In May 2006 the former Lloyds Bar on Crown Street reopened under the ownership of the Wetherspoons pub chain. The company name the public house "The William Stead" in honour of the former editor of the Northern Echo newspaper, located at the building opposite the pub.
As part of the fittings of the pub a sculpture by artist G McGill was commissioned. Titled "Man of the People" the sculpture is accompanied by a brass plaque recording the life of William T Stead. The plaque bares the following inscription:
Man of the People By G. McGill July 2006
W.T Stead 1840 [sic] - 1912
Born Embleton, Northumbria 5th July 1849. In 1870 he began to contribute articles to newly founded Northern Echo Newspaper published in Darlington. By 1871 he was appointed Editor then continued after 1881 his journalistic career at the Pall Mall Gazette. As Editor there he pioneered New Journalism, supporting numerous political and social movements. He married and had 6 children.
In 1880 he moved from daily journalism to founding a series of journalistic reviews. A keen pacifist interested in spiritualism he travelled extensively, visited and influenced the Tsar of Russia and supported the formation of the International Union against Militarism.
Stead met his death travelling to a peace congress in America at the request of the President. He boarded the Titanic on its fateful 1912 voyage, occupied cabin C87 while [sic] the ship foundered he read quietly in the First Class Smoking room. A memorial erected by fellow journalists recognised his brilliant gift, fervent spirit and untiring devotion to his fellow man.
More information
- Northern Echo, The (2006) Bar's fitting tribute to Echo editor who died on the Titanic Darlington: The Northern Echo, https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7158472.bars-fitting-tribute-to-echo-editor-who-died-on-the-titanic