Between South Shields and Sunderland lies Whitburn , a lovely old village and a small fishing hamlet called Whitburn Bents. What follows are a collection of old and new pictures , but first here is a little history of the place as prepared by the Whitburn Local History Group .All Black and White pictures courtsey of Whitburn Local History Group.
Whitburn is listed in the "Boldon Buke" of 1183 as "Whitbern" and was probably a Saxon settlement . It was a fairly undisturbed settlement until 1718 when the Land Enclosure Act came into force and a number of farms were created . The settlement was isolated as no roads connected to it , but there was a path on Sea Lane (now East Street ) connecting it to Whitburn Bents . Not until 1866 was a road built over the sandunes to Fulwell . In 1874 Marsden Pit was sunk and the community increased dramatically as a result . Sadly in 1968 , Whitburn Colliery closed .
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| Front St with the junction of Sandy Chare (right) | Front St. looking East |
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| East St - 1920's | East St and the "Jolly Sailor" pub |
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| Church Lane - Mrs Henderson with her cows , c 1930 | Church Lane - November 2000. Red Cottage in the distance, built in 1842 for Thomas Barnes. |
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| Village Green - 1913 with newly planted Sycamore trees | Village Green - November 2000 |
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| Drinking Fountain donated by Mrs Barnes - circa 1890 | Junction of Front St and East St- November 2000 |
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| Whitburn House - November 2000 | Whitburn House - Built 1860 for Thomas Barnes |
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| Village Pond - 1960 | Village Pond - November 2000 |
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| Village Pond - 1900 | Village Pond - November 2000 |
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| Old Village School and road leading to Sandy Chare - November 2000 | Sandy Chare - November 2000 |
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| War Memorial | War Memorial - November 2000 |
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| War Memorial - circa 1920 | War Memorial - November 2000 |
Whitburn Bents
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| Whitburn Bents with the old Lifeboat Stn on the right . | Whitburn Bents - the Lifeboat Stn is now a local Sea Angling club - November 2000 |
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| Whitburn Bents with the old Lifeboat Stn on the right | Whitburn Bents 1900 |
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| Bents Farm (left) and the Fisherman's Cottages | Bents Cottages - November 2000 |