How awful to see Redcar like this, must really have imprinted on the mind. Jean Opie comments: “This postcard is interesting to me because my father was posted here during WW2 and used to patrol the beach. He was not in the Home Guard but the regular army, placed on light duties due to lack of fitness for frontline work. Does anyone have any photographs of the soldiers who patrolled Redcar Beach at this time? Alternatively, does anyone have any information regarding the defence of Redcar Beach and the use of the Stray Cafe as an ammunition store at this time?” David Lambert advises: “My grandad was in the Redcar Home Guard they were North Riding of Yorkshire (NRY) 4th Battalion the Green Howards; they would have patrolled Redcar and the steel works on a night and would have done their regular jobs during the day; my grandad being a steel worker. There are many pill boxes from the war around the South Gare area near the steel works and not far from where this photograph was taken. I do know the sea front looked the same till the end of the forties, until all the barbed wire and tank traps had been removed. The Green Howards headquarters were at Kirkleatham Hall at the top of Redcar where the main road comes in.” Lin Treadgold adds: “My father was in 4th Battalion Green Howards too, 1939-45.” Richard Webster asks: “My dad was in the RAF and was billeted with a local Redcar family early in the war, sadly no longer with us so no information regarding the name of the family who took him in. His name was Albert Webster and was an armourer, first on spitfires then Lancaster’s, serving around UK, Palestine and Egypt.” .
Image courtesy of Mike Holliday, thanks to Jean Opie, David Lambert, Lin Treadgold and Richard Webster for the updates.
The SS Skinningrove was one of the four main pig iron transporting vessels used by the Skinningrove Iron Company from their jetty at Skinningrove. Terry Shaw has assisted with the following information: “SS Skinningrove a steel screw steamer (General Cargo) IMO 5230454 was built in 1895 by J. L. Thompson and Sons Ltd. at North Sands yard no 332, the vessel was completed on 2nd July 1895. Dimensions: Length 155 feet, Breadth 26 feet, Depth 11.7 feet, 516 tons. The first owners were Skinningrove Iron Co Ltd – T. C. Hutchinson Middlesbrough. The Ships other names were: 1919 – Hailsham 1923 – Skinningrove 1936 – Stangrove 1941 – Castilla Del Oro 1944 – Condestable 1954 – Sotileza 1955 – Mechelin The SS Skinningrove was broken up at Aviles by Desguaces y Salvamentos S. A. on 12/07/1971.
Note: This ship ( off no 98787) built in 1895 was the second of two ships named SS Skinningrove, the original (off no 98773) was built by Wood, Skinner and Company Ltd in 1891 for Charles Henry Pile, London, (Shipping Investments, Cork). Skinningrove Iron Company Ltd used this ship for the export of pig iron from 1891 to 1895 when the ship was sold to P. Biraben & Fils, Bordeaux and renamed Pierre-Paul.
Image (from a newspaper cutting) courtesy of several sources including Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum, thanks to Terry Shaw for the additional information.
The clerks, typists, switchboard operators and Don R of the 4th Anti-Aircraft Group taken in 1944 at Chester. On the right in battledress is Brenda Varty. Bob Dunn advised: “The insignia on her sleeve is the D R over a winged wheel and is the badge worn by Despatch Riders.” Image and details courtesy of Brenda Horness; thanks to Bob Dunn for the updated information.
Pictured on a ramble along the beach from Saltburn on 29th April, 1972, in the photograph on the left are: Mandy Middlemas, Carol ?, Maxine Harding, Jill Stonehouse, Julie Bowers and Yasmin Blood with Mrs. Parrish. Whilst Ann Willis, Bev Noble and Pat Puckrin are in the picture on the right.
Rosecroft school camping trip in July, 1972, to Swaleview campsite, Richmond. In the picture on the right, Yvonne, Christine, Stephen, George, Robert, Malcolm and Gary are getting ready to go fishing. Christine James tells us: ”Oh how lovely to see this I’m the tall girl next to the camper van and my friend Yvonne with the red hair, happy days”.
Image and names courtesy of Celia Parrish, thanks to Christine James for the update.
This young lady featured a lot in Loftus School Sports activities. Unfortunately the Second World War put a dampener on the athletics, but here on a Matchless G3 is Brenda Varty, sorry Private Varty, B, W/249378, – in khaki and carrying despatches for 913 Coy. R.A.S.C. John Aitken confesses: “Fantastic. Growing up as your next door neighbour at 3 Wood View, I knew that Uncle Less drove a tank and ate Germans (Sorry to any Germans reading) with salt and pepper, and you rode dispatch, but hadn’t seen a picture until this one. Thanks.”
Image courtesy of Brenda Horness, thanks to John Aitken for the update.
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