The weather is preventing me getting much new, so time to dig into the archives for some photos from the summer.
‘World Fruit’ is a series of exotic cast iron fruits and vegetables by Andrew McKeown
They can be found in the grass at the edge of Ayresome Gardens towards Linthorpe Road.
This mosaic by Derek Mosey, Helen Gaunt and the village community depicts various aspects of Skinningrove such as the mine and the “merman” legened, it was erected during 2009
The small park also contains the Sylvania Anchor, which was used to help refloat a ship stranded at Skinningrove for six months, it was retrieved from the sea in 2001 after spending 100 years buried.
This mosaic was originally constructed in 1963 for Rosecroft School in Loftus, when that was demolished in 2009 it was moved here. Its 18ft by 9ft and weighs 4.5 tonnes.
The original artist Philippa Threlfall who was 23 at the time and is now 70 visited to see its new location, one of the councillors involved in the move was actually one of the school children who collected the stones and fossil from Skinningrove beach 46 years earlier.
The boat and chainsaw carved figures appeared some time in mid 2008.
Despite the enigmatic name, a previous owner points out its just Super spelt backwards
This mosaic memorial to Mo Mowlem by John Todd was unveiled on 23rd October 2009, It was funded by £12,000 of public donations.
(its location makes it tricky to photograph whole)
Subject matter includes local steelworks and racecourse, doves for the Northern Ireland Peace deal and the Houses of Parliament
The 1930s boating lake has recently been redeveloped at a cost of £850,000
23 local scenes from 1994/1995 by the blacksmith Chris Topp from designs by Stephen Abbey, Humphrey Holland, Richard Albanese and Pete Douglas. , situated between the Regent cinema and the boating lake.
They all contain letters which form a riddle (answers on a postcard)
I had no information on this, but have received the following from June Murray, Secretary of Stanghow Residents’ Group :-
The Blacksmith was made from old horseshoes by Graham Wattis, a retired welder from Stanghow. It was commissioned by Stanghow Residents Group and erected in July 2008 opposite the site of the old forge (now a house named the forge).
This attractive commemorative village name sign carved by Phil Townsend depicts numerous mining scenes on tiles made by local children, hopefully a new generation now won’t forget why the town exists.
This recent plaque next to the mine site, records the date of the sinking of the first shaft in 1873 until the closure of the mine in 1962
Nova Scotia was the name of the piece of woodland that existed at this location before the mine was built
Right next to the crossroads is a modern recreation of a mine tub.
The internet has so far given me no information on who made them.
The statue of ironmaster and mayor of Middlesbrough John Vaughan was sculpted by George Anderson Lawson and unveiled on 2nd June 1884.
There are four metal panels on the sides of the statue depicting various mining and industrial scenes.
This is all that remains of Henry Bolckows residence, built in 1856. The original building showing the collonade can be seen here
The house burnt down just before it was due to be demolished in 1960, it is now the site of the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum. and has some interesting Totum Poles outside. Northwest Coast Canadian totem pole by Tim Paul and Richard Hunt (1979) and Community totem pole by North East carver David Gross (2006)
Also theres the Marton Moai made with stone from Aislaby
Finally a short distance to the west, stands a garden temple
The status by Vivien Mallock was unveiled on May 16th, 2007. It is positioned where Brian crossed the park on his way to Ayresome Park.
The statue was removed in March 2009 when cracks developed in the leg and returned in June 2009 with a redesigned plinth.
The Bottle of Notes by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen has been in Middlesbrough since 1993. Their website includes interesting photos of the construction and transportation of the sculpture
The outer text is from the 1768 ships log of Captain James Cook.
“We had every advantage we could desire in observing the whole of the passage of the planet Venus over the Sun’s disc”
The inner text is from a poem written by Coosje van Brugen
“I like to remember seagulls in full flight gliding over the ring of canals.”
A relatively modern relic built by the Marske Machine Company that used to stand in Victoria Park before it was relocated. It now stands in Ayresome Gardens
Iron Ammonites by Steve Tomlinson and pupils of Saltburn Primary School
The ‘Organism’ sculpture has been made by Middlesbrough artist Andrew McKeowan.
It was inspired by microscopic sea organisms called diatoms
There are two more sets of boots and gates where Old Station Road crosses the Teesdale Way.
With seven sets of boots in total, there are two more still to be located
Danby Beacon has a long history, from the 1600s when the country was under threat of invasion from France through to a Second World War radar station.
On 22/10/2008 the new beacon was lit for the first time, The new beacon was manufactured by M & C Construction of Middlesbrough
Some of the other items at Danby Beacon include a trig point and viewfinder for local sights.
Redcars much loved penguin colony created by “The Great British Bollard Company” moved from their old location with the building of the new bandstand
There were temporarily removed to a ’secret’ location in 2006 for the filming of Atonement, as apparently no concrete penguins were present during the Dunkirk evacuation.
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