South Tyneside has a fascinating history. It was a military strong hold for the Romans and an important centre for the early Christian church, where the Venerable Bede wrote his “Ecclesiastical History”. As an area that was rich in coal with a key position on the River Tyne it has a proud industrial and maritime past and was at the forefront of invention and innovation in these areas. South Tyneside is also renowned for its friendly, vibrant communities who have welcomed incomers for centuries giving it a rich and diverse heritage.

South Tyneside History celebrates this heritage by preserving the photographic and printed history of South Tyneside and making it digitally available to everyone.

The images on this website have been digitally recorded from original items held by South Tyneside Libraries in our Local History Collection.

The work of adding images and information to the website is carried out by our dedicated team of volunteers with support from Local History Group members and staff at South Tyneside Libraries.