Marton had several locally famous and important people who at one time lived in the village or Parish but it would be nothing without the ordinary folk who carried on their business and contributed to the life of the village.

Along with the Agricultural Labourers who worked the surrounding farms, Marton had in 1841 trades in Shoemaking, Building, Blacksmiths, Cartwhrights, Carpenters, Tile and Brick makers, Tailors, Butchers, and Publicans. In 1841 there were a total of 410 persons living in the parish of Marton. In 1861 the population was at 587.

From the 1841 census:
Tailor – John Whitfield 60.
Shoemaker – Joseph Ingledew 25, Thomas Rowland 35, John Teasdale 25, John Lax 50
Blacksmith – William Handisides 30
Publican – Joseph Harker 30, William Atkinson 70
Bricklayer -Henry Readman 65, John Readman 60, George Easton 75, Edward Knight 40
Tile/Brickmaker – William Moss 55, John Foster 25, John Boyd 30
School Master – James Hunter 40, Robert Day 55
Cartwright – Whitfield 35
Butcher – John Tomlinson 30
Shopkeeper – Margaret Harker 30, John Thistle 50
Horse Breaker – John Harrison 45
Mason – Robert Armstrong
Farrier – Thomas Parrington

Other Profesions in the village were: John Parrington – Land Agent, William Parrington – Commercial Agent, Robert Robinson – House Carpenter, Ralph Hedley – Miller, Thomas Merrywether – Groom.

Ralph Hedley the Miller had the Mill on the land of Newham Grange farm and it would have stood just near where the A174 passes the farm
Robert Robinson occupied Slip Inn which was also a Public House.

We must not forget the “ordinary” people who lived and worked in Marton and the surrounding hamlets

Handisides .There are three gravestones to the Handisides who were the village Blacksmiths right up to the last working blacksmith in Marton.

Coates. The Coates family were stonemasons and many of the gravestones in the churchyard were made by them.

Ingledew. Joseph Ingledew was a shoemaker and parish clerk for 48 years.

Easton. George Easton ( Eston ) was a builder and bricklayer of Marton.

Davison. The Davison family owned farmland in the Longlands area of The Marton parish. John Davison was also one of the first plot owners in the new town of Middlesbrough.

Mewburn. George Mewburn was a farm owner and employed James Cook’s father in Marton.

In the Parish Register there is an entry by the Vicar of a burial of someone who was probably a Catholic or Non Conformist who at one time must have been excommunicated. In the end he was given a christian burial in the churchyard.

On supposition that Robert Bateman, Tailor, died excommunicated, the following public proclamation was made at meeting the body at the gate and no objection made.
If there be any person or persons here present that will absolutely say that the present body is or remains excommunicated according to the laws of the church of England, then it must be denied christian burial, if not, God forbid it should be refused, as witnessed my hand this 12th day of August 1763 . Thomas Peacock

The Farmers in the Parish of Marton in 1840

Robert Hymers – Gunnergate
John Hopper – Newham Grange
Robert Harper – Saltersgill
John Davison ( land owner ) – West Moor
Thomas Garbutt ( land owner ) – Longlands
William Dale – Prissick
Robert Holliday – Marton Low Farm
John Reid – Red House Farm
Elizabeth Robinson ( land owner ) – Bonny Grove
John Pearson ( land owner ) – Marton Grange
Robert Turnbull ( land owner ) – Brass Castle
Elizabeth Jordison – Tolesby House Farm

The Stewart Park and Marton History Group was a small local history group that now, no longer meets . It had a website that was in the process of being updated with local history when the group disbanded and these are the pages that survived.
The lasting legacy of the group is the graves of Bolckow and Vaughan in Marton Churchyard, a project the group started and fund raised for and it eventually came to be, through the work of Middlesbrough Environment City.