Wapping Street up to Comical Corner
Wapping Street started after the old railway turntable. There were 10 pubs advertised in Wapping Street in 1827.
The Low Brewery was first opened in 1815 by Kirkley & Taylor and then from 1852 to 1895 by R S and D Crosthwaite, they owned a large number of South Shields pubs, including the Look Out, Pier Hotel and the Marsden Inn.
Next was the Tyneside Engineering Works this had previously been Wapping Street Iron Foundry.
The Low Dock was the first dry dock in South Shields it was also known as Barkers Dock, Fairles Dock and eventually became part of Brigham & Cowan’s Dock.
Pan Ash Quay takes its name from when the salt industry was centred around Wapping Street as well as West Holborn.
At Half Moon Quay James Jackson had a boat building yard where he built the lifeboat Tom Perry and Willie Wouldhave.
Wapping Street intersected with Comical Corner and this section was demolished in 1937.
Wapping Street after Comical Corner
North East Maritime Trust
North East Maritime Trust (NEMT) started in 2005 in what had been a pattern makers workshop and boat builders.
From 1938 until at least the mid 1950s the building was in use by J. G. Mitchelson Boat Builder.
They later acquired a former boat building shed next door which is on the site of the Old Ferry Boat Landing street.
Alec Renwick from NEMT said:
“However, a great deal of work was needed to make the building and our more recently acquired boatshed next door suitable for the work we do.”
“Everyone at NEMT is a volunteer and we couldn’t exist without their help and expertise in so many areas of what we do. We don’t employ any staff.”
Henry Frederick Swan
In 2005: “After some basic updating we moved the historically important 1917-18 Tynemouth lifeboat, ‘Henry Frederick Swan’ into the building. Starting a long-term and somewhat complex restoration wasn’t easy, but after a very successful launching in April 2019, everyone was celebrating.”
Bedford
Bedford was built in South Shields in 1886 and was stationed here at the Coble Landing for 50 years she saved 55 lives. Restoration started in 2019 at NEMT and was completed in 2022.
“With a number of successful restorations and conservation projects including fishing cobles and our recent restoration of the 1886 South Shields pulling lifeboat called Bedford which will soon go on public display, we are happy to shout from the decks.”
“It has always been NEMT’s intention to promote a working/live museum environment with historic vessels in the water and not being used as static display items.”
Stob Lane
The Long Bank
The Long Bank was a very steep hill going from Wapping Street to the end of Mile End Road.
The Stirling Castle was a pub on the corner of the Long Bank which is where in 1897 Francis Daniels wrote his brilliant novel “The Angel of Comical Corner”.
After the Long Bank, Wapping Street becomes Shadwell Street.
Sources:
Alec T Renwick (NEMT)
Borough of South Shields, George B Hodgson
British Newspaper Archives
Terry Ford
Photos:
Alec T Renwick (NEMT)
South Tyneside Libraries
South Shields Research Through Imaging
Terry Ford