Pre 1894... Prior to Acquisition of the Building by Gateshead Education

Per the History section the buildings we knew and loved were occupied by a private school and for many years the Old Boys got together at a dining club at the Central Station Hotel


This was taken in 1926 at such a dining club meeting. Left click the image to enlarge it.
Per Beryl Bauld of Sydney Australia here is the bio her Grandfather-in-Law who had he remained in the Gateshead area could have been among those in this picture. He would have been 56 in 1926

William John Elliot BARKUS was born 18 Jun 1870 at Leopold St Gateshead, son of Robert Barkus and Rebecca Hudson who married 7 Jun 1869

Index from Lloyds Captains Register:  028264 Shields 1894, changed to 036224 Vol 59.

My husband thought he worked for Butterfield and Swire, but his obit states he joined the Scottish-Oriental Co., and then C.N.Co., Ld;  and finally  the Kailan Mining Administration. He died Chingwangtao on 18 Nov 1923

He had two children Wilfreda ( Freda) Henry Barkus ( My mother -in -law) and a son Robert Leo Barkus, the later was a marine engineer in Hong Kong.served in the Hong Kong Volunteers and died in HK in 1957.