Index of Past Events
from 2015

   Our group has organised many exhibitions and participated in various events over the years. Descriptions of some of these are provided here for you to see what went on!
   Just "Click" on the item in the list below or page scroll down.

2015 -    5 items
Nov 2015 - Saint Helens Church Opening
Nov 2015 - Remembrance Day Service
July 2015 - 13th Annual Exhibition
May 2015 - Church Flower Festival 2015
May 2015 - Group Visit to Ripon Museums

Sunday 15th November 2015
  - Saint Helen’s Church Opening

  Saint Helen's Church started life as a 12th century Chapel of Ease within the parish of Ormesby.  It became a parish church in 1868 until the building of Christ Church at Eston in 1884 when it became a cemetery chapel.
  The final funeral service was held in 1985, after which it was sealed up by the local Council.  Regretably, much of the fabric and fittings were stolen, the building was badly vandalized and even set on fire!
  This grade II listed church was dismantled in 1998 and the rescued remnants were moved and stored at Beamish Open Air Museum for over 10 years.
  In 2011 the museum began rebuilding Saint Helen's Church in the 1822 Georgian Style and it was made weatherproof by August 2012.  Further funding was eventually raised to restore the interior of the church.
  Members of our history group were pleased to be invited to the opening of the restored church on 15th November 2015 to see the splendid achievement of Beamish Museum.

For views of this visit go to our photo gallery  page
and for a video (including sound) of the interior of this church
go to our VIDEO  page.
(photos and video by Barbara & Harry Greenmon).

For detailed information on the church restoration
see the Beamish Museum website.
More on the church deconstruction before removal from Eston at Beamish Museum Peoples Collections.

There is more about Saint Helen’s in our Article
Saint Helen’s Parish Registers & Cemetery

Tuesday 11th November 2015
  - Remembrance Day Service

  Our Normanby Local History Group organised a short Remembrance Day Service on Tuesday the 11th November 2015 at the Normanby Great War Memorial (corner of High Street & West Street).
  The service drew a crowd of people wishing to pay their respects to the brave men from Normanby who lost their lives during WW1.
  The Reverend Huw Sperring led the service and young children from nearby Bankfields Primary School sang "Pack Up Your Troubles"  and "It's a Long Way to Tipperary"  which was very moving.
  The schoolchildren were from four classes of Years 1 and 2.
Their trip was organized by teacher Mrs Kirsty Forde and the children were accompanied by staff and volunteers from the school.
  After the service many enjoyed refreshments at Normanby Methodist Church and the school children had well earned fruit juice and biscuits.

  For views of this service go to our photo gallery  page (photos by Amanda Proud).

Saturday 18th July 2015
   - 13th Annual Exhibition:
           "Normanby A Century Ago"

  The Normanby Local History Group's recent annual exhibition was held as usual at Normanby Methodist Church.
  It was a great day - the weather was mostly fine - and we were really pleased to see so many interested visitors.
  Once again the group thanks everyone who put in such a lot of hard work to make the day a success (including several local residents not even members!)

  The main theme of the exhibition was Normanby of a hundred years ago - though we did cover a wider scope!

  There were many displays of research & exhibits by our group's members including:-
   - Home Front Normanby 1915
   - 1915 Designs & Fashions
   - Lillian Graham Born 1915
   - 1915 News Flashes
   - Early 20th Century Life
   - Tom Kerrison 1907-2005 with Memorabilia
   - Soldiers Who Returned
   - Normanby & Smiths Dock War Memorials
   - Pte. J.William Holdsworth
   - Popular Postcards c.1915
   - Coins of the Realm 1915 George V
   - George Gale RASC P.O.W. on Burma Railway
   - Toys, Confectionery and Brand Names from a Century Ago
   - Postcards from Normanby (Thomas Caldwell to His Sister)
   - 1915 Plan of High St Shop Alterations & Rail-less Traction Co
   - Visit of King George V and Queen to Smiths Dock in 1917
   - Century Ago in Normanby, Eston and South Bank
   - Photos by Local Photographers in 1915
   - Middlesbrough FC 1914-15

   The North East Meccano Society provided a superb exhibition of working Meccano models demonstrated by Fred Thompson.   Many of those attending remembered the many happy hours they spent with these world-renowned construction sets that were first produced in the early 1900s.
For videos of these models in action go to our VIDEO  page.

  All of our group's publications were on sale with our postcards, prints & booklets being very popular - as was our Tombola with many donated prizes to be won.

  Our very hard-working kitchen volunteers provided welcome refreshments - tea & coffee as well as home-made cakes & scones to keep us all going.

  Entrance was free -   All visitors were made very welcome!
(Our Group thanks North East Meccano Society for exhibiting their great models for free!     All other costs such as accommodation hire & insurance were covered by our Group.)

  To get an overall impression of our 2015 exhibition
go to our photo gallery  page.
(photos mainly by Amanda Proud with some by Mike Wheatley)

  [If you have any photos of our exhibition day that could be
    added to our Photo Gallery or know missing names of anyone in our photos then please contact us  !]

Whit Weekend 23rd to 25th May 2015
   - Normanby Methodist Church Flower Festival

  The Normanby Local History Group provided one of the many flower displays at this festival held to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the new Church which replaced one that had stood on the corner of Cleveland Street with Patten Street for over 100 years.
  Bible stories and group activities formed the theme of this festival.  Proceeds of the festival were shared between Zoe's Place and the Church.
  For more details see the Flower Festival Poster  that was designed by the children of Normanby Primary School.
  A Quiz Sheet (based on the floral exhibits) sold for £1 with all proceeds going to the Great North Air Ambulance.
             See the Quiz Answers.  here.

  The beautiful floral displays were much admired and appreciated by all who attended and many thanks are due to all the display arrangers, sponsors - and especially to the organisers of this festival.

  To see more of this beautiful Flower Festival go to
our photo gallery  page (photos by Amanda Proud).

Wednesday 13th May 2015
     - Group Members’ Visit to Ripon Museums

   Members of our group spent a sunny day at Ripon visiting the museums and whatever else took our fancy!
   First visited was the Prison & Police Museum, followed by the Courthouse Museum and after lunch the Workhouse Museum & Garden.
   One soon appreciated the harsh & uncompromising condtions that some of our unfortunate ancestors may well have suffered if they were found guilty of breaking the laws or fell upon hard-times.
   It was a very interesting and informative day which we all enjoyed.

  To see more of our group’s trip to the Ripon Museums go to our photo gallery  page.
  If you would like to plan your own visit see the
Ripon Museums Website