Bonfire Night

For some years now, Guy Fawkes' Night has been marked by organised displays of fireworks.  It seems a long time ago that families and villages celebrated with a few fireworks and as big a bonfire as they could manage – and now the expense of insurance and the effects of the recession are curtailing the municipal displays.  

This account from Bill Cowley's Cleveland Calendar is for those of you with fond memories of the days when November the Fifth meant, above all, bonfires ...

A great pile of hedge-trimmings makes a good start for a bonfire on November 5th.  From the vantage point of Potto Hill our children used to look out to see the bonfires starting up across half the Cleveland Plain – an early starter at Ingleby Cross, Swainby a few fields away, a dozen farm bonfires like our own starring the darkness north west to Crathorne, then three miles to the north the sky would be glowing with the great holocaust that Hutton Rudby produces.  Seamer, Stokesley, Carlton, Faceby – and all the time rockets would be going up into the great arc of the Cleveland sky, to burst in blue and red and silver, whilst the rapid-fire of crackers and bangers sounded like a minor war.  As we stirred the last embers of our own fire, smoke and sparks from a dozen others would still be mounting into the night, punctuating the dark horizon with their repetition of an ancient sacrifice to the dying year.  Fingers smelling of woodsmoke and gunpowder we could leave the night to other revellers, satisfied at having played our part in this pagan ritual.

Middlesbrough Football Club plays Tees Wanderers, February 1877

from The Weekly Exchange
(Price One Penny)

Thursday 1 March 1877

MIDDLESBROUGH FOOTBALL MATCH

On Saturday afternoon a match (Association rules) was played between eleven of the Tees Wanderers and eleven of the Middlesbrough Football Club, on the archery ground of the Albert Park.  There was a good attendance of visitors.

The ball was kicked off by Mr Harvey (captain of the Middlesbrough Club).  A very strong wind was blowing against the Wanderers, but, notwithstanding this, some excellent play was witnessed.  The ball was taken towards the Wanderers’ goal, and kept near the whole of the half with one exception, when it was again taken back in very good play by Jenkins, and a goal kicked by Ewbank.

In the second half the wind was with the Wanderers, who after showing some excellent play, succeeded in making a goal, thus making a tie, both sides having one goal each.  The playing of Lees, Ewbank, Jenkins, and Hildreth for the Middlesbrough Club was very good.  As was also that of Logan, Dickens, and Wilson.

The sides were as follows:- Middlesbrough Club: Harvey, (captain) goal keeper; Windross, Hardisty, backs; Booth, Parkin, half backs; Lees, Ewbank, Greenwood, Jenkins, Harson, Hildreth, forwards.  Wanderers:- E Wilson, goal keeper; Brewster, Wilson, backs; Dickens, Addyman, half backs; Bell (captain), Child, Napier, Brewster, Logan, and W Richardson, forwards.

St Mary's Church, Whitby

St Mary's, seen from beside the table tomb of George Langborne (1773-1832) and his wife Jane Galilee and their family:

a view of the table tomb from the church ...

Views of the church interior ... not very good quality photos, I know! ... but enough to give an idea of its charm ... the three-decker pulpit ...  and the stove is the only heating for the nave ...

A visit to Whitby

Some snaps of Whitby ...

Views from the East Cliff:

 
and with the mini Endeavour coming in:

If you haven't already visited the Whitby Museum in Pannett Park, surely these photographs will tempt you?  It's simply the nicest museum in the country ...

There's something there for all the family ...

Who would want to miss the Hand of Glory?  It was believed that using the mummified hand of a hanged man as a candle holder would enable a thief to cast a charm that would send the household to sleep ...

 

The replica of the Tempest Prognosticator -

unfortunately Dr Merryweather of Hutton Rudby and Whitby did not make his fortune with this leech-powered barometer 

A glimpse of a few of the toys on display ...

dinosaurs, fossils ...

the ship carved by French prisoners of war from the bones from their meat ration ...

 more tiny ships ...

of particular interest to this blog, the Letter of Marque of Michael Langborne, which set him up as a licensed pirate ...

 

I have only mentioned a fraction of the fascinating things to be seen ... there is so much to see ... plenty of Whitby history on display ...

and there is a fascinating exhibition on at the moment about Bram Stoker and Whitby, based on ongoing research by members of the Whitby Lit & Phil - where did Stoker stay?  which local characters appear in Dracula?

and before you leave the museum to admire the view of the Abbey, don't forget to visit the café!

The Middlesbrough Weekly Exchange: news of Cleveland industry, 1 March 1877

from The Weekly Exchange
(Price One Penny)

1 March 1877

CLEVELAND IRON MARKET
MIDDLESBRO', TUESDAY

The iron market was but thinly attended to-day, and there was not much business transacted.  Prices are still tending downwards owing to the want of enquiry, the following being the quotations: – No. 1, 48s; No. 3, 44s 6d, f.o.b.; No. 4, 43s 6d; forge 43s net; truck brands 6d less, Bars very flat, but no specifications are coming to hand.  Plates keep firm as makers have work in hand.


EXPLOSION AT MIDDLESBROUGH
EIGHT PERSONS INJURED

Shortly before seven o'clock on Wednesday morning an explosion occurred at Messrs Hopkins, Gilkes, and Co's Teesside Ironworks, Middlesbrough.  Although the explosion is not accompanied by much injury to property, yet the results were such as to place the lives of eight persons in jeopardy.

At the time named a number of men employed in their works were sitting around a ball furnace getting their breakfast before commencing work, when a portion of refuse from the iron in the furnace, which is known as "tap" or "cinder," fell out of the furnace into the ash hole, which is always supplied with water; and the "tap" being heated to such an intensity that it ran like water; an explosion at once took place, and inflicted scalds and burns on a boy named Jeremiah Modigan and seven men, named John Barrit, Thomas Reddan, Michael McManus, Arthur Lochrane, Owen Thomas, John Shean, and Francis Fillijalick.

The two last-named were taken to their homes, their injuries not being so severe, but the other six were very severely burned, and they were conveyed to the North Riding Infirmary.


GUISBOROUGH
ACCIDENT AT CHALONER MINE

While a man named William Smith was charging a hole he had drilled in the ironstone with powder, preparatory to firing it, by some means the powder caught fire, and exploded, completely blowing the man over and seriously injuring his face, which got dreadfully burnt.  He was afterwards removed to the Miner's Accident Hospital at Guisborough.


NORTH RIDING INFIRMARY. – Report for week ending Feb 23, 1877. – In-patients – admitted during the week, 6; discharged cured, 3; relieved, 1; died, 0; remaining in the house, 41.  Out-patients: New cases, 17; number attended this week, 109.  The following contributions are thankfully acknowledged:- B Samuelson and Co (firm), £30; papers and periodicals from Mrs Bolckow, Messrs R Simpson, H G Reid, Burnett and Hood, the Middlesbrough Printing Co., and the Railway Station boxes.


SUPPOSED LOSS OF A TEES BUILT STEAMER WITH ALL HANDS

Lloyd's Committee has posted the screwsteamer James Mason as missing.  She sailed from Cardiff with a cargo of coals for Gibraltar, and has not been seen since.  She was a steamer of 870 tons gross, 99 nominal h.p., built at Middlesbrough in 1872 classed 100 A1 at Lloyd's, and owned by Messrs Dixon and Harris, of London.  She was worth about £18,000, and her cargo about £12,000.

Hutton Rudby commemorative mugs

Marking the centenary of the Parish Council in 1994

Remembering V.E. Day in 1995

The Millennium Mug

The reverse of the Millennium Mug

Sanitary matters in Guisborough, 1877

Glimpses of the work of local government from 1877:

From The Weekly Exchange
(price One Penny)

Thursday 25 January 1877

TO SCAVENGERS AND OTHERS,

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Local Board for the District of Guisbro', in the County of York, are prepared to receive TENDERS for the removal of house refuse from premises, and the cleansing of earth closets, privies, ashpits, and cesspools, and for the carting away of street sweepings within their district for twelve months, commencing on the 1st March next, on either or both of the following conditions, viz:-

1.  The refuse, night soil, ashes, manure, &c., so removed to be the property of the contractor
2.  The same to be the property of the Board.  All the manure and other matters aforesaid must be removed to the Board's depot, and in a proper cart or carts provided for them.

The Contractor will be required to enter into an agreement with the Board for the due performance of his duties, a draft of which agreement can be seen at my office at any time between the hours of 10am and 4pm.
Sealed Tenders to be sent in to me on or before the 26th inst.

MICHAEL HUNT, Surveyor,
Fountain-street, Guisbrough

From The Weekly Exchange
(price One Penny)

Thursday 1 March 1877

GUISBRO' RURAL SANITARY AUTHORITY

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Authority was held on Tuesday, Mr D T Petch in the chair.  Mr Cully, the Government Inspector for the Northern District was present, and there was a larger attendance of Guardians than usual.

The Clerk (Mr Buchannan) reported that proceedings for the closing of Agaer's property at Coatham, were pending before the magistrates.  Mr Coulson had connected his drain at Coatham.  Mr Semple had asked if the Board had assumed the responsibility of keeping the drain in order, when he (the clerk) had informed him that the junction had been made by order of the Authority, and the Authority were prepared to bear the onus of the act.  In the matter of Harrison's claim for surveying Moorsholm, the clerk was instructed to offer him again the sum of £6. 2s in full settlement of his claim without prejudice.

Mr Cully then addressed the Board at considerable length on the extension of the district of the Medical Officer.  Stokesley, South Stockton and Redcar ought to be included in the district, and he thought the Local Government Board would use pressure to compel them to come in.  The district with these extensions would be a workable one, and might be effficiently superintended and more economically than the present more restricted district.

When these alterations were made, Mr Cully pointed out that it would be best for the Authority to engage their Medical Officer for a term of years.  He proposed a meeting of representatives from the Guardians and Local Board interested at Middlesbrough, perhaps on Wednesday next.  When he met these representatives he would be better prepared to lay the scheme before them.

Some further discussion having taken place on the matter, the report of the Medical Officer (Dr Keith) was read and adopted.  A death from typhoid fever was reported as having occurred in Pearl-street, Saltburn, and the officer was of opinion it had arisen from the air being poisoned with sewer gas.  The owner had intimated his willingness to have the whole of the house drainage ventilated and put in an efficient state.

The call upon the various townships in the district of the Authority was signed, the total amount being £297. 16s. 4d. for special, and £795 for general expenses.  This was the whole of the business.