A pair of blue plaques that mark important events in North Tyneside’s maritime history have been restored.
One of the plaques adorns a wall outside the Master Mariners’ Homes, on Tynemouth Road, and explains how the Grade II listed building was created in 1840 to provide low-cost housing for ‘aged mariners and their dependants’.
The other marks a tragic series of events in November 1864 which saw five shipwrecks in three days at the Black Middens, a notorious rock formation at the mouth of the Tyne, in which 34 passengers and crew perished within sight of the shore.
Built between 1837 and 1840 by North Shields Master Mariners Asylum, the Master Mariners Homes were built to accommodate 32 aged mariners and their dependents. John and Benjamin Green were the architects, and the land was donated by the 3rd Duke of Northumberland, whose statue stands in the gardens.
The Black Middens plaque is situated near the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade and the Admiral Lord Collingwood Monument.
The weather-beaten plaques, installed in 1986, have now been refurbished as part of a scheme by North Tyneside Council to freshen up historic markers across the borough.
Councillor Sarah Day, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, said: “I’m delighted to see these plaques restored and looking as good as new.
“There are dozens of blue plaques dotted around North Tyneside and they remind us of the important events that helped to shape the borough that we know today. By restoring them, we are honouring our heritage and ensuring that our local history is preserved and passed on to future generations.
“I look forward to seeing further restorations appearing in locations across the borough.”