IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Sorrel Court, MIDDLESBROUGH, TS7 8RZ

Councillor Thomas D Stewart gave the park to the people of Middlesbrough in 1928. The site of the cottage where Captain James Cook was born is in the park.

A garden folly once part of the Marton Hall estate built by Teesside industrialist Henry Bolckow in 1858. In 1878 the estate passed to Bolckow's nephew Carl who managed to continue to lead an extravagant lifestyle despite the boom years of the iron industry being over. By 1907 the hall was empty, all fixtures being sold to pay off his debts. Apart from the billeting of troops during WW1 it was never lived in again. The estate was brought in 1925 by Thomas J Stewart who presented it to Middlesbrough as a park. The hall itself destroyed by fire in 1960. A few stoneworks remain.

Not sure what the pipe is for. Presumably a stench pipe, a vent for an underground sewer pipe. The steel mesh is I guess an attempt to stop the hollow ash tree from being used as a rubbish bin. This has not been successful and the old tree has been subject to fires lit in its trunk. But it survives but I suppose it'll now have to fight ash die back disease.

This granite urn was erected by Henry Bolckow, the wealthiest and most powerful local ironmaster, to mark the spot where Capt. James Cook was born in the old village of Marton. Henry Bolckow had decided to build his new house on this site and promptly relocated the villagers into new houses built on Marton Road 500m to the south west Image The Bolckows moved into their new mansion, Marton Hall, in 1858. In 1878 the estate passed to Bolckow's nephew Carl who managed to continue to lead an extravagant lifestyle despite the boom years of the iron industry being over. By 1907 the hall was empty, all fixtures being sold to pay off his debts. Apart from the billeting of troops during WW1 it was never lived in again. The estate was brought in 1925 by Thomas J Stewart who presented it to Middlesbrough as a park. In 1960 a fire broke out and the hall was reduced to ashes. The steps and stonework in the photo are all that remains.

This is the only surviving part of Marton Hall, former home of ironmaster Henry Bolckow. The hall was demolished in 1960 and replaced by a conservatory, which has since also been demolished.

Long lost relations of the photographer were parishioners here from 1875. Many years before then, navigator, James Cook was baptised in the Church. http://www.g4fas.net/mmfsmary.html