The Forbes Buildings were built around 1900 for John Forbes as a bakery with shops and stables.
Forbes came from Aberdeen in 1875 and ended up being mayor of Middlesbrough in 1904, he also had some involvement in the Ironopolis football club (his son Albert Edward Forbes was also a director of Middlesborugh Football Club)
The Birger was the vessel that collided with Victoria Pier on 18th October 1898.
13 of the 15 crew lost their lives so the anchor which was recovered in 1999 by the Cleveland Divers Club is now used as a memorial to mariners.
UPDATE : As of 2012 the anchor is no longer there due to the development of the new seawall, whether it will return is unknown.
The new sculpture of an ironstone miner by J. Godbold of Egton (who seems to be getting a lot of work in the ironstone area at the moment) was unveiled by Mr G Clark of Boulby Potash on 21st July 2010.
It is set back a few feet from the old marker for the Boosbeck Shaft
During the great depression between 1929 and 1933 many of the Cleveland ironstone mines closed which lead to unemployment rates of up to 91%. Major James Pennyman the owner of Ormesby Hall bought land near the mining communities of Margrove Park, Boosbeck and Lingdale. This land was cultivated as a work camp to provide alternative employment for the miners and their families.
The list of people involved in the scheme is astonishing.
Sir Michael Tippet was involved in staging the Beggars Opera and his own work Robin Hood at Boosbeck church hall. Boosbeck Industies was also formed which manufactured furniture for about four years.
Local legend has it that William Joyce who became better known as Lord Haw Haw was present at the sixth work camp in April 1935.
Theres a very interesting book on the subject by Malcolm Chase and Mark Whyman