Between Blaydon and Ryton, on the south bank of the Tyne, is a square mile which is astonishingly packed with rich, varied and significant social and industrial history. The area’s surprising international links are not only due to the presence of Joseph Cowen, but also Stella’s place in the history of English Catholicism. This new book explores the area’s many interlinked themes: land ownership, early industry in Blaydon Burn; Crowley’s ironworks and the social background which created the Cowens; mechanics institutes, the Co-operative movement, public services, local philanthropy; infrastructure, including the Tyne River Commission and the building of the railways; associated immigration, particularly of the Irish families who settled in Stella and Blaydon.
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A4, 300 pages, fully illustrated
Land of Oak & Iron Publications
