Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne |
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|---|---|
 Tower blocks in Walker |
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| OS grid reference | NZ289648 |
| • London | 242 miles (389 km) |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE |
| Postcode district | NE6, NE28 |
| Dialling code | 0191 |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Tyne and Wear |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament |
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| Councillors | |
Walker is a residential area, also called a suburb, located in the south-east part of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is also an electoral ward, which is a local area used for voting.
Contents
History of Walker
The name 'Walker' first appeared in records in 1242. It comes from 'wall-carr', meaning 'the marsh by the Roman wall'. This refers to Hadrian's Wall, a famous ancient Roman wall. Today, you can still find a small piece of this wall in the nearby area of Byker. Also, Segedunum, a big Roman fort at the end of the Wall, is in Wallsend to the east.
Coal mining started in Walker in the early 1700s. At one point, there were up to ten coal mines working in the area. A special track was built to help move the coal to the riverside.
Walker was also famous for its large shipbuilding industry. A big shipyard, Armstrong Whitworth, was located here. However, this industry has shrunk a lot over the last 50 years. This has meant fewer jobs for people living in Walker.
From 1809 to 1883, an iron-making company called Losh, Wilson and Bell was based in Walker.
Walkerville: A Planned Community
Walkerville was built as a special housing project in 1908. It was part of an idea called the Garden city movement. This movement aimed to create communities with green spaces and good housing for everyone. Walkerville was an early example of planning a town before laws about it were made in 1909.
A key person behind this project was Councillor David Adams. He later became a Member of Parliament (MP) and the Lord Mayor of Newcastle. The project built different types of 'model cottages' for working people. These homes had two or three bedrooms. Many different architects and groups helped build them. The Newcastle Corporation, which is like the city council, also built homes.
About Walker Today
Walker is an area between Welbeck Road and the River Tyne. The modern voting area of Walker also includes Pottery Bank and St Anthony's. When local people talk about Walker, they often also mean areas like Daisy Hill and Eastfield.
Other parts of Walker include Walkerdene and Walkerville. Walkerville has mostly privately owned homes, while other parts of Walker have homes that used to be owned by the council.
The area has some great places like Walker Park and Walker Riverside Park. There is also the Lady Stephenson Library, now called 'Walker Library'. The Lightfoot Sports Centre is also in Walker and is getting a big upgrade. Alderman Sir William Haswell Stephenson built the library in 1908 to remember his wife. The library moved into the Walker Activity Dome in 2013. Walker Park won an award in 2019 for being a great green space.
Walker has good transport links. It has a Tyne and Wear Metro station at Walkergate. There is also a main bus station on Walker Road.
Most children in Walker go to local primary schools. These include St Vincent's RC, Tyneview, Welbeck Academy, West Walker, Walkergate, and Central Walker. The two main secondary schools for the area are Benfield School and Walker Riverside Academy. Benfield School is known for sports, and Walker Riverside Academy is known for technology and visual arts.
Future Plans for Walker
Newcastle City Council started a big project in 2003 called the Walker Riverside regeneration scheme. Its goal is to make the area better with new homes, schools, jobs, and community places. It also aims to improve the environment and create a new town centre called the Heart of Walker. The project has its own newsletter called the "Walker Eye," which goes to almost 7,000 homes and businesses.
Many older homes along Walker Road are being taken down and replaced with new ones. These new homes are a mix of council and private housing. The plan is to build 1,600 new homes over 15 years.
As part of the new Heart of Walker project, a new primary school was planned. This £7.5 million project combined two older schools, Wharrier Street and St Anthony's Primary Schools, to create the new Central Walker Church of England Primary in 2012.
In 2018, it was announced that two tall apartment buildings, Titan House and Hexham House, would be taken down. These flats and the nearby Church Walk shopping centre will be replaced with new homes and shops.
Famous People from Walker
- Cheryl Cole, a famous singer, was born in 1983 and lived in Walker. She went to Walker Comprehensive School before she became famous with the group Girls Aloud.
- Eric Burdon, the lead singer of the band The Animals, was born in Walker.
- Keith Topping, an author and journalist, is also from Walker.
- Shola Ameobi, a former football player for Newcastle United, grew up in Walker. He played for Walker Central F.C.
- Stan Anderson, a rugby player, played one game for the England team in 1899.
- David MacBeth, an English pop singer, was born in Walker. He had a hit song called "Mr. Blue".
- Geordie Shore TV stars Marty McKenna and Chantelle Conelly are also from Walker.
