Blyth Market Square circa 1960

[Phodgetts]

Again the sidings look very busy, and the common reference point for both images is the tall cabin alongside the tracks. Just a shame that the old mortuary cannot be seen just off the very left edge of the picture. Anybody want to see a picture of the 'bunker' like building that was the mortuary?

And here is the picture with the mortuary shown. It is the barrel roofed building in the bottom left of the image. The picture must have been taken from the top of the High Light.

This picture is an interesting one. The East Pier was in the process of being extended (work started 9 April 1906) and the new light atop it's end can also be seen to be under construction. The new pier and lighthouse was officially opened by a Mr. John Whitfield on 18 July 1907. Also, note, that the West Pier is the original one! A few years after this picture was taken a new West Pier was built, which still stands to this day. WW1 interrupted it's construction.

 In the harbour entrance is one of the dredgers ('Cambois' I think) working hard judging by the smoke emitted from it's stacks. Dredging work was carried out for some years to increase the depth of water available to shipping. By 1912 the dredged water depth was 24 feet at low water and 39 feet at high water. As part of that work over 500.000 cubic yards of rock had to be removed from the river bed.

Note the flat calm conditions.

Philip

[Michael Dixon]

 Philip,

  A great photo !

  Certainly looks unusually calm.

   I used to associate with a gang of lads. A regular dare was to swim
   out and around the West Pier ( we called it Blyth Pier).
   It frightened the heck out of me- but I had to do it !

 Michael 

[Phodgetts]

The above picture of the East Pier works, leads me to another subject.

On the other side of the railway embankment just behind the mortuary and out of sight, was an Oil Depot. By various means I have come across some old photo's of the Oil Depot and a notation states that the depot was destroyed by fire in what looks like "Mar 1911"

Here, first, is an aerial picture of the site, the red circle marks the site of the mortuary and the blue circle the site of the Oil Depot.

Ergo, date of this picture pre 1911

[Phodgetts]

These are the other two images I have just acquired of the site.

Blyth Oil Depot

Interesting to note just how 'safe' the oil was, given that the depot was destroyed by fire!

A more modern fuel oil depot occupied a site close by this one in later years.

Michael........ is there anything in local papers of the time that give a better idea of what took place regarding the fire and when? As I say, the only clue at the moment is March 1911. I had no idea there was an oil depot, let alone what the fuel was used for at that time. Was it just for harbour and ship use, or for local 'lamp oil' too?

An interesting subject I hope.

In these images the depot looks to be very 'fresh', so I guess the photo must have been taken when the depot was first opened. Judging by the wheelbarrow and shovel some work was still in progress. Also in the aerial image, the depot look to have been expanded somewhat, suggesting some period of time between the various photo's.

P

[Phodgetts]

In this next view, from when the tracks were being lifted in the area, the old site of the oil depot can be seen marked in red, with the more modern site marked in blue.

P

[Michael Dixon]

 Philip,

  Via my membership of Newcastle Library I can access provincial newspapers, e.g. Newcastle Courant, Northern Echo, etc.,
  1800-1900 (pity) and Times of London 1780-c1970.

   But Blyth Library (first floor) have films on Blyth News from about 1880s to c1960s.

   A regular feature in the Blyth News was a page headed something like "Pit, Port and People".
   This featured all sorts of industrial news, both big and small.

 Michael

[Wilkinson]

Michael,
When swimming round the West (Blyth) pier you had to avoid the fishing lines. Those fishing off the pier weren't too pleased at times that you were disturbing their pastime. Another stupid "dare" was to swim across the river to the East pier from near the hut which was the swimming club changing room. However we were careful to do it at high tide when the tide was not running either way. The daft things we got up to as youngsters.
Rob.

[Michael Dixon]

 Rob,

 Yes that was a dilemma for me !.   Because I was not a strong swimmer, I tended to keep fairly
 close to the stanchions of the west pier- which brought me to the attention of the fishers above.
 This was at the point where the pier angled into the river and at the end point.

 When there were folk above, I performed a strong crawl stroke like Johnie Weissmuller (Tarzan).
 With no spectators I reverted to the trusty dogy paddle.

 Our crowd never ventured across the river !

  Michael

[blythboy]

The Wallace History of Blyth is available as a free download on:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-YoHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA1&dq=history+of+Blyth+Northumberland&output=text

Al the best
Alan