From this newspaper 150 years ago. – In the Cleveland Iron Trade, which is rapidly becoming the staple trade of this important district, we have to report a slight change for the worse – but this is only a slight change.

Yet while there has been a general falling-off in the price of iron, in Cleveland we have to report not one moiety of the decline which has taken place in Scotch and Staffordshire makers, whose district pigs fell very suddenly, to the extent of nearly 10s a ton.

We learn that “All the large firms in the district are still fully occupied, and have orders on hand which will keep them so for some time to come.

Without one solitary exception, all the Cleveland furnaces are in blast, and of the 68 in Cleveland and South Durham only 13 are out, and these on the north side of the Tees, a plain indication that the trade is centring itself in the Cleveland district.

Stephenson, Wilson, Jacques and Co have commenced with the erection of new furnaces near Middlesbrough, and other new works are on the tapis, notably some of an extensive character at Stockton.

Darlington and Stockton Times:

Our shipbuilding firms are doing an increasing business, and in two or three instances are extending their yards.

The Tees Conservancy Commissioners at their last meeting discussed the subject of additional dock accommodation for the river, and the railway company, who admit the necessity of the case are urged by them to supply what has long been a desideratum.”

From this newspaper 100 years ago. – Several circumstances have recently combined to force upon the public of Thirsk and Sowerby some consideration of the housing defects of the two townships.

The Medical Officer of Health, in his annual report to the Rural District Council, put the matter in a phrase when he said, “In Thirsk and Sowerby, as in many old towns, houses have been with the idea of getting the maximum population on the minimum space.”

Anyone interested in tracing the fundamental importance of the mental processes will find in the yards of Thirsk, Norby, and a certain area of Sowerby how avarice has translated itself into ugliness.

In Sowerby the matter was last week brought before the public in the shape of a suggestion by Mr J E Hall that the parish should acquire and demolish some unsightly and insanitary property opposite the schools, that has for long been an eyesore to the village.

It is to be feared, however, that public opinion is not yet ripe for expenditure on such an object. As was pointed out at the meeting, there are no houses for the present tenants if these were destroyed.

This had been stated to the Rural District Council in the report to the Medical Officer observing that “Houses of such a rental as could be expected to be paid by the working man were lacking, and that this handicapped the carrying out to the full of such changes as were considered advisable.”

From this newspaper 50 years ago. – Although public lighting has been provided in the village street at Swinton near Masham, residents have still to take electric torches to their front doors after dark when visitors knock so they can see who they are.

Nor do the lights help them or their visitors to negotiate the steps up to the houses in the dark, Masham Rural Council was told on Wednesday. The full effect of the street lighting is hampered by walls and hedges which left the lower parts of the houses in darkness, said Coun E S Bulmer. The light shone about head high in the house doorways and when the residents opened their doors at night they were dazzled.

Darlington and Stockton Times:

“And that is what we get spending money. I think they have better lighting in Swinton now than they have in Masham,” said Coun W J Wilkinson. Coun W Pickersgill suggested that if the height of one of the lights was increased this would give the extra light required to the houses.