Favourite Newcastle Books No.4: 'Newcastle upon Tyne: It's Growth and Achievement'

When I first became interested in the history of my hometown in the late 1980s I had a look around the local bookshops and the libraries to see what I could find on the topic. I was astonished to discover that there were no recent histories available. The best I could do was this effort by S.Middlebrook, Senior History Master at the city's Royal Grammar School, which had been published as long ago as 1950. Of all the tomes I have acquired since, this remains probably the best of the lot.

As nothing like a comprehensive history of Newcastle had been produced for a long time prior to this book (60+ years), and nothing else would follow for several more decades, Middlebrook's effort enjoyed a special place in the hearts of historically-minded Novocastrians for a very long time. But even this book had its problems. The text was finished as early as 1946, but publication was delayed by various difficulties encountered by printers and publishers in the late 1940s (whatever they were - was paper rationed? 😆).

As you can imagine (thanks to the occupation of its author) this reads very much like a text book. But that gives it a certain air of authority, and is kind of comforting. By his own admission, Middlebrook relied (of course) on the work of earlier historians for the really early stuff, but he invested a great deal of his own time researching everything after about 1820. Unlike most previous historians of the city's past, the author avoided surrounding the straightforward facts with an "air of romantic glamour" (as he puts it - and he's right).

The main thread is the economic development of the town and city, but it is much more than that. It is a social history, too; and Newcastle's place in the grand scheme of things - the wider geographical and historical setting - is carefully chronicled. It is a little light on historic buildings and famous personalities, but don't let that put you off. 

Amazingly, it has never (as far as I am aware) been re-published following its initial appearance in 1950. However, there are always copies to be found on Amazon, eBay, and the like - and even, occasionally, in second-hand bookshops. You've just gotta get a copy.

Newcastle upon Tyne: Its Growth and Achievement, by S.Middlebrook, published by Newcastle Chronicle & Journal Ltd, 1950 (hardback, 361 pages).