Northumberland and Newcastle Society

Remembering those who gave their life in defence of this country

AS FEATURED IN THE NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE 25 OCTOBER 2018

St Cuthbert's Village taken in 1970 with the old Redheugh Bridge in the background. The main contractor was Stanley Miller. The client was Gateshead Corporation and was one of many high-rise developments Stanley Miller built for both Gateshead and Newcastle Councils.

Many have stood the test of time and still stand, albeit with modernisation and some re-cladding such as Harlow Green, Allerdene, Beacon Lough, Regent Court in Gateshead and Jesmond Vale and Shieldfield in Newcastle.

Many were built using the MWM system of construction which stands for Miller Wise Mouchel - Douglas Wise being the architect and LG Mouchel the structural engineer.

it was officially opened by Prime Minister Harold Wilson on 17th April 1970. Mr Wilson was presented with an engraved silver Lindisfarne tankard by the Chairman of Stanley Miller, Mr Ernest Bell along with a bound copy of Scott Dobson’s “Larn Yersel Geordie”.

Gateshead Council presented him with a chest of silverware at a reception held at the Shipley Art Gallery.

[photo credit: John Matthews]

Did you know that the 26-storey block currently going up in Rutherford Street will not be the tallest in Newcastle?

Vale House in Jesmond Vale which was built by Stanley Miller for Newcastle Corporation is 28 storeys high, it just looks smaller due to its location in the valley. It was completed in October 1968.

John Matthews of our Tyneside Committee has a copy of a letter sent by a resident – a Mr J Jamison to the City News in June 1969 – waxing lyrically about his new “castle in the air” – it shows that despite the problems of many multi storey blocks, Vale House was and still is well loved.

[photo credit: John Matthews]

Do you live in the Northumberland National Park?

The Big Dipper campaign aims to raise the public awareness of light pollution and encourage property owners with outside lighting to assess how much lighting they have and ensure wherever possible that outside lights:

~ Point downwards or are fully shielded
~ Only illuminate the areas they need to and aren’t used excessively
~ Employ lighting that is no brighter than necessary, using bulbs which emit warm light rather than white/blue light to help minimise glare

Read more in their blog...https://www.cnp.org.uk/blog/see-star-potential-big-dipper-campaign

[Photo credit: Milky Way over Harbottle Castle - Ian Glendinning]