Home > Northumberland > North Shields > The Victoria The Victoria
Date of photo: 2014		Picture source: Jim Scott
The Victoria was situated at 184 Tynemouth Road. This pub changed its name to The Tap & Spile, then back to The Victoria, before closing in June 2017. Originally a single-room pub it later incorporated the next door pub, The Priory, with the main door being moved between the two properties.
Source: Adrian Don
I have attached a letter I have transcribed that had been handwritten by my grandmother, Vera Fitton (née Newton) and sent to her nephew, Alan Newton on 1st February 1989. She was born in the Victoria Hotel, Tynemouth Road, North Shields in 1918 and lived there until 1934.
The Victoria Hotel as I knew it. The house where I was born and grew up was situated at the corner of North Church Street and Tynemouth Road on Albert Terrace as that part of Tynemouth Road was known as then (is it still Albert Terrace?) began at the Vic (No. 1) The Priory Inn was No. 2 Albert Terrace - a very small inn next door. Seemingly squashed in between the Victoria and the garden rails of No. 3 - a private house - with a small garden frontage, before the shop. At that time the family business of Mr. and Mrs. Gruber - pork butcher and cooked meats. The Victoria Hotel had a double-doored entrance on the corner (now bricked up.) This led into the public bar. The other entrance was in North Church Street (I believe same entrance as now, but private). This, at that time, also had a double-door - heavily bolted across the centre, top and bottom when closed. The door in North Church Street led to the private accommodation upstairs which had a private door about four stairs up and this was also the entrance to ‘The Snug’ and on the left the door to the ‘Smoke room’ and lounge. It was always known as the ‘Smoke Room’ in those days. The names ‘Saloon Bar’ and ‘Smoke room’ were etched in a beautiful design on the glass door. Through the Smoke room - and into comfortable leather seats. In those days against the far wall the piano - near the door which led out to the bar door facing to the bar with permission and through the lift up flap of the end counter. Before proceeding through to the public door there was the cellar door on the right facing a small passage to the yard and outside toilets. The Priory Inn, had a small window frontage of 5”-6” then the doorway a very small barroom to the left and an even smaller narrow room to the right. The Victoria Hotel cellar was just round the corner in North Church Street. Then the draftsmen used to lower the huge wooden barrels on slopes down to the cellar - and placed on the gantry stands. One year – can’t exactly remember the year - a terrific thunderstorm flooded the gutters which overflowed and consequently poured through the hatch into the cellar - flooding it to a depth of 5” all the barrels were lifted off the gantries and floated in the cellar. The fire brigade had to be called to pump the water out - and mother had to foot the bill - as it was termed an ‘Act of God’. I don’t know if the beer was insured. I do recall whenever I ventured down into the cellar the smell of the hops from the beer.  The Oast Houses that are left in the Kent hop fields still stand, but the hop fields themselves diminished. I have found Londoners talk about the hop fields of years ago. For many from the East-end it was their annual holiday working in the hop fields. Before I digress any further I must finish this and hope it doesn’t prove too complicated for you to work out. Your mother will recall some of the descriptions of the Victoria Hotel. It was a very popular Happy House with its regulars.
Tom Fitton (October 2024)
POTTED HISTORY OF THE VICTORIA HOTEL 1857-2019 1857 – The Victoria Hotel is constructed on 184 Tynemouth Road, North Shields. The row of houses was known as Albert Terrace, with the Victoria being number one, on the corner of North Church Street. The houses were built on the extreme south west corner of Colonel Linskill’s estate, by a well. 1869 – William Prince opens the Victoria Inn May 1881 – after extensive alterations, William Prince reopens the Victoria Hotel, serving alcohol, as well as tobacco and cigars 1893-1896 - Joseph Bell holds the licence 13th February 1896 – a fine is imposed on the pub for allowing customers to drink on the premises at a time when the pub should have been closed 20th February 1896-19th May 1896 - Henry Robson is briefly the licence holder 8th June 1896-21st July 1896 – Isabella Dixon is briefly the licence holder 2nd February 1897-30th March 1897 – Thomas Ridley is briefly the licence holder 8th November 1898-6th December 1898 – Anne Ridley is briefly the licence holder 1901 – W. Davison is the owner of both the Victoria and the neighbouring Priory Inn 21st August 1901 – W. Davison’s attempt to subsume the Priory into the Victoria is rejected 26th October 1905-28th November 1905 – Alfred E. Houston is briefly the licence holder 25th October 1906-8th January 1907 – Martin Conoboy is briefly the licence holder 12th February 1907 – Martin Conoboy passes away, aged 40 years of age 22nd February 1907-30th April 1907 – Bridget Conoboy, wife of Martin Conoboy, briefly holds the licence 1911 – Herbert Valentine Newton is employed as a ‘Bar Manager’ at the Victoria Hotel 11th April 1912 – Herbert Valentine Newton applied to combine the Victoria Hotel and the neighbouring Priory Inn into one property. This application was refused 9th June 1914-16th February 1924 – Herbert Valentine Newton holds the licence 16th February 1924 – Herbert Valentine Newton dies 8th April 1924-31st July 1934 – Ethel Maud Amy Newton, becomes the licence holder, upon the death of her husband, Herbert 1928-1929 – ‘Buttonhole shows’ held, using dahlias and chrysanthemums 1934 – Plans are submitted to convert the Victoria Hotel and the neighbouring Priory Inn, into one property. It is recommended that the licence for the Priory (tenant being William Little) should be deleted. The combined property would take the name ‘The Victoria’. This plan was accepted. Licensing Justices remark that the Victoria’s ‘structural conditions were fairly good, but the sanitary conditions were “far from satisfactory”’. The Priory is described in the same terms, but with the addition of ‘[good] decorative conditions’ 31st July 1934 – William Little becomes the licence holder of The Victoria (tenant rent - £20 [c. £1,013.25]) 13th July 1935 – Transport Workers Darts Club are formed during a meeting at The Victoria 26th March 1935 – William Little becomes Chairman of the Tynemouth and District Licensed Victuallers’ Association 13th July 1939 – Executive Committee of the North Shields and District Darts League meet at The Victoria 22nd October 1941 – William Little is elected an Independent Councillor of Preston Ward 29th May 1942 – Tynemouth and District Licensed Victuallers’ Association hold their general meeting in The Victoria. ‘It was decided unanimously that members of the Association suspend their right to remain open to 10.30 p.m. during the months of June to September of this year, both months inclusive without prejudice to the right of the 10.30 closing hour in accordance with the order made in Section B1 of the Licensing Act 1921. The same decision was taken by the association last year owing to the existing conditions 7th February 1952 – The Mason’s Arms beat the Old Borough Arms to win the North Shields and District Women’s Darts League Pairs tournament, which was played in the Victoria Hotel 21st April 1953 – Councillor Little is elected Mayor of Tynemouth 5th February 1954 – Kenneth Brown becomes licence holder 17th March 1954 – East End Darts League hold an Extraordinary General Meeting in The Victoria May 1954 – William Little is elected Deputy Mayor of Tynemouth 4th May 1955 – East End Darts League hold their General Meeting at The Victoria 1958 – Licence is transferred from Robert Fryer to Nelson Gray 1972 – Nelson Gray was evicted by Camerons Brewery 1972 – George and Lily Scott moved from the Marquis of Lorne opposite the Vic at 167 Tynemouth Road when the Marquis was demolished 1979 – George and Lily Scott left the Vic Pre-1991 – The Victoria is renamed ‘Tap and Spile’, after being sold by Camerons 2014 – Tap and Spile is renamed ‘The Victoria’ May 2017 – the pub closes and is renovated 2019 – the pub is converted and sold as houses and flats
Tom Fitton (May 2025)
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Other Photos
Date of photo: 1921		Picture source: Tom Fitton
Ethel Newton, publican, c1924		Picture source: Jim Scott
Date of photo: 1970	Click above photo to expand		Picture source: Tom Fitton
Date of photo: 1971	Click above photo to expand		Picture source: Tom Fitton
Date of photo: 1992