North Blyth Rowing Club

North Blyth Rowing Club was based at the Seven Stars pub in North Blyth. The Seven Stars pub was situated in a small row of houses which were all demolished in the 1980s and replaced by the Alvance (formerly Alcan) bulk silica loading jetties. North Blyth is today made up of only three short streets but it was once a thriving mining and seaport town.

2nd December 1893
The Newcastle Daily Chronicle reported:
The first open boat handicap in connection with the North Blyth Rowing Club will be on the river Blyth this afternoon, over the half-mile course from the Wave Trap to a point opposite the club's headquarters, the Seven Stars Inn. Good prizes are offered for the event, and as the competitors are all local men, some interesting racing is expected. There are fifteen entrants, including Jno. Bewick, Old Hartley; Joseph Kennedy, Cambois; Edward Davis, Blyth; William Davison, Link End; Robert Wheatley, Cambois; Thomas Hopper, Link End; George Smith, Cowpen Quay; Thomas Hudson, Link End; William Osborne, Hartford Colliery: Christopher Hogg, Cambois; William Watson, Cambois; and William Young, Blyth. The first heat is timed to start at 1 o'clock, and the opening round will be gone through. The handicap will be concluded a fortnight today.

15th December 1893
The Newcastle Daily Chronicle reported:
North Blyth Rowing Club - The competition promoted under the auspices of tb!s club, and inaugurated a fortnight ago, will be brought to an end on the river Blyth tomorrow. The draw will take place prior to the commencement of the racing. The names of the competitors who will take part are :—Christopher Hogg, Cambois; William Young, Cowpen Quay; William Watson, Cambois; Thomas Hopper, North Blyth; Thomas Smith, Cowpen Quay; and Robert Wheatley, Cambois.

14th March 1894
The Newcastle Daily Chronicle reported:
North Blyth Rowing Club The first annual general meeting of this club was held at the headquarters, Seven Stars Inn, North Blyth, on Monday night. Mr. George Hudson occupied the chair. Formal business having been transacted, and the club being reported to be in a satisfactory condition, a discussion took place to the desirability of promoting a handicap on the local river. It was pointed out that another two open boats had been added to the Boathouse, making up a compliment of 4 first-class open boats, 1 skiff, and 2 "12 feets" at the service of their members. The continued increase in the interest amongst members, while gratifying, was also a circumstance which warranted the organisation of some public competition. It was eventually agreed to make for the holding of a handicap to be commenced at Whitsuntide, and in order to meet the wishes of certain local gentlemen in the town it was decided to issue a subscription list for donations towards prizes, several having notified their desire to subscribe. It was also reported that considerable improvements had been effected at the boat- house, and that a comfortable dressing room had been added. The membership was good and there was every indication of the ensuing season being a flourishing one. Members were afterwards entertained by Mr. Hudson, the meeting in all respects being enjoyable and pleasant.

5th April 1894
The Newcastle Daily Chronicle reported:
As stated on the occasion of the annual meeting of the club, the members intend promoting a handicap on the river Blyth open to all scullers. An announcement to this effect has already appeared in the advertisement columns of the "Chronicle." The event will be commenced on Saturday. Mar 12th, and continued each succeeding Saturday until finished. In organising the competition, the club have met with hearty co-operation from the licensed victualler of the town, the sum of £25 having been subscribed as prize money. The distance will be half a mile, and over the course from a point known as the Wave - Trap to a point opposite the club's head quarters, the Seven Stars. It is part of the river which is comparatively free from traffic of a busy kind, and affords special advantages to sightseers, who will be able to obtain an uninterrupted view of the racing from beginning to end. Competitors can also embark or disembark at any state of the tide, so that there is little to interfere in any way with the venture.