Cliff House was built as a summer residence by Sir Joseph Pease in 1844. Sir Joseph was heavily involved with establishing the Stockton and Darlington Railway and the Middlesbrough Estate.
This Pease Family involvement in the area predates the opening of the Upleatham Ironstone Mine at New Marske in 1851 and his brother Sir Henry’s historic visit to Saltburn in 1859 after which he developed that resort.
The 1911 census shows 6 members of the Pease Family still in residence with 6 members of staff.
With the closure of the Upleatham Ironstone mine in 1924, the Pease family influence may have decreased and Cliff House passes to the Holiday Fellowship in 1934, several postcards exist of it in that time.
Thomas Arthur Leonard developed outdoor holidays for working people through the Holiday Fellowship. He also helped to establish the Youth Hostels Association and the Ramblers’ Association.
The Holiday Fellowship apparently moved out around 1974 and after a period of dereliction the building became a retirement home in 1981.
My grandmother was the nanny at Cliff house and she is mentioned in the Census.
I holidayed with The Holiday Fellowship in 1959 and 1964 and have very fond memories of it. I remember we made out own entertainment in the evening in the common room and I also remember the ping ping table in the conservatory. During the day we explore North Yorkshire with an HF guide as well as playing on the beach. Very happy days
Hi I live in CLIFFHOUSE now what a lovely place it is i would love to know more about it Thank you
Hi. I managed Cliff House for a couple of years up until 2019. I had a wall outside the office with loads of pics and history on. May not be there now but it’s a wonder Mr Walker (number 10 I think) hasn’t given you the guided tour and realms of literature to read if he’s still there.
Hi John
What a lovely place to live
I don’t really know much about the place as was a child when I visited in the 50s and 60s, other than it was owned by the Holiday Fellowship at the time. We stayed in bedrooms in the main house but also the annexe. There is some info online about the building and you can also look up the Holiday Fellowship history online.
So nice to see this. I was there as a young boy in the early 50s with my Aunt. My memories are not as sharp as I would like, but remember the Conservatory with bunches of grapes hanging from the vines, an uncommon sight in Bury, the view looking towards Redcar, and being surprised at the richness of the colours of the tiny flowers growing on the Moors. Such a good experience.
What was the address of Cliff House as I am trying to find it on the 1891 census. The adopted son of my great great uncle was born there and I am wondering why when his birth mother lived in Norton.