The Normanby Local History Group

  The Normanby Local History Group is a non-profit making collection of people who are interested in keeping the rich history of this small area in the North East of England alive for future generations to enjoy.

What We Do

  We research and uncover: archive records, photographs, artefacts and living memories of everything that has created the community of Normanby that we live or have lived in.

  We produce publications  including calendars, postcards, prints and booklets on some fascinating subjects about Normanby including Spencer Hardwick's brilliant booklets on life growing up in Normanby gained from his 90 years of living here along with Eric Armstrong's booklet on The Poverina Pub, the Old Mill and Richardson's Brewery.

  We hold monthly meetings  as well as other events   including exhibitions of our work and collections usually at the Normanby Methodist Church.  Coach trips for our members are organised to visit museums, etc within a 90 minute drive from Normanby.
  You are very welcome to come along to any of our monthly meetings and see what we do.

Our Website

  This website is to act as an online magazine where new and interesting Articles  on Normanby can be published and new material discovered with your help.

  You can add your memories of Normanby to our moderated Message Board  and we welcome any photographs that you may have and are willing to share with us. These Messages can form the basis for Articles.

  Do you have any questions about the past of Normanby village and people? Please Contact  us and we’ll try to help and may put your query on our List of Appeals for Help .

  Our group’s archives contain many images and some of these are displayed in our Galleries of Photos . These galleries also include some of our earlier calendars and photos from our Group outings, exhibitions, memorial services, etc. For recordings of some of our Group’s events do view our Videos

  You can view other parts of our website by ’clicking’ on any underlined italics text  which provide links to other pages.   These links turn pale-yellow when you move the cursor over them - then you can ’click’.   Start your exploration via the links in the main Menu bar at the top of each page.

Where We Are

  Normanby began as a small village in the North Riding of the county of Yorkshire. This county was succeeded (for Normanby) in 1968 by the county borough of Teesside which only lasted six years until 1974 when absorbed into the new county of Cleveland - itself abolished in 1996.
  So Normanby is now in the borough of Redcar & Cleveland     (within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire).
  Nevertheless traditionalists consider Normanby still lies within the North Riding of Yorkshire.

Area We Cover

  The Normanby Local History Group covers the geographical area from the top of the Eston hills northwards to the river Tees foreshore at South Bank.   Spencer Beck forms the Western boundary, with Crossbeck forming the ancient Eastern boundary.   However we have extended our area of research eastwards to include Woodgarth and Old Eston.
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Planned Events for 2024

Normanby Local History Group is pleased that it continues to hold its monthly meetings and some other events.

Regular meetings will be held on 4th Wednesday of each month.
For more information see our Events  page.

Other planned events will be announced as they are organised.

11th Hour of 11th Day of 11th Month
    Monday 11th November 2024
      - Remembrance Day Service

  Our Normanby Local History Group organised a Remembrance Day Service on Monday the 11th November 2024 at the new Remembrance Garden in Cleveland Street only.

(Not at the Normanby Great War Memorial
on the corner of High Street & West Street.)

For fuller details as they become available
- see Planned Events  page.

  For details of all previous events
- see Index of Past Events  page.

Latest News and Articles

SEASONS GREETINGS!!
From Normanby Local History Group
- to All Our Website Visitors Everywhere!    

  We’re pleased to be able to say that our group continues with our members active in arranging, promoting and participating in events in Normanby and roundabout.
  A few of these activities have been illustrated on this website - but many more have been undertaken by our members.
  We all hope and intend that this will continue well into the future so that the past of our village of Normanby is not forgotten.
  Hopefully our website has, and continues to present you with items of interest that have stimulated memories of our village.

  May we wish you all a Happy Christmas and New Year.

"Angel of the Cemetery"
   Unveiling in Eston Cemetery
      on Tuesday 8th October 2024 - 12th November 2024  

   This is the story of the "Angel of The Cemetery" that was officially unveiled on 8th October in Eston Cemetery, which formed part of Arts project funded by Borderlands Creative People and Places.
   Former local councillor Vince Smith, who formed Friends of Eston Cemetery following the pandemic, has been the main voice of support for the project and has worked with Borderlands to see it through.

For more details and photos see the Past Event
"Angel of the Cemetery"

Publication of Our Group’s 2025 Calendar of
      "Normanby & Old Eston - Past & Present" - 16 October 2024  

  Our group has just published our new 2025 calendar.
  This depicts pictures of Normanby scenes "Past & Present" taken from near the same viewpoints.
  So you can check whether our village has changed - or hasn’t!

See our Publications  page for more details & availability.

New Article -
"Norwegian Sailors Buried in Eston Cemetery"
- 14 Oct 2024   

   This article is based on the work done by Vince Smith for a display at the 2022 exhibition held by our group.

   This is the story from World War One of how three merchant seamen, two Norwegians and a Dane came to be laid to rest in our local Eston Cemetery.


    Please see Vince’s research in his Article .

John Lister Coverdale:
Sad News from Normanby LHG - 3 May 2024  

   One of our group’s former, long-term members, John Lister Coverdale, sadly died recently at the age of 88, in a care home in Middleton St. George. Many of you will have known John since childhood. Sincere condolences to John’s family.
   His funeral was held at St Andrew’s Church, Ingleby Greenhow on Monday 29 April, followed by private internment in the Churchyard.
   Donations if desired to Dementia Forward or St.Andrew’s Church.

For more details see this
Tribute to John Lister Coverdale

Kenny Surtees:
Sad News from Normanby - 30 January 2024  

   One of our village’s long-term residents, Kenny Surtees, sadly passed away on 29th December 2023 aged 74.
   Kenny was well known locally as the proprietor of the card shop Jubilees on our High Street and made many friends in Normanby.
   Kenny mentioned many of these in a poem he wrote and kindly allowed us to publish on our website.

For more details and photos see the Article
Normanbys Farewell to Kenny Surtees

Publication of Our Group’s 2024 Calendar of
      "Normanby - Past & Present" - 20 October 2023  

  Our group’s calendars have always been popular and we have just published our new 2024 calendar.
  This depicts pictures of Normanby scenes "Past & Present" taken from nearly the same viewpoints.
  So you can check whether our village has changed - or hasn’t!

See our Publications  page for more details & availability.

Previous News & Articles

  All those prior to 2022 have been moved to separate pages so as to keep this home page more timely.

See Previous News & Articles from 2011 to 2022.