International Brigade Plaque, Middlesbrough

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International Brigade Plaque
The plaque lists the names of locals who volunteered as part of the International Brigade during the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939, against Franco.

The plaque was re-dedicated in Middlebrough Town Hall in 2009 after being found in 1983 in a junk shop in Acton, West London. Some of their stories are in this BBC article

Thanks to David Walsh and John Buchan for bringing this to my attention and providing the photo.

Billingham War / Nuclear Test Memorials

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The main war memorial in Billingham covers World Wars 1 and 2
Billingham WW1 & WW2 War Memorial Billingham War Memorial
Theres an additional small plaque on one wall for a single casualty of the Korean war, Sgt R Liddle.
Billingham Korean War Memorial
Nearby is a new memorial for casulties since 1945 that was erected by Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Association around 2009.
Billingham modern War Memorial
A slightly more unusual monument is the one for ICI employees, this previously stood on Chilton Avenue, outside Chilton House
Billingham ICI War Memorial
Most unusual is a plaque erected by the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association for those who died as a result of the tests at Monte Bello, Emufield, Maralinga, Malden Island and Christmas Island.
Billingham Nuclear Test Memorial

Pig and Whistle, Redcar

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The Pig and Whistle was demolished in 2001 when Redcar was redeveloped, Dave Woods has kindly contributed the following photos and his memories of the pub.

Pig and Whistle Redcar
The location for anyone who does not know was where Morrisons car park now stands just before the railway crossing.
Pig and Whistle Redcar
Not being brought up in Redcar and moving there in 1970 I don’t know too much about it’s early years. It was well liked for the quality of the beer pulled with a massive creamy head that they called a boiler. As you can see from the door it used the be The Alexandra Hotel in former years
Pig and Whistle Redcar
The original entrance on West Dyke Road can just be made out below the Fosters Lager sign
Pig and Whistle Redcar
The name Pig and Whistle, I was told years ago was a nickname for the place. The whistle from the trains and I’m assuming pigs nearby. People brought ornamental pigs from all over the world to give to the pub. Some of these can be seen in this photo taken in the bar.
Pig and Whistle Redcar
The landlord at the time told me that he had boxes and boxes full of pigs upstairs but had nowhere to put them. I wonder where they all are now. When the pub was relocated to Station Road as much as possible of the old bar woodwork was reinstalled there but to me it’s not like the old place.

Dave Woods.

As a footnote, I located these two photos of the Alexandra in 1935