Witch-hunters, ghostly figures and body-snatchers who used to roam the streets of Newcastle are brought to life in a new app which has been created using information from the city’s archives and libraries.
The Hidden Newcastle app is free and has been produced by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Newcastle Libraries. It reveals stories about real life historical characters who once lived and worked in the city.
Each story in the app is linked to the location and you can unlock more stories as you move around the city.
People featured in Hidden Newcastle include Cuckoo Jack who in the early to mid 1800s worked as a bargeman on the River Tyne. His knowledge of the river led to a profitable sideline in retrieving dead bodies from the water and selling them to the council.
Not all of the stories are so gruesome, however, including the tale of Geordie Woodford who was credited with helping to save people from the flood of 1771 which swept away part of the old Tyne Bridge.
The app is currently available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, with an Android version currently in development.