In 1890, Tynemouth Council negotiated with the Duke of Northumberland for the lease of a plot of 7 acres of land between the North Eastern Railway and the Grand Parade at Tynemouth.
Three years later, in 1893, Tynemouth Park was created when a new recreation ground was laid out opposite Tynemouth Palace and Winter Gardens, the focal point of which was a large pond, combined with tennis courts, bowling and putting greens plus ornamental gardens with a bandstand.
The pond was often referred to as ‘Tynemouth Lake’ and for many years has attracted model boating enthusiasts from all over the area.
In the summer of 1893 an exhibition of model yachts was held in Tynemouth Aquarium and Winter Garden. It was promoted by the Tynemouth Recreation Association to encourage the sport. A Tynemouth Model Yacht Club was formed, and one of the first buildings planned for Tynemouth Park was their boat house.
In 1908, rowing boats were introduced to the lake but this enraged the club members so much that they called on the Duke of Northumberland’s agent for aid. As a result, he forced Tynemouth Council to set aside longer hours to allow the club to have exclusive use of the lake.
The first clean out of Tynemouth Lake took place in 1948, and in early in 2011 further work started in an effort to clean it up for the second time. Over the years a build-up of over 2,000 tonnes of silt promoted the growth of algae and it was necessary to call in specialist contractors to undertake the task.
by Charlie Steel © 2012
Local historian and writer Charlie Steel has lived in Monkseaton for most of his life.
His published books include; ‘Monkseaton Village Vol. 1’, ‘Monkseaton & Hillheads’ and ‘Inns and Taverns of North Shields’ all of which are available from most local booksellers.
Further details can be found on Charlie’s website at www.monkseaton.info or he can be contacted at charlie@monkseaton.info.