We are always pleased to welcome Dave Young, a former Old Low Light trustee and local historian, who will give this fascinating talk about the Tyne and the American Civil War.
He will explain how Robert Renoldson was born in North Shields on 4 October 1846 and on leaving school chose to follow his father’s career as a sailor. As an apprentice aged just 16, he shipped aboard a vessel bound for Boston, Massachusetts. The year was 1863 and the country he was headed for was embroiled in a bloody conflict which pitted brother against brother. Eleven days after his 17th birthday on 15 October, Robert Renoldson enlisted in the Union Army as a private soldier. What became of him?
What was the most important Black man in 19th century America doing in North Shields in 1860? How does this link to Robert Renoldson?
What about the history of Cargo Ships 141 and 148 launched in Jarrow in 1863 and 1864. How do they fit into the overall picture?
These are just a few of the stories that will be explored to understand the part the Tyne played in what would become known as America’s Second Revolution.