As a Newsham, New Delaval, lad I never ventured to such distant parts, so I am not sure what or where Monkey Island was.
However, a while back I read a novel, "Lonely Road", by Nevil Shute, published by Pan Books, in 1962, which seems to be built around the isolation hospital on the River Blyth in that area, in earlier years.
It's reasonable read, but Blyth folks might find it very interesting.