The coastal town of South Shields, lying on the south of the mouth of
the River Tyne grew massively during the Industrial Revolution.
Industries such as coal mining, alkaline production and glass making
generated wealth and brought in many people. By the twentieth century
the town was also known for shipbuilding, but in recent years the
landscape has changed markedly with the closure of many heavy industries
and the move to more service-based commercial development. Areas of the
town that had been destroyed by bombing during the Second World War or
left empty by departing industries have been regenerated and the town is
now a popular tourist destination. Lost South Shields presents a
portrait of this corner of North East England over the last century to
recent decades that has radically changed or disappeared today, showing
not only industries and buildings that have gone but also people and
street scenes, many popular places of entertainment and much more. This
fascinating photographic history of lost South Shields will appeal to
all those who live in the area or know it well, as well as those who
remember it from previous decades.
