South Shields Sanddancers Forum

Does anyone have any photographs of Smith's iron foundry in Hill Street/ Nile Street - any era but preferably c1900 or able to refer me to a site?

Thanks

radstockjeff

http://www.southtynesideimages.org.uk/f ... UyOSUzQg==

http://www.southtynesideimages.org.uk/f ... ZwYWdlPTI=

I knew that foundry well, I went to school just across the road from it.

Thanks Mr Smith. Unfortunately the two links did not work but I got into the ST images site and found some pictures of Nile Street area. Interesting stuff in there.

radstockjeff

jeff wrote:Thanks Mr Smith. Unfortunately the two links did not work but I got into the ST images site and found some pictures of Nile Street area. Interesting stuff in there.

radstockjeff

I should have tried the links after I posted them, they don't work for me either.

If you log onto the site again and put these numbers in the search box you will see the two photos

STH0000425 and STH0001174

Thanks Mr Smith. Got there this time

radstockjeff

Mr Smith. Can you recall whether Smith's foundry was on the right hand side or left hand side of Nile Street looking towards the river?

radstockjeff

jeff wrote:Mr Smith. Can you recall whether Smith's foundry was on the right hand side or left hand side of Nile Street looking towards the river?

radstockjeff

On the right, it was just opposite Trinity School and was on the right hand side of Nile street viewed from Commercial Road towards the river.

another shot showing it STH0001181

That vicinity is classed as "High Shields" Nile Street ran from Commercial Road to Holborn with Smiths taking up a large part of Nile Street.

Thanks once again.

One last question. When I visited that area in 2002 I took some pictures of the buildings there showing Tyne Tubes Ltd. Would that have been the site? Looking on "Google earth" a few days ago it looked as if the whole site has been cleared but maybe I was not looking at the right place.

We traced Smith & C0(South Shields)Ltd to Bridges House Imeary Street but I believe that they have since moved from there to somewhere in Northumberland.

radstockjeff

i went to the same school smithy the main building of the school is still there, i think it is a motor business now.

siam sam wrote:i went to the same school smithy the main building of the school is still there, i think it is a motor business now.

That's right Sam, that's what it was last time I looked. Trinity Motors I think it was.

Jeff, Tyne Tubes is still there as far as I can ascertain and it is at the other end of Nile Street to where
Smiths were and it only looks like offices (not sure if they are still in use). I believe that Smiths ran the
full length of that side of Nile Street, so Tyne Tubes would have occupied some of the land after Smiths
was demolished.

Thanks for all the info re Nile Street and Smiths Foundry.

My interest? Family history and trying to put together something for my sons and their children.

My wife's great grandfather George Smith started the business in about 1875 with a Mr Henderson and it was known in the early days as Smith & Henderson.

George had worked in Gateshead for Abbott & Co (engineers) and then Clark Watson and Gurney before coming to South Shields.
His son Edward took over the business in 1905 on the death of his father and then went into partnership with another Smith (no relation). There was apparently an acrimonious parting of the ways in 1928 when Edward retired from the firm.
Edward was Mayor and subsequently a Centenary Freeman of the Borough (1950).

radstockjeff

None of the related to me Jeff