1. Death Knell For South Bank?

Northern Echo Headline: Cheapest street to be bulldozed Copyright Northern Echo First published on Thursday 30 September 2004 AN eyesore street that contains the country's cheapest house is to be demolished. Number 57 Costa Street in South Bank, Middlesbrough, hit the headlines last month after it was valued at £5,000 - earning it the title of the UK's cheapest place to live, said the Land Registry. Now Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has pledged that its first priority to tackle the area's housing problems is to bulldoze Costa Street, and adjacent Aire Street and Salisbury Terrace. An ex-Costa Street resident, who moved out two years ago, said: "Personally, I think the quicker the houses come down the better. They're an eyesore. "I lived there with my husband for 45 years, but we feel nothing towards the house. I don't believe anyone has bought a house there recently, but if they have, they must be completely mad." South Bank has more than 1,000 terraced houses, many vacant because of fears over crime and anti-social behaviour. Councillor Chris Abbott, cabinet member for housing and neighbourhood renewal, said: "We are working on the details for the acquisition and relocation processes." Consultants Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners drew up a report to tackle the high vacancy rate and plunging home values. They drew up options which were included in a questionnaire, completed by 235 residents. The option backed by 50 per cent of people was to demolish virtually all older housing in South Bank, as well as more recent, social and private housing north of Redcar Road. It also included demolishing the South Bank shopping centre, building 800 homes and a community woodland planting. Coun Abbott said: "The cabinet has not considered the options and we will not do so until there has been further consultation and more detailed assessment of the recommendations." After I read the above piece I was motivated to get down to South Bank with my camera before any more was flattened. I parked at the market and went walkabout, heading for Salisbury, Costa and Aire Streets. However, once I started, I carried on to photograph all the streets under threat of demolition. It was while walking around I started to think of the many Slaggy Islanders who had moved away who still remembered the town the way it was. This page is for them - although they might not thank me for ruining their memories. If it's any consolation I feel just as sad. Dick.

2. Starting point.

South Bank Market on October 1st 2004

3. The Remaining Shops

Middlesbrough Road opposite the police station

4. A walk on the dark side

Hostel built on the corner of where West Terrace once stood Today this is the best building in South Bank and I thought it was sheltered accomodation. Well it is but not for the pensioners that I envisaged. This is the hostel that has upset so many people in the area. It houses drug addicts and sex offenders who exhibit an arrogance that has alienated the local population who are incensed at the way the council ignore their needs and foist unwanted projects such as the hostel upon them. There was a recent outcry when a convicted rapist staying at the hostel scooped the jackpot on the National Lotto leading to questions being asked in the House of Commons. While pleading lack of funds to improve the town it seems there is no lack of cash to enable the criminal fraternity to lead a comfortable life. Well, why should this council be different from their predecessors?

5. Salisbury Terrace

Photographed from Upper Princess Street Salisbury Terrace houses were considered a cut above many South Bank street houses.

6. Salisbury Terrace 2

Salisbury Terrace proper

7. Salisbury Terrace 3

The other, newer side of Salisbury Terrace

8. Leven Street

Leading into Costa Street

9. Aire Street

Aire Street was already mortally wounded by a previous council

10. Aire Street 2

A horse now feeds where once I lived. Cheek!

11. Tyne Street

Tyne Street looks a bit different!

12. Upper Princess Street

From Tyne Street looking towards the police station

13. The Door to Nowhere

And I thought the steel "Fish Sculpture" in Redcar was a waste of money! The last two photos were out of sequence but here we go from Aire Street across some grassland (for want of a better word) towards Queen Street to find this pointless cast iron door. Unless it is a modern pissoire? Certainly it has been put to that use!

14. Reality? Whose?

Dick Stiles pointed out the inscription "From Home To Reality" Besides being disparaging at someone's idea of Art, Dick also pointed out the house in Costa Street in the background (directly behind the green seat). As can be seen, a fire has left half of the roof missing but Dick pointed out that the council, in it's wisdom, has seen fit to put on half a roof (facing the street) and has also painted the house front!

15. Queen Street (West)

Queen Street waiting for the chop It is only a matter of time before Queen Street is removed from the landscape as it is in a worse state than Costa Street. I'll have to go back and take another photograph from the front because Dick Stiles was telling me that the council has installed double glazed windows in the empty houses. Surely not...

16. Queen Street

Only one house is inhabited in the street One to go! You can see some of the windowframes that Dick was on about. Who makes these decisions in the council?

17. (Little) Ann Street

This part of Ann Street was opposite the old Co-op Bakery

18. South Terrace

Round the corner and previously unadopted, my old home

19. South Terrace 2

Some changes have been made - but not a lot! A locked gate either end of the alley; rendered and painted number 91 (where Brian Green lived); rendered 93; and a big bush hiding my old home of 95. Oh, and a lamp post further down.

20. Ann Street 2

Eyesore Street

21. Ann Street 3

Happy Birthday Brian Wood! 1st October 2004.

22. Ann Street 4

What more can I say? A friend of mine in his 80's comes into the RAFA Club in Redcar every Sunday night armed with a new (different) joke and gradually goes to every table to tell it. Trouble is you can hear him telling other tables before he gets to you! Still, I thought you might like this effort of his... In the aftermath of Hurricane Charley which devastated Florida two South Bank lads went to see if they could help. On arriving, they approached local Fire Chief to offer their services. "Where are you from?" the Chief asked. "South Bank" they said. "Where's that?" "On the North East coast" they replied. "What State is that in?" he asked. "About the same as this" they said looking round.

23. Cromwell Road School

Even the school is earmarked for demolition

24. Cromwell Road

Photographed from Ann Street toward Harcourt Road Some of the houses were demolished years ago.

25. Cromwell Road 2

The other side of the Harcourt Road end of Cromwell Road Here lived the Doyles, Dobsons and Steers.

26. Cromwell Road 3

This part of the road, opposite the school is where Peter and Harry Evans lived

27. Cromwell Road 4

As I passed the first house a notice in the window caught my eye. It said: Beware of Pigeons! I thought that was strange but a few yards on a noise caused me to look up... I was being watched!

28. Cromwell Road 5

The school opposite - covered in pigeons!

29. Cromwell Road 6

Looking toward the old vicarage, now flats

30. Victoria Street

Looking towards St.Peter's clock

31. Pym Street

From Victoria Street looking to Harcourt Road

32. Pym Street 2

Part of the street was pulled down to make way for a playground

33. Warwick Street

Looking towards Harcourt Road

34. Warwick Street 2

The other side of the street

35. Victoria Court

These are the flats built on the site of Victoria Street School (The Central)

36. Victoria Court 2

Looking a little the worse for wear

37. Hampden Street

Towards Harcourt Road

38. Victoria Court 3

The side in Hampden Street

39. Victoria Court 4

The other side of the Court leads through to Edward Street with the back view of Pym Street

40. No More Oakleaf

The Oakleaf went, leaving another eyesore This area was a common which, just after the war, still contained a big round water tank in case of fire in the Majestic cinema. Then the Oakleaf was built on the site, lived its life, was demolished and the site is now back to square one - minus the water tank! The remains of the Majestic can still be seen but while it is now a garage and a source of work for some, it is still an eyesore.

41. King Street

King Street looks remarkably clean when compared to other streets The McLays lived here. Was it 56? I saw Arthur last week at an illustrated talk on the "South Bank Dornier" by author Bill Norman. I occasionally see Joe (and hope to see him at the reunion) and I'm in touch with David who lives in America (Colonel David McLay ex USAF).

42. Pym Street Shop

On the corner of Pym and King Streets Where I bought my first ice cream after the war. It was full of bits of ice but I enjoyed it just the same.

43. Pym Street Shop 2

44. Cromwell Road

The Americans would describe this as Cromwell and King being on the corner

45. Oliver Street

Oliver and King!

46. King Street Shops

The nearest one was Laurie Johnson's barber shop when I was young!

47. The Cleveland

I had many happy times in that place, both when it was a pub and before that a snooker hall Actually its history goes way back. It was a cinema; a boxing hall; an auction house; a snooker hall - with a cafe at the front; and a pub. I don't know what it was when the Cleveland closed down.

48. South Terrace

South Terrace and King!

49. The Sporting Club

It was a sad day when the Sporty burnt down - now its a car park

50. Queen Street

Queen Street facing west (Cargo Fleet) from Jackson Street

51. Queen Street 2

Queen Street leading to Normanby Road from Jackson Street

52. Redcar Road

Looking West from Jackson Street

53. Redcar Road 2

Looking towards Normanby Road

54. Oak Street

Oak Street

55. Market Street

Next to the Co-op Buildings As I took the Oak Street shot Tony kelly came up on his way to the market. He asked if I'd seen the old advert in Market Street which had been uncovered when they took the rendering off the wall. I hadn't.

56. Market Street Advert

A closer view shows it advertising Phillips Bicycles - Criteria?

57. Finish at the Start

The subway from Asda to the Market - should have been first photo!

58. Missed Out!

In Redcar Road I took two shots of the mural on the old British Legion site

59. Missed Out 2

The other half of the mural

60. Comments

a) From Michael McLoughlin in Brisbane, Australia
"I have looked and read your subject -namely "For All Ex Pats" - in which at several look ins on the subject matter I find myself bewildered at the present state of South Bank. One may be forgiven for thinking that the blitz finished 60 years ago but the local council seems to have taken (through some mismanagement?) poor old South Bank back to the days of the blitz. In fact to me personally, looking at the pictures and reading the comments, I now feel that the same council has raped the old place of my childhood and left a once orderly, neat little town to live in something reminiscing of a horror show! Shame on the council!"
There are more photographs on the 21st Century page.

61. A Century In Stone

The cover of Craig Hornsby's work of art Without the discovery of iron ore in the Eston Hills there would have been no Steel Industry in the area and probably no South Bank. Craig Hornsby has put together the history of the local mining industry in an informative and entertaining film which I can personally recommend and which I am sure will appeal in particular to our ex-pats around the world. Incidentally, although Craig was born in Guisborough maternity hospital he lived in Steele Crescent, 1967, before emigrating to the very first houses in the lush green pastures of Whale Hill... and he was ex-St Peters too! A Century In Stone