Thompson One Name Study

Some Background History

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with emphasis on the North East of England

Tyne Bridge

The new Tyne Bridge, completed in 1928

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city in the North East of England, on the northern bank of the river Tyne, about 8 miles inland from Tynemouth. Originally a Roman station at the end of Hadrian's Wall, it has a castle built by Henry II and its cathedral, St Nicholas' dates back from the late 14th century. Until recently, Newcastle was a centre for shipbuilding and for the shipping of coal from the many coal mines around it to other parts of the United Kingdom. Today there is virtually no shipbuilding left nor a coal mine which is still open.

Some 14 miles to the south of Newcastle is the city of Durham, famous for its cathedral which recently celebrated its 900th year, and the castle now occupied by Durham University, both of which stand high above the river Wear.

At the mouth of the river Wear is the town of Sunderland which though smaller than Newcastle, it at one time was also dependent on coal mining and shipbuilding for its main industries. Sunderland is on the south bank of the river Wear, and on the north bank is the township of Monkwearmouth which developed with the shipbuilding. Its parish church, St Peter's, was the principal residence (when a monastery) of the Venerable Bede c680 AD until he moved to the monastery of Jarrow where he became Prior. Saint Bede was famous for his Ecclesiastical History. He died at Jarrow and is buried in Durham Cathedral.

Some Key Dates

1563 Roman Catholic Church orders registers of baptisms and marriages to be kept.

1605 (5th November) The Gunpowder Plot to blow up parliament is thwarted

1611 The authorised version of the Holy Bible is published in the UK

1616 (23rd April) The death of William Shakespeare at Stratford upon Avon

1620 (November) The 180-ton Mayflower brings 120 persons to New England

1642 Start of the Civil War in England

1649 Charles I beheaded in Westminster

1660 Charles II installed as King of England

1665 Great Plague

1666 Great Fire of London

1685 Death of Charles II and succession of James II

1685 Monmouth Rebellion
Ending in defeat at the Battle of Sedgemoor and the Duke of Monmouth's execution on Tower Hill, London

1689 Deposition of James II and installation of William III and Mary of Orange

1701 Keelmen's Hospital, Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, built
This was the only almshouse in Britain built by the poor for themselves. The keelmen carried coal in keels from the quays to the colliers berthed downstream and raised the money by levying a penny on every keel carried

1702 Death of William III and succession of Queen Anne

1714 Death of Queen Anne and succession of George I
George I spoke no English and left the administration of the country to his ministers, a practice which initiated the system of Cabinet Government. About this time, Sir Robert Walpole became the first Prime Minister

1727 Death of George I and succession of George II

1728 Captain James Cook born

1745 Jacobite Rebellion

1746 Battle of Colloden, marking the end of Jacobite Rebellion and the start of the "Clearances" of the Scottish Highlands

1752 Change of calendar from Julian to Gregorian
Under the old system, the year began on 25 March so records often read 1727/8. Lord Chesterfield's Act of 1751-52 decreed the change which took place on 2 September 1752. This date was followed by 14 September 1752, omitting 11 days. 1753 began on 1st January.

1753 Thomas Bewick, engraver, born at Stocksfield, beside the river Tyne
He was famous for his illustrations in a number of books including A History of British Birds and Aesop's Fables

1754 The Hardwicke Marriage Act which was introduced on 25 March 1754 to end clandestine marriages.
All marriages had to be recorded in a separate book to that for births and deaths. Marriages had to be performed in the parish church and nowhere else, other than for the Quakers and Jews.

1760 Death of George II and succession of George III

1772 Escape of Bessie Surtees
Bessie Surtees escaped through a window at No 41 Sandgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, into the arms of her lover, John Scott, who later became Lord Eldon, and Lord Chancellor

1776 Declaration of American Independence

1781 George Stephenson born at Wylam on banks of river Tyne

1807 Abolition of slave trading in British Empire

1808 Start of Peninsular War

1808 Elizabeth Barrett Browning baptised at Kelloe Church, Co Durham

1814 End of Peninsular War

1820 Death of George III and succession of George IV

1821 Stockton to Darlington Railway built by George Stephenson
The first passenger railway, opened in 1825

1830 Death of George IV and succession of William IV

1832 The Reform Act

1833 Abolition of Slavery

1833 (5th May) - Omnibusses were first established to run between Newcastle and Tynemouth

1835 The young writer Charles Dickens published a collection of his journalistic pieces under the title of "Sketches by Boz"

1837 Death of William IV and succession of Queen Victoria

1838 Rescue of the SS Forfarshire off the Farne Islands by Grace Darling

1840 The first postage stamp, the "Penny Black" is issued

1841 First UK Census (midnight 7 June)

1845 The Scottish engineer R.W. Thompson patented an air-filled tyre for use on the coupe, a new two seater convertible carriage for town use

1847 Appointment of Poor Law Boards

c1850 The village of Blanchland built by the Crewe estate

1853 Plague in Newcastle - Asiatic cholera lead to 1500 deaths in the Newcastle and Durham areas

St Mary's, Gateshead

The fire started below St Mary's church, Gateshead

1854 Start of Crimea War

1854 Fire in Gateshead and Newcastle
October 6th - a fire broke out in a worsted factory in the early hours of the morning in Gateshead, near what is now the southern support of the Tyne Bridge. The fire spread to a chemical store next door which exploded sending burning sulphur, rocks etc. into the air and on to the Newcastle Quayside where a large area of buildings was destroyed. There were many fatalities.

1856 End of Crimean War

1859 High Level Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne built by Robert Stephenson, son of George Stephenson

1861 Commencement of American Civil War

1865 End of American Civil War

1896 (17 August) The first person in Britain is knocked down and killed by a motor car

1901 Death of Queen Victoria and succession of Edward VII