'Broadsides' Virtual Exhibition

Just a quick one this time.

I came across this website ages ago, but forgot to pass on the details to you all. It is a little online project of Newcastle University's Special Collections & Archives entitled 'Broadsides: Revealing Newcastle's Past Through Popular Print Culture'. 

There's not much too it, but if you've an interest in the city's history then you might want to have a dip in.

Amble's Singular Blue Plaque

(click on images to enlarge)

At 94 Queen Street, Amble, can be found the town's only blue plaque. I was up there the other day, and found it quite by accident - though it is easy to miss on account of it being 12 or so foot above ground level. In case you can't make out the text on the image above, it reads:

Professor Sir

James Calvert Spence

1892-1954

Kt, MC, MD (Durham), FRCP

Born and raised in this house

Pioneer in the care of sick children and social paediatrics

Founding member  British Paediatric Association, now

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

Founded the Newcastle University Department

of Child Health, the first in England

Started Newcastle 1000 Family Study

The Red Spots

The full story of the raising of the plaque, as well as a good deal of background information on the man himself can be found in this excellent piece at The Ambler website. The reference to 'The Red Spots' pertains to the markings that were placed on the family files during the study.

I can only add that several years ago I obtained a copy of the resultant 1954 book based on the work of Spence entitled A Thousand Families in Newcastle upon Tyne. Though I'm sure the man's work was important, I didn't get beyond the first chapter. One for the academics, I think!