The Wants of Consett in 1860

Consett Twenty Five Years Ago

A quarter of a century ago, not a generation past, there was no Consett. There was Berry Edge, a blank inhospitable place, over which were scattered a few, very few houses. Its working principle of mineral wealth lay in primitive inactivity. The sound of the hammer, the roar of machinery, the bustle of commerce had not been heard upon its hill-side or down in its spacious valley. Yet in this short space of time, the enterprise of man and the activity of his ceaseless brain, has called into existence a large population and given employment to thousands of work-worn hardy handed, warm-hearted sons of labour.
It has been like the touch of a magician’s wand; it’s as though the Genie of Aladdin had passed over the barren spot and wafted into vigorous, robust existence of all the dormant riches of nature.

Out Of The Ashes

Towns like Consett grow from straggling hamlets like men from boyhood. We watch the lad as he shoots up inch by inch, finally, here we are fully alive to the fact, the youth of yesterday is today, a man. As he grows with time, his wants develop themselves until manhood is reached, and as a result he takes his stand upon the threshold of that real life in which he is called to take an active part, to run on with the tide, and to make for himself a local habitation and a name. If he is vigorous a man in mind as well as in stature, temperate and industrious, success will come to him.

Now the comparison of the man and the town is more striking than at first sight may appear. The town grows, houses creep up, streets are formed, manufactories lift up their tall chimneys, artisans flock to the new field of labour, the commerce of every kind flows in to meet the demand, and as a result, the town extends. House by the house, manufactory by manufactory, street by street; suburbs close up their ranks, and behold! After one generation has run its course there is a town called Consett where there was a wilderness. As the town increases, its public requirements not less than its social requirements wants to develop themselves. It is not long before these are supplied.
The law of supply and demand holds good here. Whatever a community requires, though acts of Parliament may for a time interpose or adverse interests retard, the spirit of the age must speedily overtake, and then follows a matter of course, the desiderated end.

Newspaper

One of the first wants of a new community is to have a good, cheap, weekly newspaper. This was now supplied by the “Consett Guardian”: the fait accompli will tell its own story. But there are other wants, like, social, inter-local communication, and a hundred more. Some of which have been discovered, and we trust, speedily supplied. The newspaper has set out that it will be their mission at all events. That ‘s if allowed to assume so high a title for their labour. Also to assist the public of Consett and the neighbourhood. With their help to also secure all that is necessary to its united and individual welfare.

Townhall

In a little amount of time, the population will be supplied with the means of knowing what is most urgently required. These needs shall have prompt and earnest advocacy. Consett is now alive for railway accommodation; for a public market; and for general town improvements, and these shall have their earliest attention. In their second edition, there will be a column regarding the projected new Townhall. To which they will report on one or two matters which will doubtless prove of great interest to the