway - Nelson's slipway (one of those completely useless personal victories that in no way justifies the time wasted on it!). I'm sure I'll be given an anorak next Christmas, especially after being able to largely plot the movements of my folks across Newcastle past and present from the 18th century - North Shore, Wesley Street (Shield Field), Ridley Villas (Shield Field), Stanton Street (West End), Sidney Grove, Wingrove Gardens, Countess Drive (Benwell), Park Head Road (Jesmond Dean/Heaton).....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2001


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