East Cleveland Image Archive

Another gravestone from the Quaker burial ground at Liverton, these two stones are dated by the Quaker variation of the Julien calendar. The stone on the left is of George Thompson of Moorsholm who died on 16th June 1710; the stone on the right is of Thomas Carlill who died on the 26th October 1701. “The Quaker burial ground at Liverton is located at Red House farm. Dating from about 1669 to the early 1800’s, it is believed that up to 50 persons are interred there. Little is known about the Society of Friends in the area, But may have started after the visit by the founder George Fox preaching in Cleveland around 1654.” Ann Jackson comments: “While researching my family tree in Moorsholm I have had quite a few posts from families in America looking for Quaker relations who lived in Moorsholm. I know of . 1 family who lived at Ness Hagg which is in the wood called Hagg Wood nearer the Liverton area. It’s a ruin now. I got the information from Mrs Shaw whose family own Ness Hagg farm off the Moorsholm Liverton Road . Another family called Hoopes we’re looking for connections to Moorsholm.”

Peter Appleton advises: “I cannot speak about Quakers in the Liverton area. However, I can add information about the Hoopes family of Quakers. The Quaker burial ground near Skelton, at the side of the road from New Skelton to Lingdale and marked by four old oak trees, was also known as Tobias Hoopes’ burial ground. In their day the Hoopes family were owners of a large swathe of east Cleveland. They owned Stank House farm near Kilton and everything west to the Claphow road. I have twice shown American descendants of the Hoopes family around the area. As well as taking them to Stank House, we also visited Tidkinhow farm near Aysdalegate, which had been a family home for their ancestors. In both cases, the American family was descended from Joshua Hoopes. He had emigrated, from Scarborough, on the last vessel to be financed by William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania. He and his sons converted to Mormonism and became leading figures in that faith. Hope your readers find this of interest.”

Image courtesy of a friend of the Archive, additional information courtesy of Dr Alastair Laurence ’History of Liverton’. Thanks to Ann Jackson, Peter Appleton and Alan Jones (who has researched the Liverton Quaker burials) for the updates.

St Michael’s Church in Liverton village. A Victorian restoration, traces of the Norman masonry, can be seen in the nave walls, and the chancel arch; with elaborate sculptures on the capitals. This is one of the finest survival’s in the north.

Image courtesy of Loftus Town Crier.

This image provoked many comments when first posted. A grand building at Moorsholm, shown in a sad condition, was intended to be a hotel, part of the proposed station buildings on Paddy Waddles Railway; which would run from Kilton Junction to Glaisdale and relics of this incomplete line can still be traced along the route. It was demolished in 1988. At the other end of the street was The Plough, later renamed ‘Toad Hall’ with a considerable reputation as a fine dining pub; closing in 2020 to become a private house. Ann Jackson told us: ”The house was owned by the Marsay family. My great grandad James Jackson was a stone mason and worked on Paddy Waddell’s Railway”. Lois Johnson queried: “My great grandfather, Daniel Johnson, lived in ‘Johnson’s Terrace’ in Moorsholm – that’s how I read the 1901 census handwriting. Can anyone tell me where this is? Is it what I see referred to as ‘Johnson’s Square’, which I believe is up the High Street on the right?” Ann Johnson assisted with: “Johnson’s Square is on the right at the bottom of the village just after a set of farm troughs called ‘Moorsholm Docks’. Johnson’s Square was built by David Johnson and his family. My great Aunt Margaret Ellen (nee Jackson) married David Johnson ‘junior”. Sara Johnson advised Ann with: “I believe we share distant family. Your great Aunt Margaret Ellen Jackson married my great great Uncle David Johnson”, and asked further Johnson family history questions. Pat Stearman entered the discussions with: “My great great grandparents (John and Margaret Dale) lived at 19 for 50 plus years until c.1932, when my great great grandfather died. I remember being told about ‘Moorsholm docks’ as a child and my great grandmother Ada Dale (nee Hodgson) has a very elaborate cross in the churchyard”. Ann Jackson added: ” My Jacksons came from Ribblehead to Easington where their father worked on building the Loftus to Whitby line. The docks are well known. I remember getting frogspawn out of them”.  Rachael Armstrong (nee Marsay) tells us: ”I have been looking into my family history which has lead me to this page. This was My Great Grandparents home, My Grandfather George Marsay and his brothers Tommy, Monty, Joy and Lawrence were all brought up in the village. I had heard the family talk about Hillock House but it was demolished when I was very young. It is really lovely to see what it looked like.” Karen Atkinson advises: “Adamson Johnson was my great grandfather!”
Image courtesy of Eric Johnson and thanks to Ann Jackson, Pat Stearman, Rachael Armstrong and Karen Atkinson for the comments and updates. Many thanks to Terry Hatton for the update on both the Moorsholm Hotel and Toad Hall.

A view of Liverton church, taken in January, 1982. A very wintery scene; just as well it was not the day for a wedding!

Image courtesy of Mrs. J. Wilson.

Moving out of one of the damaged houses at Liverton Mines, (inset Mr. J. Moody 79) who was flung to the ground when the pavement on which he was standing was pushed up.

Images are from our cuttings file (in the main from the Evening Gazette).