As a follow-up to the award-winning 'Breaking Chains: North Shields and Slavery' exhibition held at the Old Low Light Heritage Centre in 2019, OLL volunteer Mike Coates shares his research into the life and times of abolitionist John Foster Spence (1818-1901). Spence's extraordinary six decades of unstinting public service to the community of Tynemouth/North Shields earned him the nickname of 'The Grand Old Man of Shields'.
(Spence was also known locally as 'The Ostrich' - but you'll have to watch this presentation to find out why!)
This presentation is a shortened version of a talk given by Mike Coates at The Old Low Light Heritage Centre, North Shields as part of the 'Breaking Chains' exhibition.
We are grateful to the Tynemouth Volunteer Lifeboat Brigade for their help in researching this talk.
Production of the talk by David J Hirst on behalf of The Old Low Light Heritage Centre, North Shields www.oldlowlight.co.uk All rights reserved.