Online Archive Celebrates Middlesbrough High Street's Rich Heritage
The changing face of Exchange Square features in the new online hub (Teesside Archives, Alwin Cowey Collection)
Striking photographs and historic plans from Middlesbrough's past are going digital as part of a groundbreaking initiative.
The rarely seen historic material from the collections of Teesside Archives is being made available through the town's High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) project.
Middlesbrough is one of more than 60 High Street Heritage Action Zones across the country, which aims to secure lasting improvements to historic high streets for the communities who use them. The initiative is Government-funded and run by Historic England.
The new website features the latest news, blogs, events and resources from the project (Middlesbrough Council)
The new online hub features a host of historical resources for exploring the history and heritage of the Heritage Action Zone around Middlesbrough's Historic Quarter centred on Exchange Square and the Railway Station.
Newly digitised material includes plans of a number of Victorian and Edwardian buildings, including the Grade II* Listed Webb House on Zetland Road, designed by celebrated Arts & Craft pioneer Philip Webb, Middlesbrough Railway Station and the now demolished Royal Exchange.
Users of the new HSHAZ digital resources are invited to share their memories of the Historic Quarter, including the former bus station on the site (Teesside Archives)
As well as making the plans accessible through the new website, a number of photos and sketches from across the decades are also featured including images of pubs, newspaper cuttings, reports and souvenir publications.
Information about the HSHAZ project and new education resources, community submissions, oral histories, blogs and additional material will be added to the new online platform as the project develops.
HSHAZ Community Engagement Officer Dr Tosh Warwick said: "By digitising material and developing the new online Middlesbrough Heritage Action Zone platform we are able to make archival material to a range of new audiences to enhance engagement with our area's history and heritage, develop new education resources and encourage local communities to share their own items and shape the project."
A digitised negative of Zetland Road featured on the new online hub (Teesside Archives)
Teesside Archives Manager Ruth Hobbins added: "Working in collaboration with the Middlesbrough HSHAZ has provided an amazing opportunity to digitise and showcase some of our wonderful plans and images of the historic centre of Middlesbrough to new audiences.
"It will greatly expand the reach of the service and allow more people to engage with their history and heritage."
Renovation of Middlesbrough Station above Winterschladen's in 1978 (Teesside Archives)
Councillor Mieka Smiles, Middlesbrough Council's Executive member for Culture & Communities, said: "Middlesbrough has amazing history and heritage and our Heritage Action Zone is helping to ensure it plays its part in the town's future.
"These new digital resources will open up a wealth of amazing material, not just to scholars and academics, but also to the public at large.
Several photographs of the grand Victorian Royal Exchange, demolished in the 1980s, have been made accessible through the collaboration (Teesside Archives)
"Great things are happening in Middlesbrough, and the Heritage Action Zone will be right at the heart of the action."
Chris Collett from Historic England said: "We are delighted to be funding such an exciting archive project through the High Streets Heritage Action Zone programme.
"It will be wonderful to give local people access to this fascinating visual record of Middlesbrough's rich history."
The new Middlesbrough HSHAZ online platform can be accessed at www.historicquarter.co.uk.
Source: Middlesbrough Council
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Background information
The High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) Programme
Middlesbrough Council is committed to making the Historic Quarter a more desirable place for businesses, visitors, investors and local people.
The HSHAZ programme is a package of £2m interventions in the conservation area, funded by Historic England and Middlesbrough Council, which include:
Property improvement grants to bring eligible historic buildings back into use
Upgrading Zetland Road and Exchange Square public spaces
Community activities where people can learn about the area's heritage, work together and learn new skills
A cultural programme where local communities and cultural organisations can celebrate the area, and commission artists/creatives to make it a more attractive, engaging and vibrant place
By restoring buildings, improving public areas and involving local people in the project, we will ensure this key part of Middlesbrough's history can survive - and thrive - well into the future.
About High Streets Heritage Action Zones
The High Streets Heritage Action Zones is a £95 million government-funded programme led by Historic England, designed to secure lasting improvements and help breathe new life into our historic high streets for the communities and businesses that use them. Historic England is working with local people and partners to unlock the rich heritage on these high streets, through repair and improvement works as well as arts and cultural programmes, making them more attractive to residents, businesses, tourists and investors. https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/heritage-action-zones/regenerating-historic-high-streets/
About Historic England
We are Historic England the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England's spectacular historic environment, from beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops. We protect, champion and save the places that define who we are and where we've come from as a nation. We care passionately about the stories they tell, the ideas they represent and the people who live, work and play among them. Working with communities and specialists we share our passion, knowledge and skills to inspire interest, care and conservation, so everyone can keep enjoying and looking after the history that surrounds us all.