Old Postcards and Photographs of Gateshead [1]

A selection from my collection. The picture postcard became a popular means of communication around 1903 when a change in the law permitted both the address and a message to be on the same side of a card, and its golden age was in the Edwardian era. Many early postcards were colour, but they were actually black and white photographs which had been colourised and tinted. These postcards and photographs cover the area of the pre-1974 Borough of Gateshead

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St Mary's Cathedral, Gateshead-on-Tyne
St Mary's Church receives an unexpected elevation in this card by GD&D and posted from Presteign to Llandrindod Wells on November 30th 1905. It shows that a gasometer had been sited straight behind the church where the Sage now stands.


St Mary's, Gateshead
Published by W.H.S. & S., N. (W.H. Smith & Sons, Newcastle)


St Mary's Church, Gateshead
Hartmann's card (no: 2655.7.) posted from Newcastle-on-Tyne to Houghton Le Spring on March 14th 1906


Swing Bridge And Gateshead


When you see Gateshead like this, have a Soda.
One of my favourite cards, this distorted image of Gateshead and the Swing Bridge was produced by W.H.S. & S.N. (no: 10560-14), and posted from Newcastle-on-Tyne to Bury on 17th December 1914


The Town Hall, Gateshead
Hartmann card (no: 2654.3.]


The Town Hall, Gateshead
Posted from Crook to Pickering on 5th December 1907


West Street, Gateshead
A tram descends the steep incline towards the Town Hall on this Dainty Series card.


West Street, Gateshead
The railings of St. Joseph's Church on the left of the picture are the only part of this view which survives. Card by W.H.S. & S., N.


High Street, Gateshead-on-Tyne
A Low Fell bound tram turns out of Hills Street by the Half Moon Inn. Posted to Swansea on 30th August 1908


High Street, Gateshead
Looking North towards the railway bridge. The road behind the postbox is Swinburne Street. Auty Series card (G.H. W.B. 1224). Posted from Newcastle to Devonport on 7th September 1908


High Street, Gateshead
Today Tesco occupies the site where the Queen's Theatre once stood. The theatre had a varied history, being in turn a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel (1815), United Methodist Free Church Chapel (1861), Hall of Varieties (1882), boxing hall, Salvation Army hall, theatre (Theatre Royal - 1887, Queen's Theatre - 1894, New Hippodrome - 1916) and finally a cinema (The Queen - 1919) before eventually closing in 1923. Card by W.H.S. & S., N.


The High Street, Gateshead
The Phoenix Inn in this view looking North along the High Street is now Curley's Bar. It was posted from Gateshead to Berwick in December 1908


High Street, Gateshead
Looking North - the road on the left is Warwick Street. Philco Series card (no: 2241)


Gateshead High Street
A similar view to the previous card seen about 40 years later, with Warwick Street on the left next to Bywells. Tram no. 63 bound for Sheriff Hill approaches the junction with Sunderland Road. Behind the tram is Black's Regal Cinema (later the Odeon) which was demolished in 2003


King's Theatre, High Street, Gateshead Looking South - Warwick Street is on the right with Miss J. Turner's toyshop at 332 High Street (today it is the Grove pub). King's Theatre stands on the junction with Sunderland Road. It opened in 1905, being renamed the Empire in 1917. In 1950 it became the Essoldo Cinema, closing in 1967. Posted 25th April 1917. Card by W.H.S. & S., N. (no: 19992)


The Holy Corner, Gateshead-on-Tyne
Also referred to as Amen Corner, the junction between High West Street, Belle Vue Terrace, Durham Road and Gladstone Terrace was home to 3 churches - the Presbyterian (with the spire), the Baptist (on the left) and the United Methodist Free Church (on the right). The railings on the right are those outside the Abbott Memorial School which is seen on the following card. This card is by Hartmann (no: 2655.11.)


Abbott Memorial School, Gateshead
Originally the first building on Durham Road, this site now lies beneath the Gateshead Highway opposite the Baptist Church. Built in 1869 by the widow of Gateshead industrialist John Abbot as an industrial school to reform and educate "gutter children". The school closed in 1930 and the building was demolished in 1968. Posted from Gateshead to Ovingham on 10th August 1908.


Durham Road, showing Fountain, Gateshead
The drinking fountain stands in front of where the Springfield Honda garage is currently located. In the distance on the left is the United Methodist Free Church, with Abbot Memorial School to its right. Hartmann Series card (no: 2655/2.)


St. George's Church, Durham Road, Gateshead
St. George's Church opened in 1897. This view predates the building of St. Mark's Wesleyan Methodist Church in 1906 (the spire in the distance is the Primitive Methodist Chapel on the corner of South Street). At this time Prince Consort Road did not yet connect with Durham Road. Posted from Gateshead to Coldstream. Card by Ruddock of Newcastle in their Grand Series.


Gateshead War Memorial, Opening Ceremony, 14th May 1922
The scene at the junction of Prince Consort Road and Durham Road. The spire of St. Mark's Methodist Church is seen to the left of the Union Jack. Card by R. Johnston of Gateshead, Monarch Series (no: T.1)


Coatsworth Road, Gateshead
Looking North. Posted from Gateshead to Kelso on 3rd January 1904. J.M. Shotton's confectioners on the right was at 74 Coatsworth Road. Card by Ruddock of Newcastle in their Grand Series


Coatsworth Road, Gateshead
Looking North, this is about 100 yards to the south of the location of the previous postcard. R.W. Thompson's ironmongers stands at 137 Coatsworth Road, across from the Honeysuckle Inn at no.92. Card by W.H.S. & S., N.


St. Chad's Church, Bensham
St. Chad's on the corner of Rawling Road and Westminster Street was designed by W.S. Hicks and opened in 1903. Posted from Gateshead to Durham. Card by Ruddock of Newcastle


St. Chads. Gateshead. The Fount
A Lochinvar card, posted from Newcastle to Lanark on 12th May 1916


Park House, Saltwell Park, Gateshead
Posted from Newcastle-on-Tyne to Backworth on 5th October 1904


Park House Saltwell, Gateshead
Park House was a favourite image for postcard makers, with many different (and many very similar) views available from a number of different companies. Posted from Bedlington to Harrogate on 6th July 1905. Card by Nicholson & Cartner of Carlisle


Gateshead. Saltwell Park


Gateshead. Saltwell Park


Promenade, Saltwell Park, Gateshead


Gateshead. Saltwell Park


The Lake Saltwell Park, Gateshead
Published by Ruddock Ltd. of Newcastle-on-Tyne in their Grand Series, this card was posted from Felling to Newcastle on 20th July 1908


Park Lake and Team Valley, Gateshead
Card by R. Johnston of Gateshead in their Monarch Series


War Memorial, Gateshead
This War Memorial commemorates the Boer War. This Hartmann card (no: 2655/15.) was posted both from and to Bishop Auckland on 29th September 1916.


George Charlton Memorial, Saltwell Park, Gateshead George Charlton was mayor of Gateshead from 1873-4. This is from Milton's Elite-Glazette Series (no: 35)


Dene, Saltwell Park, Gateshead
Published by Hartmann. Posted to York on 9th August 1904


The Dene Bridge, Saltwell Park, Gateshead
Posted from Gateshead to Kirby Stephen on New Year's Day 1907. Valentine's Series


The Dene, Saltwell Park, Gateshead
This National Series card carries an advert for Licoricine cough mixture on the reverse


Gateshead, The Lake & Green, Saltwell Park
Posted from Gateshead to Aberdeen on 20th November 1909. Card by Henderson & Birkett of Gateshead


The Bowling Green, Gateshead
Card by W.H.S. & S. N.


New Bowling Green, Saltwell Park, Gateshead
Posted from Gateshead to Ayr, 2nd March 1903. Valentine's Series


Ye Olde Salte Welle, Gateshead-on-Tyne
Posted from Gateshead to East Grinstead on 7th September 1904. Hartmann card (no: 2655.12.)


Kindest Regards From Gateshead
As well as photos of Saltwell Park, bells and a heart, this card includes what was then considered a lucky symbol - a swastika! Monarch Series card by R. Johnston of Gateshead (no: 3461)


Whinney House Hospital, Low Fell
During the First World War, Whinney House was used as a recuperation centre for wounded soldiers. It would later become a sanatorium. Posted to France on 10th May 1919. Card by R. Johnston of Gateshead (no: 1459)


St Helens, Low Fell
Published by Ruddock of Newcastle. Posted from Stanley on 18th August 1905


Low Fell, Gateshead
Early Valentine's Series card


Low Fell
Posted from Carlisle to Penrith on 9th August 1906. Lochinvar Series by Nicholson & Cartner of Carlisle


Beaconsfield Road, Low Fell, Gateshead


The Dene, Low Fell


Schools and Church, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead
Posted from Gateshead to Guernsey on 2nd May 1905. Card by Ruddock of Newcastle in their Grand Series


A Bit Of Old Sheriff Hill, Gateshead
Posted from Low Fell to Springwell on 2nd August 1907. Card by T.H. Dickinson of Gateshead


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Some of the images used in this page are still within copyright. If the copyright owners have any objection to their use on this site, I will be happy to remove them once contacted.