History of North East

These are the efforts of seeking, finding and locating the city library local history section.

Tyneside - A History of Newcastle and Gateshead from Earliest Times. Alistair Moffat, George Rosie. Mainstream Publishing: Edinburgh and London. (2005)

In front of Byker Library when digging excavations. Found 6 pits full of sharpened sticks. Roman defences for the wall. Branches acted like barbed wire.

P141
'with 6 fortified gateways ( At Sandgate, west Gate, New Gate, Pandon Gate, Pilgrim Gate and Close gate), the walls were not cheap.'
'Some impressive fragments remain. Parallel with Stowell Street in the west of the city centre there is a long run, and bits of several towers and gates are to be found elsewhere.'

P144
'Because of its serpentine shape, sea captains and keelmen knew the Tyne as 'The river dragon.'

P182
'Tynesides underground ball of 1829.' 'One morning in June, 400 or so Tyneside notables were crammed in baskets and lowered more than 1000 feet down into a pit in Gosforth Colliery North of Newcastle. There they found an underground shaft lit with lamps and candles, tables laid with food and drink, and flunkies waiting to serve them. The Coxlodge Brass Band had been laid on to provide music for dancing on a floor that had been specially flagged for the occasion. At the end of the day, each guest was invited to hack out a lump of coal to take away as a souvenir.'
It was organised by the 'Reverend Ralph Henry'

Edward Chicken 'Colliers Wedding'