Looking north. Alston Street was situated next to First Street off Bensham Road. The lack of house-building during the First World War had caused a serious shortage of housing across Great Britain. In 1919 the Addison Acts required local authorities to assess housing needs and to built new houses for rent. In the 1920s new estates were built at Carr Hill, Bensham, Lobley Hill, Old Fold, Wrekenton and Deckham Hall. All houses were to have a scullery, larder, coal store, bath and indoor w.c. The new estates had wide streets lined with trees and were very different from the cramped terraces people were used to. The Council also had to address the poor housing conditions in the town centre. The worst areas were close to the river where overcrowding and risk of disease was at its worst. (Taylor, S. & Lovie, D. 2004) Under the Housing Act of 1930, the Council was given much greater legal power to deal with slum housing. The Act meant that whole areas of housing could be demolished and between 1932 and 1935 many of the streets in and around the town centre were acquired by compulsory purchase order and demolished. (Manders, 1973) House-building came to a stop during the Second World War and overcrowding in Gatesehead once again became a big problem. After the war the Council set to work building new estates at Highfield and Blue Quarries and later at Beacon Lough and Cedars Green. However, by the mid 1950s there was a serious shortage of traditional building materials and during the 1950s and 1960s concrete was used to build modern ‘high rise’ housing. The new building schemes were combined with a vigorous programme of slum clearance and by 1970s rows of terraces like Alston Street in Bensham, the Teams area and Central Gateshead had been demolished.

Looking west towards Lobley Hill. Alston Street was situated next to First Street off Bensham Road. The lack of house-building during the First World War had caused a serious shortage of housing across Great Britain. In 1919 the Addison Acts required local authorities to assess housing needs and to built new houses for rent. In the 1920s new estates were built at Carr Hill, Bensham, Lobley Hill, Old Fold, Wrekenton and Deckham Hall. All houses were to have a scullery, larder, coal store, bath and indoor w.c. The new estates had wide streets lined with trees and were very different from the cramped terraces people were used to. The Council also had to address the poor housing conditions in the town centre. The worst areas were close to the river where overcrowding and risk of disease was at its worst. (Taylor, S. & Lovie, D. 2004) Under the Housing Act of 1930, the Council was given much greater legal power to deal with slum housing. The Act meant that whole areas of housing could be demolished and between 1932 and 1935 many of the streets in and around the town centre were acquired by compulsory purchase order and demolished. (Manders, 1973) House-building came to a stop during the Second World War and overcrowding in Gatesehead once again became a big problem. After the war the Council set to work building new estates at Highfield and Blue Quarries and later at Beacon Lough and Cedars Green. However, by the mid 1950s there was a serious shortage of traditional building materials and during the 1950s and 1960s concrete was used to build modern ‘high rise’ housing. The new building schemes were combined with a vigorous programme of slum clearance and by 1970s rows of terraces like Alston Street in Bensham, the Teams area and Central Gateshead had been demolished.

Looking west, Dixon Street is behind the fence. Alston Street was situated next to First Street off Bensham Road. The lack of house-building during the First World War had caused a serious shortage of housing across Great Britain. In 1919 the Addison Acts required local authorities to assess housing needs and to built new houses for rent. In the 1920s new estates were built at Carr Hill, Bensham, Lobley Hill, Old Fold, Wrekenton and Deckham Hall. All houses were to have a scullery, larder, coal store, bath and indoor w.c. The new estates had wide streets lined with trees and were very different from the cramped terraces people were used to. The Council also had to address the poor housing conditions in the town centre. The worst areas were close to the river where overcrowding and risk of disease was at its worst. (Taylor, S. & Lovie, D. 2004) Under the Housing Act of 1930, the Council was given much greater legal power to deal with slum housing. The Act meant that whole areas of housing could be demolished and between 1932 and 1935 many of the streets in and around the town centre were acquired by compulsory purchase order and demolished. (Manders, 1973) House-building came to a stop during the Second World War and overcrowding in Gatesehead once again became a big problem. After the war the Council set to work building new estates at Highfield and Blue Quarries and later at Beacon Lough and Cedars Green. However, by the mid 1950s there was a serious shortage of traditional building materials and during the 1950s and 1960s concrete was used to build modern ‘high rise’ housing. The new building schemes were combined with a vigorous programme of slum clearance and by 1970s rows of terraces like Alston Street in Bensham, the Teams area and Central Gateshead had been demolished.

Armstrong Street looking west, taken from Saltwell Road.

By Anthony Gormley