NZ2564 : John Dobson's House, New Bridge Street
taken 15 years ago, near to Gateshead, England
Present-day Newcastle owes much of its architecture to the partnership of Richard Grainger Link and John Dobson Link
Grainger was a builder who built many important buildings in Newcastle. Dobson was an architect, with whom Grainger worked on many projects. Between 1824 and 1826, Grainger built most of Eldon Square and Blackett Street. In 1829, Dobson and Grainger built Leazes Terrace and Leazes Crescent, and in 1832, they completed the Royal Arcade at the foot of Pilgrim Street.
In 1839, the two men completed their most ambitious project covering 12 acres (49,000 m2) in central Newcastle, on the site of Newe House (also called Anderson Place). They built three new thoroughfares, Grey Street, Grainger Street and Clayton Street, with many connecting streets, as well as the Central Exchange and the Grainger Market.
Dobson was the one who provided the creative drive behind the project and Grey Street is considered to be his finest creation with its elegant curve. Unfortunately most of old Eldon Square was demolished in the 1960s in the name of progress. The Royal Arcade met a similar fate.
The name, Grainger Town, was first applied to this part of the City Centre in 1991 by the City Council and the Grainger Town Partnership was set up to co-ordinate its regeneration and revitalisation.
Link