The Great Fire of Gateshead

The great fire of Gateshead (& Newcastle) quayside happened in 1854.   In this year Marley Hill shed was in use, & Tanfield coal was being shipped from the Gateshead quay area.

A contemporary view of the fire

The fire started in a worsted factory, but spread to an adjacent warehouse which safely & securely stored large volumes of dangerous chemicals, close to other businesses & high density housing.   A crowd gathered on the Georgian Tyne Bridge to view the spectacle.   Ultimately, there was a huge explosion which led to loss of life & destruction on both sides of the river - hence there were no Elizabethan quayside buildings to preserve in recent times.   Anecdotally, residents of nearby towns thought of earthquake, and mining communities turned out thinking there had been an underground catastrophe.

Another view from the High Level Bridge, then 4 years old

The fire is well covered on the internet, with a detailed account on Genuki, & a recent video by Lonely Tower.

An indication of the aftermath on Newcastle quayside

The story has been covered by the BBC & the Chronicle, & is written about on Historic UK,  Wikipedia, etc.