Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Tuesday, 30 May 2006

It was Family Activity Day at the Town Hall this morning.

We started off on a short walk round the Town Centre having various points of interest, and our history pointed out to us in a very interesting way. We had only got to stage two when I commented that I didn't know how much I didn't know about our town !

Did any readers know how many "firsts" there were in Stockton ? We saw the first area of slum clearance in the country in the Green Dragon Yard following on from studies by Dr M'Gonigle.

Then the site of the first Sunday School in Finkle Street started by Baptist preacher Edmund Harvey to educate poor boys in the area. We passed a plaque to John Walker, inventor of the first friction match outside the Castle Centre, on our way to the bust of him - but was it? You will have to go on the tour to find out! Also a plaque to Ivy Close on the wall of the Swallow - first "Miss World". Back to the Town Hall - only one of seven Town Houses of its era still a working building. And of course it was there that there was the celebration of the world's first public railway.

A welcome cuppa awaited people, with arts and crafts for the youngsters, a conducted tour of the Town Hall, and a look at some interesting old photos.

Then not such an exciting meeting about budgets, and more interestingly plans for further events and the Mayor's Ball.

A visit to the physio again tonight - and good progress is being made, thankfully.