Grainger Town

Some photographs, a painting and some words....

He found Newcastle of bricks and timber and left it in stone

… said of Richard Grainger

Last week, I took a stroll around Newcastle's 'Grainger Town', the Georgian heart of the city. It is named after an early 19th-century developer, Richard Grainger, who significantly shaped the architectural landscape of Newcastle upon Tyne during his career. He and the later developer T. Dan Smith are two of the most influential figures in Newcastle upon Tyne's history. Each played a critical role in creating the urban landscape of today’s city, albeit in different eras and with differing approaches and philosophies.

Richard Grainger

Richard Grainger, often called the 'builder of Newcastle,' is best known for his ambitious urban development projects, which transformed the city during its significant transformation due to the Industrial Revolution. His work is often associated with the neoclassical architectural style. This design philosophy emphasises order, symmetry, and a return to the classical forms of ancient Greece and Rome, giving the centre of Newcastle its distinctive appearance.

Richard Grainger grew up in the centre of Newcastle, which, thirty years later, he would do much to transform. His parents, Amelia, a seamstress, and Thomas, a Newcastle Quayside porter, were far from wealthy, and Richard attended St Andrew's Charity School, where he learned reading, writing, and accounting. At age twelve, he became an apprentice carpenter, after which he ventured into the building trade with his brother George. However, George died young, and Richard continued the business alone.

Grainger then became an urban developer with a keen sense of aesthetics in urban planning. His work focused on creating a cohesive architectural vision that blended functionality with beauty. Collaborating with architects like John Dobson, known for his work on the Newcastle Central Station, and builders like Thomas Oliver, Grainger meticulously planned his developments to enhance the city's appeal and liveability. Grainger's legacy to Newcastle was his extensive development of Newcastle's city centre, particularly the area I mentioned earlier, 'Grainger Town'. Some of Newcastle's finest buildings are in Grainger Town. Predominantly of four storeys, with vertical dormers, domes, turrets, and spikes. An architectural style dubbed ‘Tyneside Classical’. Grainger's developments were not just buildings but grand structures that exuded a sense of awe and classical design as he transformed Newcastle into a modern, commercially vibrant city. Between 1824 and 1841, Grainger developed within 'Grainger Town': Grey Street, Grainger Street, and Clayton Street, celebrated for their neoclassical architecture, each a testament to his grandeur and vision.

Grey Street on a grey day

Grey Street, for example, runs in a long, graceful curve from Earl Grey's Monument in the city centre towards the quayside of the River Tyne. Lining the street are grand buildings that exemplify the neoclassical style. Many people often cite the street as one of the most beautiful in the UK. The people of Newcastle recognise it as Newcastle's finest thoroughfare, and listeners of Radio 4 twice voted it the "best street in the UK". In 1948, the poet John Betjeman declared: "As for the curve of Grey Street, I shall never forget seeing it to perfection, traffic-less on a misty Sunday morning. Not even old Regent Street London can compare with that descending subtle curve." One feature that helps the aesthetic of the street is that there are no street gutters or drains. Grainger designed the buildings to funnel rainwater from their roofs through conduits within the buildings and directly into the sewers below.

Grey's Monument symbolises the recognition of the people of Newcastle for Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey. He was the Prime Minister responsible for the Great Reform Act of 1832, which expanded the voting franchise in England, significantly increasing the electorate, and the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, which led to the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. He also oversaw legislation to raise the working age of children from eight years old. The people of Newcastle paid for his monument in recognition of his reforming achievements. Grey’s Monument is ten metres shorter than the more well-known Nelson’s Column in London’s Trafalgar Square, but for those fit enough, climbing the 164 steps to the top offers’ splendid views across Newcastle. While I have doubts about many of the statues that exist to commemorate 'great' historical figures, some statues deserve to be there, and Grey's Monument is one of them.

The Theatre Royal with Earl Grey looking down from on high

The Theatre Royal on Grey Street is not just a building but a cultural icon in Newcastle. Many, including Sir Ian McKellen, consider it one of the finest theatres in the UK. The original Theatre Royal opened in 1788; however, as part of Richard Grainger's ambitious redevelopment plan, he bought that building and demolished it while building the current Theatre Royal, against a design by renowned architects John and Benjamin Green, in 1837. Its opening production was Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice', and the theatre quickly became a landmark and a testament to the city's rich cultural heritage. It is a prime example of neoclassical architecture, with a grand portico featuring Corinthian columns and an elegant facade. The décor of the interior was opulent, featuring a large auditorium and lavish seating arrangements to accommodate the audience in style. 

Since its opening, the Theatre Royal has been a hub of cultural activity in Newcastle. It has hosted various productions, from Shakespearean plays to contemporary dramas, musicals, and opera. The theatre has seen performances by some of each era's most celebrated actors and companies, and it has been the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Newcastle. Beyond being a venue for high culture, the Theatre Royal has played a crucial role in the local community, offering educational programs, workshops, and opportunities for local talent to perform. It continues to be a central part of Newcastle's cultural life, attracting over 400,000 visitors annually, making the Theatre Royal a proud symbol of Newcastle's commitment to performing arts.

And as an aside (I do call these pieces 'Meanders' for a reason), Newcastle's Mosley Street, on the edge of Grainger town, on which the original Theatre Royal stood, became in 1881 the first in the world lit by electric light using the incandescent light bulbs of local inventor Joseph Swan. It was also in 1881 that London's Savoy Theatre became the first public building to have electric lights installed by Swan. Not surprisingly, the first home so lit was that of Swan. His light bulb predated Edison's version, though Edison's design eventually became more commercially successful. After initial patent conflicts, Swan and Edison formed a partnership in 1883, founding the Edison & Swan United Electric Light Company (Ediswan). This partnership combined Swan's filament technology expertise with Edison's electrical engineering advancements.

Grainger Street is the main thoroughfare for those arriving at Newcastle Central Railway Station who wish to reach the city centre. As with Grey Street, it's characterised by its elegant neoclassical buildings, made predominantly from locally sourced golden sandstone. The structures on Grainger Street feature symmetrical facades, tall windows, and intricate details that reflect that architectural style. The uniformity and grandeur of these buildings give the street a cohesive and distinguished appearance. In contrast to Grey Street's curve, Grainger Street is straight, aligning with the urban planning ideals of the early 19th century, focusing on creating a spacious, organised, and aesthetically pleasing urban environment. Over the years, Grainger Street has been central to Newcastle's social and commercial life. The street has been home to various businesses, from high-end shops and banks to cafes and restaurants, many of which still operate within the beautifully preserved historic buildings.

Grainger Market off Grainger Street opened in 1835 as one of the largest indoor markets in Britain, with one hundred and eighty butcher stalls selling fresh meat and fifty greengrocery stalls. Richard Grainger commissioned it against a design by John Dobson along with John and Benjamin Green. The market is notable for its large, open-plan layout, which was innovative in its construction. This allows natural light to flood in, creating a bright and welcoming space for shoppers, a feature uncommon in indoor markets at the time. Throughout the Victorian period, the number of butchers reduced as this bustling heart of Newcastle's commercial life offered a more comprehensive range of goods, from fresh produce to textiles and household items. Today, Grainger Market is still a lively marketplace that continues to attract locals and tourists alike. It is home to over 100 independent traders, offering everything from fresh produce to vintage clothing and artisan crafts. The market is also famous for housing the only remaining original 'Marks & Spencer Penny Bazaar’, the world's smallest Marks & Spencer store.

The Central Arcade

Sadly, Grainger's Central Exchange, a multi-purpose structure that housed a newspaper reading room, art gallery and concert hall, suffered considerable damage due to a fire in 1901. The redesign of the internal structure following the fire created the Central Arcade as a covered shopping arcade within the original building framework of Grainger’s Central Exchange. The reconstruction introduced the elegant Edwardian Baroque style seen in the arcade today. The design is characterised by ornate detailing, including decorative tile work, arched ceilings, and intricately carved stone facades. The arcade features a beautifully tiled interior with blue and cream faience tiles that create a luxurious and opulent shopping environment. One of the arcade's most distinctive features is its glass barrel-vaulted roof, which allows natural light into the interior, enhancing the overall ambience. Using glass this way was a significant innovation, contributing to the arcade's appeal as a bright and inviting shopping destination. Since its opening, Central Arcade has been home to various shops, from high-end retailers to speciality stores. It catered to Newcastle's growing middle class, offering a sophisticated shopping experience in a stylish and protected environment. Over the years, the arcade has housed various businesses, including fashion boutiques, music stores, and other speciality shops. One particularly well-known shop is JG Windows. This renowned music store has operated since 1908. It is now the largest independent music store in the UK, attracting music lovers from across the region.

Grainger's work significantly modernised 19th-century Newcastle, giving it the classical and cohesive architectural style for which it is known today. His vision and developments were instrumental in Newcastle's transformation during the Industrial Revolution, enhancing the city's aesthetic appeal and boosting its commercial and cultural hub status. Grainger's vision was to create a city that could rival other great European capitals in elegance and sophistication.

Unfortunately, despite his successes, financial difficulties marked Grainger's later years partly due to the ambitious scale of his projects. Considering his contribution to Newcastle and that his work is a source of pride for the city's people, there is little to commemorate him. Only a tiny public fountain and a water trough hidden away on a Newcastle side street. However, on the day of Grainger’s death, the Newcastle Daily Journal spoke for the people of the city by repeating the words once dedicated to Christopher Wren – “If you seek my monument, look around”, in recognition of Grainger’s architectural legacy, and offering that his true monument is the cityscape of central Newcastle. Indeed, his ‘monument’ does live on in that there are still four hundred and fifty Grainger buildings in the city, of which two hundred and forty-four are 'listed', with twenty-nine at grade I and forty-nine at grade II.

There would have been more if it had not been for a certain Thomas Daniel Smith, who was always known as T. Dan Smith.

T Dan Smith

As with Richard Granger, Smith was another visionary planner, albeit a century later and with a different vision. Smith does not carry the same warmth in the hearts of the people of Newcastle as Grainger, especially as Smith's plans, if taken to their conclusion, would have destroyed much of the beauty of Grainger's vision. As it was, Smith's developments saw 25% of the original Grainger Town disappear against the wrecking ball.

Smith was a significant political figure and urban planner in Newcastle during the mid-20th century. He is best known for his ambitious vision of transforming Newcastle into a modern city, which earned him the nickname ‘Mr. Newcastle.’ Born into a working-class family in Wallsend, near Newcastle, Smith left school at fourteen and worked as a painter and decorator. He became involved in socialist politics and joined the Labour Party, quickly rising through the ranks due to his energy and organisational skills.

Smith became the leader of Newcastle City Council in 1959, a position he held until 1965. During this period, he was a driving force behind many of the city's urban renewal projects aimed at modernising the city in the post-war period. He envisioned Newcastle as the 'Brasilia of the North,' a concept inspired by the ideas of modernist urban planning. Brasilia was then seen as a modernist utopia designed by Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa, which emphasised the need for new infrastructure, high-rise buildings, and efficient traffic management. Smith's vision was to create a futuristic city that embraced the new architectural styles and urban planning philosophies of the time to improve living conditions for its residents. He aimed to transform Newcastle from an industrial city with Georgian and Victorian-era architecture into an efficient, forward-looking modern metropolis that could compete with other major urban centres worldwide.

While Smith received praise for some of his projects’ modernising ambition, others were controversial. Many residents criticised the loss of Newcastle's historic buildings and the negative impact of the new developments on the city's character. Many saw the demolition of grand Georgian and Victorian architecture buildings in favour of Brutalist buildings as erasing the city's cultural heritage. This included the construction of concrete office blocks, shopping centres, and extensive road networks designed to accommodate the growing number of cars. The demolition of traditional neighbourhoods, such as parts of the historic Grainger Town, and replacing many Victorian buildings with modernist architecture marked a momentous change in the city's appearance. The construction of the Central Motorway East, which cut through parts of the city, is one such project that is still contentious. It achieved its aim of improving traffic flow through the town but at the expense of destroying several historic areas and the division of neighbourhoods. Smith also promoted the construction of high-rise council housing blocks, believing they would solve the city's post-war housing shortages with little thought for the social consequences.

Eldon Square Shopping Centre

Eldon Square shows the distinct contrast between Grainger's and Smith's approaches. 'Old' Eldon Square symbolised Grainger's architectural vision for a modern Newcastle, featuring symmetrical buildings of Georgian character with classical details surrounding a garden. Grainger designed the square as an open, tranquil residential and social space in the centre of the city, with the square's function centred around community and leisure.

Smith held a different view of Newcastle’s needs and spearheaded the construction of the Eldon Square Shopping Centre, which involved the demolition of a large part of Richard Grainger’s old Eldon Square and surrounding areas. The shopping centre's design was in a Brutalist style typical of the 1970s, contrasting sharply with the Georgian elegance of Old Eldon Square, as a large indoor complex with multiple floors of shops, restaurants, and cafes. The design focused on maximising commercial space rather than preserving the architectural aesthetics of the earlier era. At least some of the Old Eldon Square survived as a public space used by residents and visitors for relaxation and social activities. More than anywhere else in Newcastle, Old Eldon Square and Eldon Square Shopping Centre represent the two different visions for Newcastle’s city centre: one focused on the aesthetics of fine buildings as a public, social space and the other on utilitarian buildings serving commercial development.

In the late 1960s, Smith became embroiled in a major corruption scandal involving the architect, John Poulson. Poulson had bribed officials to secure lucrative contracts; police discovered that Smith received payments from Poulson in return for influencing the awarding of these contracts. The scandal led to a highly publicised trial, and in 1974, Smith received a sentence of six years in prison for accepting bribes. The scandal severely damaged Smith's reputation and overshadowed his earlier achievements in urban development. After his release from prison, he lived a quieter life, though he continued to speak out on issues related to urban planning and social justice. Some of his urban planning ideas are still influential, but always marring his reputation will be the scandal that ended his political career. And with some sense of irony, Smith lived out his days in a flat within one of the high-rise council blocks he did much to create.

T Dan Smith has no memorial, although the song ‘All Fall Down,’ written by Alan Hull of the Newcastle-based group Lindisfarne and released in 1972, always brings T Dan to my mind….

“Councilors, magistrates, men of renown

Who needs to live in a dirty old town

Yes, go on, tear it down

Who needs the trees and the flowers to grow

We can have a motorway with motorway dough

I know I know I know, they've got to go

Tear them down, mess them round

Make a mockery of all of the ground

And if you ever have a sleepless night

Just count out your money, it'll be all right…..”