Show on mapThe exact name of this bridge seems to be a little vague, modern OS maps call it ‘Marsh Street Bridge’ although i’ve also heard others call it ‘Forty Foot Bridge’ or ‘Fox Heads Bridge’
The housing to the south of the bridge was known as ‘Fox Heads’ or ‘Foxheads’ as it was built for the workers of the Newport Rolling Mills operated by Messrs Fox, Head and Company.
The bridge is shown as existing on the 1894 town plan although the housing in the immediate area is still incomplete.
The plan shows that there was actually a sizable ramp which ran from Frederick Street parallel to Marsh Street so another bridge actually crossed the end of Newport Street before crossing the railway. These two pages of memories by a resident say that the last 25 yards of Marsh St was used by the firm PA Mudd for storage, which would tie in with this series of arches that can still be seem today.
The north end of the bridge was actually a junction, with a right turn putting you onto Forty Foot Road and towards the Newport Rolling Mills, the retaining wall of this junction is still visible.
A left turn was a smaller road which on the 1894 map leads into the Newport Iron Works. A contact at Network Rail informs me they have the structure listed as ‘Marsh Street; and the current metal deck dates from 1912.
Sharp-eyed reader Sean has also spotted that the childhood memories on the Communigate website also mention a “Stinky Pole” which could well be a stench pipe that’s possibly still there next to the bridge.
Thanks for posting this! I pass the bridge all the time and always wondered about its history and why it seemed to be truncated. I wondered if it had carried a railway once, but now I know the true story behind it!
Always been Forty Foot Bridge to me. I used to use it when I was given the temporary job of doing some training for OH crane drivers at the Britannia CW Shed and I used to walk there from the bus stop.
I’ve always known it as Forty Foot Bridge. a question came up at work the other day among a bunch of us Smoggies–why forty foot Bridge/Road??
I’ve been asking myself the same thing.
The 40 foot road run down to Dorman Longs 3 and 4 mill work’t many a shift there in 1960
Got my dates wrong I started dormans 3 and 4 mill 1958 I am getting old
Sorry also at the end of the 40 foot road shaws foundry the wire works and Ayton sheet works
Also walk’t every shift down 40 foot road
My name is Ian and I lived in Arthur street, woulld you have a brother named Teddy if you did I knew him when I was 5 or 6
No ireal dea,, but one guess might have been that it was built deliberatley wide – 40 feet width – to accommodate wagons (steam / horse drawn ?) moving sections, etc, between plants sited along the road
I read somewhere one theory was that the road was for the workers and could fit 20 men abreast, ie 40 feet at the same time, so it was nicknamed the 40 foot road.
To a lot of railway enthusiasts its known as metz bridge, i`ve always been told thats what its called. The traveler site adjacent is called metz bridge site.
I think you will find that Metz Bridge is, in fact to the east of the bridge featured by Chris. Today, it is the road leading off of the A66 North Road Interchange and which accesses the Riverside Park area via Riverside Park Road. However that may have not been the exact position of the original Metz Bridge as the whole area has been comprehensively reshaped by decades of highway engineering.
However, the name raises interest in itself. Who or what was or is Metz, and what links the name to Middlesbrough ? Fist thought was that it some link to Metz in Alsace Lorraine, as this was one of the hearts of the French (and via occupation) German iron steelmaking in the 19th century. But some quick Googling came up with the wiki entry for a certain Auguste Metz who, along with his two brothersm was one of the founding fathers of the Luxembourg iron and steel industry with a number of plants in that area of the Duchy, (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Metz)
So did Auguste Metz or one of the later dynasty of the family have some input into Middlesbrough’s iron and steel industry ? I’m afraid I drew a blank there, but I am sure there are people out there who know far more. One for the local history societies perhaps.
A further note following the last posting. I found some material on Luxembourg steel making which states that the firm founded by the Metz family (and which is now part of Alceler Mittal) was the first to have had licenses on the European mainland for the Gilchrist Thomas process in Bessemer converters as the local ore there (and in Belgium in general) was highly phosphoric, As Bolckow Vaughan were the world leaders in this technology, the links of Metz and Middlesbrough seem clearer.
Instead of the bridge being called the Metz Bridge, could the area have been named after a business that were involved in bridge construction, called The Metz Bridge Works, like Cleveland Bridge make bridges rather than being the name of an actual bridge.
I cycle across this bridge everyday to and from work, and get to ride the helta skelter ramp that must have been attached in the 1960’s sometime to continue the cycle route.
I have for along time believed that at the end of Marsh street there was a level crossing. That would explain why the ramp to the bridge was offset from Frederick street and harsh street came to an abrupt end
I was born at 23 Prince Charles street in 1944 and I remember this bridge very well. I have still got the scar on my head were a brick was thrown from under the bridge, and I used to work at Dicky hills wire works, and I know the bridge as Forty foot bridge. Keep hunting. Tom G.
Hi Thomas do you remember the Conlins from Prince Charles street
Any one else left from Prince Charles street. JIMMY
I was born in prince Charles St first house Mrs Murphy m y name is lilian was hopson
My mother was brought up in Prince Charles St no 32 Louisa Metcalfe until 1937, when she married. Sadly she is not now with us.
Hi Joseph I lived in prince Charles street half way down same side as the KENNY MURPHY the walkers lived next door to us then big billy Mathews we are the CONLIN
Josef your mother was born in number 34 Prince Charles Street naturally she lived and this is from your cousin try and find out who it is
Guess this must be Gerrod Metcalfe, hope you are doing good
Hi Joe this is your cousin Gerard Metcalfe hope you’re alright nice to speak to you but it was number 34
Hi Gerard,
good to hear from you, hope life is good. Called big sister our sage “Pauline” and she informed on mam’s marriage certificate address is 32. Fancy a pint let me know?
would you be Lillian Simpson lived across the street from us
Funny this, I am just looking at my dad’s marriage certificate and he lives at 12 Prince Charles Street so goggled and found this email trail, did anyone know him? He was 22 years old then (1940) Joseph Crozier
Lilian am I right you lived opposite us Conlin in Price Charles Street JIM CONLIN
My great grandparents are living at 12 Prince Charles Street on the 1881 Census.
Patrick Mullen and Mary Mullen (nee Healy) both born in Ireland.
Patrick is a Puddler.
They married in 1878 in Jarrow on Tyne.
hello,please do you know any information about william mcdonald 21prince charles street he lived there in 1911 i am tracing my family history. thank you pauline
Pauline do you remember the Conlins from prince Charles street were lived opposite the simpsons called there dad swanie and there mam little red hen JC
Some Fox Heads names coming up. I remember Gerard Metcalfe Swanie and Little red hen Billy Boy Mathews Kenny and Jimbo Witherley. I lived in Newport Street.
My mam & dad lived in unthank st opposite the gas tanks off cannon st.
My dad was brought up on cannon st .Arthur st I think.I lived in unthank street until 1972 when they started to knock the houses down.We then moved to billingham.Oh the joys of an inside toilet& bathroom plus a garden .I used to play over that bridge even used to dig coal up and take it home .I went to st Patricks school .We called it the forty foot bridge…
ilived in unthank st
Hi Ruth
My mam & dad Kenny and Mavis goodman lived in number 49 unthank St .Or neighbours were joe ? The dart player .And a lady called tess on the other side .Do you remember Mrs macs shop on the corner of unthank & cannon St .My dad was related to the halls who lived on cannon St next door to St Patrick’s church ….
i remember it being called forty foot bridge. I went to St Patricks from 1949 to 1954. We lived in Lowe /street, down from Dean Street.
WE no it as 40 foot road down to 3 and 4MILL DORMAN LONGS i lived in Prince CHARLES STREET 1940 FOX Heads
Hi , my name is Ian and I was born in 35 Arthur st may 1945, I was delightted to see your posting . I live in western Canada now and if you wish to contact me to talk about old times I would love it. I am married with three children and feel a bit homesick. hope u reply Ian.
I lived at 35 Arthur st just round the corner near Freds shed.I Would like to know if you knew Teddy Collins He lived close to Cannon st
Hi Ian, sorry but the name doesn’t ring any bells. .However there used to be a gang of us that played on the big concrete blocks between us and Prince Charles St – it would be interesting if he remembers playing on them. We left Queen Mary Street in the early sixties when they finally demolished the place and moved up to Pallister Park. I know lots of my friends ended up at Park End and Berwick Hills
I lived in Prince Charles from 1940 till 1960 the CONLIN
There was a Ted Collins lived in Stanley Street with his daughter Audrey Timney nee Collins.
He used to live on the corner of Lower Croft Street/NewportStreet in the corner house. He’s been dead for years now as has his daughters.
The family left there when it was compulsory purchased .
Amazing. I was born round the corner from Tommy but I remember it as Fox Heads bridge.
Anyone got a photo of the Fox Heads above the front Doors or even the Door knocker on the front door.
Hi Ann what street did you live in
Hi Ann what street did you live in
Hi Ann were did you live. JIM
My older brother Stan worked at either Dickie Hills or Brittania, but we always called it the “wire works”. Ironically Stan only had one hand from a birth defect and came through that job unscathed when most other two handed people working there had fingers missing from work accidents. I think he worked there in the 60/70s and maybe afterwards.
Does anyone have a photograph of ayton sheet mills on forty foot road in 1950’s. My mam has dementia and I am creating a memory book for her and this was her first job when she left school and I can’t find a picture anywhere. Many thanks
I remember this as the Forty Foot Rd Bridge. I was born in Fredrick St (Foxheads) I went to St Pstricks school opposite this bridge. It’s nice to see the photos of the area. Our kids don’t know they are born .
Dead right
I posted the original comments on the now defunct communigate site . The stench pole shown in the photo is what we used to call the “stinky pole”. The last 25 yards of Marsh Street was fenced off by a high metal fence different to the one visible in the photo and much higher and PA Mudd used the fenced off area for storing various things . The arches shown in the photo . I think . were the supports which bore the weight of the bridge.I was born on Newport St and the bridge and its environs were our play ground
I lived in Bulmer st No 1 directly behind Fox heads. Marsh RD .For those that don’t know , it was called Fox heads because at the top right and left corner above the front door was a fox’s head in different poses. When they where pulling it all down I made enquires to get one or two heads but was told they where all going to America
I was born and bred in Fox heads and the figures in my street where gargoyles as Marsh Street was not part of Fox heads fox heads consisted of five streets Queen Mary Street Prince Childs Street half the street Frederick Street running through the middle and Newport Street at the bottom near the railway lineThe houses in the streets were built by Fox and Head steelmakers. And the bridge was always known as fox heads bridge which Had a stairway running up to the bridge from Newport Street and the stinky Pole was outside the flour Mill at the bottom of marsh st. John
John it woz Prince Charles street and you missed out Arthur street I woz born in prince Charles street 1940 Jimmy
Hi John I am back from the gas tanks it woz QUEEN MARY STREET PRINCE CHARLES STREET ARTHUR STREET THEN MASRSH ROAD were st pats school woz JIM
Jimmy there were five streets in Fox heads Queen Mary Street prince Giles Street half the street Frederick Street running through the middle new Park Street at the bottom and Saint Patricks school was in March Street which was the senior school the junior school was in the Lawson Street G a.m.
Re-writing Jimmy there were five Street and Fox heads Queen Mary Street Prince Charles Street Frederick Street which runs through the middle and Newport Street at the bottom and Saint Patrick school was in Marsh Street not in Marsh Road the junior school was in the Lawson Street
It woz fox head bridge going down to forty foot road to all the works I work’t dorman long down there JIM
I was born in Newport St and often accessed the bridge via the steps at the end of Newport St. I was born in 1944 and I have no recollection of a flour mill at the bridge end of Marsh St . There was a firm of steel fabricators called PA Mudd ( lionweld) at the end of Marsh St opposite the bridge and abutting the railway
Frankie there is deafly a flour mill at the end of my street next to Saint Patricks bottom yard G.A.M
I remember the building on the corner of Marsh St and Marsh Rd . I never thought it was a flour mill . I had no idea what the function of that building was . I seem to remember it being derelict . Perhaps my memory is playing tricks
Hi I lived in Prince Charles street from 1940 till 1960 and work’ t in 3 and 4 mill at the bottom of the 40 foot road also there the wire works Ayton sheet works and shaws foundry
Hi I was born in Queen Mary St and attended St Pauls School (Mrs Remington class). My mates Raymond Pearce, Raymond Betts and I spent many an hour playing on the “Metz bridge” – sliding down the concrete troughs that ran down the bridge walls. I got many a good hiding for wearing holes in my trousers. I often wonder what became of Raymond Betts. Sadly Raymond Pearce died with his sister Margery in the Excelsior Hotel fire
I remember it well like a lot of others, I to play there a lot I was born just of cannon st in 1953 were I lived with my man dad and4 brothers and 2 sisters Loved my time there. I am 62 years old now a lot of you may know me hope You do ok and thanks for reading this
Jimmy there were five streets in Fox heads Queen Mary Street prints Charles Street Frederick Street which runs through the middle of those three streets and Newport Street at the bottom next to the railway lines between the gas tank gates and Fox Heads Bridge and Saint Patrick school was in MarshStreet as you know Jimmy you just got the road and street mixed up Jimmy
Sorry for the late reply G.A.M got my roads mixed up sorry about that you were right
Hi, I was 16 years old in 1966 working for tw ward of Sheffield demolishing gjers mills ,I was cabin lad on site running back and forth to Newbolds on Newport Road for pies. New Fred and George Hall of cannon street,also a grand old fellow Mr Tommy cronin.im sure he had a son called Tommy also
I went on to be in charge of demolishing britannia, clay lane, cargo fleet sheds and ovens, the cinter plant and my greatest feat dropping the two big cranes on cargo fleet wharf with a fine colleague.
Also in charge of demolishing piece by piece by hand the middle blast furnace on the bessemer manganese plant including the footbridge from the furnace to the ovens,they said it couldn’t be done
a grand old fellow named Charlie was in charge of the furnaces at the time
Great times
It woz fox head bridge leading to 40 foot road down to all the works JIM
I have just found d this site and it’s great I lived on Marsh street across from the the coal yard, and a short walk from Metz Bridge is I think the name was.
Born fox heads 1940 woz fox head bridge to us
Do any one remember black Edmond the coal merchant next to ST PATS school were we went with how prams for two stone of coal in the 1940
Yes Jimmy and his wife was called Moira
Hi G.A.M. were did you live
Hi still some old lads alive He Ha
Sorry G. A.M what street did you live in
Jimmy my mother and father lived in Prince Charles Street but I lived with my mothers two brothers and sister in passes Arthur st and here is a clue jimmy my son and I use to get lice cream of your van on trimdon ave
Hi it must be Ged Metcalf me and our Kevin still drink in the town centre I did not put lice In my ice cream ha ha
Hi Ged are you still on this site JC
Would like to hear from some FOX HEAD LADS JC
I’ve enjoyed reading through the many memories on here, I hope you share these memories on facebook, the group is well worth joining… https://www.facebook.com/groups/1540226286193623/?ref=group_header
I see one or two of you have mentioned Prince Charles Street. My ancestors lived here but I am really struggling to find it on a map or picture of it. Can someone tell me whereabouts it was and if it has changed it’s name at all. Thank you.
It was near the junction of Cannon Street and Marsh Street.
Hi, Perhaps the best way to locate Prince Charles St (assuming you have an old map) is to look for Cannon St which is the main street running towards the Newport bridge. As you follow the street (towards the bridge) you will see on the right two large gas tanks. Turn right into Queen Mary St (The street adjacent to the gas tanks, and at the bottom of Q.M. street is Prince Charles St. Sadly the whole area, known as Fox heads, was knocked down in the late fifties and early sixties and redeveloped The gas tanks are still there and if the gate to the adjacent building is open, you can stand in Q.M. St but I thinks I am right in saying there is no access to where P.C St was.
The bottom of Queen Mary street ( the railway end ) was Newport Street. Prince Charles Street ran along side Queen Mary street from Cannon street to Newport street
Hi thanks I goggled Fox Heads area and found some info which was really helpful and one or two views so really pleased. Thanks for the help.
When we were kids we called it forty foot road
Apologies Pam, I was confusing Fredrick St with Prince Charles St (its many years since I lived in Queen Mary st and I didn’t have the map)
I have only known it to be the Metz bridge (it is located on Metz Rd). and spent a lot of time playing on it as a child
Hi my name was Maureen Boddy I was born n brought up at 2prince Charles st don’t remember a lot anyone remember us
We lived around the corner from you in Newport Street. You must be the yougest. My sister was a friend of Kathy and my brother a friend of Pat ( Nicky ) both my brother and sister are older than me
Hi sorry micheal Maureen Boddy here I av been to my younger brother John In Brighton yes I am next to youngest Kathleen and Nicky were my brother and sister both now passed away I am in manchester been here since 1966 come to boro often my eldest sister Mary still there .nice to know someone remembers us .
Hi Maureen , Frankie Lowney here . I was a good friend of Nickys in my youth. Seem to remember you moved from QM St,to Grange Road then to Pally Park ,. I have fond memories of Nicky and Frankie McGlade
Hi Frank yes we went 204 Grange Rd then to 15 Calverley Rd Thornton been here since 66 but nice to come back to see family
Sorry that should read Prince Charles St
I was born in Adam Street, over the road from St Columbus Church (bottom of Cannon Street), in January 1955, and my mother, Edith Alton (nee Gill), often referred to Foxheads but I never knew where it was, even though (I now know) we moved closer to it in about 1961 when we moved up Cannon Street to Petch Street (and in 1964 moved to Hereford Close, Linthorpe, where she died in 2003). I used to go to Southend School, Bolckow Street, but, in about 1962/3 was moved to Marsh Street School because Southend was being taken over by Catholics – I can remember a rumour about their school being burnt down. With a wiser head, I now presume that there was a swap of faiths between Southend and the Catholic school in Marsh Road, probably based on student numbers – there were more Catholic kids in central Middlesbrough than non-Catholics at that time, and Southend was a bigger school.
During the first year or so of Covid19 lockdown, now living in Middlesbrough town centre, I used to go for long walks that (I now know) included Foxheads/Forty Foot Road Bridge. That bridge, and Marsh Road leading to it, has now been closed off, and the spiral staircase removed, by the neighbouring works, Lionweld, who have acquired the neighbouring land from the Council. (Lionweld did suffer criminal activity coming from the other side of the bridge – from the Metz area.)
By the way, I was led here by a Google search for Prince Charles Street, since a copy of a page from the Census of 1911 tells me that my great grandparents on my mother’s side lived at number 5H: William and Catherine Cronin with 6 children (4 boys and 2 girls – they also had an older son who did not live with them).
A correction to what I wrote a few minutes ago about swapping faith schools. I confused the Catholic School in Marsh Street with Marsh Road School. I did go to Marsh Road School in 1962/3 for 2/3 years because Southend was being occupied by Catholics, though I don’t know why they were occupying it. Also, I gave the address of Southend as Bolckow Street when it was actually Boundary Road.
It was Fox heads I was interested in I was born in Bulmer st just behind disc heads in 1947!
I remember the heads of fox’s in different poses either side of each house along one side of the rd
When they were pulling this area down in the early 60s I tried to get one of the heads but as the houses came down a the heads were placed into a compound and watch over by the police. I spoke to one policeman who said the heads had been bought by someone in America , probably someone from Cannon st Area