High Street
Shops

See also Department Stores
Cooperative Stores

High Street Houses


Title:  392-446 High Street, Gateshead, 1967
Photographer:  Davison, N.
Date:  February 1967
Reference Number:  GL004125
Picturing High Street at junction with Belle Vue Terrace.




Title:  244-252 High Street, Gateshead, 1881
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  1881
Reference Number:  GL001838
Item Description:  Shows corner of Jackson Street, later the site of the Metropole Theatre. Ownership of the raised 'quays' in front of these houses was disputed between the Borough Council and several owners, notably Councillor James Hymers. Further north, the quays were much wider and sloped down to the road. The next pic is the same but about 5 years later


Title:  244-252 High Street, Gateshead, 1886
Photographer:  Dodds, Edwin
Date:  1886
Reference Number:  GL001588
Item Description:  This photograph was taken in the 1880s and shows one of the oldest parts of Gateshead High Street. - From left to right is clogger W. Jones (252 High Street), joiner R. Millican and hay and straw dealer William Atkinson, (246 High Street). The photograph shows the junction of the High Street with Jackson Street, originally known as Colliers Chare. On the corner of the High Street and Jackson Street is inn keeper J. Cockburn (244 High Street) . William Atkinson’s shop was demolished not long after this photograph was taken and the Metropole Theatre was built on the site in 1896. J. Cockburn’s Inn was taken over by Swinburne and Co. and became the Atlas Hotel.
See here for Metropole Theatre/Scala Cinema and this next pic



Title:  244-252 High Street, Gateshead, 2007
Photographer:  Maughan, Jenifer
Date:  2007
Reference Number:  GL007896
Item Description:  This photograph shows the same view as GL001588. This part of the High Street was originally known as Busyburn Quay after the raised 'quays' which were situated in front of many of the buildings on the street. Ownership of the quays in front of these houses was disputed between the Borough Council and several owners, notably Councillor James Hymers. Further north, the quays were much wider and sloped down to the road. The quay, along with some of the oldest buildings on the street, was demolished in the late 19th century and the Metropole Theatre was built on the site in 1896. Shortly afterwards, on the opposite corner of Jackson Street/High street, the Atlas Hotel was built and stood until the mid-twentieth century until it was demolished and replaced by the current shop unit.

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Title:  115-123 High Street, Gateshead, c1910
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1910
Reference Number:  GL004011
Item Description:  These are some of the oldest shops on the High Street. They were probably built in the 1700s and house a variety of trades and businesses. From left to right is M.Loffe confectioner, J. Gaddes bootmaker, R. Preston brushmaker and T. McCoy furniture dealer. Above Preston is a clay pipe maker..see next pic the business has changed hands. Mr F. Collier is now there making pipes



Title:  117-123 High Street, Gateshead, c1910
Reference Number:  GL004056
  If you were to head down the alleyway between Preston’s and McCoy’s you would reach Plough Yard where horseshoes were also made, by Scott and Crow. Next is another pic of Preston's and the alleyway



Title:  119 High Street, Gateshead
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1910
Reference Number:  Negs008



Title:  Family shopping, High Street, Gateshead, c1900
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1900
Reference Number:  GL001492
  Gateshead High Street had shops to cater for everyone, from the very poor to the extremely wealthy. Small shops sold second hand goods at low cost prices whilst larger stores like Snowball’s provided more luxurious items for well-to-do families.
This family were photographed shopping on the High Street in 1900. Their appearance would suggest that they were quite wealthy.
Clothes for poorer people were often passed down within the family or bought from second hand shops. They were usually made from coarsely woven wool or cotton cloth and they would be mended and patched to make them last a long time. Many poorer children went without shoes even in the winter.
Wealthy women wore tightly laced corsets like the lady in this photograph. This gave them the narrow waists which were thought to be attractive. Children in wealthy families wore very formal clothes. Girls wore dresses which were as fancy as the grown ups but slightly shorter. Boys were dressed in sailor suits or velvet suits with lace collars and cuffs.



Title:  241-251 High Street, Gateshead, c1904
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1904
Reference Number:  GL003905




Title:  1-25 High Street, Gateshead, c1925
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1925
Reference Number:  GL004047
Item Description:  This photograph shows the foot of Gateshead High Street just after the junction with Hills Street. In the foreground the tram lines are just visible as the curve round from the High Street to the tram terminus on Hills Street. On the left of the photograph is Snowball's Department Store. Snowball's opened in 1850. The premises occupied numbers 15-21 High Street and by the standards of the day were enormous, extending 400 feet back to Oakwellgate. The shop was founded by William Snowball and was very successful. By 1889 it employed over 200 people. It was one of the most prominent shops on the High Street and offered a range of household goods and furnishings.



Title:  1-13 High Street, Gateshead, c1925
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1925
Reference Number:  GL004046



Title:  161-191 High Street, Gateshead, 1971
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  1971
Reference Number:  GL004094


Title:  166 High Street, Gateshead, 1962
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  December 1962
Reference Number:  GL004111
Bon Marche





Title:  171-185 High Street, Gateshead, 1964
Photographer:  Mason, W.F.
Date:  April 1964
Reference Number:  GL004101
Lake optician and jewellers


Title:  176 High Street, Gateshead, 1962
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  December 1962
Reference Number:  GL004036
Currys



Title:  178-180 High Street, Gateshead, 1962
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  December 1962
Reference Number:  GL004102
Gillis Furnishing Stores



Title:  182-186 High Street, Gateshead, 1936
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  1936
Reference Number:  GL004121
Item Description:  Demolished 1965.
The 2 W's Mens wear



Title:  191-199, High Street, Gateshead, 1960
Photographer:  Davison, N.
Date:  June 1960
Reference Number:  GL004126
Item Description:  Picturing corner of High Street and Swan Street (right hand side running south).
Gateshead Post Offices, Winters, Martins Bank



Title:  192-194 High Street, Gateshead, 1962
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  December 1962
Reference Number:  GL003985
Weaver to Wearer


Title:  208 High Street, Gateshead, 1962
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  December 1962
Reference Number:  GL004035
Item Description:  Demolished 1965.
Loyds Furniture



Title:  208-202 High Street, Gateshead, 1965
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  1965
Reference Number:  GL003902
Loyds, Slick, Boots


Title:  212 High Street, Gateshead, 1962
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  December 1962
Reference Number:  GL003926
City Lino Stores



Title:  259-263 High Street, Gateshead, c1959
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1959
Reference Number:  GL004118
Showing corner of High Street and Park Lane. The building on the corner was the Butchers Arms.
M. Bushell & Co Florists

Title:  261-291 High Street, Gateshead, c1960
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1960
Reference Number:  GL002461
Ye Olde Fleece

Title:  266 High Street (Curley's Public House), Gateshead, 2007



Photographer:  Jon Bratton
Date:  2014
Reference Number:  (GL007894)

Item Description:  This photograph shows the same view as GL001562. Curley's was originally known as the Phoenix Inn and is listed as early as 1841 under a Jane Hindmarsh, landlady. Originally the inn also formed the corner with Charles Street, one of the many streets of terraced housing leading off the High Street. Charles Street was demolished in the 1940s as part of the slum clearnance programme, but the inn survived.


Title:  278-304 High Street, Gateshead, 1967
Photographer:  Davison, N.
Date:  February 1967
Reference Number:  GL004062


Title:  278-308 High Street, Gateshead
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1929
Reference Number:  GL004124
Harris & Co. Cycles, Empire Garage, Gramophone Depot, Hadrian, Ferris's



Title:  301-331 High Street, Gateshead
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  Date Unknown
Reference Number:  GL002462
It This photograph shows the south end of Gateshead High Street sometime in the 1950s. Pictured at the top of the street is the Essoldo, originally known as the Kings Theatre and one of the most distinctive buildings on the High Street .
The Kings Theatre opened in 1905. It was built on a sharp road junction, which resulted in the unusual fan-shaped building.
There were 18 rows of seats with a promenade and a saloon lounge over the main entrance. The whole theatre held over 2000 people.
The opening performance was of the musical comedy Floradora. The owners of the theatre intended to run Kings as a
‘high-class’ establishment by either only hiring London theatre companies or those of first class reputation from elsewhere . However, Gateshead was outside the theatre circuit system and the best shows never appeared. The theatre struggled and was eventually converted to a cinema.
The Kings was renamed twice after the First World War becoming the Empire in 1918 and finally the Essoldo in 1950.

Rector House pub, Dietz,


Title:  308-312 High Street, Gateshead
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1929
Reference Number:  GL004116
Showing 308 Harris Cycles, 310 Round's Florists and 312 R.J. Culey Baker Confectioner.


Title:  308-318 High Street, Gateshead, c1929
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1929
Reference Number:  GL003990
Showing 312 R.J. Culey Confectioner, 314 Leonards Tailors and 318 British Lion Inn.


Title:  323-331 High Street, Gateshead
Photographer:  Dodds, E.
Date:  1886
Reference Number:  GL003980


Title:  331-351, High Street, Gateshead, 1967
Photographer:  Davison, N.
Date:  February 1967
Reference Number:  GL004064
The Blue Bell Inn was situated at no. 351 High Street. This part of the High Street was built in the early 1870s and
the Blue Bell’s first landlord was a Mrs H. Jolley. Drinking was a very popular pastime 100 years ago. Many workers were employed in hot, dusty and dry conditions and headed straight for the local inn at the end of each day. Because there were very few public meeting places pubs were also used as venues for meetings and for business and by many clubs and societies.
Bell & Sons, Menswear, Levenes Wallpaper


Title:  346-438 High Street, Gateshead, 1967
Photographer:  Davison, N.
Date:  February 1967
Reference Number:  GL003012
Geo Wilkes &Son



Title:  59-69 High Street, Gateshead, c1920
Photographer:  Unknown
Date:  C1920
Reference Number:  GL003899
  Picturing from right to left Old Nagshead Inn, Slater and Costelloe pawnbrokers, Dun Cow Inn, W. Crozier.


Title:  Railway Bridge, High Street, Gateshead
Photographer:  Kell, G.
Date:  Date Unknown
Reference Number:  GL004067
Prominent Aitchies Ales advert using the
foreshortened name for Aitchison's Edinburgh Ales.
Like Lochside Ales brought down from the Edinburgh area


High Street Gateshead


High Street, Gateshead




Another picture showing Snowballs, Younghusbands and Hedley & Co's department stores


Bottom End ..Dun Cow Inn




Bottom of the High Street where it meets the Tyne Bridge approach road. St Mary's is still fire damaged in this pic but now a magnificent resource, the horrible office block in this pic thankfully has now gone, Oakwellgate baths still there on the left in this pic and the un-redeveloped Bottle Bank there on the right. Top right in the pic can be seen the Get Carter car park. This pic was taken by men doing work on the Tyne Bridge. Hi guys! ...and you certainly are! Oct 1985



And while we're high



Here's 1959 high
No Civic Centre, no Bus Station, no Wilkinson's, no Highway in the Sky..and on that subject....




Aug 1971 before it opened

"I lived in Monk Court flats, it literally ran along side our windows. Nowt there when we moved in and watched it being built. I can remember thinking that we would never get to sleep when it opened. Never heard the traffic, but the lights on it shone into our windows." June Smith on Facebook

There are 321 photos of Gateshead High Street on the iSee website. To see them all start here and move on through using the >> arrows

Let's finish with, perhaps, the best High Street pic


The Vanishing Prairie is on at the Cinema in Aug, per the sign so this must
have been Aug 1955 (the film was released Aug 17th 1954)




You'll find Phoenix Inn Public House, Snowballs Dept Store, Crown Hotel, Simmons, Anthony Donald, Albion Inn, Knotts, Woolworths, Younghusband, Bon Marche, Lake, Currys, Gillis, 2Ws, Scotch Wool, Winters, Gateshead Post, Weaver to Wearer, Loyds, Boots, City Lino Stores, Littlewoods, The Metropole, Curleys, Odeon, A Hector Graham, Rector House, Geo Wilkes & Son, Albion Inn and many more

High Street Shops Photos & Info brought to you by


        The Felling Heritage Group