A Tyneside Heritage is a detailed local socio-economic history, developed through the lives of three generations of the author's family. The story begins in the early nineteenth century with the author's great-great-grandfather Robert Chapman JP, draper, South Shields Borough Councillor and sailing collier owner. It continues with his son Henry Chapman JP, founder of a chartered accountancy firm and building society. It ends with the author's distinguished grandfather Col. Sir Robert Chapman, Borough Councillor, Mayor, MP in the 1930s, Chairman of North Eastern Trading Estates, Vice-Lieutenant for County Durham and president of numerous local philanthropic associations.