. ▁ ▁The ▁River ▁Ty ne ▁provided ▁an ▁obst acle ▁between ▁O ving ham ▁and ▁Pr ud ho e ▁until ▁ 2 0 ▁December ▁ 1 8 8 3 , ▁when ▁a ▁to ll ▁bridge ▁( O ving ham ▁Bridge ) ▁was ▁finally ▁opened , ▁taking ▁the ▁place ▁of ▁the ▁fer ry . ▁The ▁steel ▁tub es ▁are ▁marked ▁D orm an ▁Long ▁M idd les br ough , ▁the ▁firm ▁which ▁designed ▁and ▁built ▁the ▁Sydney ▁Har bour ▁Bridge ▁and ▁the ▁Ty ne ▁Bridge . ▁ ▁Govern ance ▁ ▁O ving ham ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁parliament ary ▁constitu ency ▁of ▁H ex ham . ▁ ▁Econom y ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁d ye house ▁at ▁O ving ham , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 8 ▁William ▁Bul lock ▁was ▁the ▁for eman . ▁Both ▁Thomas ▁Bew ick ▁from ▁nearby ▁Cher ry burn ▁and ▁George ▁Steph enson ▁from ▁nearby ▁W yl am ▁had ▁relatives ▁who ▁were ▁dy ers . ▁One ▁of ▁Bew ick ' s ▁wood cut s ▁is ▁entitled ▁the ▁Dy ers ▁of ▁O ving ham . ▁Two ▁men ▁are ▁carrying ▁a ▁large ▁tub ▁on ▁a ▁pole . ▁M abel ▁Steph enson , ▁George ' s ▁mother , ▁was ▁a ▁daughter ▁of ▁an ▁O ving ham ▁d yer ▁named ▁Richard ▁Car r . ▁There ▁were ▁we a vers ▁in ▁O ving ham , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁local ▁t ide wait er , ▁or ▁custom s ▁inspect or . ▁ ▁Land marks ▁The ▁vic ar age ▁was , ▁in ▁medieval ▁times ,