The Birthplace of Modern Middlesbrough

A Small Hamlet

In stark contrast to the busy town centre that it would become over the century, Middlesbrough’s population in 1801 stood at only 25 people, centred around Middlesbrough Farmhouse.

Did You Know?

In the early 1800s there was little industrial activity on the Tees at Middlesbrough. Instead, Stockton-on-Tees was the main port for the area.

1800s

1825

Did You Know? By 1829, Middlesbrough had been bought by local businessman and rail pioneer, Joseph Pease to build a new coal port, named Port Darlington, and a town in which the port workers could live. Pease famously predicted ‘Yarm was, Stockton is, Middlesbrough will be’.

Stockton & Darlington Railway Opened

The world’s first publicly-owned, steam-powered passenger railway opened to great fanfare between Stockton & Darlington in a ‘red letter’ day in transport history.

AV Dawson owns and operates

Port Darlington is Born

The coal staiths at Port Darlington were officially unveiled by the Stockton & Darlington Railway Company on 27 December 1830 with the opening of the Middlesbrough Branch Railway.

1830

1831

Did You Know? Developed as an extension of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, Middlesbrough can lay claim to being the world’s first planned railway new town.

First Cargo Exported

The first cargo to be exported from Port Darlington was coal, transported to the staiths and transferred to the steamship ‘Sunniside’. As trade increased, Middlesbrough became known as an important port.

Middlesbrough Dock Opened

As the coal export industry thrived, the staiths constructed at Port of Middlesbrough were unable to sustain the expanding enterprise and it was decided a dock would be better suited to the town’s needs.

Did You Know?

Middlesbrough Dock Clock Tower has four sides but only three clock-faces. It is said that employers to the north of the clock (where the face is blank) did not want their workers ‘clockwatching’.

1842

1850

‘Ironopolis’ - The Birth of Middlesbrough’s Iron Age

Middlesbrough was transformed from a dependence on coal export to one that would be defined by iron, following the discovery of iron ore in the Cleveland Hills.

2020s

19952000

Did You Know?

The Tees has the capability to support a diverse range of cargo including liquid bulks (such as oil), dry bulks (such as aggregates) and project cargo (including cables for offshore wind).

Port of Middlesbrough is Reborn

In September 2020, AV Dawson rebranded its facility as Port of Middlesbrough, giving a nod to the heritage of the site and a name that was first used almost 200 years earlier.

1998: AV Dawson acquired Lin-Din site to extend its port facility

Uniting to Protect the Community

The Tees community was brought together as the Tees Barrage was built as a flood defence, and Tees & Hartlepool Port Users Association (THPUA) was created to protect the interests of the industrial river community.

Port of Middlesbrough and is proud of the heritage of the site. Port of Middlesbrough’s history can be traced back to 1830, when an extension of the Stockton & Darlington Railway opened to deliver coal from the Durham coalfields to the new coal export staiths in Middlesbrough. The port was in fact the birthplace of modern Middlesbrough. Be

This timeline highlights key events in Middlesbrough’s history that shaped the port and the local area. It covers some of the wider developments linked to and around the port including urban developments, river developments, celebrations in the town and the wars.

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The Interwar Years

Gladstone’s ‘Infant Hercules’

William Gladstone, Chancellor of the Exchequer visited Middlesbrough and famously described it as “remarkable, the youngest child of England’s enterprise…an Infant Hercules.”

1862

Did You Know?

By 1874, Middlesbrough had become England’s biggest iron-producer. It produced one-third of the nation’s output.

Celebrations

1881

Did You Know?

The expansion of Middlesbrough Dock left the original staiths at Port of Middlesbrough redundant.

In 1897 Mr T Roddam

Marking half a century since the opening of the coal staiths, although celebrations were delayed one year, Middlesbrough marked its Jubilee with a range of celebrations.

1980s1990s

Autonomy and Growth

The 1980s and 1990s heralded a new chapter and era of change for the River Tees. New opportunities were emerging in the oil and gas sector, resulting in investment in new port infrastructure in Middlesbrough.

The

Bridge was officially opened on 17 October 1911. It is one of only around 30 ever built and is the longest, operational transporter bridge in the world.

1911

1914 -

1918

First World War Middlesbrough and the industries along the River Tees played an important part in the First World War as the town and the numerous local works mobilised to support the country’s efforts.

The interwar years proved to be challenging times with unstable economic conditions bringing closures and conflict in the area. Despite this, extensive investment was underway at Dent’s Wharf.

1920s1930s

19391945

Second World War Industries along the River Tees played a central part in the area’s contribution to the war effort, with local iron and steel being used to make military weapons and ammunition - this also made the area a target for air raid attacks.

1980

Middlesbrough

150th Anniversary Celebrations

To mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of modern Middlesbrough, a year-long programme of events and celebrations was arranged to take place throughout 1980.

19451970s

Did You Know?

In 1973 AV Dawson made the most significant move in its history, relocating to the riverside and acquiring Dent’s Wharf’s site, renaming it Dawson’s Wharf.

Post-War Middlesbrough

The post-war era saw the closure of many of the heavy industries along the south bank of the Tees. Despite this, private sector investment and expansion continued at the port facilities in Middlesbrough.