The dark and murky history of Jarrow still haunts the streets of a town once dubbed the ‘Wild West of the North East’. The Victorian and Edwardian eras were a time of notoriety, with townsfolk revelling, quarrelling and committing crimes. The local police force, a constant and vigilant presence, stalked the cobbled streets, struggling to maintain order as deprivation and the frayed edges of poverty jeopardised families and endangered livelihoods in a time without the safety net of the modern welfare state. In A Dark History of Jarrow author Natasha Windham explores the crimes committed and their punishment in that era, the presence of the workhouses and suicides, strikes, riots, assaults, alcoholism, domestic violence and preventable deaths in the workplace. Behind these catastrophes, readers will uncover the perseverance of those who suffered through the heartaches in these tough times.In A Dark History of Jarrow author Natasha Windham delves into the often lesser known but darker stories from Jarrow’s past. This fascinating insight into Jarrow will be of interest to all those who want to know more about the town’s remarkable history.
