Mouth organ bands seemed to be very popular around this time; this one from the late 1950s; prompted in no small way by the national success of Larry Adler. Variety Theatre was still very popular and acts such as this would find a ready outlet for their talent. Some bands had a huge bass mouth organ about 3 foot long! Derick Pearson advised: “This photograph was taken prior to a competition of Bands in the late 1950s.”
Back row: Fred Hudson, Stan Massey, Arthur Rix (Landlord of Bullit), ??. Front row:Joe Welford, ??, Dennis Pearson, ??. One of the ?? is believed to be Matt Theaker.
Image and information updates courtesy of Derick Pearson.
The fact that this is called the Old Cemetery means that Loy Lane must already be well established. Eric Johnson tells us ”The cemetery was laid out in 1857, with mortuary chapel built in the “Norman style”.Marjorie Magor makes a plea: “Friends of Loftus Cemetery would be pleased to have any information regarding old cemetery on Loy Lane. Dates? any well known local dignitaries laid to rest there, history related information, Thanks.”
Image from “Views of Loftus-in-Cleveland & Neighbourhood” published by J. F. Cooke, Loftus, thanks to Eric Johnson for the update.
A close view of the chimney Loftus (Skinningrove) mine being felled in 1912. As it slowly falls, in the background can be seen the Staple shaft of “Duckhole” mine. The footpath linking from Carlin How (beside the former Wesleyan Chapel is also visible. Duckhole mine was eventually linked to Lumpsey mine at Brotton, and worked from that shaft. To the right; just off the photograph, is what is now the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum.
Image courtesy of Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum.
Not the most photographed of places but this image shows the chapel very well. It is now being changed into a house (a sign of the times no doubt). To the left of the photograph is the cemetery lodge once occupied by Mr Sanderson who looked after the cemetery. Ann Wilkinson told the Archive: “My mother, Elizabeth daughter of Edgar Sanderson who lived for a time at Cemetery Lodge told me that one night she woke to see a face looking down at her from the bottom of the bed. The face was surrounded by fog. She was very frightened and put her head under the covers and didn’t look again till morning. Thankfully it never happened again.”
Marjorie Magor tells the Archive: “I remember going to Loftus cemetery, with my mam Bessie Fawcett. William Sanderson was her uncle, my great uncle. I always called him uncle Bill Sanderson. He was a fantastic gardener, won prizes all over this area with his Dahlias and Chrysanthemums. He had an amazing grape vine in his greenhouse, they tasted delicious. One thing I remember vividly is taking his dog (a Border Collie) for a walk around the cemetery, his name was “Scot”, what a lovely dog he was too. The “Church” was later to become a mortuary (I think).”
Jeanne Simms has advised: “I now live in Cemetery Lodge. The chapel was a chapel and mortuary; council workers used it as a place to take a break. There were beautiful pews and a pulpit. Now it’s converted into a house. Looking around the cemetery I found the grave of Arthur Howard who was caretaker of the cemetery for 33 years. Sadly it was all overgrown but I’ve since cleared it. He is buried there with his wife Joanna, daughter Joanna and son in law. Now to look for William Sanderson’s grave.” Norman Patton has a request: “I would be well chuffed if you could discover the burial place of my Great Grandparents….Elizabeth Ann and William Hicks both of whom died in the first half of the 20th century and I believe were laid to rest in or close to the old cemetery. Both of these fine people played substantial parts in the history of Loftus during the East Cleveland equivalent of the ‘Gold Rush’!”
Image from a T. C. Booth postcard and thanks to Ann Wilkinson, Marjorie Magor, Jeanne Simms and Norman Patton for the updates.
Not a very clear image but we haven’t got many of Margrove Park . Derick Pearson advised: ” I copied this on photocopy paper, hence the ripples on the image.” K. Bastiman adds: “A clearer image can be found on our web page (margrove park.com)(old photos), believe it was produced from a scan taken from a Frith post card.” Image courtesy of Mike Holliday and thanks to Derick Pearson and K. Bastiman for the updates.
I have referred to the group as Wolf Cubs, their name did not change to Cub Scouts until 1967. Pictured with their Akela Mrs Mary Shaw (now called a Cub Scout Leader), interestingly she is portrayed at the top of the ”heap”! Dating this photograph has ‘warmed’ some memories up! Martin Gibson believed the image was from 1966; but Richard Watson advised: “I went to Rosecroft in the summer of 1966, Mrs Shaw would not let me join the Cubs when I was 10 years, but Norman Pass (Scout Leader) let me go straight into the Scouts in 1965/66. and Richard Martin, Pete and Rob Jackson, Pete’s younger brother were all in the Scouts then. So for Richard Martin to be in the Cubs, it must have been 3 or 4 years before 1966.” Malcolm Covell adds: “Back row far right is myself as Senior Sixer (3 stripes on arm). In 1961 I went to Guisborough Grammar school (at 11 years) and you moved from Cubs to scouts at 11 so it is before 1961 and I would put it at 1960 possibly very early 1961, as I was 11 in the April. Those were the days!”
Michael (Mick) Hill tells us: ” I am third from right, if I recall correctly am wearing the fur lined boots. I have been trying to recall one or two memories of my days in the Cubs. I was Tawny Six and recall visiting Hummersea one evening for swimming [paddling], rather a chilly night! I recall trying to change on shingle and rock not easy. Also tracking on the old railway and on one occasion each Cub had to take a girl along for what reason I cannot recall. At that age boys didn’t like girls!”Mick has followed up with: “Following my discovery of myself on the photograph with the Wolf Cubs circa 1960/61, l keep referring back to see if any further information has been forthcoming. One or two further memories of my time in Loftus are: walking to what was then the Youth Club for school dinners, also I remember being a member of the RSPCA. I believe this may also have been run by Mrs Shaw – Akela at Cubs – but will stand corrected on that. One name I can recall is Bernard Dobson who lived at South Loftus, when I first moved there as I remember he shares the same birthday and is the same age as myself. Good to remember the old days.”
Back row: ?? , Keith Danby, ?? , ?? , Michael Lindsay, Peter Collinson, Malcolm Covell.
Middle row: ?? , Martin Gibson, ?? , ?? , ?? , ?? , Peter Jackson, ?? , Richard Martin.
Front row: ?? , ?? , ??, Brian Lightfoot, Geoff Covell, ?? , ?? , ?? , Michael (Mick) Hill, Robin Middleton, ?? .
Can anybody help with more names?
Thanks to David Archer for Akela’s name, Martin Gibson, Richard Watson, Martin Covell, Mick Hill and Barbara McBurney for the names and updates.
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