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The town where no town ought to be

North Shields has its origin in 1225 when Prior Germanus from Tynemouth Priory had seven shiels, each with a small quay, erected for the benefit of local fisherman. In return the fishermen would give a portion of their catch to the priory.

The Prior felt entitled to do so as King Richard I aka Richard the Lionheart had granted the priory "All liberties and free powers which the royal power can confer on any church."

Within a short time the small hamlet had attracted the attention of others and twenty houses were quickly erected along with bakeries and small breweries.

As the hamlet grew it was noticed by ships entering the Tyne from the North Sea intent on doing trade in Newcastle upon Tyne . They realised that they could avoid the winding and sometimes shallow stretch of the river and do business more quickly here and with less hazard. The avoidance of Newcastle duties was an additional attraction.

Newcastle was infuriated and in 1267 an armed rabble arrived, they attacked the monks at the priory, burnt mills and houses and seized a ship laden with coal.

And so began a six hundred year dispute with Newcastle over North Shields right to even exist as a town. Not all of the events of the dispute were violent some were conducted in court or by petition to the relevant monarch of the time.

North Shields and its people learnt resilience, many times it seemed that the town would have to be abandoned entirely but, like a phoenix from the ashes, it rose again time after time..

The 1997 single "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba could almost have been written with the people of North Shields in mind with the words "I get knocked down, but I get up again" reflecting the town's life over the centuries.

This town, the oldest North Tyneside coastal town has generated many stories and created many striking individuals. This website will direct you to to their stories

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The Dockwrays: Surviving Cromwell

Mention Dockwray to anyone in North Shields and they will immediately think of Dockwray Square just off Tyne Street and the grassy area contained inside it, with the statue of Stan Laurel, once a resident.

Enquire further and they may say that it is named after the man who created the square in the 1700s and that he had been a vicar

Some may suggest that he had been one of the first three vicars of Christ Church. Others, more accurately. will say that he was Thomas Dockwray the vicar of Stamfordham. Few will know very much more about the family.

I have in this work established no less than ten members of this particular Dockwray family who were vicars between 1600 and 1800, many during the turbulent times of the English Civil War and the difficult years both before and after that war:

Robert Dockwray Vicar of St Akeld, Giggleswick and Headmaster of Giggleswick School

His sons:

Thomas Dockwray Perpetual Curate of All Saints, Lanchester, Vicar of St Michael & All Angels, Newburn, Vicar of St Andrew, Heddon-on-the-Wall, Rector of Whitburn, First Vicar of Christ Church, Tynemouth, Chaplain to the Kings Fleet.

Stephen Dockwray Vicar of St Andrews, Newgate Street, Newcastle

Josias Dockwray Perpetual Curate at All Saints, Lanchester, Vicar of St Michael & All Angels, Newburn

Sons of Thomas above:

Stephen Dockwray Second Vicar of Christ Church Tynemouth

Thomas Dockwray Vicar of Holy Cross Wallsend, third Vicar of Christ Church Tynemouth

Josias Dockwray Vicar of St Ebbes, Oxford, Vicar of St Michaels, Duntisbourne Rouse, near Gloucester.

Son of Thomas above

Thomas Dockwray Vicar of Holy Cross Wallsend and Lecturer at St Nicholas Church, Newcastle

Nephew of above and Great Grandson of Thomas Dockwray 1st Vicar of Christ Church

Thomas Dockwray Vicar of St Mary, Stamfordham. Lecturer at St Nicholas Church, Newcastle and builder of Dockwray Square, North Shields

Finally the son of Josias Dockwray of St Ebbes and of Duntisbourne Rouse above Thomas Clarveato Dockwray vicar of Chipping Norton

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Secret North Shields & Tynemouth
Situated in Tyne and Wear, the neighbouring communities of North Shields and Tynemouth are very different, but each has depended on the other for its existence over the years. Tynemouth is a small pretty seaside village overlooking the harbour of the River Tyne. Conversely, North Shields is a hard, industrial town, which was founded on the industries of mining, fishing and salt. The ruins of Tynemouth Priory and Castle dominate a rocky headland and today attract many visitors. The priory was built in around 1090 on the site of a much earlier chapel and although the prior had considerable influence, critically, he had no power over neighbouring Newcastle upon Tyne.
In this book author David Scholey explores the rich history of the area and uncovers some surprises and secrets along the way. The book relates how the town and village came into existence and the battles with Newcastle over the existence of North Shields, once described as ‘a town where no towns ought to be’. Readers will also discover more about the local people – the sailors, inventors and entertainers – and how, against the odds, they still remain proud and defiant. Illustrated throughout, Secret North Shields & Tynemouth offers a fascinating insight into the heritage of this part of the North East, and will be of immense interest to residents, visitors and all those with connections to the area.

Haswells of North Shields

Many people have heard of Thomas Haswell for many years the “Maister” of the Royal Jubilee School

There were other Haswells too

This book looks at Thomas’ father George a mariner, a victim of a Press Gang, a pub landlord, a man washed out to sea to finally land at Druridge Bay

And at Thomas himself, a skilled musician and singer, a painter and decorator who made a huge career change to become a teacher and the much loved “Maister”

And at the Reverend John Partis Haswell a distinguished Wesleyan Methodist preacher

And his son Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Robert Newton Haswell the renowned architect, Justice of the Peace, antiquarian and member of the Tynemouth Volunteer artillery

And the Reverend William Haswell Lecturer of Christ Church

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John Wright & His Sons
The men who moved North Shields uphill

With North Shields celebrating its 800th birthday this year (2025). courtesy of Prior Germanus, I began wondering about the town’s expansion uphill to the plateau on which the main town now stands.

I was surprised how little information there is.

There are certainly accounts of the Reverend Thomas Dockwray from Stamfordham having built Dockwray Square but very little about the main town.

Searching Google will elicit a few lines about John Wright with his sons William and John Bowes Wright buying 50 acres of land and laying out the streets which we know so well and another search will tell you about the son William Wright having been Sheriff, Alderman and Mayor of Newcastle and Deputy-Lieutenant of Northumberland but little else, yet another search will tell you that John Bowes Wright travelled extensively and bought an Egyptian Mummy which he presented to the Literary & Philosophical Society in Newcastle and that Mummy is now held by what we olduns still call the Hancock Museum but which I understand is correctly called the Great North Museum: Hancock.

I could however find no truly comprehensive account of the lives of the men who effectively created our town.

In these pages I have delved into archive material, old newspapers and genealogical records in an attempt to correct that omission, following, not only the three men but also their descendants. Some went on to do useful things for society others led more ordinary lives.

I have tried to avoid a dull text book narrative style and instead make it more conversational in the hope that more people will follow the story of their lives.

I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed researching and writing it.

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A Walking History of North Shields & Tynemouth

This book offers a walking guide to Tynemouth and North Shields and takes in some of the more interesting sites. Covering around 5 miles it is a circular walk and explains what to watch out for en route. The book gives some background and local history relating to the things you will see. Ideal for introducing children to the history of the area while also bringing invaluable insights and information to visitors and to those moving into the area.

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William Twizell: His Life and Times in 19th Century North Shields

This book is in fact a talk I gave to the Tyne Lodge of Freemasons on 12th February 2025. The reason for their interest was that William Twizell had been the first Worshipful Master of their lodge in 1864,

His story though is much more than that and in indeed this delves into the lives of his father and brothers in addition to William himself.

It’s a tale of ambition, success, drama, tragedy and even includes some Chinese pirates!

It is also a story of life in 19th century North Shields, at the time a busy bustling North-East port which in this year of publication 2025 is celebrating its 800th birthday.

I hope that you enjoy it

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