The obelisk should be a proud focal point for people in Shields. But even though it was the site of Gardner’s cottage, it has become an unkempt and forgotten corner. So it is great news that it’s being is looked after, repointed and having its lettering re-done.
Chirton Ward Councillor Rebecca O’Keefe had this to say on the restoration:
“The restoration of the Ralph Gardner Memorial is a welcome and positive step in preserving the rich history of North Shields. This memorial stands as a lasting tribute to his impact on the area. Over time, the structure had fallen into disrepair, but thanks to recent efforts, it is being carefully restored to honour his legacy and reconnect the community with its past.
This restoration is more than just maintenance—it’s a celebration of our shared heritage. It reminds us of the importance of civic pride and the individuals who helped shape the North Shields we know today. In restoring the memorial, we are not only protecting a historical landmark but also sending a clear message that our history matters. It’s encouraging to see positive actions like this taking place in the heart of our community, helping to keep our stories alive for future generations.”
Who Was Ralph Gardner?
Ralph Gardner, born in 1625, ought to be be considered the Father of North Shields. Yet little is known about him except that he was a businessman involved in the brewing and coal trades, who became a reformer fighting the corruption and dishonest practices of the Corporation of Newcastle. He famously described the town’s governors as: “unchristian, illegal, oppressive and repugnant to the Laws of England.”
Gardner represented not just the people of North Shields, but all people who relied on the river but were barred from prospering from it.
As revenge for making trouble for the powerful hostmen of Newcastle, Gardner’s business was targeted. He was financially ruined by being ordered to make payments he couldn’t fulfill. This had him thrown in jail without trial for 5 months until he could be freed by his supporters in North Shields.
The memorial was erected in 1882 and featrures the inscripton: ‘A Faithful Son of Father Tyne’.
Historical Backdrop
Newcastle was a royalist town with a charter dating back to King John that enshrined its sole rights to the river. Gardner not only saw the Corporation as rotten, but would have viewed the monarchy as itself a corrupt monopoly, hence his lengthy appeal to Oliver Cronmwell to grant North Shields a charter. His work was titled:
Englands grievance discovered, in relation to the coal-trade: with the map of the river of Tine, and situation of the town and corporation of Newcastle
This entreaty did not lead to Shields becoming a port, which must have been frustrating for the people of the town, as barring not having a bridge, it is clearly better suited to being a port than Newcastle, which is situated 9 miles in-land.
However, his campaign seemingly did lead to Newcastle’s domnance being weakened by the opening of the Wear and the Blyth for the coal trade. In addition, it brought a degree of acceptance that coal being shipped from what is now North Tyneside ultimately couldn’t be prevented.
Thus we’re able to view Gardner as playing an articulate and forceful part in a historic movement to bring about the end of mercantilism and usher in a more egalitarian age based on free trade.
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No air-built castles, and no fairy bowers,
But thou, fair Tynemouth, and thy well-known towers,
Now bid th’ historic muse explore the maze
Of long past years, and tales of other days.
Pride of Northumbria!—from thy crowded port,
Where Europe’s brave commercial sons resort,
Her boasted mines send forth their sable stores,
To buy the varied wealth of distant shores.
Here the tall lighthouse, bold in spiral height,
Glads with its welcome beam the seaman’s sight.
Here, too, the firm redoubt, the rampart’s length,
The death-fraught cannon, and the bastion’s strength,
Hang frowning o’er the briny deep below,
To guard the coast against th’ invading foe.
Here health salubrious spreads her balmy wings,
And woos the sufferer to her saline springs;
And, here the antiquarian strays around
The ruin’d abbey, and its sacred ground.
Jane Harvey
From ‘The Castle of Tynemouth. A Tale’ (1806)
Photograph: Lee Stoneman
Photograph: Lee Stoneman
No air-built castles, and no fairy bowers,
But thou, fair Tynemouth, and thy well-known towers,
Now bid th’ historic muse explore the maze
Of long past years, and tales of other days.
Pride of Northumbria!—from thy crowded port,
Where Europe’s brave commercial sons resort,
Her boasted mines send forth their sable stores,
To buy the varied wealth of distant shores.
Here the tall lighthouse, bold in spiral height,
Glads with its welcome beam the seaman’s sight.
Here, too, the firm redoubt, the rampart’s length,
The death-fraught cannon, and the bastion’s strength,
Hang frowning o’er the briny deep below,
To guard the coast against th’ invading foe.
Here health salubrious spreads her balmy wings,
And woos the sufferer to her saline springs;
And, here the antiquarian strays around
The ruin’d abbey, and its sacred ground.
Jane Harvey
From ‘The Castle of Tynemouth. A Tale’ (1806)
Good afternoon.
My name is Dave Young and I belong to an organisation called The North Shields Heritology Project. Our principal aim is to bring the rich heritage of North Shields and its many stories to life using technologies such as Virtual Reality, Immersive Sound and Augmented Reality. We concentrate our efforts towards primary school children.
During November last I approached the council to discuss an application under the North Shields 800 scheme to clean up the Gardner Memorial. I agreed with them that I would submit a bid and if successful that they would carry out the work. The bid unfortunately wasn’t successful but I would like to think that it encouraged the council towards carrying out the clean-up and restoration work they are currently underway.
In the past we have worked with many local schools and professional filmmakers to produce documentaries based on local people and their stories. These are available to watch via youtube, the links to which can be found on our website. We are currently producing a script for such a documentary about the life of Ralph Gardner and Newcastle’s monopoly of the coal trade.
I enjoyed reading the contents of your article, which I think covered the story in both a clear and concise manner.
I wonder if we could have your permission to draw on your research and to make use of the image of the man writing by the prison window. As you know no image of Gardner exists but the one in your article works well in illustrating his story.
Regards
Dave Young
Hi Dave, many thanks for this comment. You’re doing great work, and please feel free to use the content from the page.
Cheers, Luan
Hi Luan
Thanks for your reply to Dave Young about using your research etc on Ralph Gardner.
Could you let me know where you found the image of the man writing in the cell as I’d like to get a higher res. version of it.
Thanks Alison
Hi again Luan
Please ignore my previous message – I’ve figured the answer out and recreated it or a similar version myself, in A1.
Regards Alison