History & Heritage

Over the centuries, North Shields has been the home of many great people committed to improving the lives of others.  One such person was Quaker,...

From humble beginnings, Sir James Knott – shipping magnate, entrepreneur and philanthropist – became one of the great folk who helped shape North Shields.  The...

Two familiar faces at the Old Low Light Heritage Centre, North Shields Fish Quay, Sylvia Lambert and Lynette Scott, have been friends for more than 70 years, meeting at a boarding school for children following the death of a parent during Merchant Navy service.

     When I was offered a behind the scenes tour of the Low Lights Tavern, as both a local lass and utter nosy parker,...

North Shields is noted for its fascinating history. But did you know that our town has links with the Oval Office in the White...

From surviving a wartime bombing as a baby to welcoming world-class musicians into North Shields pubs and churches, Ernie Scott’s story is one of quiet resilience and extraordinary dedication. Honoured by the Queen and cherished by his community, his lifelong commitment to classical music has brought the world to Tyneside — and left an indelible mark on the town he calls home.

As Britain faced its darkest hour in 1940, the people of North Shields proved that even the smallest contributions could help change the course of the war. From factory workers to schoolchildren running pavement stalls, this is the story of how a determined community came together to help fund a Spitfire – and play its part in defending the nation.

From childhood wanderings in Northumberland Park to uncovering secrets buried for centuries, local historian Mike Coates traces how a small burn helped shape the origins of North Shields itself. Drawing on archaeology, medieval records and a lifetime of passion for the town, his rediscovered work reveals the lost story of the Pow Burn, Spital Dene and the remarkable St Leonard’s Leper Hospital – a place of faith, charity and significance now emerging once more from beneath the park.

Photographs on a family wall sparked Dorothy Brownlee’s lifelong memory of one of the RNLI’s greatest missions – when Tynemouth’s lifeboat battled a raging storm to rescue 50 people from the wrecked hospital ship Rohilla in 1914. As the RNLI marks its bicentenary, Dorothy now shares the remarkable story of her grandfather and great-uncle’s courage, bringing a dramatic chapter of local and national history back into the light.

In a year that saw Washington deliver his first State of the Union, revolution rumble through France, and Mozart debut Cosi fan Tutte, life in North Shields was also quietly changing. In 1790, local craftsman John Turnbull set up shop as a furniture maker and undertaker in the Low Town beside the Fish Quay—laying the foundations for what would become one of the town’s longest-standing family businesses. Fast forward 234 years and E. Turnbull & Son is still serving the community, now led by seventh-generation descendant Ben Broadhead. From hand-written ledgers to horse-drawn carriages, wartime tragedy to modern, personalised services, the story of Turnbull’s is woven into the history of North Shields. We sat down with Ben to explore the family legacy, the evolving craft of funeral directing, and why community remains at the heart of everything they do.