Nation England
County Northumberland
Location St Lawrence, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Map location in the vicinity
Year opened Unknown
Year closed 1906
Century of Operation 1800-1899, 1900-1999
Building Type Police Station and adjacent Dead House
Remarks Kelly's Directory 1883 (p.14) lists a Tyne Water Police Station at St Lawrence with a neighbouring building described as the 'Tyne Dead House'. The same directory, but on a different page, also lists premises for the River Police Station at Ouseburn (see separate entry). Each had its own police inspector so the Tyne Water Police Station and River Police Station are therefore assumed to be different establishments. However, later sources say that the River Police Station at Ouseburn also had an adjacent Dead House. The photographs below show signs for the 'River Police' and 'Dead House' on connected buildings so are assumed to be of the River Police Station. It is unknown whether the Tyne Water Police Station is also shown in these pictures.
'There was also a dead house in Byker, in Newcastle upon Tyne. It stood beside the River Police Station at the mouth of the Ouseburn. The police used this dead house to lay out bodies fished from the river...the dead house was demolished in 1906.'
Icy Sedgwick, 'Paying a Visit to the Dead House'
'Immediately to the east of the point at which the Ouseburn flows into the Tyne...was the Dead House...'
Geoff Underwood, 'The Dead House'. Ouseburn Heritage Magazine, Summer 2003, pp.16-19.
'Tyne Water Police Station, Richard Jessop, Inspector, St Lawrence. (p.14). '
‘Kelly’s Directory of Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, North and South Shields, and Suburbs’. London: Kelly & Co, 1883.
Newcastle Libraries, Public Domain Image
Newcastle Libraries, Public Domain Image
Newcastle Libraries, Public Domain Image
Newcastle Libraries, Public Domain ImageDescription: West end of the River Police Station, Newcastle upon Tyne, Unknown photographer, 1906
Photo by: Newcastle Libraries, Public Domain Image
Description: River Police Station and 'Dead House'
Photo by: Newcastle Libraries, Public Domain Image
Description: The Dead House Quayside Newcastle upon Tyne; unknown photographer; 1906
Photo by: Newcastle Libraries, Public Domain Image
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