Derick Pearson told the Archive: “My grandfather on the old cart in Lumpsey fields. Looking toward North Skelton on extreme left and with Skelton church tower dead centre on horizon. This was Lady Dolly in the shafts, she was a pleasure to work with. Cleveland Bays were multi-purpose horses, they could hunt, do point to point and were tremendous workers. Size for size, they took some beating. My grandfather in this photograph was about 78 years old and had spent a lifetime with horses. He finally achieved his dream when his champion (Chapman) was purchased by the Queen, who’s buyers came to see them at Brotton. He won a Professorship and Title with the Berry School of Horsemanship in Ohio USA in 1912. The certificate is still in the family. He was one of only two people in England to ever win it by correspondence and was booked to go to Ohio on the Titanic from Southampton in 1912. Circumstances prevented him from going. How fortunate, I may never have been here to tell the tale had he gone at that time. Another thing worthy of mention is that the original Cleveland Bay was called a Chapman. It was a tinkers or pot, pan and knife sharpeners horse. Those travelling people were called Chapman’s in times of old, hence the name which was attached to the breed. Grandad was always proud of this, saying these horses were named especially for him and that is why he named his champion ”Chapman”.
Andrew Pearson (no relation) adds: “Unrelated but for the record – the railway line in the background is the one that ran from Brotton Junction to Middlesbrough via Claphow bridge, Boosbeck, Guisborough and Nunthorpe and in this photograph it looks to be no longer in regular use; unfortunately there is no date but it was part of the coast route to Whitby which closed in 1958 and finally dismantled in 1965 between Brotton and the junction with the Esk Valley route, following cessation of service to the public delivery siding at Boosbeck in 1964. The other line from Brotton to Saltburn runs parallel with it but cannot be seen at this point as it is now at a lower level, making its descent in a wide sweep towards Skelton and Saltburn where it joins the Saltburn – Redcar – Middlesbrough line; this is still very much in use for the Skinningrove and Boulby Potash traffic. Also, the site of Lumpsey Mine is out of the picture to the left.”
Image and information courtesy of Derrick Pearson, thanks also to Andrew Chapman for the additional information.
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