TIMELINE:

Tyne & Wear

1346

Shipbuilding on the Wear begins in Hendon with the opening of a shipyard by Thomas Menvill. This is the start of what will eventually see Sunderland become the largest shipbuilding town in the world.

1589

Robert Bowes and John Smith start making salt at Sunderland. The owners of a coal pit at Offerton, they use poorer quality coal to evaporate seawater and export the rest to London as well as East Anglia.

1742

Methodist John Wesley preaches in Newcastle. He writes: “I was surprised: So much drunkenness, cursing, and swearing… do I never remember to have seen and heard before, in so small a compass of time.”

1850

On 29 August, Queen Victoria opens Newcastle’s Central Station. Designed by John Dobson, it is constructed in collaboration with Robert Stephenson who was responsible for the High Level Bridge.

1863

The North East branch of the Co- operative Wholesale Society is founded. Its HQ – Blandford House – will become home of the Tyne & Wear Archives and Discovery Museum.

1876

The opening ofo the famous Swing Bridge across the Tyne. It is designed by William George Armstrong who thee following year will become the first engineer to join thee House of Lords.

1888

An FA Cup tie between Sunderland and Newcastle is the first competitive fixture in what will become known as the Tyne-Wear or North- East derby. Sunderland win 2-1.

1915

A group of war-wounded Belgian soldiers, the Birtley Belgians, leave hospitals in France, Belgium and England to man a munitions factory in Birtley, Co Durham.