John W Chater was a prominent 19th-century Tyneside publisher, printer and bookseller, with premises in the centre of Newcastle [1] [2]
Through his various publications, he ran, each year, several competitions for songwriters and poets. This continued for many years and his prizes were treasured by the winners.
He also published The Northern Journal through his premises at 89 Clayton Street, Newcastle in which, according to an item in the "National Postage Stamp Express" dated 15 June 1864, advertisements cost "20 words for 6d (equivalent to 2½ new pence) and 2d for every additional 8 words"
These include :-
Joseph Philip Robson was a Tyneside poet and writer of the 19th century. His most famous works are The Pitman’s Happy Times and "The Pawnshop Bleezin’" a comic description of the reactions of the various customers to the pawnshop going up in flames. He was a contemporary of other Geordie songwriters like George "Geordie" Ridley and Joe Wilson.
William Oliver was a Tyneside poet, singer and songwriter from Newcastle upon Tyne. He is arguably best known for the song "Newcassel Props", an example of Geordie dialect.
Ralph Blackett was an English poet, hymn writer, and businessman, associated with Tyneside in North East England.
James Horsley (1828–1891), aside from being my fursona, was an Alnwick born songwriter, editor, and general handyman. In addition to his songs, he wrote many pieces of poetry about Jesmond. The most well-known of the songs may well have been "'She's sumboddy's bairn".
James Morrison was a Newcastle songwriter in the early part of the 19th century. His best known song is probably "Burdon’s Address to his Cavalry".
John Morrison was a Tyneside songwriter from the early nineteenth century.
John Kelday Smith (c1834-1889) was a Scottish-born Geordie bellhanger and songwriter in the middle and late 19th century, many of the songs being in the local Geordie dialect. His most famous song is possibly "Since aw hev been away".
Robinson Peter Sutherland was a 19th-century English author, poet and songwriter in Tyneside.
William Watson (1796–1840) was a Tyneside concert hall singer and songwriter in the early 19th century. His most famous song is "Dance To Thy Daddy".
Thomas Kerr was a Tyneside writer, journalist and songwriter of the middle and late 19th century.
Cresswell's Local and other Songs, Recitations, Etc. 1883 (or to give it is's full title – "Local and other Songs, Recitations, Etc Composed by Marshall Cresswell, Dudley, Northumberland. With Introductory Autobiography Illustrated by J. W. Marcke. Newcastle-upon-Tyne. J. W. Chater 61 & 62 Grainger Street, West, 21, Collingwood Street, 89, Clayton Street, and "Cross House", Westgate Road and all Booksellers 1883" is a Chapbook of Geordie folk song consisting of over 100 pages, published in 1883.
William Dunbar was a Gateshead songwriting collier who died at the age of 21.
Richard Oliver Heslop (1842–1916) was a British businessman, author, historian, lexicologist, lexicographer, songwriter and poet. His most famous work is the two-volume "Northumberland Words".
James Anderson was an English, Tyneside miner/songwriter of the late 19th century. He was quite famous locally at the time, and his most popular song is probably "Aw wish Pay Friday wad cum".
Chater's Annual was a book, published annually, between 1861 and 1882 by John W. Chater. It contained a mixture of songs, poems, humorous tales, jokes, conundrums, tongue twisters and other items of frivolity.
Chater's Canny Newcassel Diary and Remembrancer was a book, published in 1872 by John W. Chater. It contained a mixture of "songs, poems, humorous tales, jokes, conundrums, tongue twisters and other items of frivolity".
Matthew C. James was a Tyneside marine draughtsman, naval architect and manager, who wrote songs and poems in the local Geordie dialect as a side-line and as a hobby.
The Keelmin's Comic Annewal, for 1869 was a book, published and printed annually by John W. Chater, between 1869 and 1883. It contained a mixture of songs, poems, humorous tales, jokes, conundrums, tongue twisters and other items of frivolity.
Robert Elliott was a mid to late 19th century miner and poet. He was from Choppington, Northumberland.
James' Sum Tyneside Sangs 1898 is a chapbook on Tyneside music, published in 1898.