It says ”Mally Harbutts Tree” on this Richardson’s postcard, but now known to be an incorrect spelling. Molly Harbutt a Scots lady, was the witch of the woods who lived in this tree beside the bridge over Greenhowe Beck, near Scaling Mill. She was an early equivalent of a homeopathist, preparing potions and reading fortunes. According to legend she was able to change her shape to a large brown hare, finally being shot by a hunter and subsequently found dying in human form in the branches of this tree. The tree is marked on maps dating from 1856! Hence all sign of the tree are now long gone. Chris Twigg comments: “The position of the photographer can still be projected today, but alas the tree is long gone!” But we would still like to know who or why is the man in the tree.
Image courtesy of Alan Richardson, additional information courtesy of Cody McKay and thanks to Chris Twigg for the update.
An excellent tinted postcard showing possibly an itinerant knife sharpener, dated about 1907? This is another postcard in the ”Phoenix” Series produced by Brittain & Wright of Stockton.
I love this photograph, two buses on Mill Bank , so it must have been a busy day. Duck Hole pit is clear as is Kilton Mill and shows clearly the arched bridge which stood for many years before the road was re-alligned. Since then Kilton Mill house and Mill have almost ‘cowered’ below the road as it soars past on the embankment it now occupies.
We thought that this was a photograph of Hebditch’s builders, but we could not place the terrace of houses that they were working on. Stephen Steyert has now told us that this is Rawlinson Street, Carlin How. Charles Hebditch came from Scarborough to Loftus and built the Congregational Chapel in 1906 followed by the houses on the south side of West Road, between the garage and West Park Avenue. In 1911 he was living in one of them; ‘Briardale’, with his family. He bought the land on which nos. 20 to 25 Cliff Crescent stand in 1908 and the houses were completed in 1909. At that time he was working in partnership with Theodore Wilcox, another builder from Scarborough. He also built many other houses in and around Loftus. In answer to Mark Green’s query, Lax Street originally faced Maynard Street; the entire row of houses was demolished when the road was re-aligned removing the necessity of the traffic to pass through Carlin How in a series of sharp bends.
Image courtesy of Loftus library and many thanks to Stephen Steyert for that update.
This aerial view of Carlin How shows passing United buses in the square in the late 1960s and prior to the new road system.
Derick Pearson has happy memories of this area: ”The old Air Raid shelters on the common where the Tivoli Theatre stood many years before hand. We used to play on the roofs of these as children. The telephone box on the extreme left near the rear of Porritt’s shop where we used to get our Paraffin. We could stand here near the toilets and see the bus coming from Loftus and then run into the square to catch it as it came up the bank from the old lazy S bend road bridge. The houses in the centre island between the Skinningrove and Loftus road which belonged to Cunnington in my childhood days. Also the grass area in front of the houses in Stevenson Street, no fenced off gardens then and also behind Front Street the houses of Lax Street, all moved long before the new road was built. The School and playing field. The bus stands were bustling most of the day as the shifts changed on the works. So many memories from a small area.”Stephen Thornton asked: “What was the building to the left of the Maynard Arms, siding on to Chappies Bank? Has any one seen any photographs of the Air Raid shelters at the top of Queen Street? Same concrete roofs as these, ideal for playing on.”
Image courtesy of Carlin How Community Centre; thanks to Derick Pearson for the commentary of this now vanished scene and to Stephen Thornton for the update.
That is the thought that came to mind as I looked at this photograph and saw the man by the side of the bus, or was it like Lythe bank when the United bus was full those standing had to walk to the top? A lovely peaceful scene you wouldn’t see Mill bank so clear of traffic now.
As the road leads us into Skinningrove we can see on the right hand side the Station Master’s house, the two rows of houses are Primrose Hill and on the skyline with the works is St. Helen’s Church. This view after the majority of the gas works had been demolished, still shows the building later known as ‘Brookside Motors’ featuring in a more recent post on the Archive.
A photograph often taken today, although now the skyline is much busier with the heavy industry at Teesmouth and the huge blast furnace. The image was taken from a booklet of picture postcards, showing the original pier. Callum Duff tells us: ”The picture above shows the pier after it was shortened in 1874 after a motor launch destroyed the landing stage and the pierhead. The original length of the pier was 1500 ft and it was shortened to the pictured length of 1250 ft. This length continued until the pierhead was destroyed by heavy seas in 1974 and the pier shortened to it’s present length. I suggest that this photograph was taken sometime between 1924 & 1939. Andy Gibson also advises: ”The latest date I can’t comment on, but I happen to know that the twin houses at the East end of Marine Parade were built in 1928, so the date range must start then, at the earliest.” Callum further adds: ”Looking at this postcard again, the pier has been repaired after the SS Ovenbeg breach so it must be after 1933 and The Spa Pavilion has yet to gain its concrete apron of windows on the east side of the building which were added in 1935. Therefore this card can be dated between 1933 and 1935.”
Thanks to Andy Gibson and Callum Duff for all the updates.
A lovely sepia photo of Huntcliff, now known to be from ”Skelton in Cleveland Website” produced by Bill Danby. The scene is an exploratory dig at the Roman look out station on Huntcliff [the site has now disappeared by erosion]. From Bill’s website we are informed that at the excavation ”25 coins were found there, the earliest showing Emperor Constantius 337 – 361 and the latest dated to 395 – 408. The fort-like station was square with thick stone walls and a 20ft ditch. Excavations revealed a well, 14 feet deep and 6 feet wide, in which were 14 skeletons, leading to suppositions of a successful attack by the Anglo-Saxons. Roman pottery, an iron axe, a bronze vessel and a jet finger ring were also found.” Simon Wedgewood advises: “It is indeed the 1912 excavation. The picture appeared in a book of old photographs Saltburn published by Sotheran’s of Redcar. The finds are stored at the Dorman Museum and can be inspected on application.”
Image and details courtesy of Bill Danby’s Skelton in Cleveland Website, thanks also to Mark T., Eric Johnson and Simon Wedgewood for the updates.
Looking towards the Kilton viaduct, from Mill Bank side. Interestingly in the middle of the image can be seen the ‘weir’ or ‘dam’ for the head race of Kilton Mill which is still situated on the other side of the road embankment further down stream from this point. The head race tunnel under the road was retained when the road was realigned in 1958; ensuring a supply of water to turn the mill wheel at Kilton Mill.
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