This eclectic collection of over 200 old photographs of the seaside villages of Tynemouth and Cullercoats takes us back through the century, giving us a glimpse of the lives that our ancestors led.

Marden Farm, the home of a famous farming family in the region – the Wilsons – is remembered in a time when harvesting was the domain of the working horse and many farmhands. The hardship of the First World War is also recalled along with memories of the many soldiers who were stationed at the farm. One fascinating chapter concentrates on the rogues of the area, at the turn of the century. Their crimes are perhaps a reflection of the hardship of the times rather than an indictment of those particular individuals.

The hustle and bustle of both Tynemouth and Cullercoats are recalled with the annual influx of visitors keen to enjoy the beaches and relax or partake of the entertainment offered by the villages. The Tynemouth Plaza is remembered in its various guises with a final vision of this great building gutted by fire. Cullercoats’ Dove Marine Laboratory and Salt Water Baths are depicted before both had to be demolished as a result of fire damage. The ‘new’ laboratory, built in 1908, continues, to this day, to flourish as a centre of research in the region.

Many of the photographs included are from private sources and have never been published before. We are granted a unique opportunity here to see a gallery of images of the Tynemouth and Cullercoats of years gone by.