Category Archives: Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough Heritage

Ayresome Quaker Burial Ground

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This area of Linthorpe Cemetery is entiely populated with the identical simple gravestones of Quakers.
Quaker Burial Ground, Linthorpe Cemetery
Quaker Burial Ground, Linthorpe Cemetery
It pre-dates the rest of cemetery hugely as it was established in 1660, all the original stone were removed in 1717 as was the custom of the time for Quakers. Between 1745 and 1855 other sites were used before burial resumed here with the simple gravestones up until the present day.
Quaker Burial Ground, Linthorpe Cemetery
The current main Linthorpe graveyard surrounding this one was not established until 1869.

Holgate Wall, Middlesbrough

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The Holgate wall started life as the perimeter of a workhouse called the Holgate Poor Law Institution, the site of which later became Middlesbrough General Hospital.
Holgate Wall, Middlesbrough
The wall enclosed the Holgate end of Ayresome Park football stadium which stood here between 1903 and 1997, it is now the only remaining part of the stadium in its original position.

Mohawk Indian Moses Carpenters Grave

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Moses Carpenters real name was Ska-Run-Ya-Te, he was a Canadian Mohawk Indian who came to Middlesbrough in 1889. The traveling company who offered ‘miracle cures’ was lead by Sequah (who was actually an Englishman named William Hannaway Rowe). This picture is thought to show Ska-Run-Ya-Te stood next to a seated Sequah.
Moses Carpenter
The show was in Middlesbrough for three weeks with twice daily shows selling cures such as Prairie Flower and Sequahs Oil.
Moses was taken ill in Middlesbrough and died on 15th August 1889, it is said that 12,000 – 15,000 lined the route of funeral to pay their respects.
Moses Carpenter, Linthorpe Cemetery
The grave is still decorated to this day with feathers and flowers.
Moses Carpenter, Linthorpe Cemetery

Grave of Thomas Carlton, Blast Furnacemens Secretary

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While walking in Linthorpe Cemetary I noticed this large obelisk erected to commemorate Thomas Carlton.
Thomas Carlton - Blast Furnacemens Secretary
It includes the interesting inscription ‘Erected by the blast furnacemen in recognition of deceased in the service as their secretary, more especially in assiting to secure shorter hours of toil’
Thomas Carlton - Blast Furnacemens Secretary
A little digging in the newspaper archives uncovered these details from his obituary on January 6th 1899.
Thomas Carlton - Blast Furnacemens Secretary

Thomas Carlton was the Secretary of the Cleveland and South Durham Branch of the National Federation of Blast-furnacemen. Originally from Lincolnshire he moved to Cleveland in 1871 and worked in the ironstone mines, presumably at Upleatham Mine as he was president of the Marske Institute when it opened in 1875.

He helped secure an 8 hour working day for blast furnacemen at Ormesby, Seaton Carew and Carlton Ironworks (reduced from 12 hours) around 1894.

The picture from the Flickr Photostream of Bolckow shows a banner featuring the same portrait.

Cleveland and Durham Blastfurnacemens Association

Ayresome Gardens Vaughan and Gjers Grave Markers

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As I was driving past this morning, I noticed Steve Waller marking out some grave locations in the park, presumably for Heritage Week.
Vaughan and Gjers Graves, Middlesbrough
John Gjers was an ironmaster owning the Gjers Mills Ayresome Ironworks, Florence Gjers (his second wife) was the last burial in the park on 8th August 1950

John and Florence Gjers Grave, Middlesbrough
Immediately next to them is John Vaughan Jr (19 year-old son of the founder of Bolckow and Vaughan)
John Vaughan Jr Grave, Middlesbrough
You’ll probably have to be quick if you want to catch these and all the others that were marked out.

Ormesby Beck meets the Tees

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Things look pretty un-inspiring when you start behind the ‘Navigation’ near to the Riverside Stadium with the beck just being a concrete sided trough with clogged rubbish traps.
Ormesby Beck
As you move east things take a turn of the better.
Ormesby Beck
A little futher on are some gates, perhaps some sort of flood defence as this area will be tidal ?
Ormesby Beck
After these it becomes rather pleasant with some ducks being seen.
Ormesby Beck
The beck then takes a sharp turn to the north and join up with River Tees.
Ormesby Beck joins the Tees

This would have been a very industrial location in the past surrounded by iron works, although the area to the south was a marsh. It doesn’t exist on the 1858 map as the beck flows under the railway near to the Navigation Inn, but this redirection to the opposite side of railway exists on the 1894 map perhaps due to the construction of the Ormesby Ironworks.