The fifth episode of the sixth series of ‘Grundy’s Wonders’ produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy. In this penultimate programme John travels to Middlesbrough in the Tees Valley to see how the area developed from a typical bit of rural North Yorkshire into the industrial powerhouse that it became. While highlight some of the areas of decline, the programme ends on a positive note with John providing examples of how...

The fifth episode of the sixth series of ‘Grundy’s Wonders’ produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy. In this penultimate programme John travels to Middlesbrough in the Tees Valley to see how the area developed from a typical bit of rural North Yorkshire into the industrial powerhouse that it became. While highlight some of the areas of decline, the programme ends on a positive note with John providing examples of how the town is re-imagining itself and finding new ways to move forward into the future. Standing on a pedestal or plinth presenter John Grundy states that this programme is all about ‘cooking and ironing’. He then asks the viewer to work out where he is. An animation of a book with its pages turning revealing different buildings and architectural styles ending on presenter John Grundy holding the programmes title card. Title: Grundy’s Wonders A montage of a 17th century country estate and rows of cottages which John explains, while not wanting to identify them, is at Middlesbrough and nearby Redcar in the Tees Valley. Driving south along the A19 dual carriageway towards Teesside John talks about his experiences of Middlesbrough. Coming to a stop at a spot that overlooks the area John explains that this is a view that he both loves and hates, an astonishing mixture of mega-industry all set in a bowl of beautiful hills. But he asks, how did it all start? Over another montage this time of rural Cleveland that features fields and small villages as well as Roseberry Topping John gives a history of the areas stating that until 1830 Middlesbrough was nothing more than a typical bit of rural North Yorkshire littered with farms and small villages. Coming into the churchyard of St Cuthbert’s Church at Marton John explains that while many of these once rural villages have now been swallowed up by Middlesbrough, many of their Saxon and Viking names survive such as Stainsby, Eston, Wilton, Ormesby and Marton. As he walks through the churchyard and over views of Marton itself John says how he was surprised by the churches village fell and the old vicarages and picturesque almshouses it contains before Middlesbrough caught up with it. Heading into Stewart Park also at Marton John provides details on a remarkable man who was born here in 1728. As a little joke he attempts to find the location where James Cook was born, a house long since demolished. John describes Cook as one of the greatest Englishmen whoever lived and certainly Middlesbrough’s most famous son. Over views of the monument made of Australian granite dedicated to Cook and several totems outside the nearby Captain Cook Birthplace Museum John is astonished by his achievements coming from nowhere in the Northeast of England to going onto conquering the world. Still standing in Stewart Park John explains that he is spoilt for choice about where to go next to see surviving parks of Middlesbrough’s rural past. A montage follows beginning with the beautiful Ormesby Hall now in the care of the National Trust followed by Sir William Turner’s Hospital and Almshouse at Kirkleatham near Redcar described by John as one of the greatest collections of early 18th century buildings in Britain. However, John is actually standing outside Acklam Hall which started life as country house before became the towns Grammar School and was at the time of production part of Middlesbrough College. Built in around 1680 John goes into some of the building architectural features revealing that Teesside was no rural backwater with the hall being bang up to date in the 1680s and a really fashionable house when first built. Heading inside and over an extended montage of it, John exclaims that the halls decorative plasterwork is some of the finest in the whole of the North of England. Over views of Middlesbrough Dock and Transporter Bridge John provides details on the development of the town in 1830 when the owners of the Stockton and Darlington Railway extended their railway to Middlesbrough making a deep-water port from which they could transport their coal from the South Durham coalfields. Over views around Queen’s Square John points out how the surviving builds do showcase how the town expanded with the Customs House being built in the fashionable Greek Doric style and what is now Middlesbrough Old Town Hall being built with an Italianate style tower. Walking along Lower Feversham Street John begins to provide details on what went wrong for the infant Middlesbrough when it went into temporary decline following the construction of docks in a new town of West Hartlepool which were closer to the Durham coalfields taking away Middlesbrough trade. The hulk of a barge partly submerged in the mud of the River Tees and weeds growing around some of the buildings in the area represent the decline of that period changes to John stand in a field with the Cleveland Hills behind him reading a passage from Psalm 121 and explaining how the discovery of a mine in the hill behind him would propel Middlesbrough into the premier division of industrial power and might. Title: Grundy’s Wonders End of Part One Part Two Views over rural Cleveland again featuring Roseberry Topping changes to John climbing the Eston Hills making his way to Eston Nab. With Teesside and the River Tees spread out below he talks about the irony of there being an Iron Age hillfort on the site as the hillside turned out to be one of the richest sources of iron ore ever discovered. As John chats with three local teenagers, he gives a history on the discovery of iron ore by John Vaughn in 1850 who almost literally walked into a wall of iron. The rest, exclaims John, is history and Middlesbrough’s industrial greatness was born. At the Redcar Steelworks following a montage of the production of steel with large industrial machinery and hot metals being poured John providing details on how Middlesbrough became initially the greatest iron town in the country and later for a while the greatest steel town as well. As a train passes under the Newport Bridge John explains that many of the world’s greatest bridges started their life in Middlesbrough with it and the Transporter Bridge being masterpieces of the steelworker’s craft. Over speeded up footage of pedestrians walking along Linthorpe Road outside the Cleveland Centre shopping mall John explains that the population of the town exploded from 7500 in 1851 to more than 90,000 by the end of the century. But asks John, where did they all come from? Standing in a field overlooked by the Redcar Steelworks John states they came from all over the country for the money and the rich pickings in the furnaces and mines of Teesside. As John links the discovery of iron to that of the Californian gold rush of that same years, the terraced street in the first of the new settlements built during this period and known as California. As John walks along a street, he provides some details on these houses which featured privacy, variety of spaces and for the workers and their families a home of their own. A montage of various terraced streets in Middlesbrough itself which John describes as efficiently planned and designed but not that special. Standing in Exchange Square beside one of the keystone heads of the now demolished Exchange Building, John talks about a visit by then Prime Minister William Gladstone to the town in 1862 describing the place as an ‘infant Hercules’ meaning it is growing into something really powerful and shows a confidence and energy that came straight from the blast furnace. A montage around the centre of Middlesbrough featuring architectural features on the Albert Bridge on Exchange Place and both the Empire Theatre and New Town Hall on Corporation Road. Walking along Borough Road John states that while the town is not short of good buildings, if he is being honest while the effect of what has been done is spacious it isn’t very exciting. John goes onto talk about other obvious problems that Middlesbrough has with its fading industries and too much industrial wasteland. Over views around the original town down by the riverbank, he describes the area as having been left in an intensely depressing state Back in Exchange Square he also blames the scabby elevated section of the A66 dual carriageway which cuts Middlesbrough in two. Considering it an unbelievable piece of town planning John decides to give it this weeks ‘Great Boot of History’. An animation of a giant boot coming down onto the road. Walking through King Edward Square, part of then the University of Teesside and now Teesside University, John is impressed by this public square that has been created around the student accommodation. Standing outside the main entrance on Borough Road he is impressed by the mixture of old and new. Over a montage of other buildings on campus including the library, Olympia Building and the Students Union building John explains that these are examples of how Middlesbrough isn’t standing still and is looking forward to a new identity. Around Middlesbrough other examples of how the town is changing such as the Bottle of Notes sculpture and construction going on to building a new contemporary arts space, the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA). Outside the Teesside Combined Courts the sculpture ‘Scales of Justice’ while down by the decaying waterfront the Riverside Stadium, home of Middlesbrough Football Club. Standing at the South Gare near the mouth of the River Tees John picks up and admires a rock laying on the ground. Identifying it not as a rock but a lump of iron slag from the blast furnaces of Victorian Teesside he wonders how it could be so beautiful. Over views of small fishing boats moored in Paddy’s Hole with Tees Dock and industrial Teesside behind it John states that like this landscape made from industrial slag Teesside as a whole is very similar being built on a foundation of industry. Describing the area as an odd sort of place with a lot of which can’t be called beautiful, he finds it a fascinating place and a unique landscape deserving of a ‘Grundy’s Wonder.’ An animation of a fanfare of trumpets over the following title. Title: Grundy’s Wonders Over the closing credits a montage of some of the locations featured in this programme. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Camera Alistair McKenzie Sound Robbie Carruthers, Gail Westwood Lighting Gordon Porteous Production Manager Christine Stewart-Tilling Graphics Dave Richardson Title Music John Cook Sound Dubbing Andy Ludbrook Editor Mark Duncan Executive Producer Graeme Thompson Series Producer Steve Robins Title: © ITV 2005 End title: Working Wonders. ITV Tyne Tees. A Working Wonders TV production in Association with ITV