Mill Dam, Holborn House, Seamen's Mission (2)

The German Seamen's mission committee was set up in South Shields in 1880 to look after German immigrants in South Shields and sailors visiting the Tyne. The Seamen's Home was built in 1906 for £5000 and inaugurated in 1909. During World War I the mission closed and was taken over by the Joint War Committee to become a Voluntary Aided Hospital. The nurses were a mixture of qualified nurses and volunteers - mostly middle-class women.. VAD hospitals received the sum of 3 shillings per day per patient from the War Office. The Seamans Mission was the 2nd Durham VA Hospital. Mrs Henrietta Stalker received the Royal Red Cross 2nd Class for service to this hospital. In 1921 The Seafarers Mission (established c.1818) were looking for a larger premises and took over the vacant German Seamen's Mission building -reopening in December 15th 1921. A commemorative stone was unveiled: Sandstone building with a granite foundation stone set at waist height below a window. "THIS STONE COMMEMORATES THE PURCHASE OF THE CHURCH AND INSTITUTE FOR THE MISSIONS TO SEAMEN AS THE MEMORIAL OF THE COURAGE AND SACRIFICE OF THE SEAMEN OF TYNESIDE DURING THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918. UNVEILED DECEMBER 16TH 1921 BY LT. COL. C.H. INNES-HOPKINS". The building has an ordered classical composition in ashlar and pinkish brickwork with a slate mansard roof. The roof has copper domed turrets. There is a large stained glass window into a former chapel. The side elevation has a double-height arched entrance. At the rear is a later extension and cobbled yard. Building now includes the Flying Angel Public House. LOCAL LIST