After the heroic 'Jarrow Marcher's did that amazing 280 mile walk to Downing St to plead to the Government for work, Monkton Coke Works was one of the outcomes when the Bowes Coal Company opened it in 1936 away from the nearest residential properties in Hebburn.
Then in the 1950s newly built Council housing crept closer & closer to the Coke Works.
A campaign was eventually started to close Monkton Coke Works led by a Councillor that lived in a new Council House close to them, which was successful & she is now portrayed as a hero on a Frieze along with Mr Reyrolle (a real hero who brought 12000 plus jobs to our area).
Why did the council build new houses so close to the Coke Works??