The Strange Case of Rachel Parsons

Those of you who know even a little bit about the history of the North-East will have heard of Charles Algernon Parsons, the remarkable mechanical engineer and inventor responsible for the early development of the steam turbine. He wasn't a North-Easterner by birth, but spent most of his days based in and around Newcastle and Gateshead where he would eventually earn for himself a world famous reputation in his field.

He and his wife, Katharine, had two children, a son and a daughter. Algernon George "Tommy" Parsons was killed in action in 1918. Their daughter, though, Rachel Mary Parsons, followed her father into science and industry - and to startling effect.

However, following the death of her brother in 1918, she seems to have gone into a slow and steady mental decline. It was only very gradual - and she continued to have astonishing success along the way - but her condition seemed to accelerate after she inherited her parents fortune in the early 1930s. She never married, nor did she have any children, and descended eventually into a sad and lonely existence in her various properties.

And then, in 1956, she was murdered. The story is extraordinary, and I would urge you to read the following articles in order. Firstly, have a look at her Wikipedia entry.

Then check out a comprehensive account of her death.

And there's a little addendum here.

How strange. And what a sad end to a truly stupendous family legacy.

Demise of J.G.Windows

On 29th November 2024 one of Newcastle’s best known stores closed after 116 years of trading. JG Windows Ltd, the city’s original music store, finally fell to the march of time and the relentless online competition. It was a long and happy existence, and the store’s loss is a significant watershed moment for lovers of the high street retail world. It went into formal liquidation on 12th December.

No matter how old you are, the Windows outlet in the beautiful environs of the city’s Central Arcade was a mainstay of your life - correctly describing itself in its closure notice as “a cornerstone of the region’s musical heritage.” The shop sold not only music in all its many and varied forms - a large percentage of it ‘niche’ or ‘specialist’ - but also musical instruments, sheet music and all manner of related electronic devices and equipment. There really was no other place quite like it.

(click on image to enlarge)

Founded by the Windows family in 1908 in the almost brand new Central Arcade, the business changed hands in 2006; and from 2020 J.G.Windows also ran a music academy. Its other two outlets, in Darlington and the MetroCentre, closed in 2018 and 2022, respectively. The demise of the company’s mother branch in Newcastle was a slow-burner, with the business being put up for sale in 2023, but despite strenuous efforts a buyer could not be found. The closure meant redundancy for the concern’s 17 employees.

In the aftermath of the closure, local stars of the music scene, such as Neil Tennant, Mark Knopfler, and members of Lindisfarne, expressed their sorrow at the sad turn of events.

Goodbye, old friend.

Souter: the Lighthouse With the Wrong Name

The North-East of England is famous for countless British and world 'firsts'; and the stunning coastal landmark that is Souter Lighthouse, betwixt the mouths of the Tyne and the Wear, represents another such effort. For, despite being out of action since 1988, the gleaming specimen that we still see today, was the very first lighthouse in Britain - and most likely, we think, the world - to be designed and built specifically to use electric power. When it was switched on in 1871 it was, therefore, the most advanced structure of its type.

Previously, operators of the South Foreland Lighthouse near Dover had fiddled around with electrical power during 1858-62, but this effort was an adaptation of an existing building. Souter was purpose-built for electricity from its inception - and constructed after a good deal of research following on from that earlier South Foreland experiment.

Strangely, the lighthouse is, strictly speaking, incorrectly named. For the structure sits on Lizard Point, with Souter Point being about a mile to the south. After much humming and hawing, Lizard Point was considered a better spot than Souter Point, so it was erected a little further north than originally intended. But as there was already a 'Lizard Lighthouse' down in Cornwall, they decided to stick with the geographically-incorrect moniker to avoid confusion. The light itself was generated by a carbon arc lamp, and was first lit to great acclaim on 11th January 1871. 

This particular stretch of coastline had an appalling record when it came to shipwrecks, with dangerous reefs and rocky outcrops abounding; so the new warning beacon was considered an essential addition to the coastal scene. The light, which was generated by two magneto-electric generators, had a range of 26 miles, and was supplemented by a huge double-foghorn - which itself was powered by the same source. Then, in 1891, the tower gained its distinctive broad red band!

Obviously, the lighthouse was upgraded from time to time, including being converted to oil-power in 1914 - eventually reverting to electric (this time via mains electricity) in 1952. Trinity House, who were of course responsible for Souter Lighthouse's construction back in 1871, eventually decommissioned its own creation in 1988. Perhaps unusually, it was never automated, so the building happily retains much of its old internal workings.

The site is now run by the National Trust and is open to visitors. It is blessed with a cafe and small second-hand bookshop ... and even has a couple of holiday lets!