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Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum at Skinningrove is celebrating its 25th anniversary on the weekend of Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th September.

The museum is on the site of the original Loftus Ironstone mine which was the first of 83 ironstone mines in the Cleveland Hills. On the anniversary, it will be over 50 years since the Loftus Mine closed and over 160 years since it first started.

Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum Secretary, Janette Holt, said: "This special weekend will be a wonderful way for us to celebrate our 25th Anniversary, with many different activities for young and old alike. And, as a throw back to when the Museum first opened in 1983, admission over the weekend is free with all donations welcome.

Events start at 10.30am each day finishing at 3.30pm, parking and admission is free, with refreshments available.

Tom Leonard

Tom Leonard

Tom was born at Charltons, a small mining village, in 1922. He was educated at the neighbouring village of Boosbeck, before starting work at the South Skelton Mines.

Tom鈥檚 dream became reality with the opening of the Skinningrove Iron Stone Mining Museum in 1983.

Sadly Tom Leonard died shortly before the Museum opened, however, the Museum has gathered from strength to strength.

Volunteer Alan Chilton (Mine Manager) told me how it all started.

He said:

Alan Chilton

"Back in 1847 a Samuel Frederick Okey was looking for ironstone pieces on the beach when a man called Anthony Lax Maynard, told him that there was a seam of ironstone on some land that he owned.

"A friend of Samuel Okey agreed to work the stone but he soon sold the lease to Messrs Roseby for a glass of brandy and water.

"Messrs Roseby started to mine at Skinningrove on 7 August 1848 and the ironstone was hauled by horses along a short railway to a jetty where it was taken to Middlesbrough by boat.

"This was the first mine in Cleveland and at the mines peak it employed 800 to 1000 men and produced 750,000 tonnes per year."

Guided Tour

After a short tour of the mine I could not help but comment that it was kind of spooky.

Alan said: "Well it is haunted." Now he tells me!

"We have a local ghost hunting group who visit the mine regularly. They have told us we have a boy ghost called Teddy who wanders about in the Ambulance room. They even set up a video camera and it shows shadows passing by.

"Little John one of our other volunteers has heard on several occasions someone talking to him. He did say the first time it happened his hair stuck up on end but now he has got used to it."

He鈥檚 a braver man than me!

The Ambulance

You cannot be anything but impressed with the museum and the contribution the volunteers and trustees give.

It was Tom Leonard's dream to open a museum to preserve, display and interpret this important part of local history to visitors. Well Tom wherever you are, dreams do come true.