Gordon Smith 
Blyth Through Time 

The town of Blyth is not a very old town like its big neighbour Newcastle. When Blyth became the Borough of Blyth in 1922 the motto on its coat of arms was ”We Grow by Industry”. The town began its ”modern” life in the mid-nineteenth century as a port, and as the port developed, so did the town. The land surrounding the port was owned mainly by the Ridley family and the trustees of the Thoroton and Croft estate. These three names can still be found in the names of streets and some of the buildings.One of the earliest industries here was shipbuilding and of course, mining. Both are long gone, but still remain in the minds of the older generation. As technology changed, mines got deeper and ships got larger, so Blyth expanded. The focus of the town moved from the quayside as land became available, the river that flowed through the town was piped and the land reclaimed. This visual history will show you how much has changed in Blyth through time.