Town Moor Act, 1774: The Act of Parliament Obtained in the Year 1774, (14th George III., Cap. 105,) for Confirming to Resident Freemen of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Their Widows, Their Full Right & Benefit to the Herbage of the Town Moor, Castle Leazes, & Nun's Moor.

The Act secured grazing rights for the Freemen of Newcastle, and put into law what had been a longstanding feeling of public "ownership" of Town Moor. This followed a court case to settle a dispute between the Freemen and Newcastle Corporation

Malcolm's cross, near Alnwick, was restored by his descendant , Elizabeth, duchess of Northumberland, to distinguish the spot, where Malcolm III, king of Scotland was slain while besieging Alnwick castle, in 1093.

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From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

A Baptist chapel and Sunday school was built at Hamserly, near Bishop Auckland, in 1774.

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A gunpowder magazine, duly licenced, was erected by the corporation of Newcastle, at Wincomblee quay.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Jan. 14 - The river Tyne, for about four miles below the bridge at Newcastle, was frozen over, and several hundreds of people amused themselves by sliding, skaiting, and other diversions. Above bridge  owing to the uneven state of the ice, no person went upon it. Several workmen were employed to break and clear away those pieces that lay contiguous to the piles of the temporary bridge, lest the motion of the ice, by the rising and falling of the tide, might injure them. On the 18th of January, two young men performed a skaiting match against time below bridge; they were to go three miles down the river, and up again in 16 minutes, but they, with the greatest ease, performed it in 15 minutes.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

1774, (May 14) - The remains of the duke of Cleveland, were privately interred in the family vault at Staindrop.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867 

May 16. The foundation stone of the Assembly Rooms at Newcastle, was laid by William Lowes, esq . in the presence of a great company of ladies and gentlemen. A plate with an inscription was deposited under the stone.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Aug. 10 - Being the anniversary of the termination of the dispute between the corporation and the burgesses of Newcastle, relating to the mode of letting parcels of the Town Moor for improvement, a number of the burgesses assembled, and had a bull baited on that part which the corporation had let, after which they dined at the Black Boy, in the Groat market, a number of patriotic toasts were drunk, and the day concluded with ringing of bells, firing of guns, etc.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Oct. 14. The foundation stone of the bishop of Durham's part of Tyne bridge was laid, and on the 8th July, 1775, his first arch was closed in, on which occasion there were great rejoicings in Gateshead.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

The new bridge was being built to replace the Medieval Tyne Bridge which was badly damaged by floods in 1771.

Oct. 30.-- Died at Longhirst, near Morpeth, aged 110 years, Catherine Brown; she retained her faculties to the last  and what was very remarkable, her diet had been for many years bread and small beer, of her own brewing.

From: T Fordyce, J. Sykes. Local records; or, Historical register of remarkable events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Berwick-upon-Tweed..., published 1867

Nov. 19. This day was held at Newcastle, the first meeting of the association of schoolmasters in the North of England. The object of the society in this institution, was the relief of their distressed and aged brethren, and their widows and orphans. It was the first institution of the kind in England.