Sunniside, Beech Street

In 1910 John Hutchinson of Ivy Cottage, Sunniside, bought land from Newcastle Breweries next to the Rising Sun and land from Mark Fenwick, Newcastle banker and William George Woods, Newcastle merchant, on which to build 30 'substantial dwelling houses'. The building contractor was Will Hockey of Whickham. Beech Street was the first terrace to be built. The houses sold for £190 each. Fosters of Felling supplied the bricks. Lumley Brick Company provided glazed bricks for the sculleries. Supples were brought by the Tanfield Railway to the siding on Pennyfine Road. The houses had wooden gutters. They were lit by gas. The kitchens had a range. The sculleries had a tap, a ceramic sink, a set pot with chimney flue. There was a coal shed and ash closet in the back yard.