Historic archive footage revealed by heritage project

Historic footage held in Middlesbrough of bridges, industries and rivers throughout the region has been explored and made more accessible to researchers and the public.

The work is part of a link-up between the Teesside University-based archives and the £2.6m Heritage Lottery Fund supported Tees Transporter Bridge Visitor Experience Project.

During a six week placement at the North East Film Archive, Teesside University BOOST Summer Placement student Jonathan Lithgow has sifted through dozens of hours of footage as part of the Bridges, Rivers and Industrial Heritage Project.

The research will help shed new light on the vast collections that feature landmarks such as the Transporter, High Level, Queen Alexandra and Union Chain Bridges spanning the Tees, Tyne, Wear and Tweed, as well as providing new information on films chronicling shipbuilding, iron, steel and chemical industries in the region.

A list of over a hundred films relating to the Tees, Tweed, Tyne and Wear rivers has been compiled as part of the project, as well as timelines charting key moments and developments along each river.

Jonathan Lithgow, a third year Law student at Teesside University, said: 'The collections feature a whole range of key events, industries and landmarks across the north east from professional footage of royal visits to amateur footage of family holidays in the region.

'Working on the project has helped me gain knowledge of carrying out archival research which will be a valuable skill that I can use in my studies and future career.'

David Parsons, North East Film Archive Coordinator, said: 'We are delighted that through working in partnership with both the Teesside University BOOST Programme and the Tees Transporter Bridge Visitor Experience Project, we have been able to further explore footage of bridges and industry not just in Teesside but throughout the region.

'The work carried out by Jonathan has helped contextualise the collections of NEFA and will make it easier for researchers exploring the heritage and history of the bridges, rivers and industry of the region. We will also use the information to further enhance the community screenings the NEFA offers.'

A selection of footage featured in the project can be viewed on the North East Film Archive website including Bygones, a short film from the late 1970s charting the history of the Tees Transporter Bridge.