Blog

The Price of Fashion

Arsenic green was used in paint, wallpaper and textiles. Here we are looking into this deadly substance and its use in fashions, plus its deadly consequences.

Mandall and Co.’s Licoricine

Edward Mandall, a chemist living in Stockton, created Licoricine in the 1870s. It was a cold medicine which claimed to relieve the symptoms of asthma, bronchitis and other ailments.

Christmas Gifts in World War One

Over one hundred years ago, small acts of goodwill were made by children to soldiers serving in the First World War and were recognised by a charity called the Overseas Club.

Head Wrightson and Co.

Head Wrightson was one of the first iron and steel making firms in the Cleveland area to come about in the period of industrialisation in the 1850s.

The First Aid Kit

First Aid Kits were developed commercially by Johnson and Johnson for use on the American Railroad. On both sides of the Atlantic, accidents resulting in injury and death were common on the railways.

The Cleveland Institution of Engineers

Founded in 1864, The Cleveland Institution of Engineers is possibly one of the oldest Institutions of its kind in the world. It contributed to the industrial and technical growth of the Tees Valley and is still a successful Institution today.

Locomotion No 1

In this blog we are looking into Locomotion No 1, the early steam engine that ran of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. This majestic piece of machinery is now in danger of leaving Darlington and Head of Steam – Darlington Railway Museum need your help to ‘Keep the Loco in Darlo’.

Kilncraft Bacchus

Kilncraft Bacchus was a style of British pottery that evoked the feel and look of the 1970s and is still remembered today as a staple of the decade.

Creepy Dolls

For Halloween we are looking into one part of our collections that have the ultimate 'creep' factor - Dolls.

What is it about old dolls that give many of us the creeps? These innocent children’s toys have a reputation for giving many of our colleagues shivers when they have to work with them or even walk past them. So how is it that these little objects can have such a powerful effect on us?

Nahem Shoa and ‘Giant Head of Ben’

Nahem Shoa's portrait, 'Giant Head of Ben' is one of a series of large portraits and is currently an important part of Hartlepool’s Art Collection.

Arthur Wharton

Arthur Wharton may not be a household name today but his place in football history is unmatched. He was the first black professional football player in the FA and one of the best goalkeepers to ever grace the field, pioneering many techniques. Originally from Ghana, Wharton came to Darlington when he was 19 in 1882 to train as a Methodist Missionary at Cleveland Collage.

Lady Florence Bell

Lady Florence Bell had been a successful playwright in her time, a contributor to the social study of Middlesbrough’s steel workers, and was the step-mother of Gertrude Bell. However she is also remembered controversially for her views on women and her work as an Anti-Suffragist.