Northern Stage is a theatre and producing theatre company, situated at the heart of Newcastle University’s city centre campus.
Originally the University Theatre, the building opened in 1970. This photograph taken in 1969 shows the site prior to the theatre’s construction.
Newcastle University Student’s Union Building and Playhouse site prior to construction 1969, NUA/061885-2, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
In the late 1980s, the Northern Stage Theatre Company, who had been resident at the theatre before temporarily moving, returned to the venue, and the theatre was renamed Newcastle Playhouse and Gulbenkian Studio, home of Northern Stage.
After it closed for major refurbishment work in 2004, it was decided to amalgamate the venue (Newcastle Playhouse) and resident theatre company (Northern Stage) into one organisation. The building reopened its doors in 2006 under a new name, Northern Stage.
Photograph of the Northern Stage, photograph taken by John Donoghue
Northern Stage is widely regarded as one of the top producing theatres in the UK and, each year, as well as their own in-house productions, Northern Stage presents work from visiting local, national and international companies and artists.
See more information about Northern Stage on their website.
To see more photographs of Newcastle University campus from the university archives, visit CollectionsCaptured.
The Hatton Gallery is named in honour of Professor Richard George Hatton, the first Head of the King Edward VII School of Art. The gallery is part of the King Edward VII building, which opened in 1912.
Hatton 2018, http://www.picturesbybish.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/picturesbybish/, photographed by Chris Bishop
With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the King Edward VII building, along with other University buildings, was requisitioned by the War Office as a part of the First Northern General Hospital, a military hospital for wounded service personnel.
One of the most recognisable photographs in Special Collections to visitors of the Hatton Gallery is Ward C1 of the First Northern General Hospital. The pillars and domed skylights in this image are still a prominent feature of the Hatton’s main gallery.
Photograph of wounded servicemen and staff on Ward C1 of the First Northern General Hospital 1914-19, NUA/041017-15, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
Less recognisable is this view of the roof of the gallery. However, careful inspection of the photograph reveals the Hatton’s domed skylights in the bottom left-hand corner.
– Photograph of wounded servicemen and staff meeting dignitaries on the roof of Ward C1 of the First Northern General Hospital, NUA/041017-11, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
After the First World War, Professor Hatton organised occasional exhibitions in the gallery and, following his death in 1926, the Art Committee decided to name the school’s public art gallery in his honour.
The Hatton Gallery gained some new spaces in the 1960s when a large new extension to the Fine Art Department was built on stilts. In 1965, the iconic Merz Barn Wall, part of a construction created in a Lake District barn in the late 1940s by German artist Kurt Schwitters, was brought to the gallery and incorporated into the fabric of the building.
Schwitters Mertzbarn installation in the Hatton Gallery 1968, NUA/054946/2, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
In 2017 the gallery underwent at £3.8 million redevelopment. A modern exhibition space was created whilst at the same time conserving the historic and architectural elements of the Grade II listed building.
The Hatton Gallery, which is now managed by Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums on behalf of Newcastle University, stages modern and contemporary art exhibitions and events. It also works closely with students from Newcastle University, hosting an annual exhibition celebrating the work of students graduating from the Fine Art Department.
Find out more about the Hatton Gallery on their website.
Find out more about the University buildings during the First World Warin this online exhibition.
The King Edward VII building forms part of the east and south parts of the Quadrangle at Newcastle University. The building was named in honour of King Edward VII who was King of Britain from 1901 until his death in 1910. It was built in 1911 to house the King Edward VII school of Art and is still where the Fine Art Department and the University’s public art gallery, the Hatton Gallery, are housed today.
Views of the front steps and entrance foyer of the King Edward VII building close to the time of its completion, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
The south section of the King Edward VII building adjoins the Arches, over which there is a statue of King Edward VII.
The Arches leading to the Quadrangle 1960, NUA/007036/1, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
During the First World War the King Edward VII building was requisitioned to house the First Northern General hospital.
Visit CollectionsCaptured to see more photographs of Newcastle University campus from the University Archives
The Philip Robinson Library is the main library for Newcastle University. It contains resources for all subjects except Medicine and Law, which have their own dedicated libraries on campus. The building opened in 1982, occupying ground cleared during the construction of the Newcastle Central Motorway in the early 1970s. It was named after Philip Robinson, a distinguished bookseller in the city and benefactor to the library, in 1989.
The building was designed by the Newcastle-based architect Harry Faulkner-Brown, a pioneering designer of modern library buildings in the UK and a graduate of Newcastle University. He incorporated echoes of a Northumbrian castle fortress into its appearance through its long narrow windows reminiscent of arrow slits. The building was extended in 1996 to provide additional study space, better provision for staff-user interaction, more teaching space and a large computer cluster.
The exterior of the Robinson Library building 1982, NUA UNCAT ROB 1, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
The library was initially known simply as the Robinson Library until 2016, when it was renamed as the Philip Robinson Library to distinguish it from the new Marjorie Robinson Library Rooms (located on Sandyford Road), named after Philip Robinson’s wife Marjorie who was also a hugely generous benefactor to the library.
Visit CollectionsCaptured to see more photographs of Newcastle University campus from the University Archives.
Sources
McCord, Norman (2006) Newcastle University Past, Present and Future. Newcastle: Third Millennium Publishing.
Want to learn more about the history of Newcastle University campus? Why not explore all the articles in our Campus Tour blog series.
The two-metre-tall bronze statue of Martin Luther King Jr, situated in the inner courtyard of the Armstrong Building, was erected in 2017 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Dr King’s visit to Newcastle to accept an honorary degree. It stands in the King’s Quad, next to King’s Hall, the setting for Dr King’s honorary degree ceremony in 1967. The statue now forms a focal point of the procession route that students at the University take at the end of their graduation ceremony. The first major art commission by the University since 1962, the statue was unveiled by Ambassador Andrew Young, a close friend and colleague of Dr King who accompanied him to Newcastle in 1967.
The base of the statue is encircled by bronze lettering inset into Caithness paving, featuring text taken from the civil rights leader’s powerful acceptance speech in which he spoke of the ‘three urgent and grave problems’ facing the world: war, poverty and racism. It was Dr King’s last public address outside the US before he was assassinated, barely six months later. The statue was created by sculptor Nigel Boonham who spent months researching Dr King before deciding on the statue’s final pose, which he described as, “Dr King standing firm with legs apart, holding his hat and leaning back slightly. It appeared to me that Dr King was braced for whatever came his way.”
The statue’s installation and unveiling were significant milestones in Freedom City 2017, a year-long city-wide programme of events which commemorated the anniversary of Dr King’s visit to Newcastle.
Photograph of Martin Luther King signing the University’s visitors’ book 1967, NUA/052589/05, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
Learn more about Martin Luther King’s visit to Newcastle in 1967 is this online exhibition.
Sources
Newcastle University Press Office (2017) Statue unveiled in honour of Martin Luther King Jr. Available at: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/archive/2017/11/martinlutherkingstatueunveiled/
Want to learn more about the history of Newcastle University campus? Why not explore all the articles in our Campus Tour blog series.
Photograph of the Frederick Douglass Centre, image by Graeme Peacock
The Frederick Douglass Centre is one of the newest buildings at Newcastle University, housing state of the art learning and teaching facilities. It takes its name from the prominent slavery abolitionist, author and diplomatist, Frederick Douglass. Douglass was born around 1818 as an enslaved person in Maryland, USA. He escaped from slavery in 1838, and after publishing his autobiography titled ‘Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave’, he travelled to Newcastle in 1846, as part of a lecture tour. While in Newcastle, Douglass stayed with Anna and Ellen Richardson on Summerhill Grove, near where The Frederick Douglass Centre stands today. The Richardsons were Quaker sisters-in-law, who raised the funds to buy Douglass’ freedom later that year.
Photograph of Frederick Douglass, taken c. 1879
The building was inspired by a unique property which once stood on the same street. Oystershell House was built in the 1800s, and the whole building, with the exception of the roof, was covered with oyster shells which shined in the sun. The new centre was officially opened in November 2019 by Kenneth B Morris Jr. Morris is President of the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives (FDFI), and one of Douglass’ direct descendants.
The Monthly Chronicle of North Country Lore and Legend 1890, CLARKE 2066-4, Clarke (Edwin) Local Collection
Learn more about the life of Frederick Douglass on this webpage.
Drawing of the exterior of the Armstrong Building 1893, NUA/041017/15, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
The Armstrong Building is the oldest building on the campus and is the site of the original Armstrong College. It was constructed and opened in three stages between 1888 and 1906. The final stage of opening in 1906 was carried out by King Edward VII. The building contains the impressive wood-panelled King’s Hall, which serves as the University’s chief venue for ceremonial events including Congregations. The Hall was named in honour of King Edward VII.
Photograph of wounded servicemen and nurses on Ward A1 of the 1st Northern General Hospital 1914-1919, NUA/041017-18, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
During the First World War, the building was requisitioned by the War Office to create the 1st Northern General Hospital, a facility for the Royal Army Medical Corps to treat military casualties. The building’s foyer houses the Armstrong Memorial which was unveiled in 1923 and lists 223 members of the College who lost their lives during the First World War.
Photograph of the Armstrong building and Quadrangle.
The Armstrong Building takes its name from the local engineer, industrialist and arms manufacturer Sir William Armstrong (1810 –1900) who provided substantial financial and practical support towards the foundation at Newcastle of the Durham College of Physical Science which would ultimately evolve into Newcastle University. The college was renamed as Armstrong College after his death. More recently there has been increased scrutiny of Armstrong’s legacy and there are plans to contextualise him as a historical figure through physical and digital signposting in and around the Armstrong Building, as part of a wider initiative to create an inclusive campus environment.
Read more about the role played by the Armstrong Building and other parts of the University during both World Wars in this online exhibition.
Learn more about the Armstrong Memorial and a Heritage Lottery -Funded project to conduct research into those listed on it in this digital resource.
Sources
Bettenson, E.M. The University of Newcastle upon Tyne: A Historical Introduction 1834 – 1971 (University of Newcastle Upon Tune, 1974)
Special Collections Newcastle University (2010) The Armstrong Effect: The Life & Legacy of Lord Armstrong. Available at: https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/speccoll/2010/11/01/the-armstrong-effect-the-life-legacy-of-lord-armstrong/
Want to learn more about the history of Newcastle University campus? Why not explore all the articles in our Campus Tour blog series.
(c) Newcastle University; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation
The Bedson building, named after Professor Peter Bedson (1853-1943) Head of Chemistry, was built to house the growing number of students and researchers studying Chemistry at King’s College.
The construction of the Bedson building was due to begin in 1939 however the outbreak of the Second World War saw plans grind to a sudden halt. Whilst the College did not have to give up its premises during this time, a considerable amount of research was carried out by the Chemistry Department towards the war effort.
Permission to begin work on the new building was finally granted in 1946 and two new Chemistry Department wings were opened on 10th December 1949. These new additions were five storeys high to accommodate the further rise in student intake, over treble what it had been ten years earlier.
Outside view of Bedson Building 1954, NUA/003573/14, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
Further additions to the building were made in 1959 and included: a 300-seat Chemistry Lecture Theatre, laboratories and corridors with a floor finish in ‘Rhodesian teak wood block chosen for its rich appearance, durability and acid-resisting quality’. These were officially opened by H.R.H. Princess Margaret on 30th April 1959.
Laboratory in Bedson Building 1954, NUA/003573/8, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
The refurbished Chemistry Department became home to many outstanding and pioneering chemists. Radiation chambers were later built specifically for Joseph Joshua Weiss, Professor of Radiation Chemistry from 1956, to continue his work on high energy radiation, and he went on to receive the Marie Cure Medal of the Curie Institute in 1970. Martin Fleischmann, perhaps best known for his controversial research into cold fusion, began his teaching career in electrochemistry at King’s College in 1950 and remained until 1967. Furthermore, James Baddiley, Professor of Organic Chemistry from 1954 to 1977, was awarded the Davy Medal in 1974 for ‘distinguished research on coenzyme A and studies of the constituents of bacterial cell walls’, and then knighted in 1977.
Visit CollectionsCapturedto see more photographs of Newcastle University campus from the university archives.
Outside view of the Percy Building and the Armstrong Building from the Quadrangle, NUA/014582/8, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
In 1898, in honour of the study of English Language and Literature, Newcastle University (formerly part of the University of Durham) appointed Charles Harold Herford, who was the first chair of English in the College of Physical Science. Before then, English was not a taught subject at the University and colleges taught medicine, science and engineering which were appropriate to local industries.
The Percy building was therefore built as a means of housing the new departments in the faculties of the arts and economic studies and to separate the English department from the college of physical science. It was officially opened on 14th October 1958 and was named after Lord Percy of Newcastle, the first rector of King’s College between 1937-1952 in recognition of his outstanding work and achievements.
Opening of Percy Building 1958 depicting Lord Percy (right) alongside Charles Ion Carr Bosanquet, Rector of King’s College (1952 – 1963), NUA/014837/1, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
In 1963 when the division of the University of Durham formed the establishment of Newcastle University, those teaching English were apprehensive of this split. Staff feared the loss of library holdings in Durham and worried that the arts in Newcastle would be overwhelmed by other dominant disciplines. Despite this, in the post-war decades English degrees increased in popularity. The school has held its own and continues to teach high numbers of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The English department has become home to several outstanding scholars who have made considerable contributions to English Language studies. Allen Mawer from 1909 pioneered the modern study of English place names. Harold Orton, perhaps best known for his first published major work on the ‘Phonology of the South Durham Dialect’ in 1932, represented a huge step forward in the modern history of dialects. Furthermore, the appointed professor of English Language and Linguistics from 1964, Barbara Strang, developed a unique integration of descriptive and historical approaches to the study of the English language which became the hallmark of the University’s English department.
Visit CollectionsCaptured to see more photographs of Newcastle University campus from the University Archives.
Sources
Booklet for the opening of the Percy Building, 1958, NUA 16/17/1, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
McCord, Norman (2006) Newcastle University Past, Present and Future. Newcastle: Third Millennium Publishing.
Want to learn more about the history of Newcastle University campus? Why not explore all the articles in our Campus Tour blog series.
Newcastle University Students’ Union Building 1969, NUA/061885-1, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
University of Newcastle upon Tyne Undergraduate Prospectus, 1987, NUA 6/3, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
The dramatic frontage of Student’s Union building was built around 1924, designed by local Architect Robert Burns Dick who also designed the towers of the famous Tyne Bridge. The coats of arms over the main entrance are for three separate organisations; Armstrong College, Durham University and Newcastle College of Medicine, which reflect the separate institutions which went on to become Newcastle University. Until at least the 1950s, the Union was split into separate organisations for women and men, each with their own offices and common rooms, and even separate entrances. A bricked up door on King’s Road is likely the old women’s entrance.
Photograph of the bricked-up women’s entrance to the Student Union building
The original building was created for a student population of only 800 but by 1948, numbers had risen to 3200. The Student’s Union building had suffered from poor adaptations, heavily used furnishings and, as one commentator put it, ‘injudicious attempts at fashionable décor’. The solution was renovations and an extension to the Union building designed by Sir William Whitfield. The new facilities were opened in 1964. The British Modernist construction included a debating chamber, dance hall and a refectory featuring coffee lounges, bar facilities and improved catering. The enlarged Student’s Union Building has since hosted hundreds of gigs, including Fleetwood Mac, Blur and George Ezra.
Learn more about student life on campus in this series of blogs exploring the history of the student publication The Courier.
Sources
Concert Archives (2021) Newcastle University Students Union’s Concert History. Available at: https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/newcastle-university-students-union–5
Ernest Marsden Bettenson. (1971) The University of Newcastle Upon Tyne: a historical introduction, 1834-1971. Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Historic England (2021) Students’ Union. Available at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1355263
McCord, Norman (2006) Newcastle University Past, Present and Future. Newcastle: Third Millennium Publishing.
Opening of the Refectory and Students’ Union Extension, 7th March 1964, NUA 16/7/1/20, Newcastle University Archives, Newcastle University Special Collections, GB 186
Want to learn more about the history of Newcastle University campus? Why not explore all the articles in our Campus Tour blog series.
