Local historian and long time Old Low Light volunteer Mike Coates will share his research about three generations of the Linskill family, who between them played important roles in shaping North Shields.
This will take place on Saturday 25 March at 11am at the Old Low Light Heritage Centre. Places at £4pp (Old Low Light members and children under 16 free) can be booked online by clicking the book now button above.
Mike will outline how the Linskills, who were Quakers from Whitby, first came to North Shields in 1754 when the town was booming. Each generation of the family became involved in the economic and social life of the town and their legacy is still evident today.
Mike’s talk will coincide with the installation of a new display in the heritage gallery about the Linskill family which will be an addition to the current Folk Who Shaped Shields exhibition that tells the stories of four of the great people – John Dobson, John Foster Spence, Richard Irvin and Sir James Knott – who played a major role in the development of the town.
As part of the Linskill display, there will be a range of memorabilia from the former Linskill school, courtesy of some former pupils and our friends at the Linskill Centre, who have kindly made some loans to us.
Mike said: “The Linskills are yet another of the prominent families of Shields who devoted their time and energies to shaping the town. Their story is fascinating as not only did they work hard to improve its prosperity, but they also strove to make it a better place in which to live.”
People who book a place for the talk will be able to view the display during their visit to the Old Low Light.
Mike first became involved with the Old Low Light Heritage Centre, ten years ago before it opened when he joined a research group to begin planning exhibitions. One interest in particular has been researching well known families from the town and his findings on the Linskill family will be included, alongside that of some of the other great names, in a book called ‘North Shields Inspirational Folk’, to be published soon.