Brave men who built our Tyne Bridge
THE world-famous symbol and defining landmark of the North East was opened on this day 90 years ago.
Amid joyous celebrations and watched by thousands, King George V declared the New Tyne Bridge open on Wednesday, October 10, 1928.
He told the waiting crowds: “It is my earnest hope that this notable improvement in the facilities of transport may help to bring back to your city that full tide of prosperity which your courage and patience under recent difficulties so justly deserve.”
It was a magnificent feat of engineering that united Newcastle and Gateshead at a time of great economic hardship.
Now, brilliant footage from the North East Film archive shows the bridge under construction in the run-up to the opening. Those without a head for heights, look away now!
At a time when the concept of health and safety clearly wasn’t a priority, we see fearless Tyneside workers nicknamed “monkey men” - high above the River Tyne and Quayside.
Crowds of spectators would gather open-mouthed on the ground to watch men working at heights of up to 200ft above the river, not wearing safety harnesses and using ladders lashed together to reach the top, and sometimes even just shimmying up the columns.
The film footage is the latest instalment of CineSecrets. Over recent months, we have been unveiling hidden gems that show historic Tyneside on film.
They come from the unique collection of the region’s North East Film Archive (NEFA).
Once a month we are releasing a Tyneside treasure from NEFA’s archive on our website - www.chroniclelive. co.uk - and on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
You’ll experience the sights and sounds, the faces, changing landscapes and industries of a ‘lost’ Tyneside.
If these films spark your own memories, or you spot a familiar face, then please drop us a line.
CineSecrets forms just a small part of a vast catalogue of film collected and preserved by the North East Film Archive.
It’s part of the archive’s major new project, North East on Film, which aims to re-connect the people and communities of the region with their film heritage, and provide important glimpses into our history through special screenings, events and online collections.
■■Today, the Chronicle includes a special 12-page supplement, Tyne Bridge at 90.