First batch that I posted on Facebook this week, thought it a good idea to post them here too as not everyone uses Facebook and if it didn’t just happen you’ll never find it.
Gjers Mills & Co, Ayresome Ironworks, Middlesbrough
Darlington Railway Plant & Foundry, Bank Top
Davy and United, Roll Foundry, Billingham
River Tees Conservancy Commissioners
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Ceramic tiles were placed on properties owned by the Stockton and Darlington Railway in the late 1850s, early 1860s.
The F-Line ran to Barnard Castle and F10 is Barnard Castle crossing.
These photos were kindly shared by the owner of the item in question. They show the 1915 On War Service badge of Michael Pease.
These badges were issued to people to avoid them being accused to dodging military service, in this case this one was for the Cargo Fleet Iron Company Ltd
Part of the Pease dynasty of Quaker businessmen, Michael Lloyd Pease was born in 1891 and died in 1968, a photo of his grave can be seen here
Richard Freeman kindly sent me this photo of a plaque he recently purchased
It depicts Locomotion No.1 and the Bulmer Stone. The Head of Steam museum has the mould for these which was made by Stephen Bell in 1909 with the plaque being registered as a medal design in 1911.
They appear to have been sold by the Pawnbroker, Arthur E Berry of 58 – 61 Northgate
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Backhouse’s Bank was founded in 1774 in Darlington by Quaker, James Backhouse. This ‘branch’ is at Preston Hall Museum. Jonathan Backhouse was heavily involved in the £125,000 financing of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.
In 1896 Backhouse merged with other Quaker banks, Gurney of Norwich and Barclays of London to form what is still known today as Barclays Bank.
I’m not sure which branch this plaque originated from, possibly Stockton given the date and current location ?
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The quaker burial ground can be found just off Skinnergate and contains over 1000 burials.
All the headstones are very simple in design as is traditional, despite some of them being the most powerful and influential industrialists and bankers in the area.
Edward Pease (1767-1858) – The Father of the Railways
Joseph Pease (1799-1872) – First Quaker MP
John Fowler (1826-1864) – Inventor of the steam plough
Henry Pease (1807-1881) – Founder of Saltburn
James Backhouse (1720-1798) – Founder of Backhouse Bank which eventually became Barclays.
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The Mechanics Institution was built in 1854 and is listed as being designed by James Pigott Pritchett, although it may be the work of his son James Pigott Pritchett Jr who set up a practice in Darlington in that very same year.
In later years its been a bank and a bar.
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This small tunnel built by George Stephenson on Arnold Road dates from 1824 and was constructed under what would have then been the brand new Stockton & Darlington Railway.
The interior of the tunnel shows numerous joins where it has been modified and expanded over the years, it now carries a recently built road.
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Edward Pease left £10,000 for the building of a library on his death in 1880
The library was opened on 23rd October 1885 by Lady Lymington and is still a library today.
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Darlington North Road station has existed in this area since 1825 although the current building dates from 1842, it stopped being the main station in Darlington when Bank Top opened in 1887
The building and services declined with it ending up a vandalised and unmanned halt by 1973, it was then restored as a museum which opened in 1975, which in more recent times has become known as the Head of Steam
It would appear it was building “E9” on the Stockton to Darlington Railway.
Amongst the exhibits inside are a restored ticket office.
Several Stockton to Darlington Railway boundary markers can be found in the car park and museum
