Just a couple of additional snippets.....
From mid 1800s there were a few streets in this area called Cowpen Quay.
Roughly formed into a square
Keelmans Row ( later to become Regent St) running north-south
Wellington St- running west-east
Clive St "
York St "
Soulsby St "
Croft St "
with Albert St completing the sq, running north south
into 1890s the five w-e streets were extended towards the river, to Milburn St.
The York St extension was called Bell St
The Soulsby extension was called VICTORIA St
The other three extensions kept their original name.
Then there were further extensions from Milburn St, to verge onto river bank.
Clive St continued as Clark St, Bell St as Gregory St, and Victoria St as Silver St.
So from the main street Regent Street, one thoroughfare was part Soulsby St, then Victoria St then Silver St.
Then when Cowpen UDC and Blyth UDC merged in 1909 street name changes were necessary because of duplicated street names. So in this area, Wellington St became Burt St and Croft St became King St.
And Soulsby St became the front end of Victoria St.
In the mid 1900s this area was know as Old Cowpen Quay. Some of the pubs therein had unusual drinking hours to cater for shipyard workers.
1897 map.
http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/005986FS.htm 1920 map
http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/006635FS.htmMichael
