Christ Church…
(Built 1873 demolished 1977)
The first Vicar of Dunston, the Revd. John Jones was appointed in 1872. He worked from the Church Mission room on Dunston Road which, until it burnt down in the early 1980′s stood opposite the Church School opened in 1818 by the Hon. E. Grey, rector of Whickham, the first master of this school was Mr. Joseph Ferguson, formerly in this school were sand desks at which the children were taught to write with appointed stick in the sand the school is under the management of the Rev. John Jones. (1890) This school although in ruins is still standing today.
The Ecclesiastical Parish of Dunston was formed in 1872 with the building of Christ Church on Wellington Road, and covered the area today served by St. Nicholas and All Saints, Lobley Hill, previously it formed part of the ancient parish of Whickham and was given part of the Whickham Glebe lands on its formation, which included at the time a large part of the land now covered by the Metro Centre.
Whellan’s directory of Durham published in 1894 liste under Dunston “Christ Church, a plain structure, in the early English style, consisting of Nave and Chancel with south porch, was erected in 1876 at a cost of £3000, and will seat about 300 persons, attached to the church is a burial ground of about two acres”.
The chancel extension was completed just before 1909 which housed a magnificent four light stained glass window of the last supper, dedicated in memory of Joe Cooper and installed by his wif and daughters, the window consisted of four large panels with Jesus standing in the second from left the other three each contained four of the twelve apostles all other windows were of plain glass. Beneath the stained glass window was the alter, this was made of oak panelling which came from Ravensworth Castle when part of it was demolished, there was one large bell in the bell tower, the bell had to be rung fifteen minutes before each service apart from the introduction of electricity into the church nothing else really changed until in demolition in 1978 two years after its 100th birthday, the church yard was also cleared of Gravestones although the bodies remain in its hallowed ground. The alter cross and Bishop Chair were taken to St. Nicholas where they remind us of our long parish history.
Revd. Macintosh was at Christ Church from 1904 until 1933, this incumbency was only beaten at Christ Church by the Revd, Leslie Forster, vicar of Dunston from 1943 until 1974.
First baptism, William George Stephenson, June 16, 1872. First burial, Arthur Thompson, May 21st, 1876. First wedding, Joseph Anderson and Isabella Noble, June 4th, 1876.
Vicars of Christ Church…
1872-1904- Revd. J. Jones.
1904-1933- Revd. J.W.D. Macintosh.
1933-1937- Revd. J.E. Talbot.
1937-1943- Revd. E.W. Hunt.
1943-1974- Revd. L.A. Forster.
1974-1978- Revd. D. Heron.
(Built 1873 demolished 1977)
The first Vicar of Dunston, the Revd. John Jones was appointed in 1872. He worked from the Church Mission room on Dunston Road which, until it burnt down in the early 1980′s stood opposite the Church School opened in 1818 by the Hon. E. Grey, rector of Whickham, the first master of this school was Mr. Joseph Ferguson, formerly in this school were sand desks at which the children were taught to write with appointed stick in the sand the school is under the management of the Rev. John Jones. (1890) This school although in ruins is still standing today.
The Ecclesiastical Parish of Dunston was formed in 1872 with the building of Christ Church on Wellington Road, and covered the area today served by St. Nicholas and All Saints, Lobley Hill, previously it formed part of the ancient parish of Whickham and was given part of the Whickham Glebe lands on its formation, which included at the time a large part of the land now covered by the Metro Centre.
Whellan’s directory of Durham published in 1894 liste under Dunston “Christ Church, a plain structure, in the early English style, consisting of Nave and Chancel with south porch, was erected in 1876 at a cost of £3000, and will seat about 300 persons, attached to the church is a burial ground of about two acres”.
The chancel extension was completed just before 1909 which housed a magnificent four light stained glass window of the last supper, dedicated in memory of Joe Cooper and installed by his wif and daughters, the window consisted of four large panels with Jesus standing in the second from left the other three each contained four of the twelve apostles all other windows were of plain glass. Beneath the stained glass window was the alter, this was made of oak panelling which came from Ravensworth Castle when part of it was demolished, there was one large bell in the bell tower, the bell had to be rung fifteen minutes before each service apart from the introduction of electricity into the church nothing else really changed until in demolition in 1978 two years after its 100th birthday, the church yard was also cleared of Gravestones although the bodies remain in its hallowed ground. The alter cross and Bishop Chair were taken to St. Nicholas where they remind us of our long parish history.
Revd. Macintosh was at Christ Church from 1904 until 1933, this incumbency was only beaten at Christ Church by the Revd, Leslie Forster, vicar of Dunston from 1943 until 1974.
First baptism, William George Stephenson, June 16, 1872. First burial, Arthur Thompson, May 21st, 1876. First wedding, Joseph Anderson and Isabella Noble, June 4th, 1876.
Vicars of Christ Church…
1872-1904- Revd. J. Jones.
1904-1933- Revd. J.W.D. Macintosh.
1933-1937- Revd. J.E. Talbot.
1937-1943- Revd. E.W. Hunt.
1943-1974- Revd. L.A. Forster.
1974-1978- Revd. D. Heron.
Methodist Church, Ravensworth Road.
At the laying of the foundation stone of Ravensworth Road Methodist Chapel on May 19th 1875, Mr. C.H. Palmer, M.P. said that he would not give local inhabitants more than ten years in which to look upon the green fields of the surrounding neighbourhood, he saw industrial growth and development changing Dunston from a small village to a large town and this growth with its accompanying population boom led to the building and opening of the Lecture Hall alongside the chapel in 1898. Palmer was right about the disappearance of the green and pleasant land, Bourn, in his “Whickham Parish” published 1893 described this part of Dunston as “extremely picturesque”. Ravensworth Road (formerly called Team Lane) was built up on the eastern side but to the west only Spoor Street, Seymour Street and Victoria Street existed alongside the small terrace to both sides of the Chapel. Towards Swalwell only Dunston Lodge Lunatic Asylum and two cottages on Dunston Road (Asylum Lane) broke the green and open view, to the south the view was also pleasant only three farms covered the area between Ellison Road and Whickham Highway.
The shops to the left of the Chapel housed an old pork shop, Jock Garrow and Mordues, the fruit shop as well as others to the right there was Sheridan’s Cafe, Browns and Carrs Pawnshops, Fisher’s Ironmongery and Godferys the plumbers.
Methodists & Wesleyans...
Although there are records of Wesleyans worshipping in Dunston in the early 1800′s the first chapel was built by the New Connexion Methodists near to the Church School on Dunston Road in 1838. The new connexion was formed in 1797 by separation from the Wesleyan church to increase lay seperation in the running of the church, the leaders of the movement in Dunston were the Blenkinsops of Bute Hall where the earliest meetings took place, but the Gateshead Observer of 1838 tells us :- “The New Connexion Chapel at Dunston was opened for divine service on the 2nd inst and a tea party was held on the following day”
At about the same time, the Primitive Methodists were worshipping at a chapel in Stoke Square, Bourn tells us in his “Whickham Parish book” that the population of Dunston in 1841 was 1,192, by 1891 this figure had doubled to 3,325 and both chapels proved too small to cope with their congregations.
The population was also moving away from the river area up to Ravensworth Road towards the Dun Cow and it was to Ravensworth Road that both groups decide to move.
Bourn tells us ” 1875, May 19, the foundation stone of the Methodist New Connexion Chapel, Dunston was laid by Charles M. Palmer M.P. in the presence of a large number of spectators, a procession was formed at the school-room and headed by the local Drum and Fife (A Drum and Fife Band is a musical ensemble that consists of flutes and drums), marched through the principal thoroughfares” The “Prims” also moved to Ravensworth Road in 1898 to a new Chapel, the building now demolished was previously the “Yarn Market” and earlier known locally as the “Sally bash” owned by the Salvation Army.
This Chapel also soon proved too small and in 1906 the “Prims” moved again, to Wood Street Chapel, built in 1900 by the Independant Methodists, the old Church was sold to the Salvation Army (Sally Bash). The Wesleyans had continued to worship at various locations. In 1903 they built the present still standing church, although its original purpose was a church school, the chapel was known as Hexham Road but is now Dunston Hill, to simplify this complicated tale in 1932 the United Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists joined together to form the present Methodists
CHURCHES STILL STANDING...
St Nicholas Church…
The District of St. Nicholas was formed in 1929 by breaking off part of the parish of Christ Church, increasing development had shifted the balance of population away from the riverside. St. Nicholas Church original church was built on the site of the present Vicarage and was eventually intended to become the church hall, a larger church was hoped to be a future development on the site of the present church, this original St. Nicholas was a dual purpose Church and Hall the church section opened May 1929 and the hall completed on the 28th March 1931, the hall had a stage and dressing rooms but could also be used as an extension to the church when occasion demanded. The Rev. C. Beaglehole the first priest in charge of St. Nicholas lived at 17 Moore Avenue.
In 1958 the present Church Hall was built, it was decided to combine the original church hall into a permanent church to keep the costs down, but the 1960 quinquennial inspection reported that the walls were to thin and the roof too weak for this to take place, the cost of solving these problems would be greater than those to build a new church.
The Church was demolished in 1964 and building started on the present church in September of the same year and the church was consecrated on Wednesday 29th September 1965 by Maurice Lord Bishop of Durham and commemorative postcards of its silver jubilee are still available.
Vicars..
1929-1933. C. H. Beaglehole.
1933-1940. W. Usher.
1940-1948. W. Blackett.
1948-1952. W. H. Jefferson.
1952-1957. G. R. Renwick.
1958-1968. Ronald Corker.
1968-1987 George Dobson Heron.
1987-1992 Daveth Harold Frost.
1992-2010 Keith Teasdale.
2010-2023 David Atkinson.
2023
St Nicholas Church…
The District of St. Nicholas was formed in 1929 by breaking off part of the parish of Christ Church, increasing development had shifted the balance of population away from the riverside. St. Nicholas Church original church was built on the site of the present Vicarage and was eventually intended to become the church hall, a larger church was hoped to be a future development on the site of the present church, this original St. Nicholas was a dual purpose Church and Hall the church section opened May 1929 and the hall completed on the 28th March 1931, the hall had a stage and dressing rooms but could also be used as an extension to the church when occasion demanded. The Rev. C. Beaglehole the first priest in charge of St. Nicholas lived at 17 Moore Avenue.
In 1958 the present Church Hall was built, it was decided to combine the original church hall into a permanent church to keep the costs down, but the 1960 quinquennial inspection reported that the walls were to thin and the roof too weak for this to take place, the cost of solving these problems would be greater than those to build a new church.
The Church was demolished in 1964 and building started on the present church in September of the same year and the church was consecrated on Wednesday 29th September 1965 by Maurice Lord Bishop of Durham and commemorative postcards of its silver jubilee are still available.
Vicars..
1929-1933. C. H. Beaglehole.
1933-1940. W. Usher.
1940-1948. W. Blackett.
1948-1952. W. H. Jefferson.
1952-1957. G. R. Renwick.
1958-1968. Ronald Corker.
1968-1987 George Dobson Heron.
1987-1992 Daveth Harold Frost.
1992-2010 Keith Teasdale.
2010-2023 David Atkinson.
2023
St Philip Neri...
Before Father Matthews was sent to Dunston to establish a chapel there in 1882, the Catholics of Dunston parish worshipped in St Joseph's RC Church, Gateshead. The Priest at St Joseph's, Father Matthews, tried to hold services nearer to Dunston by hiring first a room in Tynedale Terrace and then a hay loft in Bolam Street which served the dual purpose of school and church.
In 1882 a school chapel was built to the designs of Messrs Dunn and Hansom but lack of funds meant that the planned presbytery could not be built and the Priest continued to live in Tynedale Terrace until a house was taken in Brompton Place in 1884. In 1884 the present Presbytery was built for £764.00 making a total debt of £2410.00 for School and Presbytery, which was a very large sum for a relatively small congregation.
In 1882 plans were also drawn up for the Catholic School.
In 1903 Father Foxall was appointed to the parish. One of his first tasks was to build a Church which was to be distinct from the School. A temporary iron building was opened in 1905 and served until 1934 when it was completely reconstructed.