1820 incident in which an English cargo vessel grounded and bilged on the Herd Sand on her arrival at Shields from London in ballast. This wooden sailing vessel was shortly afterwards recovered, but the details of the recovery of this wreck may have become confused with those of another PROVIDENCE involved in the same incident. The PROVIDENCE is one of the more common contemporary names for a vessel.

Sheddon's Hill played a pivotal role in the Great Miners Strike of 1844. Tthe first Great Strike was in 1831 when a union of Northumberland and Durham miners had been formed under Thomas Hepburn. This first strike ended in victory for the miners with their hours shortened and their wages paid in money (rather than as 'credit' to spend in shops linked to the colliery). In 1832 Thomas Hepburn brought the miners out on strike again. Coal owners had decided that no miners who were members of the union would be 'bound' (miners were bound to their employer for a year at a time and the signed document included the terms of employment). The strike was not a success. No union member was re-employed and the union was dissolved. Some miners then formed the Miners' Association of Great Britain and Ireland, which started making progress in 1842-3. On 2nd March 1844 a meeting of miners took place on Sheddon's (Shadon's) Hill. An estimated 20,000 pimen attended. The principal grievances were the monthly (rather than annual) bond which had been introduced to break the Association, the frequency of explosions, a request for regular safety inspections, for accurate weighing machines and for weekly pay. The Mining Association of Great Britain and Ireland sent a letter to the coal owners requesting 'amicable adjustments' to miners' contracts, to avoid a strike, but the letter was not acknowledged. So on 5th April 1844, the miners of Northumberland and Durham terminated their 1843-44 contract with their employers. They would not enter into a new contract until their grievances had been met. A second mass meeting was held at Sheddon's Hill. Up to 40,000 miners attended along with music bands and banners. A genreal meeting was held on Newcastle Town Moor on 30th July. After 20 weeks, during which time miners families were evicted from their tied cottages and blackleg labour had been brought in from the rest of the country, the strike was over. The miners had been starved into surrender. The monthly bond was forgotten but the miners had to return on the owners terms.

1853 25th February. MAY QUEEN of Peterborough and PROFIT of Newcastle wrecked on Herd Sand

1797 wreck of English cargo vessel which stranded on the Herd Sand on entering Shields from London in ballast; a wooden sailing vessel. Master: Hall . Crew saved.

1851 6th November, PHOENIX, Norwegian sloop, wrecked on Herd Sand.

As a consequence of a tow line to a tug breaking when crossing the Bar, this schooner went ashore at 1pm, on the half ebb, and became a total wreck. Her crew were saved by the South Shields lifeboat in wind conditions WSW force 5. Estimated loss on the vessel, which was not insured, was 600 [sterling].
Built: 1812 Lost:1852
Master: Jeffery
Crew: 7

Whilst going out of the harbour in gloomy weather conditions, wind N force 5, the towing hawser of a tug parted and with no sail set, the barque drifted ashore and became a total wreck.

Built: 1841 Wrecked:1856
Where Built: Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Master: W Steel
Owner: Ingo & Co.

1807 wreck of American cargo vessel which stranded and bilged on the Herd Sand on entering Shields from Baltimore with rice, tar, rosin, tobacco, and staves; a wooden sailing vessel. Crew saved.

1812 wreck of English collier which stranded on the Herd Sand on her departure from Shields. Laden with coal, she was a wooden sailing vessel. She was later recovered and the crew saved.

1823 wreck of cargo vessel which foundered after grounding on the Herd Sand. Laden with coal, she was a wooden sailing vessel. Master: Stoker