Still a familiar view of North Terrace, Skelton; this postcard view dates from the turn of the 2oth century. The Royal George whose host was A. (Albert) Bunn as recorded in the 1901 and 1911 Census; it is presumed that the Royal George lost the front railings in the First World War.Even today the building still exists, more as a ‘pub with good grub’; than a ‘commercial hotel’. Peter Appleton has assisted with further information regarding Albert Bunn: “Alfred Bunn was born at Abington, Cambridgeshire in 1850. He married Hannah Ord at Middlesbrough Register Office in 1878. He was a Coachman in Domestic service, living at 15 Stanhope Street, Saltburn in 1891. This is just round the corner from the Queen Hotel. Was he the hotel’s coachman, I wonder? By 1897 he was landlord of the Royal George and was elected a member of “Skelton Felons” (or Skelton Association for the Prosecution of Felons to give it its full title) in that year. In 1910 he was elected to the management committee of “the Felons” and is last mentioned in the Minute Book of the Association in 1915. He died in March 1917.”
Image courtesy of Peter Appleton and many thanks to Peter for the update.
A postcard view; dating from 1915 of the old church of All Saints Skelton. Peter Appleton has assisted with: “The original church was probably erected by one of the Fauconbergs, who inherited the Castle upon the death of Peter de Brus III without issue. His eldest sister, Agnes, married Walter de Fauconberg and thus the estate passed into the hands of that family, until their male line died out in 1407. The name on the Faculty for the pulling down and rebuilding the church is Joseph William Hall Stevenson, who inherited the estate from his father, John Hall Stevenson, in 1785. The rebuild cost £443.2s.7d according to the Church Wardens’ Accounts Book and took place during 1785 and 1786. The cost was covered by a donation of £100 from Joseph, the sale to the parishioners of the pews in the nave, east gallery (no longer extant) and west gallery, plus the sale to the local plumber of the lead recovered off the roof. Several other prominent citizens also signed the Faculty.” The interior retains many old fittings, including a three-decker pulpit. Part of an old 11th century stone sundial found in the church yard is now in the new church. Image courtesy of John G. Hannah and additional information courtesy of Peter Appleton.
Dating from 1911, this postcard view of Skelton High Street, shows the news agents shop on the corner. Still there today (J. S. & N. Devaney), in 1911 the business was run by widow Mrs. Margaret Jane Clay. Mrs Clay also operated the telephone exchange. We presumed it was in the same building, but we are now advised by Peter Appleton: “It is my understanding that the first telephone exchange was located in the same property as the telegraph. That would be 15 or 17 High Street (I forget which). Up until a few years ago, this property still had the hatch in the inner front door, through which the messages were passed.” Image courtesy of John G. Hannah and many thanks to Peter Appleton for that update.
Lingdale War Memorial (another manufactured by Arrowsmith’s of Loftus) is shown against the backdrop of the shale heap at Lingdale. Today the memorial remains, but the shale heaps which dominated the village are now a distant memory. Paula Miller tells us: ”The workers shed on the right of the photograph is now situated on Busky allotments and still going strong.” Andrew Munro comments: “The shale heaps in the background are a fair size.” Whilst Derick Pearson advises: “These heaps did get much larger (higher than this) after this photograph was taken.”
Image courtesy of Loftus Town Crier, thanks to Andrew Munro and Derick Pearson for the comments. Many thanks to Paula Miller for that update.
Skelton has two memorials, one on Cross Green and this outstanding example at North Skelton. The North Skelton Memorial is another example of the excellent work from Arrowsmith’s Memorials of Loftus.
A view of New Skelton from North Skelton (apparently from the shale heap). This in the days of Stanghow Lane Secondary School, now sadly demolished and the chapel sited opposite what is now Byland Road. Dating is unsure so we welcome a suggestion. Peter Appleton has assisted with: “There is a bus going up the road. It looks to be one of those from the 1960s that had a flat front, flat back and rounded corners to the coachwork. All three boys in the foreground are wearing long trousers. Are they still in school uniform? When did long trousers become the normal uniform for lads of this age? The cemetery looks to be fairly full. When was the next extension added?” Can anybody advise on that date?
Image courtesy of John G Hannah, thanks to Peter Appleton for the update..
This view of the double bridge at Claphow, on the road connecting New Skelton to Lingdale; shows a time much quieter for traffic. Pity the poor modern-day horse driver if he attempted to drive in the middle of the road! Image courtesy of Olive Bennett.
Post marked 1905, this Frith’s postcard view of Skelton church. The church was consecrated in 1884, this image possibly dates from shortly after that date. Image courtesy of Peter Appleton and John G. Hannah.
The High Street, Boosbeck. The large triple-fronted shop on the right of the image was a branch of the Skelton Co-operative. The floor above was known as ’Rushby’s Rooms’; where a sewing and knitting workshop was organised as part of a scheme to give unemployed miners and their families an alternative source of work and support. Chronicled in ”Heartbreak Hill” by Malcolm Chase & Mark Wyman. Judy Last advises: “My great grandparents, Edwin and Grace Tuck ran the Grocer & Drapers shop at 37 High Street, Boosbeck and were there from at least 1877. Previous to this Edwin has been an Ironstone Miner in Normanby (1871 census). By 1899 Edwin had passed the shop on to his youngest son, Simon (known as Sim). Sim continued to run the Grocers in the High Street and was there in the 1911 census. His mother continued to live at 44 High Street until her death in 1927.” Evelyn Jepson adds: “My grandmother, Eva Gertrude Jepson, owned one of the row houses on the Stanghow road. Before she owned it they said it was a funeral home, and the front window was a viewing facility. I know the place was haunted. Both upstairs in the bathroom, and in the viewing section of the house. And it was told us kids that if you hear any tapping at night, it were the poor miners trapped in the mines that never got out, as the tunnels went under the dwellings.” Paul comments: “It seems the road drops down in level in front of the public house and the building below it is no longer there in our modern era. I wondered why the main road falls away at a certain point.” Whilst Angela List-Evans asks: “Chase and Whyman (in ‘Heartbreak Hill’ stated that the shop was empty in 1933 and then Boosbeck furniture moved in as part of a Pennyman social enterprise scheme. Does anyone know why the Skelton Coop moved out or was it just a spare room that was empty? The sewing and knitting group was upstairs as part of Ruth Pennyman’s scheme.”
Image courtesy of the Pem Holiday Collection and Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum; thanks to Judy Last, Evelyn Jepson, Paul and Angela List-Evans for the updates.
The reverse of this unused Brittain and Wright postcard entitled ”Lingdale” bore penciled note: ’The Co-operative Stores corner’, hence our use in the title. Also in the back ground can be seen the trees of Nova Scotia Plantation, this was to the south of the mine in Lingdale; whilst the woodland (not visible in this image) to the north of Lingdale mine was known as Nova Scotia wood. The mine occupied the area now given over to the light industrial estate and several motor vehicle sales outlets. The wall on the left of the image faced an area of open ground now occupied by Meadow Dale Court and Lingdale village hall. Ann Jackson asked: “Did the Co-op shop become Ditchburns Newsagents?” Derek Dobson replied with: “No, Ditchies was on corner next to park. Remember running down on Saturday nights at 6.00pm, to buy Sports Gazette. My grandad shared a passion of horse racing with Tom and would spruce himself up, leave pigs and have day at races together, riding in Tom’s car, he really looked forward to outings.” Derek Dobson commented further: “I remember as a small child the inside of the Co-op store seemed massive, they used to donate to the top end bonfire collectuons. Now some 50 plus years later I return to my village. The old Co-op is now a convenience store/off license packed floor to ceiling with produce to tempt the residents of what has remained a close community.”
Image and title courtesy of Jean Carass, additional information courtesy of Lingdale History, ECOL Archives sites and historical map sites; thanks to Ann Jackson and Derek Dobson for the updates.
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