page_title: Washington, Tyne and Wear
section_title: Industry
hierarchical_section_title: Washington, Tyne and Wear / Industry
caption_attribution_description: English: View of Washington 'F' Pit, May 1965 (TWAM ref. 5417/120/5). The pit closed in 1968. A short blog about the removal of the pit heap can be read at http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/engage/blog/washingtons-changing-landscape/. 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the creation of Washington New Town. It was officially established on 24 July 1964 and since then the area has witnessed massive changes. Old pit terraces have been replaced with modern housing, thousands of new jobs have been created, great new shopping and leisure facilities have been built and a derelict industrial landscape has been reclaimed and transformed. To celebrate this anniversary Tyne &amp; Wear Archives has brought together a set of images of Washington as it was 50 years ago. These were commissioned by Washington Development Corporation, which was responsible for planning, designing and building the New Town. The images are an important reminder of Washington's past. They reflect how much of the town has changed beyond recognition. The town will continue to evolve over the next fifty years and we must make sure that the memories continue to be preserved. (Copyright) These images are Crown Copyright. We're happy for you to share these digital images within the spirit of The Commons. Please cite 'Tyne &amp; Wear Archives &amp; Museums' when reusing. Certain restrictions on high quality reproductions and commercial use of the original physical version apply though; if you're unsure please email info@twarchives.org.uk.
context_page_description: Washington is a large town in the City of Sunderland local government district of Tyne and Wear, England, and part of historic County Durham. Washington is located geographically at an equal distance from the centres of Newcastle, Durham and Sunderland, hence it has close ties to all three cities.
  Washington was designated a new town in 1964 and became part of the City of Sunderland in 1974. It expanded dramatically, by the creation of new villages and the absorption of areas of Chester-le-Street, to house overspill population from surrounding cities.
  At the 2011 census, Washington had a population of 67,085, compared to 53,388 in 2001.
context_section_description: Historically, Washington was heavily involved in the coal industry with a number of pits. One of these in the Albany district of Washington is preserved as the 'F' Pit Museum (pits in Washington were named alphabetically e.g. the 'F' Pit). A number of the old communities of Washington grew up around the pits (e.g. the modern area of Usworth partly grew up around the Usworth mine and the area was known as Usworth Colliery (and still is to some of the older generation). In support of the mines, there was a series of wagonways and later railway lines to transport the coal. The wagonways took coal to Staithes on the River Wear, where it could be loaded onto barges to be taken to the oceangoing vessels at Sunderland.
  Washington was also involved in the chemical industry and the Washington Chemical Works was a major employer in the 19th century. This later became the Cape/Newalls Works, which produced insulation. The Pattinson Town area of Washington grew up around the chemical works. This area is now Pattinson industrial estate and Teal Farm housing estate.
  Currently, Washington's main industries include textiles, electronics, car assembly, chemicals and electrical goods. The Nissan automotive plant is a major employer. Nissan is the largest private-sector employer in the City of Sunderland.
  Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, the American tyre production giant, opened a new factory in Washington in 1968. However, it closed on 5 July 2006 with the loss of 585 jobs.
caption: View of Washington 'F' Pit, May 1965
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