Wanted - Your ‘steel’ memories

Do you remember the glory days of the region’s steel industry? Did you, or a family member, work for British Steel or its predecessor, Dorman Long? Do you have any memories or photographs you’d like to share?

The University of Teesside and Teesside Archives have joined forces to apply for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to save the British Steel Archive for future generations. Local people are being asked to get involved to ensure that the project can meet the wishes of the community.

Gifted by Corus many years ago, the British Steel Archive is now housed in the Teesside Archives building in Exchange Square, Middlesbrough. It is an extensive collection of photographs, maps, ledgers, deeds and other documents which trace the history of this important local employer and illustrate its role in shaping local society since the middle of the nineteenth century.

Due to lack of funds, the archive remains un-catalogued and therefore inaccessible by local people, family historians and academic researchers. The British Steel Archive Project is seeking funding to catalogue the entire collection, carry out preservation and conservation work and open the archive up to the public.

Photo Opportunity

The British Steel Archive Project will be formally launched by Redcar and Cleveland MP Vera Baird on Saturday 16 September at 2pm at the Main Hall of the University of Teesside’s Brittan Building. (Entry to the hall is via the Main reception in the Middlesbrough Tower, off Borough Road, Middlesbrough). Members of the media are welcome to attend for interviews and filming/photography.

Dr Joan Heggie from the University of Teesside said: “This archive is a wonderful resource for the people of Teesside. Not only is it an industrial collection of national and international significance, it is full of images and documents about the people who worked in the iron & steel-making industries from the mid 1850s.

“Corus has kindly gifted this archive to Teesside Archives but, to fully understand how the steel industry has affected the local community, we need the input of the people who were there at the time. We’re appealing for anyone who has any documents, photographs and stories to get in touch with us.

“You can come along to the launch event or contact us here at the university. We’re asking people who worked for British Steel, or the families of former employees, to check their lofts and photo albums for anything that might be of interest. We’d be glad to hear from anyone who would like to contribute to this important local history project and we promise to take good care of any items we receive.”

To get involved in the British Steel Archive Project, contact Dr Joan Heggie on 01642 384478 or email: j.heggie@tees.ac.uk.

The launch will be held as part of the Local History Open Day on Saturday 16 September. The Open Day runs from 10am – 4pm in the Main Hall of the University of Teesside Brittan Building and is open to the public, free of charge. As well as the archive launch, representatives of various local history groups, museums, libraries, industrial and family history organisations will be present with displays of their work.

---