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Another interesting piece of Local History
Posted by Norman Dunn on 13/11/2025, 12:15 pm
Sept 19th 1903 was the eightieth birthday of twin brothers, John and David Morris, of Pelaw Main, who for 56 years have carried on business at the same place as boat builders and ship repairer’s. They are the oldest existing firm of this kind on the banks of the Tyne. They were born in a farm house which stood upon a portion of the site of the works, and they have never been more than a mile removed from the spot where they first saw the light. The brothers have lived a long and industrious life in what was once a pleasantly sequestered bend of the river and which is now little frequented except by those engaged in the shipment of coal at the adjacent coal spouts. The two veterans are the sons of John Christopher Morris, who was a shipwright, and also served in the Royal Navy, being present at the taking of Java, Batavia, and Borneo. His service medal was long cherished by his son, Mr. John Morris. The twins were apprenticed to be shipwrights and boatbuilders, and they succeeded in establishing an industry, which is carried on to this day with considerable activity. They are hardy specimens of a generation of Tynesiders seldom to be met with now. They are Freemen of the City of Newcastle, and until recently Mr. John Morris took an active part in public affairs. He was a member of the local School Board, and for twenty years occupied a seat on the Hebburn Local Board. He also served as a steward of the Shipwrights' Society. Mr. David Morris has not been a representative on any of the local bodies, but he has always taken a keen interest in the well-being of the neighbourhood. Mr. John Morris is a trifle deaf, but in other respects exhibits wonderful vitality. Neither of the brothers are abstainers or non-smokers, but they have been exceedingly moderate in their potations all their lives, and do not indulge freely in the use of the weed. Mr. John Morris, until quite recently, had never required the attention of a doctor, and equal good health has been enjoyed by David, although it may be mentioned the latter had an illness some three years ago. Mrs John Morris is still alive, but David Morris is a widower. They live as neighbours in cottages of cosy appearance, erected of wood, on an eminence which commands a view of the Tyne for a long way eastward and westward. To-day the twin octagenarians will receive the congratulations of their relatives and, many friends residing at Pelaw Main and the immediate locality. Here below is an addition from my family memories
My mother Marian Dunn nee Rodgers had McNeill’s in her mother’s side of the family. When the Tennants Chemical Works on the riverside closed down,the little terrace of houses where their chemists & managers lived was put up to be rented as 3 separate houses. My aunty Jane McNeill knew the Hebburn ‘Estate agent’ personally and because she had quite a large family he offered her 1st opportunity to live at Tyne View Tce. So the McNeill’s moved into it in the 1930s. A family called Sewell moved next door to them & Mrs Sewell became well known for giving Piano Lessons. As a young teen my mam (Marian Rodgers) often visited her McNeill relatives at Tyne View. She told me that her aunty Jane often sent meals along for old Mr Morris who lived alone in his wooden house just minutes along the riverside from Tyne View. Mam was born in 1922 so the old Mr Morris she remembered must have been the son of one of the Morris twins. Perhaps David Morris.? Mam and cousin Jenny McNeill used to take 'old Morris’ meals and he’d collect by dropping a rope from his upstairs window and haul the bag up to his room. Mam said ocassionally Jenny & her were invited into the house and she remembered seeing glass cases with models of boats in them. (whatever happened to them??) ‘Old Morris’ as they called him was artistic and one day he asked my mam if he could do a painting of her. I don’t think she would have because she was a shy lady and if she had, she surely would have told me.
Many years later my cousin, the late George Dent who was born around 1940ish and was the first child of aunty Esther Dent nee McNeill who was brought up at Tyne View told me a family story from WW2 when someone walking along the riverside spotted binoculars being used from Mr Morris’s window, possibly observing the shipyards. This was reported to the authorities thinking it could be a German Spy. It was checked out & it was found it was just 'old Morris' . He had seen work being done in the yards & said he wouldn’t have done it that way as there is an easier way. This got to the shipyard boss’s so they invited old Morris to meet them. A car was sent round to take him to their Offices in Wallsend. They recognised the Morris family were an old established boat building business so seriously believed Mr Morris. After that first meeting they would send a car to bring him over to Wallsend as some kind of consultant.
I Have been a keen reader of this website for many years without posting but i thank you Norman and all who take part in this wonderful website long may it continue
Whenever I meet Local people I often ask for their surname, and quite often I find a Link eg I knew their dad or grandad or relatives. We were recommended a local electrician a few years ago & I asked him his Surname. I told him I knew his dad David & his uncle Freddy and where they lived in the 1950s. I might know LS's or Kev's family and even have photos with them on.
Sorry George , we all know you are George Watt a longggggggggg time regular so you are OK. That was all I knew about that dreadfull accident creating the Dock. I did hear a rumour that some of the workers were un-named Irish Immigrants so there families back in Ireland might never have been informed of the deaths.
No, Norman, I am referring to this passage in your recent history notes on the Morris Twins.
"They recognised the Morris family were an old established boat building business so seriously believed Mr Morris. After that first meeting they would send a car to bring him over to Wallsend as some kind of consultant".
Did any thing come from these meetings?
Also, did your mum come from Felling? A boy at school with me was called Rodgers. He lived at Windy Nook. His full name was George Rodgers and he had a brother called Roy. No kidding.
Thanks George. The answer is YES, the bosses at the Wallsend Shipyard would send a Company car round to bring him over to Wallsend Offices and probably learned from him. My Rodgers great grand parents came to Hebburn from Bonny Scotland from a town called 'Coaltown of Wemyss' in Fife. My mam was born in Cuthbert St, Hebburn in 1922.
So Norman, Not related to Roy Rodgers of Windy Nook. Never mind, being Scottish there is always the other Roy ... Rob Roy PS isn't life grand without him.
