Show on map These two houses by the railway crossing at Longbeck were built in 1865 by the North Eastern Railway Company. As with the pair in Redcar this dates them to 4 years after the line was extended from Redcar to Saltburn.
Again left has faired a little better, retaining its arches over the windows and doors, although unfortunately both are now pebble-dashed.
Show on map These two houses by the railway crossing on Redcar Lane were built in 1865 by the North Eastern Railway Company. This dates them to 4 years after the line was extended from Redcar to Saltburn
The house on the left retains much of its original character, while the one on the right has been completely obscured by moderns windows, doors and peddle dash.
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I’ve been happy to contribute to this project to erect a new monument to Alpha Place.
A couple of weeks ago I posted a photo of a glass plate negative of a family outside a house, never thinking they could ever be identified.
Now thanks to the efforts of Norman Dunn the picture made it into the Shields Gazette and has been identified by their readers as the rear of Cardrona House in Cleadon Village.
The people in the photo have been identified as David Rioch and his family, they built the house in 1901. He died in 1911 and his wife Agnes Rioch continued to live there until 1919
Show on map Since my last visit some new items have appeared in the square.
I imagine the lady with the flower basket is part of the “Northumbria in Bloom 2012″Â bid and the crown for the Diamond Jubilee.
I think the sign behind from Eston Residents Association getting lifetime membership to the Yorkshire Society is also new.
Show on map There are two sundials on the wall inside the Almshouses. The first has the motto “Every Hour Shortens Life”
The second has the equally rousing “Work today & play tomorrow”
The sandstone is heavily weathered and I believe its the intention of the almshouses to have them repaired in the future.
Show on map This chandelier by Claud Demeny dates from 1735 and it believed to have originated from St. John’s Cathedral in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands although it later years it hung in the offices of insurance company Royal and Sun Alliance.
Its only been in the Almshouses since November 2007, replacing the giltwood ‘Chandos’ chandelier by James Moore from around 1719 which was sold for £337,250 at Christies to help fund almshouse repairs. That chandelier was mades for James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos for the Chapel at Cannons. Later aquired by Cholmley Turner for the Chapel of his great uncle Sir William in 1747.
Show on map As well as 20 elderly people, the Almhouses originally cared for 20 children / orphans
It actually still functioned as a school until as late as 1942, and the upper stalls in the chapel are covered in carved initials and dates (including 1797 in the picture below)
Its interesting to note that as you move along the balcony to where the staff would have sat, the graffiti gradually disappears until there’s none at the other end. I’m sure at the time there would have been ‘youth of today’ style comments about the vandilism, but now 200 years later its a fascinating insight.
Although its hard to imagine how you wouldn’t get caught it a fresh set of your own initials just appeared ?