During the nineteenth century, Bill Quay was an industrial area catering for chemical works, bottle works, Robson's Paint, and shipbuilding. The area saw an economic upturn at the end of the nineteenth century, when the Co-Operative Wholesale Society opened its vast and extensive string of factories along Shields Road. Boutlands, Harrisons and Wood-Skinner were shipbuilders at Bill Quay, with Harrisons being the final shipbuilder on the south bank of the River Tyne to close.
Demography
According to the 2011 Census, the Pelaw and Heworth ward has a population of 9,100. The ward is split into three distinct districts:
Pelaw – Located to the north of the Tyne and Wear Metro line, and the A185 road.
52.2% of the population are female, slightly above the national average, while 47.8% are male. Only 2.7% of the population were from a black, Asian and minority ethnic group, as opposed to 14.6% of the national population. Data from the 2011 Census found that the average life expectancy in Pelaw and Heworth is 79.1 years for men, and 81.1 years for women. These statics compare fairly favourably, when compared to the average life expectancy in the North East of England, of 77.4 and 81.4 years, respectively. Car ownership is lower than the average in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, but lower than the national average of 74.2% – with 61.1% of households in the Pelaw and Heworth ward owning at least one car.
Bill Quay is served by one primary school, Bill Quay Primary School. In November 2011, the school was rated "good" by Ofsted. Nearby primary schools include St. Alban's Catholic Primary School in Pelaw, and Wardley Primary School and White Mere Community Primary School in Wardley. In terms of secondary education, Bill Quay is located within the catchment area for Heworth Grange Comprehensive School in Leam Lane. An inspection carried out by Ofsted in January 2017 deemed the school to be "inadequate". St. Alban's Catholic Primary School in Pelaw also acts as a feeder school for Cardinal Hume Catholic School in Wrekenton, rated "outstanding" by Ofsted in January 2014, as well as the nearby St. Joseph's Catholic Academy in Hebburn, which was rated "requires improvement" by Ofsted in January 2019.
Governance
Pelaw and Heworth is a local council ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. This ward covers an area of around, and has a population of 9,100. As of April 2020, the ward is served by three councillors: Ian Patterson, John Paul Dilston and Rosy Oxberry. Bill Quay is located within the parliamentary constituency of Jarrow. As of April 2020, the constituency is served by Kate Osborne.
Bill Quay is served by Go North East's frequent Crusader 26 and 27 service, which runs up to every 10 minutes from Newcastle, Gateshead and Heworth to Hebburn, Jarrow and South Shields.
Rail
The nearest Tyne and Wear Metro station is located at Pelaw. The Tyne and Wear Metro provides a regular service to Newcastle, with trains running up to every 6 minutes between Pelaw and South Gosforth, increasing to up to every 3 minutes at peak times. Heworth is the nearest rail station, with Northern Trains providing an hourly service along the Durham Coast Line.
Road
Bill Quay is served by the A185 – a route linking the area with Heworth, Hebburn and Jarrow. By road, Gateshead can be reached in around 10 minutes, Newcastle in 15 minutes, and Newcastle International Airport in 30 minutes.
Bill Quay Community Farm
Bill Quay Community Farm was an important urban farm, and one of only 16 farm parks nationally recognised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust in the UK. Breeds included Tamworth pigs, Jacob sheep, Hebridean sheep, Scots Grey hens and Bagot goats. It used to play host to Chickenstock, an annual showcase festival for local Gateshead based bands. Bill Quay Community Farm closed in September 2019.
In fiction
The novel Schoolfrenz by Ray Crowther is set mainly on Tyneside. Bill Quay is mentioned several times and is the location for a murder scene in the book. The author's website contains an extract from Schoolfrenz about Bill Quay, and has photographs of Bill Quay, and the surrounding area.
