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When the Grey nag's Head public house opened in 1856, Queen Victoria had been on the throne for nearly 20 years, Oscar Wile was two years old and the American Civil War was still five years away.

Although it has changed a lot over the last 150 years, it is sill on its original site. An ordanance survey map of 1858shows it standing on the corner of Leonards Court, which is now the gap between the pub and the Newcastle Building Society

By 1844 the premises was a chemists owned by John Fawcett and by 1852 it was the property of Thomas Rowe, a cheese merchant.

In 1856 the Gateshead Trade Directory listed the site as the Grey Nag's Head and the licensee as William Collinson.

The High Street was a very different place in those days, with all manner of traders such as Calloway and Allen, Staymakers and straw hat makerMary Bulcraig nearby.

In the late 1850's the Atkinson family took over the pub, first William Atkinson, then his wife Margaret, who kept the bar till 1879

Leonards Court itself was changed in 1867 from an enclosed court to a thoroughfare from the High Street to East Street (Nowadays this is part of Hopper Street). Official papers from the time show this was to 'remove filthy ash pits, privies and stables and to provide a through draught'. Early records show that in1833 the local postmaster, Robert Yarrow, lived at the address, the post office being across the road and from 1838 the building seved as post office itself for a few years.

when Nicholas Simm, son of Thomas Simm, a landowner with prorerties on Queens Terrace and throughout the Borough took it over.

Simm sold the pub in 1896 toJas Deuchars, a family firm of brewers who were bought out by Newcastle Breweries in the 1950's. At the turn

of the century the landlord was George Blair, but in 1904 William Greiver took over as the landlord, staying an amazing 44 years.

A plan of the pub dating from 1926 Shows that it had basic facilities, with four small rooms and the toilets outside in the yard.

After the Second World War, Thomas McDowell briefly stepped in as the landlord before the pub was transferred to George Wilson who must have cheered up the regulars when he applied for a license for singing and dancing by

A plan of the pub dating from 1926shows that it had basic facilities with four small rooms and the toilets outside in the yard.

fter the Second World War. Thomas McDowell briefly stepped in as the landlord before the pub was transferred to George Wilson, who must have cheered up the regulars when he applied for a licence for singing and dancing by

gramophone record and loudspeaker - including the use of a piano. In 1956 the pub celebrated its centenary and it continues strong today under the same name but wioth a history of many different landlords and landladies. The current landlord, pictured above, is well known, being the main provider of Karaokes in the town centre for the last decade or more.

Article courtesy of Richie Tuttle,Gateshead Post, 23rd October 2002