The exhibition is a chance to see a number of artefacts, including this banner, that were carried on the original Jarrow Crusade to London. Courtesy Bede's World.

Those who haven’t had a chance to pay a visit to the display of rare artefacts from the Jarrow Crusade at Bede’s World have been given a reprieve with the show’s run extended until January 31, 2005.

In 1936 200 men from Jarrow set off to march the 300 miles to London in order to present a petition to Parliament demanding the creation of new jobs.

The successive closure of steelworks and shipyards had brought 70% unemployment to the area and with it came extreme hardship and poverty for the majority of people in this once prosperous part of Tyneside.

A petition was signed by 11,000 people and marchers were carefully chosen. After a medical examination 200 fit men were appointed, a second-hand bus was bought to carry cooking equipment and ground sheets were provided.

Contemporary photos give some idea of what the march must have been like. Courtesy the Shields Gazette.

Setting off at the beginning of October, the men marched for 25 days, finally presenting their petition on November 4.

Their efforts captured the imagination of the British people and although the participants are now all dead – Cornelius 'Con' Whelan, the last survivor, passed away on September 17, 2003 aged 93 - the Jarrow Crusade is still seen as one of the most significant events in the country’s social history.

Bede’s World, which is based in Jarrow has been remembering the events of 68 years ago with a small display of artefacts from the march.

The petition was presented to Parliament on November 4 1936. Courtesy Bede's World.

Many are owned by Jarrow Labour Party and are on public display for the first time in recent years.

The original casket and leather wallet that contained the petition and was carried all the way by marchers is on show. The wallet was only re-discovered recently and is on show for the first time.

These are accompanied by a large blue and white banner, which was carried by the men from Jarrow all those years ago and again on a re-creation in 1986.

Furthermore, an audio-visual presentation contains photographs of marchers and microfilms of coverage from the Shields Gazette, which sent a journalist along to provide daily reports.