Rainton House, South Street

Built and owned by Mr May, colliery engineer. In 1856 Thomas Wood, mining engineer, bought Rainton House. He was the son of Nicholas Wood, one of the original owners of North Hetton Coal Co. In 1901 a servants wing was added to the house. In 1908 a lounge and extra bedroom was added. The Wood family left East Rainton when the mining firm of Hugh Wood & Co was estabished in Newcastle. Thomas Wood was a director of the company. Rainton House was then bought by a Mr Ferrier. When he left, the house stood vacant for some time. In 1928 it was bought by Mr E H Suggett. The house was divided into four separate dwellings. In the 1940s Mr T.F. Hutchinson, another director of Hugh Wood & Co, occupied the main part of the house. The firm paid for repairs and redecoration at St. Cuthbert's Church.