Member Article

North East identity '50 years old'

The ‘North East’ regional identity isn’t as deep-rooted and cohesive as previously thought, according to a new book which also highlights the wider political implications for the regionalism debate.

The book, launched this week, delves into historical records over 700 years, from the Middle Ages to the present day. It shows that the term ‘North East’ has only been in mass use for the last 50 years and that traditionally there were two separate ‘regions’ - Durham and Northumberland.

The book’s editors say the findings hold significant implications for the history of regions and modern-day regionalism, particularly given the recent efforts to set up a regional assembly in the North East.

The book, Regional Identities in North-East England, 1300-2000, is edited by Dr Adrian Green of Durham University and Professor Tony Pollard of The University of Teesside.

Dr Green said: “The use of the term North East began to appear in the late Nineteenth Century, initially to refer to the industrial zones on the Tyne, but was only slowly adapted by business and labour organisations. It was then used by the press and the Great North-East railway in the early Twentieth Century.

“It was only with the advent of regional broadcasting in the 1950s that our current sense and popular usage of the North East appeared.

Prof Pollard said: “We were surprised to discover that the research by our contributors pointed to a more fragmented region than recent commentators have supposed. “There may be implications for planners in that the smaller city regions now in vogue, based on the Tees Valley and the Tyne and Wear basin, have very ancient, pre-industrial roots. History might even provide a justification for splitting the region.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .