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 This is what was written on the back of this photograph loaned to us by Eric Johnson, so Rita Boal is on the right. Did you know Rita was she part of your family? Linda Margaret Cocks advises: “Rita was my auntie; my mother’s sister.”  Despite the hard physical work of the women’s land army there was still time for fun. Many of the girls were from the upper and middle classes, the freedom they found in the land army was an eye opener being from sheltered backgrounds. Everyone of the women asked today said it was the best time of their lives. Despite their contribution to winning the war they were never awarded any medals; until just recently the survivors received a BADGE. Sadly Rita (Rachel) Boal pictured here with the farmer and some of her friends, had like many of her service friends passed away before this belated award. Image and information courtesy of Eric Johnson.  Another photograph taken from a glass plate of the original Talbot Tilting furnace with 240 tons capacity, the largest in Europe when built about 1910. This pit side view shows the furnace under repair, the port ends which were movable have been drawn back. The “lander” – the tap hole chute sticking out of the middle of the furnace – has the brick lining removed. On the right of photograph is a large steel casting ladle, with a skull (scrap steel) on the lip. To the left are two slag ladles full of furnace debris. Next is a small charging ladle used to pour molten pig iron into the furnace from the charging side. On each side of the lander, a cage is suspended from the furnace by two pivoted arms allowing the cages to go up and down with the tilting. A shelter can be seen on the cages near the lander, to protect the melters throwing in the charges of coal, manganese, silicon etc. This varied according to specification.  A view of Skinningrove Iron And Steel Works about 1914; taken from a glass plate. Image courtesy of Eric Johnson.  I thought because of today’s weather conditions this photograph was quite apt.  I wonder if that is what the captain of the ship ’Gaslight ’said in February 1934 when it went into the starboard side of the bridge deck of S.S. Skinningrove at Middlesbrough docks. Image courtesy of a Northern Echo newspaper cutting.  A piece of land on Mill Bank was let for a nominal fee by the Marquis of Zetland and the park was made by 80 volunteers from the Loftus West Road Social Centre, one of the schemes for relieving the monotony of the unemployed, transforming 3 acres of wooded land into a beauty spot, the park and children’s recreation ground is hoped to have swings, a sand pit and other attractions. Images are from our cuttings file (in the main from the Evening Gazette), thanks to Maurice Dower for the update.  Dating from about 1914 when this photograph was taken; a mine barrow waits near the weigh cabin. Following the comment from Robert Silkstone: “I just thought it was worth noting that this picture is not of a mine barrow. It is more important as these tubs are rarely photographed at ground level. They are the tubs that were taken by men who hand charged the blast furnaces before the conveyor system was introduced. The shape of the tub is deleberate to allow charging at the top of the furnace. This is quite a rare and interesting picture to a historian as I am.” Eric Johnson tells us: ’At Skinningrove ironworks the term ”mine” refers to the ironstone carried in the barrows which came from the company’s Loftus mine, this stone was roasted in kilns and the calcined ironstone was taken from the kilns to the weigh machine cabin. Then weighed and the barrows hoisted to the furnace top, emptied and returned. Coke and limestone were also carried in the barrows, but they were always known as ”mine barrows”.’ Steven Partlett has added: ” I remember these as being termed “Barrows”. My father worked these after Loftus mine closed and he moved to the Ironworks. What is not obvious in these images is that the ground where they operated was completely covered in plates which were either Steel or Iron. The barrows had a knife edged wheel, similar to a flanged rail wheel. The combination reduced friction, and made it easier to push the loaded barrows. The area was known in the works as “the plates” because of the feature.” Image and information courtesy of Eric Johnson, also thanks to Robert Silkstone and Steve Partlett for the updated information.  Skinningrove stockyard where the men are slinging angles, that’s what the caption said on this photograph. Alan Franks comments: “This looks like it is the ore tips where odds and ends of various steel sections were stocked. I was a stock taker here for a few months in 1960 before I moved to the 18 inch mill. I do not recognise the two slingers, the slinging chains are from a steam powered jib crane. In the background is the old basic slag building. Image courtesy of Eric Johnson, thanks to Alan Franks for the update.  This gentleman Mr Edward “Ted” Morgan pictured inside Todd Point railway signal box is the source of many of the photographs on this site. Image courtesy of Ted Morgan, via Eric Johnson. |
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