St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Mission School, Thornaby

Posted on January 27, 2019 by chris.twigg

St Andrews Mission at Thornaby is still a functioning church, their website states that St.Andrews was a mission station started by the much larger Presbyterian Church in Stockton, originally as a Sunday School. When the Presbyterian Church and the Congregational Church joined together, it became part of the United Reformed Church

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Mission School, Thornaby

The date stone above the building carries the date 1893, it cost about Â£950 and could seat 200.

One foundation stone was laid by Mrs Bouge of the Manse on October 1st 1892, presumably the wife of Rev. J Bogue

The second stone is heavily eroded and difficult to interpret, but my research shows it to be Mrs G Y Blair who laid the stone. That would be the wife of George Young Blair who managed the Fossick & Hackworth Locomotive Engine Works which he came to own after 1866 as Blair and Co. who manufactured marine engines.

The Northern Echo from Monday 03 October 1892 report on the events in full.

Stafford Place Methodist Chapel, Sun Street, Thornaby

Posted on January 20, 2019 by chris.twigg

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The Stafford Place Methodist Chapel appears to have operated between 1911 and 1965 and had a seating capacity of 300. It cost Â£800 to build and replaced an 1833 building.

Stafford Place Methodist Chapel, Sun Street, Thornaby

This foundation stone was laid by Charles Arthur Head Esq, Mayor, May 25th 1911. One of the directors of Head, Wrightson, and Co.

The second foundation stone has been badly eroded with only the 1911 at the end visible.

The stone was laid by the Walker family of Scarborough who made a sizeable contribution. Their link is Ambrose Walker who puchase the nearby pottery in
September 1878.

Erimus War Memorial

Posted on April 11, 2013 by chris.twigg

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Erimus was an area of three streets (Erimus Terrace, Pioneer Street and Stainton Street) and a hotel that once stood mid-wayÂ between Thornaby and Middlesbrough, it was built to house the workers of the Erimus Ironworks.

The whole area was demolishedÂ in 1963 to make way for developments on the railway and is nowÂ near the road junction for Teesside Park on the A66.

AÂ war memorial was erected in 1920 at Erimus for the six local men who died in WW1.
Private J R Donnison, 2nd Yorkshire Regt.
Stoker A Wright, H M S Carribean
Stoker J R Sharp, H M S Queen Mary
Private J G Wales, 9th Yorkshire Regt.
Private T Munroe, DLI
Private W Munroe, DLI

The memorial moved to a chapel in Thornaby in 1959 and was moved to it’s current location in the cemetery in 22/7//2006 where it was unveiled by Mayor Pat Large and Ken Craggs.

Thornaby Five Lamps

Posted on April 10, 2013 by chris.twigg

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The original Five Lamps were gas lights built at the junction of George Street and Mandale Road in 1874, comissioned by local Justices of the Peace, Joseph Richardson, William Whitewell, Charles ArthurÂ HeadÂ and William Anderson.

A less thanÂ inspiring 1970’s electric version.

In 1983 Head Wrightson apprenticesÂ erected this replica of the original which stood on Westbury Street due to the building of the A66 (although it doesn’t include the drinking fountain originally below the lamps)

It was unveiled by Mayor Pragnell on 1st September 1983

It carries the Stockton-on-Tees coat of arms with the motto “Forward As One”

Also the Thornaby coat of arms with the motto “Always Advancing”

It was renovated and moved to its current position in 2010.

The origin of the five lamps is linked to the legend that Robert de Thormodbi (Thornaby) created a shrine to the Virgin Mary in St Peterâ€™s Church lit by five lamps.

Thornaby Old Police Station

Posted on April 8, 2013 by chris.twigg

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The old police station at Thornaby is now a business centre.

The central part of the building still carries the police station sign.

The North Riding Constabulary crest is dated 1903

The police station was developed around 1985

Thornaby 1892 Public Library

Posted on April 4, 2013 by chris.twigg

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Thornaby OnÂ TeesÂ Library was donated to the town in 1892 (the year Thornaby OnÂ TeesÂ was formed)Â by T Wrightson, one of the firm ‘Head Wrightson’ who were based in Thornaby.

Those details are recorded across the gables

The building was enlarged in 1904 by famous industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie

The large carved plaque above the door records the names of the two contributors.

The building now sadlyÂ lies stranded inside the ‘Mandale Triangle’ which is very much like the one in Bermuda.

Thornaby Corporation Institute / Auxiliary Fire Station

Posted on April 3, 2013 by chris.twigg

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These buildings are one of the last remaining fragments of the old center of Thornaby that was mostly removed when the A66 was built.

The carved plaque over the doorway is for the ‘Corporation Institute’ the 1890 Bulmers Directory says “A Mechanics’ Institute was erected in 1865, in which are the offices of the Local Board and School Board” so this may be one and the same.

Closer examination of the doorway shows it once had a sign for ‘Auxiliary Fire Station’ the name of which suggests it dates from World War 2

HoweverÂ this old photo shows just the words “Fire Station” and it looks like a fire station existed on George Street soon after the formation of Thornaby on Tees in 1892

Following this link to see a picture of the station in what can be no earlier than 1973, interestingly there still an air-raid siren on top of the building.

Thornaby Town Hall

Posted on April 2, 2013 by chris.twigg

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Thornaby Town Hall now stands isolated in the ‘Mandale Triangle’ cut off from Thornaby by the A66.

The clock tower carries an 1892 date withÂ Thornaby’s motto ‘Always Advancing’ the clock itself was donated by Alderman William Anderson and startedÂ on January 27th 1892

The foundation stone is very worn but reads that it was laid by John Steel, Chairman of the South Stockton Local Board on October 25th 1890. The architect is James Garry and the contractor W. C. Atkinson.
Thornaby-on-Tees was formed by the combination of South Stockton and Thornaby in 1892, Thornaby-on-Tees Borough Council ceased to exist in 1968 when Teesside was formed and the buildingÂ fell out of use and became vandalised.
In November 2012 after many years of wrangling the building was sold back to Thornaby Town Council by Stockton Council, they hope to restore it and make it available forÂ commercial and community uses.

Pillbox S0015676, Stainsby, Thornby

Posted on August 1, 2011 by chris.twigg

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After seeking permission from the owners of Stainsby Grange I was finally able to get a closer look at a pillbox I must have seen hundreds of times travelling on the A19.

The pillbox is in excellent condition and still has a ladder attached that would have given access to the top.

This pillbox would have been part of the defences for Thornaby Aerodrome