Celebrating 10 years since the Old Low Light got a new lease of life
A historic building saved from demolition is now celebrating a decade as a heritage centre. Tony Henderson reports
Many hands make light work - and that was the case after an empty historic building faced demolition.
The listed Old Low Light at North Shields – rebuilt around 1727 - ceased to function as a lighthouse in 1810.
What is now the oldest surviving building on the town’s Fish Quay had several uses over the ensuing years, but after the last occupants left in 2011, the future looked bleak.
But volunteers rallied round and now the restored listed building will celebrate its 10th anniversary tomorrow (Saturday, March 29), as the volunteer-created Old Low Light heritage centre.
From 10am to 3pm, staff, trustees and volunteers will welcome visitors with free entry to the centre and its current main Merchant Navy exhibition, plus displays which tell stories about the history, heritage and culture of North Shields.
The centre, once one of a pair of leading lights guiding ships through the treacherous mouth of the River Tyne, was officially opened in 2015 by Sir Alan Campbell MP.
This followed a major programme of restoration in the 1980s by Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust, which rescued the Old Low Light from demolition.
Old Low Light chair Linda Kay said: “The centre is such an important part of the town’s seafaring history that we’re very pleased to have this celebration at a time when there is so much focus on the 800th anniversary of North Shields.
“In fact, the first shiels – or fishermen’s huts – were built yards away from where the building stands today.
“We’re very proud of what has been achieved and that we’ve managed to survive and develop despite the challenges of recent years. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support of our volunteers and the local community and we hope this invitation to join our birthday celebration will be a way of thanking everyone.”
The building’s history has included use as an alms house for poor and sick mariners, storage for the local fishing industry, a training centre for deep sea fishermen and, until 2011, as a base for maritime volunteers.
Its development as a heritage centre was driven by different groups of local enthusiasts, including two former teachers who set up a group called ‘the Netties’, whose ambition was to bring stories of the past to life and inspire schoolchildren about the history of North Shields.
The Netties set up a charity, called The Net North Shields, with a board of trustees. The Net and with North Tyneside Council secured funding from the European Union’s Coastal Communities Fund to bring in professional help to make the dream a reality.
The centre, with its café, has a full programme of events and activities, including talks, guided walks, concerts with music ranging from sea shanties to classical and craft workshops.
The top floor is used as a community space for local bodies, including FLOW, a group for adults with additional needs. It also displays material from a broad range of previous exhibitions.
Visit the website for more information.