Dated 1890 this image shows the Miner’s Bridge which spanned the stream and narrow valley of Saltburn Gill, the bridge was used by those miners who lived in Saltburn and worked at the Huntcliffe Mine (today the only remaining part of the mine is the Guibal Fan house close to the railway line). The miners crossed the Saltburn valley (and Skelton Beck) via the Halfpenny Bridge and then crossed Millholme Beck via this footbridge. The footbridge was demolished in 1906 after the mines closed. The mill at old Saltburn had become inefficient in 1902 after the more powerful steam-driven mills came into use at Yarm; the mill was demolished in 1905.
Julie Riddiough tells us: ”the late Mrs Chester from Brotton told me about it, I remember asking her why it was the called the miners footbridge, as I’d assumed it led to the mill. I’ll have to dig out my notes but, off the top of my head, I think she said it was a footbridge used by miners to get to work at the Huntcliff Mine (I think that’s the one where the fan house is) I seem to remember her telling me that it was not very stable and farmers even used to lead animals over it, I’m sure, she told me it was made of wood and took quite a battering from use and being so close to the sea it got into bad repair and it was demolished as it was dangerous.”
Image courtesy of Iris Place; information courtesy of ”Saltburn-by-the-sea” compiled by Joan Wiggins; thanks to Julie Riddiough for the update, as well as Chris Twigg and Ian Scott for their comments.
First of a series of postcard views of Saltburn, showing a view of Old Saltburn cottages, beside the Ship Inn and a view down the lower section of Hazelgrove from the bandstand now no longer in existence. Callum Duff tells us: ”The pillars that used to support the roof of the Hazelgrove bandstand were salvaged and now hold hanging baskets along one side of the Italian Gardens.” Tom Metcalfe remembers: “I lived in Saltburn up to 1962, when I joined the Royal Engineers. During my early years I had lived with my grand parents in the gardener cottage in the Valley Gardens and then 26 Montrose Street.” Peter Appleton asks: “The photograph of the cottages to the east of the Ship Inn triggered a question in my mind. When were they built? Which led on to: when was the Ship Inn built? Does anyone have any ideas on either answer? If the accepted stories about John Andrew, the smuggler, are true, he arrived in Saltburn in the early 1780s. The Ship Inn, at least, must have been standing then. But what about those other cottages?” Can anybody assist with this query?
Many thanks to Callum Duff for the update and Tom Metcalfe for the memories, also thanks to Peter Appleton for the query.
The boats are pulled up and the Ship Inn is there along with the cottages, but no made up roads. Please tell the Archive what date you think this photograph would be.
A tinted postcard view of the cottages at Old Saltburn that was posted in 1905, this in the days when Old Saltburn was a hamlet. The Ship Inn is on the extreme right of this view, unseen and behind the photographer would be other buildings; including the Lifeboat building, Mortuary and Rocket Launching building. The ‘Ship’ was not the only place for ‘refreshment’, as well an inn called the ‘Nimrod’ there were several ‘gin shops’!
A fairly recent image of Saltburn taken from the steep climb up the Cleveland Way behind The Ship Inn. Ray Brown was asking about the old building next to the Old Mortuary. Callum Duff advises us: ”In actual fact, the building next to the Mortuary was the Rocket Brigade. The Brigade were designed to aid the lifeboat crews and attempt to secure a line from dryland to ships in difficulty. The lifeboat house actually stood next door and was demolished sometime between 1924 (when the Saltburn lifeboat ‘Mary Batger’ was sold) and the start of WWII.”
Image courtesy of Raymond Brown and many thanks to Callum Duff for that update.
A photograph often taken today, although now the skyline is much busier with the heavy industry at Teesmouth and the huge blast furnace. The image was taken from a booklet of picture postcards, showing the original pier. Callum Duff tells us: ”The picture above shows the pier after it was shortened in 1874 after a motor launch destroyed the landing stage and the pierhead. The original length of the pier was 1500 ft and it was shortened to the pictured length of 1250 ft. This length continued until the pierhead was destroyed by heavy seas in 1974 and the pier shortened to it’s present length. I suggest that this photograph was taken sometime between 1924 & 1939. Andy Gibson also advises: ”The latest date I can’t comment on, but I happen to know that the twin houses at the East end of Marine Parade were built in 1928, so the date range must start then, at the earliest.” Callum further adds: ”Looking at this postcard again, the pier has been repaired after the SS Ovenbeg breach so it must be after 1933 and The Spa Pavilion has yet to gain its concrete apron of windows on the east side of the building which were added in 1935. Therefore this card can be dated between 1933 and 1935.”
Thanks to Andy Gibson and Callum Duff for all the updates.
A lovely sepia photo of Huntcliff, now known to be from ”Skelton in Cleveland Website” produced by Bill Danby. The scene is an exploratory dig at the Roman look out station on Huntcliff [the site has now disappeared by erosion]. From Bill’s website we are informed that at the excavation ”25 coins were found there, the earliest showing Emperor Constantius 337 – 361 and the latest dated to 395 – 408. The fort-like station was square with thick stone walls and a 20ft ditch. Excavations revealed a well, 14 feet deep and 6 feet wide, in which were 14 skeletons, leading to suppositions of a successful attack by the Anglo-Saxons. Roman pottery, an iron axe, a bronze vessel and a jet finger ring were also found.” Simon Wedgewood advises: “It is indeed the 1912 excavation. The picture appeared in a book of old photographs Saltburn published by Sotheran’s of Redcar. The finds are stored at the Dorman Museum and can be inspected on application.”
Image and details courtesy of Bill Danby’s Skelton in Cleveland Website, thanks also to Mark T., Eric Johnson and Simon Wedgewood for the updates.
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