Old Maps

A Memory of Newburn.

I was in Newcastle Central Library and got to look at two old maps, one dated 1897 the other nearest to that was 1921. The reason I was looking was that I was trying to find out when old Millfield was built. The first map had three rows of houses on it; Albert Terrace, Victoria Terrace and Berkley Terrace. The drill hall at that time was at the bottom of the steepest bit of Walbottle Bank, opposite the end of Dene Terrace where there was a cut leading down to the Winning with a rifle range further down. The Clay Field as we knew it, used to be a clay pit hence when you think about it there was a huge indent with Hareside path quite high up, as was the bank beside the graveyard where we used to slide down on cardboard. Kirtons brick works was there; I wonder if the bricks made there were produced from the clay pit? Newburn station was on the map as was Newburn Manor School. On the later map, Millfield Lane, the two Millfield Crescents, Dene View and Francis Tce appear, so within that 24 years Millfield grew to as we knew it. The Drill hall had moved places and appeared at the bottom of Piggies Lonnen.
I am in contact with Graham who lives in Spain (he contacted me after reading the memories) and his mother was the daughter of Jacksons the shop owners; they lived in the villas on Newburn Road. I have just sent him some pictures of old Newburn Road and Grange Road, he pointed out the pictures show his parent's and grandparent's houses and Jacksons shop. On the shop picture he pointed out that the car standing on the left belonged to Walter Proulock, the tailor. I obviously filled his day with nostalgia. Remember the old Hospital on Piggies Lonnen? This was called the Infectious Disease Hospital. Spencers had a mill upstream from the factory in the Winning - is this where Millfield got the name?

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