HERITAGE OPEN DAY: THE RALPH GARDNER STORY

As a special Heritage Open Day event, there will be a showing of two new short films, produced by the North Shields Heritology Project.
About this Event

As a special Heritage Open Day event, there will be a showing of two new short films, produced by the North Shields Heritology Project, about local hero Ralph Gardner, who played a major role in freeing North Shields from the Newcastle monopoly that had stifled the economic and social development of the town for centuries.

Produced by the North Shields Heritology Project, one is a documentary ‘Righting the Grievance’ – The Ralph Gardner Story and the other, ‘Feathercoats and Fables’, an animation.

Heritologists David Young and Keith Spedding will provide background information on how the films were made and will take questions at the end of each film.

‘Righting the Grievance’, details how Gardner’s fight against Newcastle took his case to Parliament, the highest court. It’s a tale of power, self-interest and corruption in high places, and one man’s fight against injustice.

‘Feathercoats and Fables’ is primarily aimed at schoolchildren and tells the Gardner story using the Robin and Magpie to represent Ralph Gardner and the Newcastle leadership. It is hoped this will, not only give children an insight into an aspect of local history but also highlight the issue of bullying in schools.

Local historian David Young, who has worked on the films with fellow Heritolgist, Keith Spedding, said: “Ralph Gardner is a name familiar to many in North Shields. If you’re of a certain age, you’ll remember the school in Chirton that bore his name – you may even have attended it yourself.

“But how many know about Ralph Gardner the man, what he achieved, and how his words and deeds eventually changed the course of history for Shields, freeing it from a Newcastle monopoly that had stifled the economic and social development of the town for centuries?”

Using very different approaches, these films explain how in the mid-19th century, Newcastle was one of England’s wealthiest and most powerful cities, its corporation held rights to trade on the River Tyne granted by Royal Charters over hundreds of years.

David continued: “Those in power in the city, driven by profit from the river trade, used any means, including violence, to protect their own interests.

“Gardner came into conflict with Newcastle through his brewing business in Chirton. The city deemed this illegal. Newcastle constables attacked Gardner and his family in their home, and he was imprisoned without trial or legal counsel.”

The North Shields Heritology Project is a registered charity which, over the past eight years, has produced a number of films bringing to life some forgotten stories associated with North Shields. Its members have also worked closely with many of the schools in North Tyneside to make the children aware of these stories as well as their heritage generally.