Middlesbrough residents have been taking part in fun workshops to tell their stories about the town. We asked them to give their honest views, and because not everyone has the same opinion, we need to let you know that the views expressed on this page are only those of our participants, not the Council.

Ann Linklater – My Town

North Star
Orion’s Belt
Ray of light shining through
Transporter Bridge
High on the hill.

Overlooking the town
Roads leading home
Middlesbrough Football Club
Everlasting light
Stars up above
Best place to be
Your Home…

Cheryl Dixon BEM – Heart and Home

I come from a place called Middlesbrough
A town both young and old,
A place that grows in History
From the stories we were told.

I come from a place unheard of
Where people live with pride,
Of a community spirit ‘The Heart Beat’
That makes you come alive!

I come from quiet streets
Where people often say,
They’ve never experienced ‘Community’
And often want to stay.

The Town we live is different
And nothing like the rest,
That’s why so many settle here
Because in their Hearts its best.

Jane Lister – Stanley Hollis

I come from a town called Middlesbrough
Where the river is a view
Factories around us and houses grew and grew
I became a soldier to fight for my country and you

I come from a loving family
And enjoyed sneaking out to sea
My father, well, he found out
And apprenticed me to the Merchant Navy

I come from the army
With wounds I’ll never forget
I spent the rest of my years
As a private modest man
But to the Green Howards
I am your biggest fan.

Marie Risker – North Ormesby Church

One of the main attractions of North Ormesby, Middlesbrough is the big clock tower on the market place. The clock stands at about 175 feet tall and can be seen from afar. The church was started a long time ago. It was planted in an old school on Smeaton Street on an Advent Sunday in 1858.

Church services started in 1855 in temporary accommodation whilst the new Holy Trinity church was built in the parish. The building in early English style is set facing on to the market square. The foundation stone was laid by Dr W Thompson, Archbishop of York, on Tuesday 4th August 1868, consecrated on Friday 26th November 1869, originally seated 700 and cost £2400. The tower was completed in 1880 with its clock installed in 1883. The large detached vicarage was built in Ormesby Road in 1879 from 1878 and into the 1930s. St Philips Church, Cargo Fleet, was administered by Holy Trinity. Holy Trinity was damaged by fire in 1977. The church was restored by adding on a new building whilst utilising the damaged interior of the old building as a cloister area used by many residents and visitors as a haven of peace and refreshment.

For years North Ormesby has had the nickname of ‘Doggy’. There is no agreed origin of this nickname, the most popular being the widespread hobby of keeping and racing dogs.

Tara Colvin – Fallen soldiers of Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough is something special when it comes to fallen soldiers as we have two heroes of our own.

Stanley Hollis and Tom Dresser both hold a Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the front line. They both have memorials dedicated to them at the war memorial of Albert Park.

Stan Hollis was awarded the Victoria Cross on D-day 6th June 1944. He was born 21st September 1912, the eldest son of Alfred E. Hollis.

Tom Dresser was awarded the Victoria Cross May 12th 1917. He was born 6th April 1891.

Stan Hollis died 8th February 1972 and has a bench in his memory at the war memorial in Ormesby cemetery and is buried in Acklam cemetery

Tom Dresser died 9th April 1982 and is buried in Thorntree cemetery.

WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET THOSE WHO FOUGHT FOR OUR COUNRTY TO MAKE IT WHAT IT IS TODAY

TO REMEMBER THOSE STILL FIGHTING

SO IN YEARS TO COME WE WILL NEVER FORGET OUR FALLEN HEROS OF MIDDLESBROUGH

A MEMORIAL YOU CAN ALWAYS SEE

Alex Bland – Transporter Bridge

The main feature in the picture is the different levels on the bridge and it is gigantic and colourful. The main colour in the picture is blue and that makes me think of the Transporter Bridge. If I imagine myself in the picture now I can hear the gondola and it makes a whirring noise. If I reached out my hands to touch the nearest thing in the picture it would be the bridge and it would feel hard and solid. In the background of the picture are the cables and they are in the shape of lines.

When I was taking the photo I felt excited because I was in the moment and felt very proud to be there next to it. The place where I have taken my photo is important to me because it represents where I live and means a lot to me. I like living in Middlesbrough because it’s packed with unique and exciting sights and is a great place to be.

Callum Taylor – The Boat in the Water

The main feature in the picture is a boat and it is big and colourful with green, white and orange. The main colour in the picture is blue and that makes me think of blue sky on a summer’s day. If I imagine myself in the picture now I can hear the boat’s engine and it sounds loud and bubbly. If I reached out my hands to touch the nearest thing in the picture, it would be the barrier and it would feel hard and smooth. In the background of the picture is the River Tees and it is black with zigzags.

When I was taking the photo I felt glad because I was taking photos and it was my first time on the bridge. The place where I have taken my photo is important to me because I can see the stadium and it wouldn’t be the same without the bridge. I like living in Middlesbrough because I’ve come to Bridge Hill and made new friends.

Daniel Jervis – My Boro

The main feature in the picture is the view and it is amazing with a variety of things. The main colour in the picture is green and that makes me think of the trees, hills and countryside. If I imagine myself in the picture now I can hear the birds and it sounds like a deafening seagull squawk. If I reached out my hands to touch the nearest thing in the picture, it would be the barrier and it would feel cold but safe. In the background of the picture is a big hill and it is an enormous, gigantic range surrounding the town. I would like to ask this question about the picture: What was the area near the bridge used for?

When I was taking the photo I felt happy because I liked the photo as I could see a lot of the area. The place where I have taken my photo is important to me because it is my town and it shows a diversity of areas. I like living in Middlesbrough because there is lots to do, from the shops to the parks and the mighty Boro team.

Johnathon Donald – The Transporter Gondola

The main feature in the picture is a gondola and it is used to move cars across the river. The main colour in the picture is grey and that makes me think of cold metal and glass. If I imagine myself in the picture now I can hear men and cars and it sounds like there is a lot going on – very busy. If I reached out my hands to touch the nearest thing in the picture, it would be the gondola and it would feel hard and cold. In the background of the picture is a building and it is looking old with old windows. I would like to ask this question about the picture: How strong are the cables?

When I was taking the photo I felt happy because I felt safe with the barriers when I crossed the river. The place where I have taken my photo is important to me because it reminds me of the river and Middlesbrough. I like living in Middlesbrough because I go to Bridge Hill and I like Middlesbrough Football Club and visiting Albert Park.

Katie Bone – The Transporter Bridge

The main feature in the picture is the bridge and it is massive. The main colour in the picture is blue and that makes me think of sky and sea. If I imagine myself in the picture now I can hear workmen and it sounds busy and noisy. If I reached out my hands to touch the nearest thing in the picture, it would be the metal and it would feel smooth. In the background of the picture is the sky and it is grey and blue and dull. I would like to ask this question about the picture: How many years has it been there?

When I was taking the photo I felt happy because I was intrigued. The place where I have taken my photo is important to me because it reminds me of Middlesbrough and the sea because of the colour. I like living in Middlesbrough because it has different places to visit.

Mike Mulraney – My Only Wilf Mannion

The main feature in the picture is a statue and it is dark grey and thin but massive. The main colours in the picture are blue and white and that makes me think of making my way to the match. If I imagine myself in the picture now I can hear the supporters parking up and it sounds like the cars have no exhausts. If I reached out my hands to touch the nearest thing in the picture, it would be the bricks and they would feel hard, holey and rough. In the background of the picture is a bridge and it is long with loads of squares in the cement. I would like to ask this question about the picture: What year was the statue put onto the bricks?

When I was taking the photo I felt proud because Wilf Mannion was a Boro player. The place where I have taken my photo is important to me because it is the place where I support my team but they need to start training better. I like living in Middlesbrough because I come to Bridge Hill to get me out of the house and make new friends.

Tammy Mendum – The Sunset

The main feature in the picture is the sun and it has mixed sun setting with daytime. The main colour in the picture is light blue and that makes me think of dark images in the sky. If I imagine myself in the picture now I can hear traffic and it sounds like noisy people arguing. If I reached out my hands to touch the nearest thing in the picture, it would be the clouds, and they would feel soft like candyfloss. In the background of the picture is a tree and it is blending into the background. I would like to ask this question: What way would you describe the picture?

When I was taking the photo I felt happy because I felt cheerful like a creative person who’s having fun. The place where I have taken my photo is important to me because I have learned something new to enjoy. I like living in Middlesbrough because it is a good area to live in. Also getting to know people who are your friends and enjoying their company.

Our Sightseeing Trip to Middlesbrough

We had our map and knew where we wanted to go
Cameras at the ready to snap all the sights on show

The Transporter Bridge massive and strong
Standing at the edge it looked really long

Blue, bright and exciting to be at the top
Heard the birds and saw the stadium – liked it a lot!

The statue in front of the Boro ground
Wilf Mannion scoring a goal and running around

The shape of the bridge was symmetrical
It was exciting to see sights so spectacular

The Transporter Bridge spanning the river
No matter the weather, it never shivers!

Seeing the bridge stood proud and strong
Reaching across the river, both blue and long

We went to the stadium and everything in sight
Took lots of photos then back on the bus we came

Our trip to enjoy Boro’s most dazzling sights
Amazing photos and we even reached new heights.

A poem by Johno, Daniel, Katie, Tammy, Callum, Mike and Alex, supported by Dave and Matt
Scribed by Natalie Scott with the Bridge Hill Group at Newport Community Hub, December 2017

Andrei Bianci – Andrei’s Adventure

In the picture is the bus. It is white with T.A.S.C written on the side. It has blue writing on the front. If I imagine myself in the picture, I can hear the sound of the bus and the revving of the engine. In the background of the picture I can see the clouds in the shape of lines. If I were to ask a question about the picture I would ask: Where is the bus going? Taking the photo made me feel good. T.A.S.C is important to me because it is good meeting people.

Ann-Louise Veitch – Favourite places to go for a walk

The enormous pavement, brown and yellow leaves
Brown tree trunks
Dogs barking, cars going up and down, squirrels
A fallen down tree across the grass
I felt happy because
It’s one of my favourite places to go for a walk

Geoff Hughff – Linthorpe Cemetery

Gravestones and trees with leaves falling off
Brown is the colour of the houses and leaves
I can hear noisy birds flying about
There are terraced houses in the background
I felt good doing something different, taking photographs
Linthorpe Cemetery is important because it’s near TASC where the people are friendly

Malvina Webber – A Big Family

Gravestones tall and big
Grey and dirty
I feel sad for the family
Birds tweeting loudly and noisily
Trees standing tall and yellow
There are three people buried here
It made me feel so sad and tearful
It was interesting to learn about them.

Peter Harland – Nice Scenery

Friends taking photos of Linthorpe Cemetery
Light green grass
Birds flying and whistling
Dark green bushes
Happy because I like taking photos
Important because it’s a place where people can rest in peace.

Shirley Robson – Bird

Brown bird
Leaves on the grass
Light green leaves on the trees
You can see the houses through the trees
The bird’s eyes are black
One of the trees is taller than all the rest
Leaves blown by the wind
Make little heaps by the gravestones
The bird has a large beak
Its body is made of wood shaped into feathers
It might take flight at any minute.

Simon Dobson – The Graves in Linthorpe Cemetery

The main feature in the picture is a flower and it is on top of the gravestone. The main colour in the picture is grey and that makes me think of the writing on the gravestone. If I imagine myself in the picture now I can hear the dry leaves and it sounds like rustling in the wind. If I reached out my hands to touch the nearest thing in the picture it would be this: stone and it would feel cold and smooth. In the background of the picture is a small grave and it has writing on it – it says ‘Harry’. I would like to ask when did Harry die. When I was taking the photo I felt pleased because I had taken pictures with the staff from TASC. Linthorpe Cemetery is important to me because it is near to where I live. I like walking in the park, catching the TASC buses and coming to see everybody. I especially enjoyed the Christmas party!

Our Walk to Linthorpe Cemetery

Keen to get a good photo, we started to make tracks
The weather was chilly but the sun warmed our backs

Cold hands in pockets, yellow on the trees
Against the blue skyline swaying in the breeze

Diane had her yellow and grey jacket on
She was showing her white teeth in a big smile

Orange wooden bird stood proudly near the gate
Crispy autumn leaves had fallen from the trees

The sunset was brighter than a star
Outside we heard the horns of the cars

It was cold but we had wrapped up warm
We looked at the trees, astounded

We saw all the different types of trees
The changing colours of the leaves

Gravestones uneven among the trees
Remembering people who have passed away

Our autumn walk from TASC to Linthorpe Cemetery
Fresh air and exercise with a little bit of history

A poem by Ann-Louise, Malvina, Shirley, Peter, Geoff, Simon, and Andrei
Scribed by Natalie Scott at TASC, December 2017

Disclaimer
Views expressed on this page are the views of the individual authors only. They in no way represent the views of Middlesbrough Council or the Arts Council.