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Jack Wright - Amateur Photographer
 | John H.(Jack)Wright in the mirror
Jack Wright (1905-1962) was a respected metallurgist in the steel industry of Teesside and lived in Borough Road, Redcar and then Nelson Terrace by the cricket field. He loved racing cars, motorcycles, aircraft and model planes and was a passionate amateur photographer using a quarter plate camera and an Exacta "miniature" camera.
He regularly photographed the sand racing which took place between Redcar and Saltburn in the twenties and thirties which Ernie Crust had reason to be grateful for when compiling his book "A Dash Between The Tides". He was also a regular visitor to Thornaby aerodrome, photographing the pre-war Airforce, the state of which is a source of wonder that we won the war!
Jack threw off his mortal coils before RAPS came into being and I believe he had some connection with Saltburn Camera Club but as a true Redcarite I'm sure he would have joined us if we had been on the same time-plane. Jack's son Jim is a well-known jazz guitarist and personal friend of mine and has given me access to his father's prints and negatives so I hope to show a variety of his work at a future date but this page is devoted to his pictures of Redcar.
Dick Fawcett.
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Beached - the Athina Livanos
 | The Athina Livanos high and dry.
The ATHINA LIVANOS went aground at Redcar on the 28th of February 1937. I'll have to look in the Zetland Lifeboat Museum to see if there's any mention there.
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The other end.
 | The prop of the Athina Livanos
Jack was obviously looking for a different angle. |
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Beached - The Dunsley
 | The Dunsley high and almost dry.
I sent this photo by attachment to my brother-in-law Ron Mapplebeck, who is the webmaster of Teesships for the World Ship Society, to get a date for the beaching. He put it out on their network and came back with these details.
The DUNSLEY ran aground on Eastscar on the 20th of January 1946 but later was driven stern first onto Stokesley Scar with her bows in the sand. According to "Come along Brave Boys" by David Phillipson the local lifeboat went out to her twice but the crew refused to be taken off.
The ship was owned by a Whitby company, Headlam & Son and was built by Thompson's of Sunderland in 1929. She was damaged by gunfire from the submarine U52 in the North Atlantic in December 1940, then sold in 1954 to be renamed the LOCARNO under the flag of Costa Rica. Within weeks of the sale she was driven ashore having just left the Aquilas in heavy weather and was towed to Gibralta with considerable damage. She subsequently transferred to the Panama flag in 1959 and on the 3rd of January 1961 again went aground off Rapallo when bound from Genoa to Portiglione. She was declared a "Constructive Total Loss" when refloated and was sold to Italian shipbreakers, limping in to Spezia on 15.2.1961.
Coincidentally, at the same time that I contacted Ron with my query he received the following request from an old sea dog:
From Ivor Lloyd
Greetings Ron.
Can you please help me. I am looking for a Photograph of the DUNSLEY.
I was Radio Officer on her in 1947 under Captain G.Trowsdale.
Best wishes
Ivor
It's amazing what you can learn on this site, isn't it?!
Over the years there have been literally hundreds of shipwrecks off Redcar. Info is given about some of them in SHIPWRECKS OF THE YORKSHIRE COAST.
See also the item Local Diving below... |
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The Beach - Acrobats
 | Acrobats entertain on the beach
In June 1936, Jack Wright found plenty to photograph along the front. |
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The Beach - Dancers!
 | Sand dancers in 1936
Shades of Wilson, Keppel and Mary! |
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The Beach - Showgirls
 | Girl entertainers 1936
Girl entertainers were always popular in the thirties. |
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The Beach - The Jovial Jollies
 | The Jovial Jollies 1936
Graduated to a stage with wings and roof! |
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The Beach - Donkey Rides
 | | Donkey rides in 1936 |
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The Beach - The Photographer
 | The Beach Photographer 1936
It was always good to have your picture taken! |
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The Beach - Close Up!
 | A closer view of the photographer
Nothing wrong with enlarging part of the picture in the darkroom. |
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The Beach - Off Stage
 | After the act. Girls off stage.
The girls go to get changed. |
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The Beach - Tea Queue
 | Queueing for a jug of tea 1936
You bought a jug of tea to wash down your egg and sand sandwiches. That's probably where they got the name - nothing to do with the Earl of Sandwich! |
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The Beach - Games (1)
 | Organised games on a crowded beach 1936
The days when you had to get there early to find space to sit! |
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The Beach - Games (2)
 | | Organised games in 1936 |
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The Beach - Showtime
 | The Beach Ventriloquist 1936
A ventriloquist enthrals a young audience. |
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The Beach - The Pleasure Trip
 | All aboard for a trip on the briny sea!
You couldn't go to Redcar without having a pleasure trip - if the sea wasn't too rough. 1936. |
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"Rough Passage"
 | Competition Entry
Jack Wright took this shot from the pier in the mid thirties and entered it under the above title in the "North-Eastern Gazette Snapshots Competition". Unfortunately we don't know how he fared. |
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The Boating Lake
 | Crush under the bridge
I can't remember when I last saw people enjoying themselves in rowing boats but maybe not everyone was ecstatic during this encounter before the war. |
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The Coatham Hotel Bar
 | Time out for refreshment!
Even photographers need a break! |
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JH Junior
 | Jim Wright with boat
Here Jack has taken a shot of his son Jim at the paddling pool on the stray in about 1938. |
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The Fly Guy
 | Jim gets a flight about 1936
A man landed his plane in a field up Redcar Lane and gave flights to all who paid so Jack gave his son a treat. |
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Jack Wright's model
 | Jack photographed by son Jim
While Jim was still very young Jack bought him a box camera but Jim wasn't too good with it until his father fixed a wire viewing frame to it so that Jim could use it at eye level like a 35mm camera. Jack also liked to make flying models and Jim took this photo of his father in the late thirties. (You can't pin Jim down to any date that might give a clue to his age!) |
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The Open Air Pool
 | The open air pool
A popular venue in the twenties and thirties was the open air swimming pool on Majuba Road which was also well supported by spectators. |
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Open Air Pool - Diver
 | Diving for photographers!
Local amateur photographers liked to try for a winning shot at the pool side. |
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Open Air Pool - Show-off
 | Despite the cold water you still got show-offs!
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Open Air Pool - Fun
 | Posing on the board
Where there's a camera... |
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Open Air Pool - Oops!
 | Showing off
And there's always someone ready to show off! |
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Redcar Fairground - Tarzan?
 | Fairground attractions
Redcar had a permanent Fairground where Sandringham Road is now and it drew the crowds including amateur photographers like Jack Wright.
This shot was taken on the evening of 25th August 1934. Exacta camera 1/300th second at f2.8 |
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Redcar Fairground - High Diver
 | The High Diver
"Professor Powsey dives 70ft into 4ft of water" Jack took this shot at 7.00pm on 25th August 1934 with his Exacta camera at 1/300th second at f2.8 |
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New Houses
 | Newly built houses on the Coast Road
Here Jack photographed the newly built houses on Coast Road in 1934 or 36. I'll have to see the negative to see if the rest of the advertising board is complete. Watch this space. |
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The Pier Head
 | Walking on the promenade June 1st 1936
Strollers regularly paraded along the prom from the Coatham end to a house named "Touchwood" near Zetland Park, touched the gate post, and returned from whence they came, according to Vera Robinson - club member and local historian. |
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Disbanding Parade
 | Last Parade of The Home Guard - 1944.
Jack Wright was a Captain in the Home Guard and even while keeping his men at attention on the parade for the disbanding (towards the end of 1944 and not at the end of the war as might be thought) he took the opportunity to take a couple of photos!
After the disbanding Jack still had a lot of Home Guard work to do as he had been in charge of laying the minefields in the area and they had to be cleared and barbed wire removed before the Sand Racing, which had been so popular before the war, could be resumed. |
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At The Cenotaph
 | The Home Guard's Last Parade
The disbanding parade of the Home Guard included a remembrance ceremony at the Cenotaph in front of the Municipal Buildings, now the site of Cherry Trees retirement flats. |
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Dad's Army
 | The Home Guard on manoeuvres
Jack took this photo when his men were having a break while on manoeuvres at Castleton.
To illustrate how closely the TV series of Dad's Army was to the truth, the sergeant on the right of the photo is Jack Davidson who had a baker's shop - just as Corporal Jack Jones had a butchers shop. Also like Jones, he often used his van for the common good when on manoeuvres - plus there was always the odd cakes or buns on the go! |
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Sand Racing
 | Sand Race Meeting in the late 30's.
Jack was never happier than when taking his camera to the Sand Race Meetings and here he shows the popularity of the sport in this photo taken between races, this time further up the beach towards Saltburn.
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Competitor in the late 30's
 | A 1933 MGJ4 rounds the bend!
Robert K.Clark follows the track round at the Marske end in his 1933 MGJ4 which was converted into a single seater for racing. |
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Sand Race - Coatham Meeting
 | Jag, racing at Coatham 1938
A modified Jaguar SS100 racing on the sands at Coatham. |
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One Mile Race
 | Schellenburg wins!
Keith Schellenburg of Ormesby, driving a Riley, wins the One Mile Race on Coatham Sands in 1947. |
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Keith Schellenburg
 | Keith Schellenburg flat out
Keith Schellenburg, Teesside playboy sportsman, pictured during a race on Coatham Sands in the early fifties. |
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Launching the Lifeboat
 | | Redcar Lifeboat gets an airing |
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Talent Contest
 | | Open air entertainment |
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Christmas 1936
 | Jack sent his own Christmas Cards!
Jack's son Jim told me the dog belonged to their next-door neighbour. (He's letting out his age again!) |
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Along The Promenade
 | Photographer photographed
A beach photographer persuaded Jack's wife to pose and Jack caught the scene on his camera. |
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Send a Postcard
 | | Seaside visitors always send a postcard home |
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The Strongman
 | | The Strongman entertains Fairground crowds |
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