East Cleveland Image Archive

Oldham Street, Moorcock Row and the Victoria Inn are shown on this photograph, of course the shale heap is very visible, all long gone now, although the name Moorcock Row remains – attached to the new houses built on the old site.  What  date was it taken – does anyone know? Paula Miller has advised: ”This photograph was taken by the Evening Gazette”. Derek Dobson remembers: “Looking out of our front window as a child I would see the full size heap for years, lived in Prospect Terrace. I’m 62 now; spent many a summers day, me and Paul Tyrka sat waving at the training jets buzzing us. There were that many fossils, collecting them was never an option. Great things to climb, some parts almost solid other paths constantly crumbling as you climb. I’d be seeing heap this size in 1960; great place to sit look down on the whole village, taking in the distant view leading to the moors. There was constant rivalry between bottom-enders and top-enders; so fought each other for entertainment, but all together when defending ourselves.”

Judith Green (nee Taylor) told the Archive: “I was born at 35 Oldham Street, my grandmother’s house, and spent most of my childhood playing in the streets there. My cousins, the Beckley family lived at no.15. I took piano lessons with a lady at no. 17 but cannot remember her name. I remember the pit disaster and my cousin Louis Booth was killed in a motor bike accident in 1955. All the residents supported each other in those sad times A great community.”. Michael A. Buble has added: “Just after World War II (circa 1947) when I was about 12 years old, I was reading in our our local newspaper, a list of young people in England my age, looking for pen pals in Canada. I chose to write to Lewis Booth at 35 Oldham Street, Lingdale, Saltburn. This began a regular exchange of letters throughout our teen aged years and into adulthood. Lewis also wrote me from Egypt where he was serving with the British Forces. In 1955 a letter came to me from 35 Oldham Street, but it was not from Lewis. It was from Mrs Booth, his mother. She informed me that Lewis had died in a motorcycle accident. I was quite distraught over this news. Lewis and I, through the years of correspondence had truly become pen pal friends. In the letter, Mrs Booth enclosed a picture of the grave, all covered in flowers, where Lewis was buried, I continued to keep in touch with Mrs Booth. Then early in 1963 (around February) I advised Mrs Booth that I would be visiting England sometime in June of that year and I was looking forward to meeting her in Lingdale. She wrote back and said she would be so happy if we were to meet.
When I finally arrived at 35 Oldham Street, I was met by a Mrs Beckley. She informed me that Mrs Booth had passed away recently,
I was warmly received and invited in to meet other members of the family and to join them for tea. It was wonderful meeting the family of Lewis. After several hours of socializing, we visited the cemetery and the graves of Lewis and his dear mother. That evening I returned to Saltburn and the following morning journeyed northward to Scotland. I am almost 85 years old now and still living on the west coast of Canada in Vancouver. Best Wishes and Regards to The Booth family and their relatives.”

Image courtesy of a cutting from the Evening Gazette, thanks to Derek Dobson, Judith Green (nee Taylor), Paula Miller and Michael A. Buble for the updates and comments.