The Local Illustrations date from the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries and depict a variety of local scenes and structures, such as schools, hospitals, residences, castles and churches. There are views of Newcastle, Durham, Northumberland, Sunderland; portraits; depictions of local life (keelmen playing cards) and a plan of the Grainger Market, Newcastle.

Consists of: Professional and personal letters, both to and from Joseph Crawhall II. Pencil, ink and watercolour sketches created by Joseph Crawhall II, some including annotations. Various printed ephemera from a variety of authors. Various leaflets, notifications, invitations, cards and reciepts relating to Joseph Crawhall II. A collection of woodblock pulls from a selection of original woodblocks created by Joseph Crawhall II. Letters and sketches relating to George Edward Crawhall, brother of Joseph Crawhall II. A genealogical scrapbook relating to the Crawhall family.

This collection of illustrations by local artist Thomas Hair (c.1810-1875) depicts the mining industry and the coal trade in the North East in the nineteenth century. The illustrations are based on Hair's watercolours on the same topic. The illustrations in the collection highlight numerous aspects of the region's mining heritage, including collieries, machinery, and river trade scenes. Many of the illustrations also show the everyday workings of the industry and those involved in it.

Leonard Charles Evetts (1909-1997) was a designer and artist, and the Head of Design at Kings College Newcastle between 1963-1974 (now Newcastle University). Evetts is known primarily for working in stained glass, calligraphy and watercolour, although the full range of his design work was extensive, and included various more unusal commissions from milk cartons to ceremonial ornaments. His contribution to building and artefact conservation was also significant and within this remit he was Vice-Chairman of the Council for the Care of Churches, between 1972-81, and a member of Newcastle Diocesan Advisory Committee (on new installations and additions) for over fifty years. Over four hundred examples of his stained glass work exist in Britain, including his most ambitious work at St Nicholas, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland comprising of forty-six individual windows.

This archive of Leonard Evetts' work, kindly transferred to Newcastle University Library by his widow in 2016, comprises largely of his commission project files. These files are of great research value, containing large scale colour designs as well as sketches and commission correspondence. They span hundreds of commissions which include paintings, the design and restoration of armorials, the design of ceremonial and religious objects, and the design and execution of over 300 stained glass windows in both religious and secular settings.

In addition, the collection also includes a smaller representation of other aspects of Leonard Evetts' work including some watercolours, lettering studies and some personal family items.

Daguerreotypes were an early form of photography which did not permit reproduction therefore the images on the plates are unique. The daguerreoytypes in Special Collections have particular significance because among them are the first-known photographic images of Niagara Falls and the Clifton Hotel, taken in 1840 by metallurgical chemist and industrialist, Hugh Lee Pattinson (1796-1858) who was Gertrude Bell's great-grandfather.

There are also two daguerreotypes depicting Rome which are signed 'Lerebours'. The daguerreotypes have deteriorated: the plates exhibit signs of spotting, surface scratches, there are cracks in the glass and the plates have oxidised but they have been conserved and digitised.

The Crawhall Collection is a wonderfully-diverse and visual collection of material by and relating to local businessman, artist and patron of the arts, Joseph Crawhall II (1821-1896). The published book portion of this collection comprises of 23 volumes and includes chapbooks, such as Olde ffrendes with newe faces (1883), A Jubilee Thought (1887) and Old Aunt Elspa's ABC [1884].

The Bradshaw-Bewick Collection contains works by and relating to the engraver Thomas Bewick (1753-1828). Bewick was born at Cherryburn, near Mickley, Northumberland and his early interest in drawing, under the tuition of the Reverend C. Gregson, was later developed when he was apprenticed under the Newcastle engraver, Ralph Beilby. He was to become a master craftsman.Bewick had a particular fascination with the natural world and this is reflected in works such as A general history of quadrupeds (1790) and History of British birds (1797). The collection is strong in Bewick's other main area of interest - morals and fables. His Select fables (1784) was immediately popular and ran into several editions but he worked on many small moral instruction books, such as Youth's instructive and entertaining story-teller (1778) and The looking-glass for the mind (1792).