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Here is another first, we had previously no other photographs of the foundry at Loftus. Do you have any to loan us please?
Eric Johnson comments: ”An interesting view of the cupola melting furnace at the foundry, apparently being demolished. Three men are on the charging platform, the charging door on the cupola is open where the charge of pig iron/coke/limestone was introduced. To the right is a hoist on a large beam (above the standing men), used to raise the charges to the platform. At the base of the cupola the air chest for the blast around the cupola can be seen, with air pipe disconnected. Standing on 4 legs, the cupola probably had a drop bottom for emptying slag etc after the days run. The foundry originally owned by Robinson Brothers who produced farm implements, ploughs, etc. They also cast drain covers and gulleys, many of which can still be seen on the streets of East Cleveland. I have seen one at Piercebridge, Co. Durham. A speciality (unique?) were the cast iron gravestones, seen in the old cemetery. Robinson Bros were regular exhibitors at the Wool Fairs in the Market Place, Loftus. Old images show many of their products and warehouse next to the present day Post Office. I believe the foundry was taken over by Tinsley & Co. and is now used by Steve Whitlock.”
Bill Tinsley tells us: ”Zetland foundry was owned by my grandfather until his death in the late 1930s. My father was a mining engineer with Richard Sutcliff in Horbury near Wakefield who sold a half-share to a manager who continued to run the foundry until around 1950. I spent a lot of time there as a child with my grandfather watching and getting in the way but even as a 7 or 8 year old I learned quite a lot about casting and machining methods There was a small machine shop at the far end of the buildings.” Bill also tells us: ”The cast iron railings round Saltburn Bandstand were made by grandfather at Zetland Foundry in the mid thirties but unfortunately removed early in Second World War and melted down for the war effort. Incidentally Thomas Tinsley was apprenticed to John Wood and Co (Steam engine and winch manufacturers in Lancashire) in July 1881.The papers which I still have includes phrases “Shall not wast the goods of his masters,Shall not frequent taverns or playhouses,or contract matrimony”.The apprentiship was for “Engine Fitting”. He later went on to be chief engineer at Nostel mine nr. Wakefield before buying Zetland Foundry. I have 3 photographs taken in 1970 when I last went there,one showing a similar view with the cupula removed, but just possible to see part of the words Zetland Foundry on the hoist beam. Another showing the brass name plate (Thos Tinsley & Son) on the old office door and the third showing his house in Saltburn.”
Photograph courtesy of Keith Bowers and thanks to Eric and Bill Tinsley for the updates.
Another from a series of photographs taken from the same vantage point. This image looks across the goods yard towards Loftus.
One of a series of photographs taken from Loftus Station, looking over the Station Yard. This one taken in winter from the bankside above the railway station, which can be seen bottom right with the goods yard behind it. Still in the era of horse-drawn transport and unbraked rolling stock, so probably taken around 1900. For once the signage on the roof of the Carnaby Willis wood yard fails to promote the business!
This postcard view of Loftus from the railway station was taken in 1906 (7th July to be precise); it was one of a range produced by John Thomas Ross (a noted Whitby photographer).
Image courtesy of Ruth Wilcock.
A different view of the station, showing the bank going up to Liverton Mines.
Image courtesy of Joyce Dobson.
A horse and cart and a cyclist in Station Road, it must have been busy day! This lovely photograph showing the Congregational Church and Westfield Terrace in the background.
Image courtesy of Mrs Sakelaropoulos.
This view of the Staithes Harbour comes from the ”Cooke’s Views of Loftus and District”. A lovely, peaceful image, the boats hauled up on the beach, Cowbar Nab curving protectively round the village. No wonder it’s a popular visitor spot.
Image courtesy of John G. Hannah.
The wave after the wave that wrecked The Cod and Lobster? Another extremely dynamic image of the storm – I bet the photographer sold the seventh wave image to the North-Eastern Gazette! There’s an old fisherman’s saying that the seventh wave is the highest when the tide comes in; I used to spend ages on Redcar beach counting waves as a result of this!
Image courtesy of the Pem Holliday Collection (and believed to be from a series taken by John Tindale – Photographer – Whitby).
An extremely dynamic image of the North Sea hammering the sea wall at Staithes during the storm that wrecked The Cod and Lobster public house.
Image courtesy of the Pem Holliday Collection (and believed to be from a series taken by John Tindale – Photographer – 0f Whitby).
Not really a party – this the result of serious storm damage to The Cod & Lobster public house in Staithes, captured in a dramatic sequence of photographs taken at the time. Jackie Roe-Lawton told us: “When the pub was washed away, Willis – a building firm from Hinderwell – was employed to rebuild it. My Granddad, John Tom Roe was a cabinet-maker; he renovated and rebuilt the cellar. The woman who was the landlady was so penny-pinching that she just covered over the ale barrels – and remember, these were wooden barrels, not the metal sealed ones that we have now – you had to tap the barrel to get the beer out – but she usually just took the lid off!! Imagine how much sea-water was in that brew! My Great Granddad, John Henry Roe (The eponymous barber from Barber’s Yard) was an alcoholic; so my Granddad never drank. But every lunchtime he staggered up the High Street, singing his head off, drunk from the fumes!
When the windows were replaced, Granddad took the old windows from the Cod and Lobster; fitted them in the top of his house at 3 Broomhill with the help of my Dad, Tommy Roe. They took the roof off, installed a dormer (the window from the Cod) and put the roof back on; watertight; in one day. That window was still serviceable when my husband took it out and replaced one dormer with 2 smaller in 1998!”
Image courtesy of the Pem Holliday Collection (and believed to be from a series taken by John Tindale – Photographer – Whitby) and many thanks to Jackie Roe-Lawton for that update.
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