Richard Freeman kindly sent me this photo of a plaque he recently purchased
It depicts Locomotion No.1 and the Bulmer Stone. The Head of Steam museum has the mould for these which was made by Stephen Bell in 1909 with the plaque being registered as a medal design in 1911.
They appear to have been sold by the Pawnbroker,  Arthur E Berry of 58 – 61 Northgate
Show on map Backhouse’s Bank was founded in 1774 in Darlington by Quaker, James Backhouse. This ‘branch’ is at Preston Hall Museum. Jonathan Backhouse was heavily involved in the £125,000 financing of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.
In 1896 Backhouse merged with other Quaker banks, Gurney of Norwich and Barclays of London to form what is still known today as Barclays Bank.
I’m not sure which branch this plaque originated from, possibly Stockton given the date and current location ?
Show on map The quaker burial ground can be found just off Skinnergate and contains over 1000 burials.
All the headstones are very simple in design as is traditional, despite some of them being the most powerful and influential industrialists and bankers in the area.
Edward Pease (1767-1858) – The Father of the Railways
Joseph Pease (1799-1872) – First Quaker MP
John Fowler (1826-1864) – Inventor of the steam plough
Henry Pease (1807-1881) – Founder of Saltburn
James Backhouse (1720-1798) – Founder of Backhouse Bank which eventually became Barclays.
Show on map The Mechanics Institution was built in 1854 and is listed as being designed by James Pigott Pritchett, although it may be the work of his son James Pigott Pritchett Jr who set up a practice in Darlington in that very same year.
In later years its been a bank and a bar.
Show on map This small tunnel built by George Stephenson on Arnold Road dates from 1824 and was constructed under what would have then been the brand new Stockton & Darlington Railway.
The interior of the tunnel shows numerous joins where it has been modified and expanded over the years, it now carries a recently built road.
Show on map Edward Pease left £10,000 for the building of a library on his death in 1880
The library was opened on 23rd October 1885 by Lady Lymington and is still a library today.
Show on map Darlington North Road station has existed in this area since 1825 although the current building dates from 1842, it stopped being the main station in Darlington when Bank Top opened in 1887
The building and services declined with it ending up a vandalised and unmanned halt by 1973, it was then restored as a museum which opened in 1975, which in more recent times has become known as the Head of Steam
It would appear it was building “E9” on the Stockton to Darlington Railway.
Amongst the exhibits inside are a restored ticket office.
Several Stockton to Darlington Railway boundary markers can be found in the car park and museum
Show on map Locomotion No.1 which was originally called Active, was built by George and Robert Stephensons company in 1825 for use on the Stockton to Darlington Railway where it was used for the worlds first passenger service on 27 September 1825, it remained in use until 1841.
In was restored in 1857 and kept as Alfred Kitchings workshop until the 1880s
Between 1892 and 1975 it was on display at Darlington Bank Top railway station.
Show on map The Skerne Bridge was designed by Ignatius Bonomi and was one of the worlds first railway bridges.
It now lies sadly neglected and hard to reach behind an industrial estate, although its still in use by the railway to this day.
For most of the 1990s it featured on the back of the £5 note with Locomotion No.1 passing over it at the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway
Show on map Joseph Pease (22 June 1799 – 8 February 1872) was heavily involved in the Stockton and Darlington Railway and local collieries, he was also the first Quaker MP in Britain in 1832
This statue was originally unveiled in 28 September 1875 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the sculptor was George Anderson Lawson and the foundry Cox and Sons.
The reliefs around the base of the represent key themes in Pease’s life.
Politics, this panel shows Pease with Lords John Russell and Palmerston on his entry into Parliament.
Abolition of slavery
Industry, a locomotive and colliery are shown
Education
In 1958 the statue was relocated as part of a development, then in 2007 the statue was restored and returned to its original location.