In pictures: Newbiggin's 'unique' ancestry project
- Published
Northumberland man Hilton Dawson is leading a project to explore the history of every family in his hometown of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. He wants to preserve memories and stories which "might be lost".
The project is gathering old photos and family records of people in the town. Mr Dawson, who was once MP for Lancaster and Wyre, embarked on the project after researching his own ancestry.
"There was no social security - it was very hard" - Mr Dawson's description of life in Newbiggin in the 19th and early 20th centuries. He said he had come across "extraordinary stories of bravery and resilience".
Fishing was at the heart of Newbiggin's economy, before the colliery opened in 1908, which Mr Dawson said "transformed" the town. About 300 people have contributed to the project so far, with information on 2,600 family members.
Many men died at sea, with 13 perishing in one disaster in 1851. The project hopes to uncover more stories like this as it gathers and digitises the "fragile records" kept by Newbiggin's residents.
Pictures like this of a local girls' school offer a window into a bygone era. With the help of a potential lottery grant, Mr Dawson hopes to have the history of about 40,000 people by 2015.
Newbiggin was and still is a popular seaside destination, with tourism facilities from the early 19th Century onwards. Since the closure of the colliery in 1967, tourism has become more important than ever to the local economy.
The town's inns were among the early facilities serving tourists. Photos like this have been posted on the project's Facebook page
Before the days of vans: a horse-drawn ice-cream cart caters for beach-goers. The public will be able to access the project's findings through the My Heritage website and local exhibitions and publications
- Published11 April 2013