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Out
& About
Most people from the South know where Newcastle is, but
sadly and in ignorance, a misapprehension exists to where once north of Newcastle, your in
Scotland, or more as often the case the North East ends at York. To St. Abbs Head near Eyemouth, where the experience of scuba diving in a sea bristling with sea life only akin to the Galapagos Islands. Inland, a visit to Cragside in Rothbury, the home of Lord Elswick, inventor of the Vickers machine gun and the 'Tank', the first home in northern hemisphere to be powered by hydro-electric. A visit to Keilder Water is also a definite must. As is Bamburgh Castle and Holy Island. Whatever your liking, or leisure activity you will find our
beautiful County of Northumberland can cater for your every need. You will also find the
warmth of your welcome, the pace of our living, and the hospitality of 'The
Northumbrian's' will make your visit one to remember. Below we have listed several links to sources of information
and places of interest for your general perusal, hopefully to help you plan your break
with us.
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The Largest town in Northumberland, once a striving hub of industry with seven coal mines, "Bates, Bebside, Cambois, Cowpen, Crofton, Delaval, and the Isabella". A Shipyard, and Dry Docks, An Iron Foundry, a Racecourse, and last but by no means least, a Brewery. Sadly the demise of the coal and shipping industries sounded a death knell for hundreds of peripheral industries in the town. In the last forty five years Blyth has seen the disappearance of thousands of jobs in service industries. The harbour, Second in shipping draft after the Tyne, was dredged a further two fathoms in the mid sixties to accommodate larger vessels. The Railways, one of the biggest rail depots in the North East was sited on land which now plays host to a supermarket and the community hospital. The 'Co-op' owned a slice in just about every service sector throughout the town, with its own Dairy, Chemists, Glaziers, Carpenters, Butchers and Builders, combined with the usual food and clothing outlets. It employed upwards of 2,500 people at its peak in just about every service imaginable. The tides of time has now played its part, Blyth has become urbanised, with the
majority of its working population commuting to the City or to industrial estates sited on
the outskirts of town. The culture mood and attitude of the people has changed, once a
hard working, hard living, hard playing, but caring and sharing community has become
introvert and insular. This can be seen in the rapid demise of the social clubs and most
other groups and gatherings from pub to pew. One of the down-sides of this was Blyth lost one of its landmarks in the form of the Central Methodist Church. Despite being the biggest pigeon loft in the world, the Methodist congregation was finding it increasingly difficult to balance the funds with the repair bills. They eventually give way to the wishes of the Executive settling for a brand new modern church on the site of the old Essoldo Cinema in Beaconsfield Street. Another enterprise, The 'Guinness Housing Trust' rebuilt the north east of the town, Cowpen Quay, with matchbox sized dwellings in a square styled configuration. The housing trust ever mindful of its profitability, imported problem tenants from the outskirts of Newcastle. This influx of people brought new associated social problems to the town. Sadly to say and only up until recently that area was becoming a 'ghetto' with regular Police raids, punishment gangster style beatings and a soaring crime rate. As new industries slowly spawn from the trading estates pocketed around Cramlington and Kitty Brewster, regenerating trade in the service sector, slowly the economy of the town began to stabilise. The pride and confidence of the people re-kindled. The once 'dented' motto of Blyth, "We Grow by Industry" took on a whole new meaning. The Nation no longer has a need for our Coal, no longer need ships, and soon will no longer need the energy from our Power Station. The World,s market place now wants and needs the down sized, leaner products that an intelligent resourceful workforce can create. A well documented history of the town of Blyth, and old photographs can be found on 'Pictures of Blyth' . This site, hosted by a good friend who gives a factual account of how things used to be. Now as our town reaches out towards the dawning of a new century, one would like to think that we have come through the gloom doom and despondency's of desperation, Shaken off the false tarnished images so poorly portrayed by a badly researched television documentary. And moved on to a brighter future with hope in our heart, courage of commitment, and intellect and wisdom in our mind, 'for without knowing where you have come from, you cannot possible tell where you are going'...... subject to Copyright K.F 4/99
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Links To Friends,
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Some photographs of Northumberland 
