The periods that Beamish aims to portray, cover mainly the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth century. At present the period areas in the museum represent the early 1800s leading up to 1825, when the Stockton and Darlington Railway was opened with George Stephenson’s Locomotion, and the early 1900s leading up to 1913 immediately prior to the First World War. These periods were particularly selected in order to represent the importance of certain aspects of regional history and development.
1913 Era
Mineral wealth was the source of the region’s economic growth. By 1896 Teesside was producing almost a third of the nation's iron output. Essential ingredients for Victorian industrial growth were iron and steel for rail track, for locomotives, for steam engines and for bridges and ships. The shipyards on the Tyne and Wear were producing two thirds of the national tonnage.
The 19th century saw a large influx of labour into the North East region, to work in the mines and operate furnaces and factory machinery. Coal was used to fire the furnaces, the furnaces made the iron, the iron built the ships and the ships transported the coal. People came, not only from the Northumbrian countryside, but also from Cumberland, Scotland, Ireland, Yorkshire and Cornwall. They brought with them their own dialects, habits and customs and were integrated into the local communities. They have left their mark on the North East in culture and tradition and in producing that identifiable character which is uniquely North Eastern.
Rapid economic development brought not only wealth, but also social problems. The expansion of industry created problems of poor housing, public health and working conditions, both in urban and rural areas. Depopulation of the countryside caused abandonment of some isolated farms, and a downward creep of moorland boundaries.
The period between 1900 and 1913 was of particular importance in the history of the North East, which played a vital part in the national economy on several fronts. In 1913 production was at its peak in the great northern coal field, and by 1914 a substantial proportion of British and World trade was taken by the North East.