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A brief History of Newcastle upon Tyne

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During the eighteenth century Newcastle increasingly dominated the region. A commercial infrastructure developed which was not present in other north-east towns. There was however another side to the town’s prosperity. Whole areas of the town near the river were squalid as increasing population put pressure on available housing. As in other towns, those who could afford to do so left the centre in the latter part of the eighteenth century, either for country estates or for newly developing streets of imposing Georgian houses outside the walls of the city.

Stimulated by new industries, Newcastle entered its greatest period of population growth, from 35,000 in 1821 to 88,000 in 1851 to 266,000 in 1911. Locomotive construction by the Stephensons began at Forth banks and shipbuilding expanded. By far the most significant enterprise was that begun by W.G. Armstrong at Elswick, building armaments and ships on what had been a green river bank. Whole suburbs of terraced housing for the workers were developed east and west of the town centre. By now Newcastle had long outgrown its medieval core, and new suburbs such as Heaton and Jesmond developed rapidly.
Eventually, Walker, Benwell, Fenham and part of Kenton were incorporated into the city in 1904.

Towards the end of the nineteenth century a new phase of development began in the city centre, mainly banks and other commercial enterprises, however in addition, shops developed on a massive scale. The city’s regional position as a shopping centre was confirmed as Fenwick’s department store expanded and the remainder of Northumberland Street changed from residential to shopping use.

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