The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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Re-facing of Grey's Monument
A bird’s eye view of Grainger’s Newcastle as Grey’s Monument gets a makeover.
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Overview
Time has taken its toll on an iconic column, topped by the sculpture of a great parliamentary reformer whose other legacy was a blend of tea known as Earl Grey. This detailed film records the journey from Tyneside sandstone quarry to Grey’s Monument in the 1950s. Restoration workers with a head for heights (but no hard hats) enjoy grandiose rooftop views of Richard Grainger and John Dobson’s elegant Regency streets in the heart of modern Newcastle.
Grey’s Monument was erected in 1838 to commemorate Earl Grey’s achievements in passing the Great Reform Bill of 1832, a first step to a democratic parliament. A lightning strike famously decapitated the statue on 25 July 1941 during World War Two, and Grey’s head was not replaced until 1947. A Whig politician, Charles, 2nd Earl Grey of Howick Hall, Northumberland, was the first person from the North East ever to become Prime Minister, serving from 1830 to 1834. The column is a grand gesture at the head of Grey Street in the heart of developer Richard Grainger’s neo-classical re-modelling of Newcastle, all part of his ‘City of Palaces’ blueprint started in 1834.
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