Seaham Timeline

Compiled by David Angus  2008

“P” designates an illustration of the subject/s, not necessarily the actual event.

This list was last updated 20 October 2013 13:45:27

1821	Londonderry’s came to Seaham.
1825	Excavation of North Dock begins
1825	Wood Houses/Cottages were erected on what was to become the Terrace Green to house the first builders of the North dock probably in 1825, 3 years before the foundation stone was laid.	P
1825	Sunniside Bank Engine built, demolished 1929.	P
1828	Foundation stones of Harbour and first house laid, 13/9/1828	P
1828	North Terrace built between 1828 and 1831.	P
1828	Foundation stones of the docks and the Londonderry Arms laid on 28/11/1828	P
1829	Golden Lion, first house completed in Seaham Harbour.	P
1829	New road, Lord Byron’s Walk opened.	P
1829	Adam and Eves Gardens reputedly opened to the public in May 1829. (not sure about this one)  Originally known as Dene Cottage.	P
1829	10th January, the first ship, “Brothers” sailed into Seaham Harbour with a cargo of bricks
1829	First public road out of Seaham completed 9/11/1829, following the line of Dene House Rd and Station Rd to the Mill Inn.  A timber bridge crossed the Dene from Tempest Road
	1830s
1830	First school opened in a room in the Golden Lion.	P
1830	On 16th July the timber bridge across the Dene from Tempest Road was washed away by a flood. Dene House, later Adam & Eve’s Gardens was partially demolished by same
1831	First coals shipped out on the “Lord Seaham” 25/7/1831
1831	Incline to docks opened 1831 closed 1988.	P
1831	Timber bridge erected across Dene 80 yards west of current North Road and Toll Cottage built on north bank. Bridge demolished and Toll Cottage became a dwelling house in 1855.
1831	Steam driven beam engine erected near the North Dock entrance to power cranes and operate storm booms protecting the gate. Worked until 1947.	P
1833	First Wesleyan Chapel in Seaham, built in Tempest Rd, (now Salvation Army Citadel)	P
1833	On July 11th a new stagecoach service called the Royal Pilot began from South Shields to Seaham, calling at Monkwearmouth for a change of horses. Coach leaves S Shields at 9am and leaves the “Lord Seaham Inn” at 4pm for the return journey. Fare, 3 shillings inside, 2 shillings outside
1833	Opening of South Hetton Railway Line.
1834	Public Baths built, also footbridge built across the eastern end of the Dene from Bath Tce to the new Baths. The baths were established by Thomas Prosser who sold them to a Mrs Patric who sold them to the Londonderrys in 1840.  Footbridge demolished 1861, Baths 1934.	P
1834	John Hall, Seaham Postmaster, letters from all parts (arrive from Houghton le Spring by foot post), every morning at seven and are despatched every afternoon at half past four.
1834
1835	South Dock opened 30/7/1835. First ship to dock was the Brig “Nixon”.
1835	First recorded RC Mass held in a private house in John Street.	P
1835	Seaton Station opened, closed 1952.	P
1836	Seaham’s first lighthouse, a wooden structure, burnt down.
1836	Passenger steamer service, The steamer Ben Lomond runs from Newcastle to Stockton daily, calling at Shields, Sunderland, Seaham, Hartlepool and Middlesborough. Fare from Newcastle to Seaham, Best Cabin 2 shillings, Fore Cabin 1 shilling.
1836	New stone lighthouse built on Lighthouse Cliff, in use until 1905, demolished 1940.	P
1838	Ralph Fair, first landlord of the Ship Inn took over Adam and Eve’s Gardens when his father Colin left to live in Hawthorn. Ralph died in 1879.	P
1839	Henzell’s Shipyard in South Dock built the 268 ton “William”	P
1839	United Methodists opened their Tabernacle in upstairs rooms in Church Street. Built chapel in 1846. Burned down 1904.
	1840s
1840	Pilot Houses/Terrace built before 1841.	P
1840	North Dock completed.	P
1840s	At some time during the 1840s, probably early, Wood Houses were moved to a new site at the eastern end of Ropery Walk. These houses had originally been erected on what was to become the Terrace Green to house the first builders of the North Dock, possibly as early as 1825.	P
1840	St John’s Church opened having taken 5 years to build. Foundation stone laid 1835.	P
1841	Henry Hall Smith built first Gasworks and worker’s cottages in the Dene near Adam and Eve’s Gardens. There were 2 gasometers each containing 30,000 cubic feet of gas.	P
1841	Frances St building began, only 1 house in 1841, 12 by 1851 and finished in the 1850s	P
1841	Church St building began (north side), 11 houses in 1841, 45 in 1851, finished by 1865.	P
1841	Adolphus St building began before 1841 still only 5 houses by 1861, 30 by 1871 and finished in the 80s.	P
1843	Robert Wright’s Iron Works opened in Ropery Walk, extended 1854 and sold in the 1870s, after various owners it began trading in 1899 as Seaham Foundry Co Ltd., taken over by Jennings c1950 it closed in the late 1960s.	P
1843	Seaham Harbour Parish created.
1843	Prior to 1843 all Seaham’s burials and weddings took place in St Andrew’s Dalton le Dale.	P
1843	6th October, first coals from Murton Colliery shipped from Seaham on the brig Integrity.
1843
1844	Lady Londonderry opened the Infirmary at the junction of North Tce and Tempest Rd. Greatly enlarged in 1857 to contain 25 beds. Used as Council Offices 1920-64, demolished 1969.	P
1844	First gas lights in Seaham, January 30th 1844. Gas supplied by Henry Hall Smith’s Gasworks in the Dene near Adam and Eve’s Gardens.	P
1844	National School, Church Street’ established. Enlarged in 1856 to hold 400 pupils. The school was supported chiefly by the children’s payments (2d per week).	P
1845	Rev Angus Bethune became first vicar of St John’s Church.	P
1845	Sinking of the High Pit, (Seaton Colliery), began 12/8/1845, amalgamated with the Low pit in 1864.	P
1845	Enlarged North Dock opened on 31st January
1845	On 17th October it was reported that Rasbery Hall Sacker was to be transported to Australia for 7 years for stealing wearing apparel from Henry Yarrow of Seaham
1846	From 1846 a Magistrates Court was held in the Lord Seaham Inn.	P
1846	United Methodists built their chapel on north side of Church St., after renting rooms on the same site in 1839 enlarged in 1866 and in 1877 to seat 750 it burned down in 1904, rebuilt in 1905, closed 1969. Boots now occupies the site.	P
1848	Bath Terrace building began.	P
1849	Sinking of the Low Pit, (Seaham Colliery), began 13/4/1849, amalgamated with the High Pit in 1864.	P
	1850s
1850	Primitive Methodist Chapel built in Tempest Place (Road) rebuilt in 1871to seat 400, it collapsed in 2002.	P
1851	William St., 35 houses by 1851 (Seaham Harbour)	P
1851	Blandford Place built by 1851.	P
1851	Adelaide Row built by 1851.
1851	Sailor’s strike lasted 3 months.
1851	The ground floor of the living quarters of the old Smithy on Seaton Lane became a beer house, the Seaton Lane Inn or “Roadside” did not get a spirit licence until 1953.  The building dates from around 1600 and was at one time known as Bleak House.	P
1851	Post Office St, Seaham Colliery, this may be the street mentioned in the 1851 census as under construction. In 1861 called Bownden Row, in 1871, Daker’s Row, 1881 P.O. St	P
1852	Explosion at Seaham Colliery caused 6 deaths only 6 weeks after first coals were drawn. The youngest victim was Charlie Halliday stated at the time as 10 years old but probably only 8 and certainly not more than 9years and 2 months.	P
1852	First coals drawn at High Pit, Seaham Colliery.
1852	First Seaham Flower Show held at Adam and Eves Gardens in 1852 . Held annually in various venues until from  1858 until 1928 it was held at Seaham Hall.	P
1853	John Candlish opened Londonderry Bottleworks, absorbed Fenwick’s Bottleworks in 1856.	P
1853	On 15th July the foundation stone of the Literary Institute in Tempest Road was laid
1853	Marquess of Londonderry cut the first sod of the Seaham to Sunderland Railway on 8th of February.	P
1854	First coal traffic on Seaham to Sunderland Railway, August 1854
1854	“Friend of all Nations” Seaham’s first lifeboat bought by public subscription.
1854	At Seaham Colliery, Infant St (Reading Room Row in ’71), California St, Australia St, Butcher St and Model St all built between 1851 and 1856.	P
1854	Seaham Colliery had 269 employees in 1854.
1854	First Lifeboat House built on Terrace beach in 1854, it became a teashop after 1870.	P
1854	Seaham Waterworks, east of Seaham Colliery opened.
1855	Toll Cottage on the north bank of the Dene became a private house.	P
1855	Bridge to Toll Cottage demolished as Tempest Rd had been extended to Seaham Colliery Station where tolls were collected from this time.
1855	Seaham Harbour Engineworks opened.	P
1855	Londonderry Literary Institute opened in January (Tempest Place) also known as Mechanic’s Institute.	P
1855	Public passenger traffic began on the 6 miles long Seaham to Sunderland Railway in July. Seaham Harbour Station opened.
1855	Seaham Colliery Station completed.	P
c1855	Fenwick Row built before 1856.	P
1855	1855/56, Seaham surveyed for Ordnance Survey Map. Printed 1861.	P
1856	The Independent Methodists built their chapel in Tempest Rd in 1856, it was sold in 1881to the Wesleyan’s. The attached Sunday school was built in the 1880’s. Demolished and replaced with modern chapel in 1976.	P
c1856	Candlish Terrace was built after 1855 and before 1861.	P
1856	Interior of  1836 lighthouse burnt out, repaired by 1837.	P
1856	From 1856 Roman Catholics celebrated Mass in a small room behind the Lord Seaham and later at the home of a Mrs Ford at 9 William Street.	P
1856	Piped water became available. Prior to this date water had to be collected in buckets from Seaham’s only water source, a pump at the bottom of Railway Street (north?).
1856	High Colliery School opened.	P
1856	The Mill at Seaham Park (a steam driven mill at this time) burned down together with 2000 bushels of wheat 13/9/1856.	P
1857	Low Colliery School opened.	P
1857	Londonderry Offices opened in March. New north and south wings added in 1909.	P
1857	SS Lord Londonderry , pioneer of the 12 strong Londonderry fleet built 1857.	P
1857	Dene House built, Londonderry Agents T G Shaw, John Daglish, John B Eminson, Sam Ditchfield and Malcolm Dillon lived here.	P
1857	New Seaham became a parish.
1857	Lady Londonderry entertains 4000 workers in Seaham Hall grounds.
1858	36 pounder Russian cannon captured at Sebastapol presented to the town by Queen Victoria.	P
1858	Purvis’s Photographic Portrait Rooms, opened in North Terrace.
1858	The Seaham Observer a weekly newspaper first published in 1858.
c1858	New Cottages, later to become Swinebank Cottages were built in the mid/late 1850s to house miners at one of the New Seaham Collieries. By 1871 the 83 houses were largely occupied by Engine/Wagonworks staff many of whom had arrived when the Londonderry Works were transferred from Chilton to Seaham.	P
1859	Foundation stone of Lady Londonderry’s Blast Furnaces laid in December, not completed until 1862.	P
	1860s
1860s	Engine shops, stores, grease-works, granaries, stables, goods station and wagon-works erected south of Seaham Harbour Station as the Londonderry Wagonworks were transferred from Chilton Moor to Seaham.	P
1860s	Sewage had been dumped near Seaham Colliery Station then carted to the sea. By around 1865 it was taken in carts to rail sidings near Northumberland Arms then travelled by rail to “Tip Ends” to be tipped into the sea.
1860	Seaham Volunteers inaugurated. North Battery living quarters built after 1861 before 1871.	P
1860	Christ Church built by Marchioness Frances Anne, consecrated 21st November.	P
1860	St John’s Church enlarged by adding new north aisle.	P
1860	Seaham Weekly News first published on 5th May 1860, last issue 29th July 1938 when it was incorporated into the Durham Chronicle.
1860	A gift of a drinking fountain from Mr Robert Wright was placed at the bottom of North Railway Street
1861	20 houses built in Marlborough by 1861 and a start made on Emily Street. Both completed by the 1871 census.	P
1861	Footbridge to the Baths demolished and new coast road built.	P
1861	Cheapside became Green Street.	P
1861	Police Station and Magistrates Court opened in Tempest Rd, (Londonderry Rd)	P
1861	Ordnance Survey Map of Seaham.	P
1862	Wood and Co built bank on western end of Bath Tce in 1861, it opened in 1862, was rebuilt in 1895 and became Barclays in 1902.	P
1862	Green Drive Lime Kilns (1862-1918) supplied Furnaces and Chemical Works and no doubt the building of Dawdon Colliery and town.	P
1862	In 1862  654,416 tons of coal were shipped from the  dock to UK and foreign ports.
1862	Seaham Colliery High and Low Pits joined underground.
1862	First Drill Hall built, Vane Hall on Castlereagh Bridge. Became a livery stable when Castlereagh Rd Drill Hall was built in 1888	P
1862	The first Co-operative Stores appeared in 1861/2 at 19 North Tce and 12 South Terrace.	P
1863	Board of Health formed, forerunner of the Town Council.
1863	Seaham Colliery School built, demolished 1979
1865	Frances Anne died at Seaham Hall in January aged 65.
1865	Seaton Village School opened taking over from the former school held in the loft of a barn higher up in the village. Closed 1938.	P
1865	Cornish St built between 1861 and 1871. (Seaham Colliery). Originally New Row.
1865	Swinebank Cottages School opened. (Closed 1910).	P
1865	Murley’s Bakers opened and traded in Seaham until the 1990s.	P
1865	Mary Anne Cotton, the infamous mass murderess lived at 19 North Tce for 6 months of this year. Credited with 14 or 15 victims she may have killed as many as 21.	P
1866	Hand operated fire engine housed at the Drill Hall.
1866	Seaham’s first Swimming Club formed in the Londonderry Institute, July 1866, disbanded November 1867 and re-formed in 1880.(by which time they must have forgotten how cold the water was.)	P
1866	Seaham Gas Co built large new gasworks opposite Candlish Bottleworks, operational by 1866.	P
1867	Londonderry Colliery Workshops opened next to the railway station, later became the Wagon Shops. Closed and demolished in 1987.	P
1868	Seaham Colliery Brickworks opened. 12 kilns could each produce 18,000 bricks at a time. Closed 1965.	P
1868	Seaham Harbour Cricket Club founded.	P
1869	Catholics granted permission to build a church and schools next to police station.	P
1869	Robert Graydon built Bengal House and Gardens at the bottom of the Dene Bank. Near Dalden Tower.	P
	1870s
1870	Watson Town, 13 houses, built by Watson Kipling Co between 1870 and 1872 to house their Blast Furnace staff, later housed sinkers at Dawdon Colliery, demolished after 1906.	P
1970	The original RC Church of St Mary Magdalene opened in Londonderry Rd next to police station in 1870. The church was also used as a school until the school in Vane Tce was built. demolished 1975. Could seat 500.	P
1870	Coffee Pot, Loco 16, built by Head Wrightson, purchased new. Seaham’s first vertical boiler engine.	P
1870	Stud Farm at Dalden Hall set up for the Londonderrys by Robert Brydon.	P
1870	“Sisters Carter of Harrogate” first RNLI lifeboat arrived at Seaham 1/9/1870.	P
1870	New Lifeboat Station.	P
1870	Incline between Noah’s Ark and the Golden Lion fenced after many accidents.	P
1870	Metal Bridge built over the Incline between South Crescent and North Terrace	P
1871	Seaham Colliery explosion killed 21 miners.	P
1871	A professional cricketer Henry Grist lived with his wife in Emily St. Presumably he played for Seaham Harbour Cricket Club which had been formed in 1868.
1871	By 1871 a start had been made on building Cornelia Terrace.	P
1871	First Durham Miners Gala in Wharton Park, 13th August	P
1873	Theatre Royal opened 11th November with “The Two Orphans”  Seated 2000.	P
1873	Frances St Co-op opened with several departments.
1873	Coffee Pot, Loco 17, purchased new.	P
1874	Election riots in February began in Seaham Harbour and ended at Mill Inn when large force of police arrived.	P
1874	Masonic Hall built on North Road.	P
1875	Seaham Hall Station built for the private use of the Londonderry family.	P
1875	Henry St, Seaham St, Hall St and Cooke St built at Seaham Colliery between 1871-81
1876	Ropery Walk Voluntary School built and Bottleworks School closed.	P
1876	First telephone at Young’s printers, North Railway Street.	P
1877	Salvation Army arrived in Seaham.	P
1877	SHDC Loco 18 built by Stephen Lewin in 1877 spent most of its working life at Seaham Dock, retired in 1975. Now restored at Beamish Museum it is probably the oldest industrial locomotive still in existence.	P
1877	Independent Methodism at New Seaham commenced on Sunday March 11th, 1877, the first services being held in the open air between Seaham and Henry Streets using a kitchen as a pulpit.
1878	Londonderry ship SS Viscount Castlereagh built 1874.	P
1879	Sunderland Central Railway Station opened August 3rd	P
1879	Ralph Fair’s widow Jane took over Adam and Eve’s Gardens after her husbands death in 1879, Jane died in 1894 and the pub and gardens were then run by her son Thomas until 1908.	P
	1880s
1880	Robert Pott’s Shipyard in South Dock destroyed by fire.	P
1880	Disaster at Seaham Colliery, 164 men and boys and 180 pit ponies killed.	P
1880	Seaham Harbour Swimming Club formed. (Men only). Disbanded in 1982.	P
1881	Co-op building in Castlereagh Rd opened, it moved the grocery business to its current site in Green St in 1977 and the rest of the business to the former Woolworths Store in Church St in 1989, this closed in 1993.	P
1882	First carriage road from Seaham to Dalton le Dale built.	P
1882	Presbyterian Church in Adolphus St West opened in 1882, could seat 310, destroyed by German landmine 1941.	P
1882	New Seaham Londonderry Benevolent Cycling Club formed at The New Seaham Inn (Kestrel)
1882	Independent Methodist Sunday School held its first anniversary service in the garden of 37 Doctor St.
1883	New dredger designed and built by George Hardy.	P
1884	SS “Linthorpe”, a 133 ton iron screw ketch built at Seaham.  The shipyard was behind the Lighthouse Rock, on the Basin Quay (above Slope)	P
1885	Princess Road Cemetery opened with two chapels, one Church of England the other, non-conformist.	P
1885	Huge Co-op department store opened in Vane Terrace next to Castlereagh Hotel.	P
1885	Chemical Works closed.
1885	Extensive alterations to St John’s Church, extension of the chancel and the erection of a new chancel arch, organ chamber and vestries. There are 650 sittings.
1886	Bottleworks introduced gas furnaces, 200ft chimney built.	P
1886	Seaham Harbour Railway Station prefabricated at Londonderry Engineworks replaced the original built in 1855. Closed during WW2 it never re-opened.	P
1886	Birkbeck Villa, on Station Rd, east of Christ Church, dwelling house and post office opened 18th October. Post office closed 1909.	P
1886	Independent Methodist Church, Enfield Rd, New Seaham opened 14 December.	P
1887	RNLI lifeboat “Skynner” arrived, Seaham’s lifeboat until 1908, saved 87 lives.	P
1887	Jubilee Methodist Church in what is now Eastlea Rd.
1887	St Mary’s RC School opened in Vane Terrace.	P
1887	Burials banned in St John’s Churchyard in favour of Princess Rd Cemetery.	P
1887	Viceroy Street, Seaham Colliery, building began before 1891, after 1886. Probably between 1886 and 1889 when Lord Londonderry was Viceroy of Ireland.
1888	Second Drill Hall built between Castlereagh Rd and Tempest Rd. opened 27/10/88.	P
1888	Seaham Harbour Cycling Club formed at the Noah’s Ark.	P
1888	Paddle tug Lady Helen arrived in Seaham 18/9/1888, a replacement for the old tug Harry Vane.	P
1889	Caroline Winter murdered on the beach near Featherbed Rock, August 2nd.
1890	Prince and Princess of Wales, Edward and Alexandra, visit Seaham, arriving at Seaham Station.
1891	September, Elementary Education Act, all scholars to be admitted to infant school free, previously 2d per week.
1892	Emily St Centre opened. (school providing cookery lessons)	P
1892	Mill Inn rebuilt on the site of the original inn.	P
1893	Candlish Memorial Hall built. Disused in the 1950s it became a clothing factory for a while. (Barrans)  Demolished in 1974	P
1893	Seaham Harbour Ashmore Cycling Club formed at the Braddyll Arms
c1893	Gallery Row was built between 1892 and 1894. Demolished c 1960	P
1893	Prince and Princess of Wales (future Edward V11 and Queen Alexandra) visited Seaham Harbour on July 3rd.	P
1894	Princess Rd Isolation Hospital opened to hold 8 patients, by 1910, 12.  Later became the Fire Station.
1894	St Cuthbert’s RC School opened in Cornish St, demolished in 1956.
1894	In this year the police force consisted of, Town, 1 superintendant, 2 sergeants and 6 constables. Sub District of Seaham Harbour, 1 inspector, 6 sergeants and 17 constables.	P
1895	Conservative Club, Station Rd opened 26/10/1895.	P
1895	Gas lighting in Seaham Colliery Streets from September 5th 1895.
1895	Loco 21 built at SHEW in 1895, sold to NER in 1900.	P
1896	Last Rainton pits closed in November, western sections of Rainton & Seaham Railway dismantled
1896	Theresa Cycling Club formed at Botcherby’s Beer House 5 North Terrace in 1896. 5 North Terrace was the address of the Shakespeare Inn at this time.
1896	Catholic School opened at High Colliery.
1897	Jubilee Pleasure Grounds opened in Dalton le Dale on Whit Monday, June 7th 1897. Disused after 1928.	P
1897	J J Candlish Cycling Club formed at the Robert Candlish Memorial Hall.
1897	First passenger motor coach on Seaham Colliery Road owned by Mr T O Johnson of Cornish St., driver Robert Neville.
1898	Viceroy Street School opened. National School infants moved here. Closed 1972.	P
1898	New Seaham Co-op on Mill Bank opened. Closed 1970. Became the Regency Assembly Rooms in 1979.	P
1898	The last Seaham Regatta held on 6th August 1898, the first was possibly in 1873.	P
1898	Seaham Harbour Dock Company formed, and shares issued to raise funds for major extension of South Dock and piers.	P
1899	South Dock extensions begun in August.	P
1899	Sod cut for Dawdon Colliery on August 26th.	P
1899	Caroline Winter aged 8 was murdered in a cave near the Featherbed Rock.	P
1899	The Butterboat, “Niord” ran aground on New Year’s Eve.	P
	1900s
1900	Londonderry Railway sold to NER.6th October
1900	Tunnel connecting South Dock and Terrace Beach opened	P
1900	Foggin’s newsagents opened.
1901	New Theatre Royal opened, the first Theatre Royal opened 11th November 1873.	P
1901	Wooden Lion put on roof of Golden Lion PH 1901, replaced 1935	P
1901	Elgey’s Timberyard opened, previously owned by Mann Bros from the mid 1850s and Robert Trotter from the 1870s. Timberyard finally closed 1985.	P
1901	Population of Seaham 10,000
1902	Seaham and District Photographic Society formed, meetings were held in Robert Forster’s shop in Frances St.	P
1902	Barclays took over the bank at the western end of Bath Tce built by Wood and Co in 1861/2.	P
1902	Coronation Buildings, Station Rd, built.	P
1903	Seaham White Star FC founded.	P
1903	“Smallpox Hospital erected with 4 beds” no idea where this was situated, possibly attached to Isolation Hospital.
1903	New South Dock east wall badly damaged by storm on 9/10/03	P
1903	New Seaham Recreation Grounds opened with swings etc
1904	Church Street United Methodist Chapel burned down 20/3/04. Services temporarily held in the Theatre Royal and the Co-operative Hall. Rebuilt 1905.	P
1904	Seaham White Star FC won the Wearside league in its inaugural season, 1903/04.	P
1904	SS Maureen, biggest and best of the 12 strong Londonderry fleet built 1904, scrapped 1935.	P
1904	SS Lilian came ashore on the Blast Beach in February	P
1905	Church Street United Methodist Chapel rebuilt, opened 29th July. Last service 1969 when congregation moved to new Wesleyan Church in Tempest Rd. Closed Feb 1969. Site now occupied by Boots the Chemist.	P
1905	New South Dock opened 11th November 1905 by Prime Minister A J Balfour.	P
1905	New South Dock can handle ships of 5000 tons, 5 times bigger than the old dock.	P
1905	New North Pier (1383 ft long) and South Pier (876ft) completed.	P
1905	New automatic steel lighthouse built on new North Pier.	P
1905	Loco Seaham worked at the dock from new in 1905 until scrapped in 1961.	P
1905	Times Inn Farm, (Colpitt’s Farm), Dalton le Dale demolished.	P
1905	First train from Sunderland to Hartlepool via Seaham ran on Oct 1st
1906	St Andrew’s Terrace built in Dalton le Dale. Demolished in the mid 1960s.	P
1906	Loco Silksworth at Seaham Dock from new in 1906 until scrapped in 1963.	P
1907	Seaham Park Recreation Ground opened offering football, cricket, bowls and tennis. Bowling Greens opened 1905.	P
c1907	Silent films shown in the ‘Invicta’ in the Co-operative Hall in Vane Terrace (upstairs) 1 penny bought you a seat and a stick of rock.
1907	Petrol engined car built at Londonderry Engine Works for the 6th Marquess. Now at Beamish Museum.	P
1907	First Scout Troop formed, named 1st Seaham (Londonderry Own)
1907	St Mary Magdalene’s Catholic Church opened near Dene House.	P
1907	First films screened at the Theatre Royal during intervals in the stage shows.	P
1907	Loco Milo built 1873 worked at Seaham Dock from 1907 until scrapped in 1963.	P
1907	Coal drawn from Dawdon Colliery.
1907	New organ costing £750 donated to St John’s by the Marquess of Londonderry.
1907	St Andrew’s Church, Dalton le Dale restored.	P
1908	The tenancy of Adam and Eve’s Gardens held by the Fair family for 80 years passed to Frank Marriott who transferred the licence to the Red Star, Station Rd in 1932.	P
1908	Seamen’s Mission opened in South Crescent. Replaced Seamen’s Bethel in dock.	P
1908	Alfred St, building began in 1908.	P
1908	Loco Mars built in 1875 worked at Seaham Dock from 1908 until 1963.	P
1908	First motor lifeboat “Bradford Reserve” arrived, here for 3 years.
1908	The third and last lifeboat house built in South Dock.	P
1908	Seaham volunteers absorbed into Territorial Army and renamed the 3rd Northumberland Field Artillery.  Seaham Drill Hall remained as headquarters.	P
1908	Amateur Operatic Society formed, first production, HMS Pinafore	P
1908	Angus Bethune, vicar of St Mary’s, Old Seaham, died aged 97.	P
1909	Paddle tug “Seaham” came to Seaham docks brand new in 1909 (1908?) and worked here until 1962.	P
1909	Paddle tug “Lady Helen” arrived, sold in 1923   (???)(1888 ???)	P
1909	Two new wings added to Londonderry Offices.	P
1909	Ropery Walk Voluntary School built in 1876 taken over by Durham County Council.	P
1909	Dene Crescent, (2 houses) built on the north side of the Dene above Adam and Eve’s Gardens.	P
	1910s
1910	Petrol engined articulated lorries built at Londonderry Engineworks.	P
1910	Londonderry agent Sam Ditchfield retired.
1910	Drill Hall on Station Road, (just west of Post Office) became Primitive Methodist Chapel. (Church Institute)	P
1910	New Seaham Working Men’s Club opened. (Eastlea Rd)	P
1910	Dawdon Miners’ Institute, (Dawdon Welfare), in Mount Stewart St. opened 3/12/1910.	P
1910	Stewart St Methodist Church built 1910, later a pop factory then Scout Headquarters, demolished 2002.	P
1910	Dawdon Infants and Junior Schools built. Infants’ School closed 1979, junior schools closed 1969.	P
1910	Foundation stone of St Hild and St Helen’s Church at Dawdon laid 19/9/1910. Opened 1911.	P
1910	Shakespeare Hotel, North Terrace closed December 1910, Jim Prior landlord
1911	Population of Seaham 15,000
1911	RNLI lifeboat “Elliot Galer” arrived.	P
1911	Coronation celebrations for King George V and Queen Mary.	P
1911	Seaham Golf Club opened on 95 acres of land given by 6th Marquess of Londonderry. Officially opened May 15th	P
1911	Dawdon Co-op opened in Princess Road. Closed in 1969.	P
1911	Seaham Harbour and District Scout Association formed August 1911.
1911	Seaham Rifle Club opened, destroyed when shelled by a German submarine on July 16th 1916.	P
1912	Seaham Sea Angling Club formed. Meetings were held in the Candlish Memorial Hall. Since 1984  they have their own clubhouse, the old Dock Co Offices.
1912	Upper Standard School opened in Princess Rd, later the Girls Grammar School.	P
1912	Byron Terrace School opened.	P
1912	The Empire, Seaham’s first purpose built cinema opened in October, I also have a record of an opening date of 1/7/1907, last film shown was South Pacific on 31st August 1968.	P
1912	Princess Theatre opened in October.	P
1912	St Hild and St Helen’s Church, Dawdon, (the Pitmen’s Cathedral) consecrated. Foundation stone laid 16/9/1910.	P
1912	Rose Cottage, Dalton le Dale, demolished.	P
1912	Dawdon Hotel built, Harry Webb first landlord.	P
1912	Chiltern’s Brewery in Lord Street was taken over by Nimmos.
1913	New Girl Guides HQ in the garden of Dene House.	P
1914	SS Seaham Harbour interned with her crew in Hamburg (Ruhleben?) when war was declared in 1914.	P
1914	War declared 11th August, the crew of the German ship “Comet” berthed in Seaham Dock were arrested.	P
1914	Princess Theatre opened. Closed 1970s.	P
1914	Dawdon Workmen’s Club opened, closed 2005?
1914	7th Marquess provides free site and materials for Aged Miners Homes at New Seaham Park.	P
1915	Seaham Hall handed over to Military for use as a war hospital/convalescent home, (1915-1919)	P
1915	The Kitty, Seaham’s first police station at the western end of North John Street, a soup kitchen and probably many other uses in it’s later days demolished 1915.	P
1916	On 12th of July a German submarine fired around 30 shells into Seaham causing slight damage and one fatality.
1917	The bottleboat, “Oakwell” struck a mine and sank with the loss of 4 lives, March 1917.	P
1920	The Infirmary in Tempest Road became Council Offices until 1964.Demolished 1969.	P
c1918	During WW1, Londonderry ships “Lady Londonderry” was lost in the Thames Estuary and “Lord Stewart was torpedoed.
1918	Londonderry ship SS Stewart’s Court torpedoed within sight of Seaham. Londonderry ship Lady Helen also torpedoed and lost.	P
1918	Seaham Lifeboat Elliot Galer saved 13 crew of the torpedoed “Stewart’s Court”.	P
	1929s
1920	Building Grant’s Crescent began.	P
1920s	Kenneth Martin opened garage in Station Rd, later to become Seaham Motor Co.	P
1921	Miner’s strike.
1921	Bottleworks closed.	P
1921	Chaytor’s butcher shop opened	P
1921	Child Welfare hut opened on top of dene opposite Police Station.
1921	Ayre’s grocery business opened. In 1992 Mrs Mary Ayre aged 87 was still serving in the Adelaide Row shop.	P
1922	Hall Brothers Invincibles were the first motor buses to ply between Seaham and Murton, 1922-1925. Taken over by Northern in 1925	P
1922	Cottages School (Swinebank) presented by the 7th Marquess for use as a Church Institute. Queen Alexandra Road Dawdon.	P
1922	Dawdon Parish Hall and Institute erected after the Marquess donated the Cottages School and building materials for an extension.
1922	Around 1922 a Co-op Store was opened at the junction of Lord St and Frederick St. Closed 1968.
1922	Statue of the 6th Marquess (1852-1915) erected outside Londonderry Offices.	P
1923	Joiners Cafe built on the cliffs near the old cannon emplacements, destroyed by the sea in 1938.	P
1923	Sod cut for Vane Tempest Colliery, 19th November 1923.
1923	Foundation Stone laid for Castlereagh Aged Miners’ Homes.	P
1923	Foundation Stone laid for Castlereagh extension to South Dock.	P
1923	The Paddle tug “Hardback” built in 1901 was at Seaham from 1923 until 1956.	P
1923	Doggart’s drapery store opened at 58/9 Church Street, closed in January 1981.	P
1924	Seaham and District Laundry opened on the Mill Bank, New Seaham, near the Cosy Cinema.	P
1924	Londonderry Engine-works in Foundry Road closed.	P
1925	Invincible buses replaced by Northern in 1925.	P
1925	Laid up in 1925, the Londonderry ships “Newtonards” and “Longnewton” were sold in the early 1930s.	P
1925	South Dock, Castlereagh Staithes built 1925.	P
1925	7th Marquess provides free site and materials for Aged Miners Homes at Maglona St, Dawdon.
1925	Seaham Harbour Engine Works, SHEW, Foundry Road closed September	P
1926	Miners strike 1st May – 30th November.
1926	Vane Tempest Colliery, sinking began.	P
1926	Building of Carr House Estate, (Deneside) began, finished 1936.	P
1926	St Joseph’s RC Senior School opened at Low Colliery, closed 1969, pupils transferred to St Bede’s, Peterlee.
1927	Green Drive Suspension Bridge opened. Closed 1959, demolished 1961.	P
1927	Seaham Hall presented by the 7th Marquess to Durham County Council for use as a sanatorium for women and children. Opened 25/2/28.	P
1927	Seaham UDC’s new electricity company opened. First mains electricity in the town.
1927	Snowdon’s Bakery opened in North Railway St. The Snowdon brothers had run a small off-licence and bakery in two sheds in Cornish St. Would later become Snowdon and Bailes. Sold to Rank Hovis in 1954.	P
1927	Dawdon Girls School (Grammar by 1930) at Upper Standard.	P
1927	Nicholson’s bakers opened, closed down c1998
1928	Roland Mawston Smith opened his motor engineering premises at New Seaham Lodge. Soon known as the Lodge Garage.	P
1928	Seaham Hall opened as a sanatorium 25th February	P
1928	Footbridge opened at Seaham Colliery Station, May 2nd	P
1928	Rail fare Seaham to Sunderland, single 7d, return 10d
1929	7th Marquess provides free site and materials for Aged Miners Homes at Hill Crescent, Dawdon.
1929	Vane Tempest Colliery, first coals drawn in April.	P
1929	Hostel for 8 single aged miners at East View, Seaham Park opened . Land and materials donated by Lord Londonderry.
1929	Dalton Avenue built.
1929	Portland Avenue Deneside, built, houses in the new Deneside streets were finished and occupied long before the roads were built.	P
1929	Ramsay MacDonald becomes M.P. for Seaham, and prime minister in 1931-1935.
1929	Eight new bells installed in St John’s Church	P
	1930s
1930	Seaham Intermediate School, “SIS” opened at Low Colliery, became part of Seaham Comprehensive in 1979, closed 1987. Now Parkland Nursing Home.	P
1930	Camden Square Intermediate School opened, absorbed Girls Grammar School building in 1964, closed 1979 and became infants school.	P
1930	County Library opened in the ‘tin hut’ behind the Infirmary, 16th June.	P
1930	St John’s C of E School (junior mixed) opened, closed 1973. Formerly National School.	P
1930	Walter Oughtred opened his photographic business and continued until his death in 1979.
1930	First “talkie” movie shown in Seaham at the Princess 30th April 1930, ‘Broadway Melody’	P
1930	Princess Rd Girls Grammar opened, closed 1964.	P
1930s	John Best opened New Seaham Garage at the top of the Avenue, Deneside, bought by Bill Padgett in 1979.
1930	New Seaham Welfare Pavilion opened26th October	P
1931	The name of Carr House Farm Estate changed to Deneside.
1931	Deneside Recreation Grounds opened.
1931	New west wing added to Seaham Hall Hospital.	P
1931	SS Hallmoor aground on Seaham Hall beach, 17/2/1931.	P
1931	Princess Rd and Maureen Tce roads laid.
1931	Theatre Royal became a cinema, reopened with talkies on 5/10/31. First film “Big Pond”	P
1932	Dawdon pithead baths opened.	P
1932	All Saints Mission, Deneside opened 1/11/32, built on an acre of  land donated by Lord Londonderry. Demolished and rebuilt in 1965.	P
1932	Red Star opened in Station Road. Frank Marriott, owner of Adam and Eve’s Gardens and The Marlborough in North Tce applied to transfer the licence from Adam and Eve’s to Red Star and promised to close the Marlborough if his application was granted.
1932	The Marlborough, 7 North Terrace, closed (licence offered in part ex for Red Star licence)	P
1932	Reuben’s Arcade at the junction of Church St and Blandford Place opened. I have another reference placing the opening in December 1930	P
1932	Lending library opened in Reuben’s Arcade.
1932	Road from Dawdon Crossings to Mount Pleasant (New Seaham) opened in September.
1932	Labour Exchange opened in Church Street, September 1932	P
1932	Rock House opened as an education centre	P
1932	Deneside Coal Depot opened in august
1932	Elevated beach railway line around the point at Featherbed Rock demolished after 3 drownings.	P
1932	Royal Oak PH closed 3rd June	P
1933	The Lawns, 150 old people’s homes opened.	P
1933	Between 1933 and 1936 many streets were demolished….. Back North Tce, Back North Railway St, John St William St and Henry St. Irish Back St, Duckyard, Pilot Tce, Wood Cottages, Foundry Houses. Swinebank Cottages and Green St. The Gasworks Cottages, Toll Cottage and the Baths. More than 3000 people re-housed.	P
1933	Drinking water fountain installed at bottom of North Bank near shelter hut on beach 5/8/33
1933	J J Willis commenced pleasure boating from the beach with motor boat “Dorothy” 4/8/33
c1934	Walter Willson’s in Henry Street demolished.	P
1934	Duckyard, formerly Allason’s Pottery in the mid 1800s demolished 19/9/1934. Pottery burned out before 1868.	P
1934	Wood Houses, the first houses built in the new town of Seaham Harbour were originally for workmen preparing for the laying of the foundation stone of docks in 1828. Situated on what would become the Terrace Green they were soon re-erected at what would be the eastern end of Ropery Walk and remained there until demolished in 1934.	P
1934	William Street demolished.	P
1934	Emma Kirton’s shop and cafe opened near the fountain in Dalton le Dale
1934	John St Independent Methodist Chapel at number 16, (Oddfellow’s Hall) demolished.	P
1934	Co-op Store opened in Deneside, comprising butchery and grocery departments only.
1934	Summerson’s Buildings demolished.	P
1934	Ellis’s Bungalow burnt out on 6th April (off New Drive) Built for Colonel Walsh (Pearson’s engineer, South Dock extension) c1899.	P
1934	Sod cut for Oil Plant in Dene House Road on 31st of December	P
1934	Seaham Colliery Air Engine Chimney (185′) demolished 31st August.	P
1935	SS Maureen, the last of the Londonderry Fleet sold to Teesside breakers yard. She had been HM transport 613 during WW1.	P
1935	Coal and Allied Industries began producing coke and motor spirit from coal at their 59 acre site in Dene House Rd. Closed 1940.	P
1935	Dene Park opened in April on land donated by the 7th Marquess. Disgracefully, he wasn’t invited to open the park.	P
1935	Deneside Infants’ School opened.	P
1935	Electric winder at Low Pit, Seaham Colliery.	P
1935	Assembly of God Chapel opened in Adolphus Street, 25th May
1935	George Inn, The Avenue, Deneside, opened 20th December.	P
1935	Scouts camp opened on 24 acres of land west of Seaton donated by George Gregson
1935	Carr House Farm demolished, Ryton Crescent built on the site.	P
1936	School Camp near Seaham Hall opened, occupied by military during the war, squatters after and demolished in the early 1960s. (possibly opened 1935)	P
1936	Seaham and District Darts League formed October 1936
1936	Woolworths Store opened in Church Street 26th March 1936.	P
1936	In January the American ship West Hika ran aground on Shippersea Rocks off Easington, not re-floated for 9 months.	P
1936	Building of Adelaide Row Post Office began in May
1936	Billiard hall opened in Church Street in October, 10 tables, owners P & O & V Vincent
1937	Vane Tempest pithead baths opened.
1937	Demolition of the old Seaham Colliery streets began with families being transferred to the new Parkside Estate. Vacated houses were wisely left standing for people left homeless by air raids.
1937	Seaham Harbour absorbed New Seaham, (Seaham Colliery) and became Seaham.
1937	Deneside Junior School opened.	P
1937	RNLI lifeboat “Elizabeth Wills Allen” served at Seaham 1937-1950.	P
1937	Cosy Cinema opened on Mill Bank, New Seaham, 25th January, first film “In Love Again”	P
1938	Snowdon’s Assembly Rooms in North Railway St burned down on 12th February.	P
1938	Seaton Village School closed.	P
1938	Infectious Diseases Hospital, (Isolation Hospital), Princess Rd, closed.
1939	All Seaham Schools closed on 4th September as air raid shelters were not ready.
1939	Old Isolation Hospital in Princess Rd became a fire station.	P
1939	Crompton and Harrison, steel fabricators opened on the former Modern Fuels site in Dene House Rd.	P
1939	Seaham Central Townswomen’s Guild formed.
1939	Two houses in Bank Head St, Seaham Colliery became a wartime fire station.
1939	Access to beaches denied by barbed wire.
1939	Work on building Parkside housing estate began.
1939	“Carmarthen Coast” mined off the harbour, 14 of its crew rescued by Seaham lifeboat ” Elizabeth Wills Allen”
	1940s
1940	Old lighthouse demolished because it was in line of fire of defence guns.	P
1940	The Russian cannon on the Terrace Green, presented to Seaham by Queen Victoria in 1840 sent away with the town’s railings by an over zealous official to aid the war effort.
1940	Food rationing introduced in January.
1940	Pig rearing scheme introduced by Seaham council on old Chemical Works site
1940	The “Green Man” erected on the site the cannon had occupied. Supposed to look like a pub it was an observation post which controlled 6 inch guns and a searchlight unit built into the cliffs between itself and Bath Tce.
1940	440 houses had been completed at Parkside by September 1940.
1940	On August 15th Seaham suffered a daylight air raid, German Heinkels and Messerschmitt 110s attacked and bombs were dropped on Dawdon. Spitfires shot down one 110. Houses were demolished in Illchester St, Stavordale St and Fenwick’s Row. 12 people died, altogether there were 53 casualties, 119 people were homeless and 230 houses damaged. St Hild and St Helen’s Church was damaged, repairs cost £1000.
1941	Rabbit rearing scheme introduced by Seaham Council in February to supplement meat stocks
1941	On the 15th February an air raid demolished the Lord Street Subway and destroyed nos 7-11 Frederick Street, 1 death. On the night of the fifteenth another raid caused major damage in Stewart St. Four died, nine were injured and 257 houses were damaged.
1941	Clothes rationing introduced on June 1st
1941	In an air raid on Tuesday 25th October The Seaton Colliery Inn received a direct hit and was completely demolished. The landlord’s wife and a friend were killed and 12 injured. In this raid 585 houses were damaged.	P
1941	On 12th November at 9.15 am 4 people were injured in Adolphus St when bombs fell without exploding.
1942	Seaham Colliery pithead canteen opened November 7th
1942	Air raids on 19th September killed 2 and injured 3 in the Jubilee and Queen’s Ave area.
1942	British Restaurant opened in Adelaide Row. Meals could be bought without ration coupons, a three course meal cost 10d.
1942	Seaham Girls Training Corps formed.
1943	British Restaurant opened in Deneside, 2nd August
1943	Presbyterian Church in Adolphus St West destroyed by German landmine.	P
1943	Seaham’s worst air raid was its last, on 16th May 1943 a huge landmine exploded in the Adolphus St area. 20 died in Viceroy St, 10 in Sophia St and 3 in Adolphus St. The Presbyterian Church and 113 houses were totally demolished or beyond repair and 1120 houses damaged altogether. 147 casualties were treated.	P
1943	German landmine fell on Dalton le Dale, its parachute caught in a tree and it failed to explode.
1944	Sections of the Mulberry Harbour used in the D Day landings were made at Crompton and Harrison’s engineering works in Dene House Rd.	P
1945	War ends, 3266 Seaham people served in HM Forces, 181 lost their lives.
1945	Malcolm Dillon MBE died in September.	P
1945	Calvert’s opened their Church St shop in what had been Minski’s premises. They formerly traded from tiny premises just south of the Empire Theatre.	P
1945	Dawdon Pit Pond Swimming Club formed by Frank Watt.	P
1945	York House PH opened December
1946	A shed built by the Home Guard on the site of the bombed out Seaton Colliery Inn was dismantled and re-erected at Malvern Crescent to become the first Labour Club. Date not certain.
1946	Cornish Street demolished.	P
1947	The National Coal Board took over the Londonderry Collieries on 1st of January.
1947	Building began of 70 steel houses in Eastlea.
1948	Dalton le Dale’s Spiritualist’s Hall (John Dickeson’s old paint shop) burned down. Re-opened 1949.	P
1949	The7th Marquess died.	P
1949	In 1949/50 the old smithy attached to the Seaton Lane Inn was demolished by new owner Joe Orton (former manager of the brickworks) to make way for the building of his new house.	P
	1950s
1950	First house occupied in Westlea.	P
1950	Last of the Bottleworks chimneys demolished almost 30 years after it closed. The site remained as wasteland until grassed to provide a playing field for Ropery Walk School.	P
1951	Pithead baths, canteen and medical centre opened at Seaham Colliery on 14th July.
1951	Seaham Colliery canteen opened 14/7/51.
1951	Permission granted to use Seaham’s new coat of arms designed by Camden Square schoolboy Matthew Bowdler.	P
1952	Seaton Railway Station closed after 117 years.	P
1953	Ball Alley at Seaham Colliery demolished.	P
1953	In 1953, Dawdon Colliery still had 250 ponies and Seaham Colliery 215, by the late 1960s they had none. The Vane Tempest never had any.
1953	Building of Sea Wall commenced, 11 groynes added in 1955.	P
1954	The 8th Marquess died aged 54.
1954	Snowdon and Bailes Bakery taken over by Rank Hovis.
1954	Seaham Rotary Club formed.
1955	Eleven groynes built into beach	P
c1955	Dene House Farm in Castlereagh Rd demolished.	P
1956	Phoenix built on the site of the Seaton Colliery Inn bombed in October 1941.
1956	Paddle tug “Reliant” built in 1907 was at Seaham from 1956 until 1969.	P
1956	Mill House Farm at High Colliery demolished. Essex Crescent now occupies the site.	P
1956	St Cuthbert’s RC School in Cornish St, demolished.
1956	Seaham Inner Wheel formed.
1956	Tom Angus opened his butcher shop in Blandford Place.	P
1958	Barran’s clothing factory opened in Dene House Road in 1958, it had previously operated from the disused Candlish Memorial Hall.
1958	Twin screw tug “Wonder” at Seaham 1958-1964.	P
1950s	Gravestones at St. John’s were removed to the south and west walls of the graveyard and the area grassed.	P
1959	Old Mill, behind Mill Inn demolished. Built before 1644. It was consumed by fire in 1856, then became a blacking factory and finally a private house.	P
1959	Expansion of Snowdon and Bailes bakery in 1959 and 1969 took in several neighbouring buildings including The Forresters in 1959 and The Canterbury Arms. The factory had by 1969 swallowed Nos 7 to 18 North Railway Street	P
1959	Green Drive Suspension Bridge closed. Demolished 1961.	P
1959	NCB boring tower drilling 3 miles from the coast at Seaham.	P
1959	Hunter’s Buildings east of the Golden Lion demolished.	P
1960	First heart operation performed at Seaham Hall Hospital.
	1960s
1960s	In the early 1960s in Dalton le Dale, St Cuthbert’s Tce, Burnside House and  East End Cottages demolished.
1960s	Hunter’s Buildings flattened to become car park. Good at the time, but now totally inadequate, When will the authorities realise that they are strangling the heart of the town by not providing suitable parking facilities. The town centre is a place to meet, to chat over a coffee, a day out for many people. Seaham will be a hollow place without it. Great town, great people, great beaches, great future, BUT……………………………………………. No apologies for the rant.	P
1960s	Frances St, Adolphus Street and Viceroy Street demolished in the late 50s early 60s.	P
1961	New Library opened .	P
1961	Seaham Ladies Circle formed 30/5/61
1961	John O. Henderson retired as headmaster of Dawdon Junior Boys School	P
1962	Parkside Methodist Church in Parkside Crescent. From 1953 Parkside Methodists met in a hut on the estate.
1962	Dalton le Dale Vicarage, built around 1370, partially rebuilt and extended in 1670 was demolished by Frank Thubron in September 1962.	P
1962	Seaham’s lifeboat the “George Elmy” capsized after rescuing the crew of the fishing boat “Economy” All 10 of the lifeboat crew died and there was only one survivor from the 5 aboard the “Economy”	P
1963	New lifeboat “Will and Fanny Kirby” 2nd September 1963. Taken out of service 1979.	P
1963	Lifeboat “Clarissa Langdon” took the place of  “George Elmy” until “Will and Fanny Kirby” arrived.
1963	Strangford Road rail bridge, west of York House, a road-bridge at Cornelia Tce and the road-bridge connecting Station Road to the bottom of The Avenue completed.	P
1963	Parkside Infants School opened. Nursery class opened 1968.
1964	Paddle tug “Eppleton Hall” built in 1914 was at Seaham from 1964 until 1967.	P
1964	Northlea Grammar Technical School opened, became Comprehensive School in 1979.	P
1964	Licence transferred from the Braddyll to the new Mallard on Stockton Rd.  Braddyll  ceased trading until last week of November 1964.
1964	St Cuthbert’s RC junior mixed and infants opened. Formerly in Cornish St from 1894 then temporarily in Seaham Park House.	P
1964	New Council Suite (Offices) opened.	P
1965	Mining Training Centre opened at Seaham Colliery.
1965	Seaham Harbour Brickworks closed after 97 years.	P
1965	New Seaham Harbour Dock Co Offices opened on Dock Top.	P
1965	Cliff House demolished.	P
1965	All Saints Church, Deneside rebuilt.	P
1965	First ‘hole in the heart’ operation performed at Seaham Hall Hospital.
1965	Massive subsidence on Seaham- Dalton le Dale road, road closed for two years. The stone bridge and toilets collapsed into the hole and Dalden Hall was demolished.  Dalden Hall had not been inhabited since the 1850s.	P
1965	Southern end of South Terrace demolished.	P
1965	Londonderry Offices became police station.	P
1966	St Cuthbert’s RC Church opened in Mill Road.	P
1966	Braddyll demolished.
1966	Houses in Tempest Road which ran east from the junction with Vane Tce demolished July 1966.	P
1967	Dalden Hall near Dalden Tower demolished.	P
1967	Twin screw tug “Chipchase” arrived in Seaham, sold in 1969.	P
1967	Marlborough St (north side) demolished.	P
1960s	Cliff Hse demolished, ‘Fine Fare’ took over Billy Hoare’s butcher shop and Frank Pacito’s ice cream shop and opened Seaham’s first supermarket.	P
1968	High Colliery School (junior boys and infants) closed. Pupils transferred to Westlea School.
1968	Westlea Junior Mixed and Infants opened.
1968	Last film shown at the Empire Cinema was South Pacific on 31st August 1968.
1969	St Joseph’s RC Senior School at Low Colliery, opened 1926, closed 1969, pupils transferred to St Bede’s, Peterlee.
1969	Council Offices, (until 1918 the Infirmary), Tempest Rd demolished.	P
1969	Dawdon Junior Schools closed.	P
1969	Derek Mercer’s scrap metal business began on Gallery Row site. Closed 1999.
1969	United Methodist Church in Church St, last service 1969 when congregation moved to new Wesleyan Church in Tempest Rd. Closed Feb 1969. Site now occupied by Boots the Chemist.	P
c1969	Dawdon Co-op closed.	P
1970	The Londonderry Hotel, Fenwick Row, closed in 1970. Locally known as the Parrot.	P
	1970s
1970	Manor House Farm on Seaton Lane demolished during construction of the new A19. This farmhouse was Seaton’s earliest inn, variously called Blue House (Farm), Cockfighter Inn and The Bay Horse it was re-named Manor House Farm when the licence was transferred to the Roadside in the 1870s.	P
1970	New Seaham Co-op on Mill Bank opened 1898. Closed 1970. Became the Regency Assembly Rooms in 1979.
1971	Witten’s Park, immediately east of Seaham Harbour Railway Station flattened to make way for new road. The park was named after an early Station Hotel landlord. Richard Witten was landlord from around 1873 until the early 1890s.	P
1971	Seaham Harbour Railway Station (1886) demolished.	P
1971	Station Hotel demolished.	P
1971	Seaham Youth Centre in Strangford Rd, (Miners Walk), opened.
1971	Emily Street demolished.	P
1971	Marlborough St (south side) demolished, north side had been demolished in 1967.	P
1971	Dalton le Dale Burn burst its banks and several houses were flooded to a depth of 5 feet.	P
1971	Londonderry Yard immediately south of Emily St demolished.
1972	Miner’s strike.
1972	Viceroy Street Infants School closed. Pupils transferred to Dene House Rd. Building then used as Teachers’ Centre, demolished in 1988.	P
1972	Dene House Rd Infants School opened, Became RC school in 1982.
1973	New bus station south of Church St. opened, now derelict.	P
1973	Church Street became a pedestrian precinct.	P
1973	St John’s C of E School (junior mixed) closed. Formerly National School. Demolished 1980.	P
1974	Miner’s strike.
1974	New Marlborough Housing Complex completed.	P
1974	In 1974 and 1977 Calverts acquired the shops at either side to extend their business in Church Street.
1974	New Ropery Walk junior mixed and infants built.
1974	Transfer of Local Government from Seaham to Easington. Seaham Town Council established.
1975	Police Station in Tempest Rd, (Londonderry Rd) demolished. Built 1861.	P
1975	Baughen’s took over Snowdon and Bailes from Rank Hovis.
1976	Seaham Harbour Methodist Church opened in Tempest Rd, built on the site of the old Wesleyan Methodist Church.	P
1976	Jack Calvert took over Cliff House Garage from J F Skilbeck in 1976. Skilbecks originally had a small garage in North Railway Street from around 1930 which had previously belonged to the Meek Brothers for 10 years.
1977	Co-op opened new supermarket on former Theatre Royal site.
1977	Dawdon Workmen’s Club in Princess Rd burned out.
1978	Seaham Hall Hospital closed.	P
1978	Dow House opened.
1978	Byron House Community Centre opened near Rutherford Avenue.
1978	Seaham Action Training Workshops opened in the empty Dawdon Co-op Store, closed 1988.	P
1978	The former Seamen’s Mission in South Crescent became District Scouts HQ, re-named Dow House, opened by Prince Charles 31/5/78. Seamen’s Mission, re-opened as Seafarers’ Centre in 1988.	P
1978	Seaham Old Scouts Social Club opened in Dow House in 1978.
1978	NCB ceased shipment of coal from Seaham Docks.
1978	Dawdon Parish Hall closed to become a chapel of rest.	P
1979	After 109 years Seaham Lifeboat Station was closed.	P
1979	Demolition of the South Dock Staithes began.	P
1979	Regency Assembly Rooms, owned by Fred Cordner opened on the Mill Bank in the old Co-op buildings which had closed in 1970.	P
1979	Dawdon Infants’ School closed, junior schools closed 1969.	P
1979	Low Colliery Junior Girls and Infants School closed.
1979	Camden Square Infants opened..
1979	Camden Square Intermediate/Modern/Secondary School closed, pupils transferred to Seaham Comprehensive.
1979	Princess Road (junior mixed) School opened. Former Girls Grammar School.
	1980s
1980	St John’s C of E School, formerly National School., demolished.	P
1980	Seaham Leisure Centre opened at Deneside.
1981	Low Colliery Junior Girls and Infants School demolished after being closed in 1979. Kingfisher Industrial Estate now occupies the site.	P
1981	Gateway Supermarket opened on former National School site in Church Street, became Kwik Save in 1991.	P
1981	Doggart’s drapery store opened at 58/9 Church Street in 1923, closed in January 1981.	P
1982	Seaham Harbour Swimming Club closed after 102 years.	P
1983	Seaham Town Council comes into existence.
1980s	Rose and Crown in Church Street closed in early 80s.
1984	St Mary’s RC junior mixed and infants bought and extended Dene House Rd School. Originally in Vane Tce from 1887 and then in old St Joseph’s School in Station Rd.
1984	Miners strike 1984/5
1984	New Barclay’s Bank opened near Dock Top.	P
1985	Crompton and Harrison, steel fabricators, in Dene House Rd, closed.	P
1985	Snowdon and Bailes bakery closed, operation moved to Peterlee. Factory demolished in 1994	P
1985	Elgey’s Timberyard closed.	P
1986	Graham Way, a new link road opened.	P
1986	Restored Londonderry wagon placed on Dock Top.
1986	Beau Brummel’s (Barrans?) clothing factory housed in the former Drill Hall in Castlereagh Road destroyed by fire. Rebuilt within a year.	P
1987	Seaham Intermediate/Modern/Secondary School closed. Now Parkland Nursing Home.	P
1987	Major railway accident on Incline at North Railway St.	P
1987	Seaham Colliery closed and became part of Vane Tempest Colliery.	P
1988	Incline to docks closed and lines removed.
1988	Seamen’s Mission, re-opened as Seafarers’ Centre by Princess Anne.
1988	Seaham Hall became a Nursing home. Nursing home closed 1995.
1988	Viceroy Street Infants School demolished.	P
1989	Co-op took over the old Woolworth’s store in Church Street.
1989	Helen and Edith Streets, Dawdon Colliery officials houses demolished in 1989.	P
	1990s
1990	Dawdon Hotel demolished after fire. Built 1912.	P
1990	Pit wheel memorial, erected on Dock Top with ship’s anchors and Londonderry Arms foundation stone.	P
1991	Coal production ended at Dawdon Colliery on 26th of July 1991.
1992	Dawdon Colliery Winding Towers demolished on 26th of January 1992.	P
1992	Seaham Colliery, High Pit Heapstead demolished in November.	P
1992	Coal production ceased at Vane Tempest Colliery on October 23rd.
1994	Londonderry Institute in Tempest Road converted into16 flats by Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Assoc.	P
1994	Vane Tempest heapsteads demolished.	P
1995	Seaham Hall Care Home closed.
1997	Dempsey’s Bar opened in North Terrace in 1977.	P
1997	Seaham Hall bought by Tom Maxfield and converted into world class hotel. Sold to new owners in 2008.	P
2002	Seaham won the Outstanding Achievement in Regeneration Award in the Turning The Tide project jointly with the Eden Project.
2003	Building of East Shore Village on the former Vane Tempest Colliery site began.	P
2006	Londonderry Offices/Police Station converted to flats and re-named Marquess Point.	P
2008	Kestrel Closed	P
2010	Co-op store in Green Street closed.
	LAST UPDATED October 20th 2013

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