Newcastle's Lost History
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ม.ค. 2023
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This video takes Amber Films unfinished film "Demolition 1972" and aims to provide a conclusion and modern update to this.
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Video Description Text:
this video covers a cycle tour around newcastle upon tyne and gateshead viewing some of the icnonic landmarks.
Music: 'music by azere' azere.bandcamp.com and Epidemic Sound
Would you like to advertise with us, direct business inquiries to: jordy.reeve@gmail.com
ABOUT JORDAN REEVE
A full time planner, Jordan Reeve specialises in creating videos about the built environment to tell its stories. The topics cover historical development of cities alongside psychogeography style walks, this aims to uncover the urban environment as well as pose questions about the space and place in which we live, work and play. He lives in Newcastle Upon Tyne and attempts to showcase the modern face of a former industrial city, which is still finding its way in regeneration.
Remember these beautiful buildings, breaks my heart to see the monstrosities they’ve been replaced with….
The destruction hasn’t ended either. Just look at the demolition of the Odeon Cinema, the last of the city’s historic cinemas. Or the almost intact medieval hall that was discovered during the redevelopment of High Bridge, which was then conveniently ‘accidentally’ knocked down to make way for the new version of the Bacchus pub. Those developers should have been prosecuted, but no doubt back room deals were done.
There’s very little of left of pre-1970 Newcastle, and nothing that has been built in the years since has been designed to last. Look at Manors area - the Warner Cinema complex built in the late 80s. Demolished a few years later to be replaced by office blocks, which are now in the process of being demolished again. Redeveloped three times in a little over 30 years? That is sheer madness.
Born in 1954 in Newcastle, in a house that stood where the Civic Centre now stands, i can honestly say the councils have been destroying the city and outlying areas for all of my lifetime. Such a shame they couldn't have loved Newcastle as much as those who lived and worked there.
Great video 👍
I was around in 1972 and felt we had lost things which could never be replaced (such as Eldon Square). Some were no great loss but the Central Motorway and other linked roads and walkways ruined many places which today would probably have been repurposed. Excellent work, thank you Jordan.
Thanks Rita, I’m glad you enjoyed it
Hi Rita do you live in Newcastle
Ye I lost my youth.hehe49er.
My Scottish town has not torn down a single historic building and instead maintain them really well so they still look brand new. They knew the buildings were far too beautiful to be torn down and I think have been legally protected for quite a while now. Our town hall, some hotels, churches, some housing, shops all date back to the 1800s. I never took these beautiful stone structures for granted but now I just respect them even more. Fantastic production quality though!
what town?
Dumfries? Melrose? Crieff? Must be a small town.
@@marc21091 I don't live there anymore but it's Lerwick.
Lanark is the same very very old buildings dating as far back as the 17th century possibly earlier a lot of people don't know this,but William Wallace even attended a church there and hid in caves down in the falls
fascinating to see how short-term some of those redevelopments proved to be - makes you wonder about the longevity of current projects
It's always evolving, needs change, people change...
@@hashtag_thisguy Evolution should be an imperceptibly slow process, though. When it happens too fast - that's cancer.
So many town and city centres were destroyed in the 60s and 70s.....such short-sighted planning philosophies have destroyed so much of our heritage.
Excellent video. It's so sad. I visited Newcastle for the first time last year and was in awe, seeing the beautiful architecture of Granger Town but how much better could Newcastle be now if these other buildings hadn't been demolished and replaced by eyesores? The problem is, even with all the progress we've made in the past 100 years, we are no longer able to create beautiful buildings.
Polytechnic architects and. Spastic councillors and 13 Tory austerity years equals concrete cancer slum Britain
Very true, egotistical leaders to blame.
@@malc.s.5373 corrupt City planners and construction companies.
I often wonder what used to be where the BRUTAL ARCHITECTURE now stands. Thanks for sharing Jordan.
Brilliant video on what in many cases is a tragic destruction of the city.
Great work Jordan. I really enjoyed seeing some of the fantastic architecture we once had before the town was plundered.
Totally agree!
Such beautiful old buildings they demolished they would of prob still been there today Much prefer the old architecture to todays so called modern buildings
Absolutely brilliant that Jordan. The way you used old footage and new footage and narrated it to bring it all together. Some of the things you pointed out really have ruined parts of the city. Demolition of the Town Hall was absolutely senseless and the raised parts by the central motorway are a bloody eyesore. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Christopher!
Brilliant video mate iv done loads of researching on old newcastle and what the council did to our city and areas around if a discrace
we used to play snooker in the royal court snooker hall big market 1970 just up from the town hall, had some good times in the mayfair, 3am breakfast at bowers near central station,
to be honest a think the whole country was destroyed them 1972 was a bad time. it was the start of the down fall of a great civilisation
Really well done video. Only comment would be whilst I completely agree that most of the demolition of Newcastle's historic architecture in the 60s/70s and was tragic; your interpretation of the 1972 film is a firmly melancholy one where I'd say there are some glimmers to be positive about. Given time, money and a clear-eyed & thorough review of what went right or wrong most of these scars can eventually be fixed - or even improved upon. As you noted, some of the cities' most horrendous buildings are now being redeveloped (cale cross) or demolished (commercial union!). Just like the medieval gave way to Grainger, brutalism will give way to the future
I really enjoyed your video and agree about the brutal demolition of historic buildings that were replaced by substandard edifices that don't last.
What was done to the original Eldon Square was sacrilege in my veiw
Totally agree . Destruction by the old boys club of free masons . that were rife within Newcastle city council members at that time . . Some still exist there to this day . FACT .
This made me somewhat sad. Looking back, I can be glad my city (Maastricht) was before 1985 way too poor to tear down and build anything new. In 1980 it looked pretty much like 1950. In the 90ties, when more investments came, they learned from the mistakes from others and repurposed as much as possible.
That’s lucky they missed out on one of the most destructive parts of many city’s history’s
The destruction started with the castle and our city walls, which a historian who wrote about the ancient history of Newcastle upon Tyne, wrote that the great walls of Newcastle were the greatest walls of any town in all of England and most of the European towns. Also Newcastle was once called monkchester apparently due to monks who came live in the city to defend it due to there belief that men not of this world once ruled town. There's alot about our city and region that we are not taught, it was the richest city in the county due to the amount of coal we had , even starving London of coal though a bad winter, there was a saying once referring to a pointless exercise, it's like taking coal to Newcastle.
You're right about the coal, even as far back as the 1300s it was a big boost to the local economy. It actually seems to have been monks who were the pioneers in its use. The monks at Tynemouth produced a lot of salt using coal to boil seawater. The Romans were using coal as well by the way, they have found the ashes at Hadrians Wall.
Talking about Hadrians wall, most of the stone was removed by nearly everyone who wanted to build over the centuries. Including Newcastle walls. There's even a plaque in Corbridge on a house on the main st stating its built entirely from the wall.
I started my first job ín Newcastle in 1971 walking from the old Haymarket bus station past St Jame's and the Newcastle Brewery on to Blandford St to the dress factory I worked in at Duke House .I went back recently and there are no original buildings left. I can remember being sent to the button factory and collecting the daily newspapers from the little newsagents on the corner of Westmoreland Road near the Marlborough cafe.
Great vid. At nearly 60 I can recall visiting the scap yards/ cars etc at the Quay side with my father, I'm still in awe at the transformation.
A great miss to me is the pub known as the Robin Adair placed at Scotchy Bridge [ Scotswood- named incidently where the Scots rested before attacking ]
The Robin Adair with the large plaque showing a coachman coach and horses , the pub built entirely from slate placed horizontal.
What an amazing building I'd always admired ... vanished !
The Scotswood Road itself lined with pubs/ clubs all the way into Newcastle ... all gone ! And their unique architecture/ design.
There's still a vast amount of stunning architecture from stone to rose granite everywhere.
A link to the history of Newcastle formerly called "Monkchester " before the conquest and the building of the New-Castle
As someone who was around in the 1950/60's I now hate what back then was known as modern architecture. Now I am sad to see what we lost to concrete and steel. I'm sure many people my age nowadays would agree. Also the slum clearing, which had to be done was done far too quickly, whole local areas ripped down and residents scattered far and wide rather than clearing streets a few at a time to maintain neighbourhoods.
Eldon Square what they destroyed there beautiful buildings
At 1 min 40sec that’s my dad driving the blue Crows Transport wagon pulling up to the traffic lights, at that time Crows was based in Gateshead behind what is now the Sage Bldg and I remember going to the yard with him in the early 70’s. How the passing years have changed the landscape with my dad passing in 2003, if only he was here so I could’ve showed him
You didn't examine the role of corruption. This certainly led to more destruction.
really interesting and so well made! glad my recommended brought me here
Glad you enjoyed it!
The demolition of those old building was nothing less than criminal.
Nothing new should be erected. unless, it's buildings built from the same materials and of the same architecture as the old buildings they will stand with., for the next few hundred years.
As Joni Mitchell sang, “you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone”.
What a great job, you did there. Having the want in you, to make this. Then, editing and your presentation skills. Plus, cinematography!
Plus... the caring!
Nice one!
As soon as the word council is mentioned in any town or city it just spells disaster the Big Market town hall is a good example
Great videos thanks for sharing
Fantastic piece this, mate! Thanks for all the hard work and presentation you've put in to it
Great video mate, really love your content :)
Thanks Gaz!
Nice one, and an excellent choice of music to go with it, well done.
Great work, Jordan
I was home on the cold morning you filmed part of this it seems.
I never realised what had been before....I was born in 1974 and didn't appreciate the scale of what was lost. Tragic. The city centre has seen a lot of change since and not for the better. Some area have become dark and ugly. Modern is not always best. Great video 😊
Good watch cheers
Eh, other than that main motor way connected to the Tyne bridge I find most of the city centre to be very walkable and easy to navigate. The redevelopment on the Quayside was great as well as the pedestrianisation of a lot of streets
Well done and thanks from Ireland.
There was a fair amount of corruption involved, allegedly. Shame really - it could have been a real gem of a city with all its industrial revolution era architecture. I was born in 72 so never saw it in its original state. However, it still remains one of my favourite cities - friendly, liveable, accessible, and still way ahead of many of most of the cities in the midlands where i now live.
Quality content!
Really interesting video, similar old buildings were demolished in the 70's here in Wales
From what I read, it seems to have been the same everywhere in the UK
Thank you, this was the Newcastle I remember and loved as a child, blackened with soot the buildings were still beautiful to me ❤
They did the same in my home town which is the oldest in Wales so had loads of history. Entire streets torn down for a generic style shopping precinct
Well produced ❤ video 📹 👌.
My first sight of Newcastle was as a 16 year old coming into the Railway station from Scotland and then back out to the South. It was very impressive, all the bridges, etc.
Now I'm 55 and still visit occasionally 😊.
A beautiful place and always love the accent.
Geordie cousins ❤
The demolition of the original Eldon Square with its C18th (listed) terraced buildings to make way for the shopping mall cause a huge controversy in the early 70's .
T Dan Smith Newcastle's former Chief Executive had led the assult on the city in the late 60's wanting to turn it in to the "Brazilia of the North" as he put it. Smith was later jailed for corruption for his part in the Poulson Affair which had involved architects construction companies and local politicians all over the North of England who had syphoned off public funds during their redevolopment of a several major city centres.
They destoyed many of the beautiful old buildings of my town, Sunderland, too, including the exquisite town hall. How this council-led vandalism was allowed to happen is both a mystery and a tragedy.
From the slum clearances of the 1960’s until 1972 seems to have been happening all over, Ian Nairn did a series on the changing fabric of many British cities with deep criticism coming out for the way a lot of this was done. Newcastle was not unique in all this unfortunately, progress was the name of the game without any concern for the consequences. A good video, thanks.
Not all the Slums were destroyed.
The Garth Heads Industrial Tenements(that’s what they were called),where my mother and a family of seven were brought up in a two roomed flat.This building is now Student Flats and is still standing close to the City Bridge.
The Post War Diaspora meant my Mother escaped the dire situation,it was so bad anyone with any sense sought to leave.The People we’re the strength of Newcastle and I loved their friendliness and honesty in my many visits with my Mum.
But you could taste the Grit in the air and the need for a better life for its poor or ordinary inhabitants.But the Grand Old Civic buildings would not be demolished now but preserved.But the Slums in Byker etc had to go and good riddance off to Longbenton you go.
Newcastle was a prime example of how not to redevelop will city’s like Newcastle ever learn ?
Loved this video It's good seeing how things used to be in the toon before I was born fun fact though I actually did a few films with Amber productions
Now it’s apartment buildings devouring the rest of the beautiful thoughtful architecture of those masters .
Excellent vid… the now & then fascinates. Fortunately with Newcastle some of the “Old” is still around here & there & gives the City its fundamental character.
Sad so many beautiful old buildings were destroyed: demolition was a shoddy short term policy applied to so many cities (including Bath that perfect Georgian gem). Their 70's replacements look like aching teeth in damaged mouths; thanks for posting.
Newcastle council have always been crap, and it seems they still are, but they’ve been neglecting the Tyne Bridge for years and now it’d in a disgusting state. They should be jailed.
I am in two minds about destroying old buildings. On the one hand, I fully support the idea behind listed status and ensuring the character of the nation is maintained over time through its buildings and public spaces. On the other, where would we be today if our ancestors had not knocked down buildings and rebuilt them a new. That being said, the arrogance they had in the 60s and 70s was rooted in this idea of endless abundance that they had at the time and this arrogance that their culture was and history was less valuable than it is.
Fantastic work. Love these types of videos
More to come!
Great work. The current redevelopment of the original city council offices site from 1970s office space does reflect a low life expectancy for modern development. Whilst this may only involve 're-using an existing building I do feel that demolishing buildings after a 40 to 50 year life span is wasteful and reflects poor planing and short term gain.
I lived in those flats in ouseburn in 2013/2015
I may sound selfish because I don't live there but for me, I love the old, solid, built like a tank buildings. When I visited Lodz Poland in 2022 I saw a lot of old buildings being leveled which is sad. There is something "Old world" and "European" about the old, classical buildings. I wish they would just gut them if necessary but have them remain charming.
I'm definitely not defending some of the 1970s architecture choices which were short sighted in my opinion, however the Newcastle of the 70s and 80s was a pretty bleak place and if you've ever been inside some of the ancient buildings (e.g. the old Cooperage) it's doubtful that they could have been repurposed.
Certainly some of the changes they made in the 70s contributed to the bleakness of the 80s. It wasn't all bad though - I still lament the loss of the fountains and UFO restaurant in Eldon Square!
In more recent times the redevelopment of the Grey Street, Grainger Street and Westgate Road areas in particular has been a massive success. When I was young you had to have a good reason to go down Grainger St, it was grim.
Although a lot of buildings were sadly destroyed (I think most places had this attitude around that time) at least the motorway plans were cancelled when they were
Very sad indeed.
Many thanks.
It's a beautiful city, in spite of it all
❤
The videos you're making on our city are fantastic, thank you so much.
Poor planning and the focus for city's to accommodate cars rather than making decent spaces still has left Newcastle with some real problems. Smackhead double is due to be torn down and replaced with a hotel, and new buildings thrown up on pilgrim street and around St james I think shows the same lack of utility within public space from town planners. They all seem to lack a coherent plan or fit together in a way to make city life better, not just that but nobody seems to use them. It's almost as if the process for permitting a new project really is "we've got a space, how much money can we get?" That destroys heritage and makes it a more depressing place to be.
At nine seconds in - I'm sure I sometimes dream about that place. Was that quite close to the quayside?
Eldon Square should never have been demolished I bought my first pair of Levi's at the American Pant House if anyone remembers that shop. The handyside arcade was a great hangout for kids into music and alternative lifestyles. A "fire" got rid of that after permission to demolish it had been rejected because of its historical importance as one of the first (if not the first) covered in shopping streets in the UK. At least they didn't demolish the Central arcade when the new Eldon Square was built. They wanted to demolish it but thankfully the planners were laughed at..
Interesting video but the audio is blown out by the music
I sense detest for the internal combustion engine. I concur. It's depressing how readily we swapped our souls for it.
New sub, it sickens me to watch this video and realise what we've lost, but I've seen the decline of Newcastle over the years, Westgate Hill was known all over with bikers, one by one the major manufacturers left, M&S motorcycles are the last big shop, how long before they leave?
A lot of this demolition was down to the then Council Leader T. Dan Smith, who I think ended up in prison for fraud. He did a better job than the Luftwaffe. Please do a video on the Byker Wall by architect Ralph Erskine and I'm also interested in your views on this development (does it work?).
The Labour Party have overseen the systematic decline of the North East for decades...
Improved for the better.
Just like St James Park over the years.
We seem destined to repeat the same mistakes. Much of the North East in particular still has fantastic architecture built when the area prospered and represented the epicentre of the Industrial Revolution and innovation that changed the world. I hope there is enough intelligence to keep that and repurpose it for the next revolution
Just what the Liebour council did to Glasgow as well.
Whenever the changes to Newcastle are discussed T Dan Smith is blamed, he was Council leader until 1965 so had very little to do with the demolition shown here. Also his conviction was not related to his time as council leader. The old town hall was despised and unused, the reports of the time are very clear, it was a rat-infested wreck of several buildings bodged together. It was in danger of structural collapse going back to the 1930's, when some of the tower was removed for safety reasons. The replacement is a monstrosity but thats a separate discussion, in my opinion, it should have been left as an open space allowing a greater view of the cathedral.
Its odd i own city center property and belive me the rats are still there maybe worse then the 1970s the rats are the only thing which never changed Odd that when i think about it loL
T Dan Smith was responsible for the whole City in the Sky idea, which was the beginning of the demolitions. He might have been out of office by 1972 but redevelopment doesn’t happen overnight and many projects that came to fruition later were undoubtedly conceived under Smith.
50 Years later and I still lament the loss of many of these buildings. However, we still got Grainger town, Grey Street, Theatre Royal etc they still look great 🙂
Thats so sad... This happened everywhere to some extent... What the German boming didn't destroy the planners finished... Its ok, they probably lived far away. My citry was also vandalised, as a new town.
What was the buildings used that were heavily graffitied near the Laing art gallery I’ve lived in the north east for 25 yrs and it’s always looked like this
The accelerated change in city centres is, in my opinion being pushed by the loss of pubs. These are bought by speculators and cowboys. Mysteriously burning down and rebuilt into cheap flats.
Heartbreaking to see beautiful Victorian buildings decimated all about money shame on council 😢.
both newcastle and sunland lost too many great buildings to 50-70's brutal architecture
So much lost in the 70s
T Dan Smith had a lot to answer for?.
Brilliant video . Still happening today. I miss the old newcastle
And now many of those concrete eyes sores have been levelled to the ground, whats left of the sky walk ways are neglected, covered in graffiti and stink of urine and cars are no longer welcome into the city center apart from through a few restricted routes, a truly terrible vision on our beautiful city.
And it sadly continues eith tge old odeon, and even everything but the facade of the old breeze creatives block.
The central motorway especially is so useless and destructive. From Exhibition Park all the way to Cuthbert House it's like a scar and sore. I hope the next time the city has some money they blow it up.
Probably good that the A1 doesn't run down Northumberland street these days, though, 😀.
The modern A1 was developed to the west as a bypass, which involved a fair bit of compulsory purchase and demolition along the route. The chunk of an M road in the city centre is similar to Birmingham, with the A38(M). Fashions come and go with a lot of urban design, especially the idea of segregating footpaths and roads, with tunnels/underpasses. In many places, they are no longer popular, being attractive to certain groups of people.
🖤love the Toon🤍
Can you cover cities like Birmingham?
We give up alot of our space to the car.... City centres should be car free. (Obvs there are some exceptions).
T.Dan smith & co ruined a lot of the city.
The City Planners have destroyed do much of Newcastles heritage😢
Newcastle has been progressively vandalised over decades. Although the bones of the city, by which I mean the land, the structure remains strong, the edifices and the construction upon it are like awful plastic surgery on the face of a once beautiful woman. So what I’m saying is, Newcastle once looked as good as Leslie Ash in Quadroohenia. Now, it just looks like Leslie Ash.
The hubris of central planners
Newcastle town planners NEVER LEARN their lesson. There has never been a site anywhere, Byker, Walker, anywhere that’s been ‘redeveloped’ into something better. Right up to the handysides arcade being demolished nobody in the city departments have EVER cared.
Newcastle Old Town Hall while had a nice facade, it was poorly a constructed mishmash, ultimately not fit for purpose. In fact it was once the most hated building in the Toon.
Many of our old buildings would have cost an obscene amount of money just to bring upto safe state, that's before you renovate it into something useful. That's tax payers money wasted.....
I'm not suggesting what replaced this or other buildings were good looking.
They done the same to south shields and are doing it right now as i speak 5 old buildings up to now I've seen removed they don't want us to know the truth my lovelys but we were promised everything will come to light and it is... all our beautiful churches 🙏
Newcastle-upon-Tyne has been destroyed.
it lost its sole