In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Blyth like this:
BLYTH (South), a seaport town, a township, and a chapelry in Earsdon parish, Northumberland. The town stands on the S side of the river Blyth, at its mouth, and on the Blyth and Tyne railway, 9 miles SE of Morpeth. It was formerly a disagreeable place, of poor appearance, with narrow, irregular streets; but it has been much improved; and it now contains many good houses. It has a post office,‡ of Blyth, Northumberland, a r. station with telegraph, a bank, a church of 1863, two Presbyterian chapels, a Wesleyan chapel of 1866, a P. ...
Methodist chapel, and national schools. A weekly market is held on Wednesday; a large trade is carried on in coals and coasting; and much manufacturing industry is a foot in connexion with shipping. The harbour has undergone great improvement since 1854, and not yet completed, costing nearly £50,000, and including docks, a quay of 1,400 feet, and a breakwater of about 3,000 yards. The depth of water over the bar, at full tides, was formerly 16 feet; and this has been increased. Two fixed lights, put up in 1788, are 445 feet apart, and 26 and 48 feet high.-The township comprises 1,180 acres. Pop., 1,953. Houses, 327. The manor belongs to Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart.—The chapelry is conterminate with the township; and is a donative in the diocese of Durham. Value, £93. Patron, Sir M. W. Ridley, Bart. The church was built in 1751.
Blyth through time
A Vision of Britain through Time includes a large library of local statistics for administrative units. For the best overall sense of how the area containing Blyth has changed, please see our redistricted information for the modern district of Blyth Valley. More detailed statistical data are available under Units and statistics, which includes both administrative units covering Blyth and units named after it.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Blyth, in Blyth Valley and Northumberland | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/761
Date accessed: 26th May 2013
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