The construction of Monkton Cokeworks on the outskirts of Hebburn in the mid 1930s was a well-intentioned project.
Built on former farmland, the sprawling complex provided work for hundreds of men at a time of mass unemployment as the Great Depression wreaked economic havoc around the world, and especially on Tyneside where it spawned the 1936 Jarrow Crusade. But over time, the plant became universally regarded as a giant blot on the landscape, pumping out continuous smoke and grime and becoming a major environmental and health issue for those who lived nearby.
A newly-published book, Clean Air , tells the story of the rise of everyday housewife Jennie Shearan to campaigning environmentalist. It was written by her grandson, Gianfranco Rosolia, who was born and raised on Tyneside, but currently lives in Los Angeles.
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Clean Air relates the story of people who lived on the doorstep of Monkton Cokeworks from 1953 to 1990. Their daily reality was a nightmare of hazardous and acrid sulphur dioxide emissions, all-pervading soot, and clamorous noisy tannoys.
Over decades, the facility grew unflaggingly, converting ever-increasing quantities of coal into coke without concern for the residents’ well-being. In forming the Hebburn Residents’ Action Group, Jennie Shearan brought together the underrepresented residents of Monkton Lane Estate, and gave them a voice, igniting a national dialogue about the health risks from the pollution that her neighbourhood had to endure.
While the events in the book took place on South Tyneside over 30 years ago, there remains a resonance to the challenges Jennie Shearan had to overcome during her campaign for environmental justice. She battled a negligent big energy firm that prioritised profit over people, governmental bodies that lacked accountability, and institutional sexism. She took on all levels of the establishment, from British Coal to Margaret Thatcher's government, galvanising her underrepresented town and bringing her case all the way to the European Parliament.
Jennie’s grandson, author of Clean Air , Gianfranco Rosolia, says: “Throughout her arduous journey, Jennie was brave, steadfast and sincere, demonstrating a level of resourcefulness and tenacity that would inspire any leader, the capacity to corral a group around a single-minded vision that any politician could learn from, and a degree of resilience that can energise us all.
“The book illustrates the countless sacrifices and bold choices that Jennie made, the effectiveness of grassroots activism and people power, and the beauty of leaving behind a better world for future generations. Jennie Shearan and the Hebburn Residents’ Action Group deeply loved their community. They put their heart and spirit into improving the lives of ordinary people. Their redoubtable efforts left a deeply positive and long-lasting legacy, giving thousands of people hope for a stronger and healthier future and transforming their quality of life.
"To continue their good work, all proceeds from CLEAN AIR will go directly to three charities that represent what Jennie was fighting for: Hebburn Helps , Friends of the Earth , The Environmental Law Foundation .”
The book has received praise from some notable supporters, including Geordie rock star Sting who said: “This is an inspirational story about female empowerment, grassroots activism and environmental justice. What an eloquent spokesperson Jennie Shearan was.”
Monkton Cokeworks finally closed in 1990 and was demolished two years later. Three decades on, the area has been reclaimed as a pleasant green space, and its paths are popular with walkers and cyclists. Jennie Shearer died aged 82 in 2005.
Clean Air by Gianfranco Rosolia is available in paperback and ebook (both £9.99), and hardcover and audiobook (£15.99). You can buy the book directly from the author, or at Amazon or Apple Books. The book is available in paperback, hardcover, ebook and audiobook. For further details, visit: https://linktr.ee/clean_air_book. Watch the promotional video for Clean Air here.
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