North Shields Radical Association, North Shields, Tynemouth Corporation, three weeks, 96 years

This photograph from November 1980 shows a piece of North Shields history crumbling to dust when the old muster rooms were pulled down.The building, at the bottom of Howard Street, was demolished after being gutted by fire three weeks before.The grand old building overlooking the Tyne started life 96 years before as a drapers.Later it was taken over by the North Shields Radical Association and then the North Shields and District Liberal Club.The police moved into it in 1941 when it became their muster rooms. The three-storey building had been bought by the watch committee of Tynemouth Corporation and used as a recreation and training centre by the Special Constabulary.In 1968 it was sold again and ended its days as a furniture warehouse.