The metropolitan borough of South Tyneside was created in 1974 by a merger of the county borough of South Shields along with the municipal borough of Jarrow and the urban districts of Boldon and Hebburn from County Durham. The South Tyneside counciltook over the operation of the children's homes in the new area. These were initially nine in number but by 1984, just three were still in use — those at Clyde Avenue, Hebburn; at Lanark Drive, Jarrow; and at Owen Drive, West Boldon.