Pages 761-762
Historical Account of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Including the Borough of Gateshead. Originally published by Mackenzie and Dent, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1827.
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ADDENDA.
Page203.—Mr. R. B. Dodd, civil engineer, has prepared plans for erecting a suspension bridge over the Tyne at some distance west of the present bridge, so as to avoid those steep and difficult hills, the Bottle Bank, Dean Street, &c. and to substitute a road at once safe, level, and easy. But the present time does not appear favourable for the execution of such vast local improvements.
Page 215.—The expense of building Pandon New Bridge was £7448, 12s. 10d.
Page242.—A beautiful figure of Jesus Christ bearing the Cross, in stained glass, has been inserted in the grand eastern window of St. Nicholas' church, at the cost of £50, paid by the corporation. The figure is taken from a painting by Mr. Dixon, and, with the ornaments, is tastefully and happily executed by Mr. John Gibson, the artist mentioned in page 345.
Page 255.—Extract from a letter written by the late Rev. Joseph Dacre Carlyle, vicar of Newcastle, to the churchwardens of St. Nicholas', in 1804, respecting the steeple of that church:—"It is a fabric, in my opinion, the most beautiful that exists in the world; which surpasses the Cathedral of St. Sophia at Constantinople, the Mosque of Sultan Saladin at Jerusalem, the Church of St. Peter at Rome, and even the Temple of Minerva at Athens."
Page 321.—A few years ago, the late Bishop of Durham (Dr. Barrington) gave £600, the corporation of Newcastle £600, and Lord Crewe's trustees £300, towards augmenting the three perpetual curacies in this town, viz. All Saints', St. John's, and St. Andrew's. By means of these benefactions, a portion of the interest accruing thereon, given by the curates, and subscriptions raised in two of the chapelries, each curacy was augmented with £600; every £200 of which were met with £300 by the governors of Queen Anne's Bounty; and interest, at the rate of £4 per cent. per annum, is paid by them upon the whole sum, to the respective curates. Thus, each of these churches received £1500 principal, yielding an annual payment of £60.
Page 322.—The register of the son of the Rev. John Hogarth is incorrect. The church was consecrated on Tuesday, November 17, 1789; and on the following Sunday, November 22, was "Baptized, and received into the church, Thomas, son of Thomas Lowery, of Newcastle, victualler." The names of 10 other children follow on the same day.
Page 360.—The description given of the New Chapel to be erected near the Barras Bridge is quite accurate. Since that article was printed, an act has been obtained, authorising the master and brethren of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen to proceed with the building; but as the corporation engaged to pay most of the expense, the management of the business was referred to a building committee selected from the common council. Though, as before stated, the common council was understood to have approved the plan which Mr. Dobson had, at their desire, presented; yet the committee determined to receive offers from other professional gentlemen. Accordingly, three models of chapels were prepared; one by Mr. Green, and the other two by Mr. Dobson: but the model from the plan originally produced by Mr. Dobson was chosen. The estimated expense of the building was £6000; but Mr. Brown, mason, Mr. Hall, house-carpenter, and Mr. Dodds, plasterer, have agreed to execute it for £300 less. The chapel will be 134 feet 9½ inches long, and 63 feet 8 inches broad; but the inside of the choir will be only 89 feet 3 inches by 59 feet 6 inches. The elegant tower will be about 130 feet high, in which it is intended to place a clock, to be illuminated at night with gas. In the interior, a beautifully groined ceiling, supported by light and elegant pillars, will correspond with the chaste architecture of the exterior. The committee of the common council have been warmly congratulated on the propriety of their election by Mr. Burn, the celebrated architect in Edinburgh. In a letter addressed to John Clayton, Esq. the town lerk, he says, "I have great pleasure in bearing testimony to the high talent displayed in the general structure of the building, and the skill and goal taste evinced by so correct and judicious an adherence to decidedly the best, and one of the earliest examples of ecclesiastical architecture, which I do not hesitate to say will produce one of the most chaste and elegant buildings of the size in the kingdom."
Page 460.—Attached to the Roman Catholic chapel are two charity-schools; one for boys, and the other for girls. In 1812, the Rev. J. Worswick caused a cheap edition of the New Testament to be printed, for the use of these schools and of his congregation. Many have been distributed gratuitously amongst the poor. Mrs. Elizabeth Dunn, of Saltwellside, who died February 2, 1822, bequeathed 120 volumes towards forming a circulating Catholic library, which is supported by subscriptions and donations. Mr. John Miller, the master of the boys' school, is the librarian.
The interest of a debt of £8780, at 4½ per cent. amounts to £395: add to this, £200 a year to be repaid to the holders of the share-loan; and the permanent burden to be sustained amounts to £595. Salaries, taxes, gas, periodicals, &c. (see p. 484) will amount to, at least, an equal sum; and which, added together, is more than the present total income of the Society. Certainly, the debt is to be decreased £2000 during the succeeding ten years; but an equal, if not a larger sum, must be borrowed within that period, to buy new books, and to cover deficiencies. This state of things, so ruinous to the interests of the noblest institution in Newcastle, is deeply to be deplored.
Page 524.—The committee of the Lock Hospital have at last published a report. It contains a brief and unaffected history of the institution, and acknowledges that it is "struggling under incumbrances brought about partly by inexperience and unforeseen difficulties."The expenditure has exceeded the income from £30 to £40 a year, which has accumulated a debt of £480. Yet still by exertion this incumbrance may be removed, and "the Hospital rendered in a very great degree conservative of one important department of the public health."
Page 719.—There are two well-attended annual Leather Fairs, held at the Leather Market-house, High Bridge, belonging to the Cordwainers' company; the one on the 13th of August, and the other on the 30th of October. Great quantities of this useful article are also sold by commission.