The Percy Street Academy, Newcastle’s first college, was established in 1806 by John Bruce (1775–1834). The Bruce Building at Newcastle University, built on the site of the former Academy, is named after John Bruce.

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May 7. - The first stone of the New Jerusalem Temple, in Percy street, Newcastle, was laid in due order. The Rev. James Bradley, the minister, after giving a general statement of their doctrines, performed the usual ceremony; then standing upon the stone, offered up a prayer that the undertaking might be crowned with success. The names of the subscribers, and a record of the object of the building, hermetically sealed in a glass phial, were deposited in the foundation stone. Feb. 16th, 1823, it was opened for divine worship, when the Rev. S. Noble, of London, delivered three impressive discourses, illustrative of the doctrines of that church.

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

1823, (Jan. 27.) - Died at his house, in Bedford Row, London, in the 86th year of his age, the celebrated Charles Hutton, L.L.D. F. R. S. and for upwards of 40 years professor of mathematics in the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. Dr. Hutton was born in Percy street, Newcastle. Like many others, he was entirely a self taught mathematician. In the year 1755 and 1756, Charles Hutton (whose father was employed in the collieries) worked as a hewer in Old Long Benton colliery, but a lameness in his arm, from an accident when young, rendering him unfit for so laborious an employment, he opened a school in the village of Jesmond, but afterwards removing to Newcastle, he taught with great reputation till 1773, at which period he obtained, on the strength of his own merits, the professorship of mathematics at Woolwich. In 1770, he published, in Newcastle, his "Treatise on Mensuration," dedicated to his grace the duke of Northumberland. The celebrated Mr. Thomas Bewick, then an apprentice with Mr. R. Beilby, commenced his career as a wood engraver, by engraving the mathematical diagrams for this work. His publications were very numerous, and have nearly all become standard works in our mathematical seminaries. The beautiful marble bust of him, executed by Gahagan, and which had been presented to himself, Sept. 21st, 1822, by a committee of the subscribers, he bequeathed to the Literary and Philosophical Society, of Newcastle.

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 Handyside Arcade on Percy Street was a 90-shop development built from c.1900 to 1906 by George Handyside, who died in 1904 before it's completion.

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