Did You Know?

Some quirky facts about the Tees Valley...

• Made in Middlesbrough' is stamped in the steel on the side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
  
  
• Other famous landmarks, which started life in the Tees Valley include:
  • Chein Tang River Bridge in China
  • Otto Biet Bridge over the Zambezi River in ZimbabweKhedive Ismail Bridge in Cairo
    
    
• London's famous 'Big Ben Bell' was transported from West Hartlepool in 1855 after being cast in the Norton Iron Works.
  
  
• The world's first passenger railway ran between Stockton and Darlington. George Stephenson manned the Locomotive No. 1 engine on its' first journey in 1825. The original train can be seen at Darlington Railway Museum.
  
  
• The film director, Ridley Scott, was inspired as a child by Redcar's industrial skyline giving him many ideas for his film Bladerunner.
  
  
• Star Trek's "to boldly go where no man has gone before..." is based on one of Captain Cook's logs
  
  
• HMS Trincomalee is the oldest warship afloat in the UK, one of Nelson's frigates it is a perfect tribute to the craftsmanship of Hartlepool's seafaring tradition.
  
  
• It took 15 months to build the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge using 2,600 tonnes of steel. The bridge itself is now the only working bridge of its kind in the UK.
  
  
• Cliff Richard and the Shadows wrote the lyrics to Summer Holiday whilst performing at The Globe Theatre, Stockton.
  
  
• Middlesbrough is one of only four towns and cities in the UK that has been awarded the title 'Environment City'. A national initiative by the Wildlife Trusts, the project aims to pioneer ways of integrating quality of life and environmental awareness.
  
  
• Saltburn Pier built in 1869, is the most northernly surviving pier in Britain, originally 424m long it has now been restored to 206m. Also the Victorian Cliff Lift, which connects the pier and town, is the oldest remaining, operational, water-balanced cliff lift in Britain.
  
  
• Middlesbrough has more shopping space than the Metro Centre.
  
  
• Popstar Chris Rea's parents were famous locally in Middlesbrough for their legendary ice-cream parlour in the town centre.
  
  
• Vin Garbett the folk singer and Roy Chubby Brown the comedian are both from Grangetown.
  
  
• Sir Winston Churchill was a Freeman of Darlington having received the honorary freedom of the borough on 8th May 1947.
  
  
• The only regular breeding colony of common seals on the North-East coast of England can be found at Teesmouth Nature Reserve close to Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station. The reserve is also home to over 60 types of species of birds including lapwing, wigeon, oystercatcher, redshank and curlew.
  
  
• Lewis Carroll spent his childhood years at Croft on Tees, where his father was the local rector. In fact it is thought that the Cheshire Cat from Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" was inspired by a carving in Croft Church, were his dad was a rector. In the book, Alice sees a cat that disappears suddenly yet mysteriously its grin remains...In Croft Church a carved stone face of a cat lies at one end of the sedilla (a seat from the clergy that has been built into the wall). Seen from a pew it has a wide smile...but if you stand up the grin disappears...
  
  
• The famous ballet dancer, Wayne Sleep was born in Hartlepool in 1948 and educated at the former West Hartlepool Technical School. He has been a principal dancer in over fifty leading roles.
  
  
• Tanni Gray Thompson, Olympic Wheelchair Champion athlete lives in Redcar.
  
  
• The Hartlepool Monkey Story....
  During the Napoleonic wars in the 19th century a French vessel called the Chasse Maree struggled in a storm and washed up wrecked on the coast of Hartlepool. Among the wreckage was one sorrowful looking survivor, the ship's pet monkey dressed to amuse in a military style uniform. Fishermen apparently questioned the monkey and held a beach-based trail. Unfamiliar with what a Frenchman looked like they came to the conclusion that this monkey was a French spy and should be sentenced to death. The unfortunate creature was hung, with the mast of a fishing boat providing convenient gallows.
  
  
• Ivy Close, Britain's first ever beauty contest winner was born in Stockton in 1890. She later went on to become a prominent silent movie star.
  
  
• Charles Dickens' younger brother, Frederick William is buried in Darlington's West Cemetery.
  
  
• In 1826, Stockton chemist, John Walker was responsible for the invention of the 'Lucifer' or friction match. A specialist in explosives he discovered the formula after accidentally striking his mixing stick against his hearth and creating fire. However he never patented his invention and it was later copied by a London chemist. A bronze bust in John Walker Square commemorates his achievement and a 3ft high match can be found on the roundabout at the junction of Church Road and Portrack Lane.
  
  
• William Wordsworth met his wife at Sockburn Farm, Darlington.
  
  
• Roseberry Topping was once used by sailors out at sea as an indicator of changing weather, as the following rhyme records:
  "When Roseberry Topping wears a cap,
  Let Cleveland then beware of a clap!"
  
  
• Preston Hall Museum's most famous exhibit is 'The Diceplayers' painted in 17th century by Georges de la Tour.