Did You Know?

The town has a rich history of shipbuilding, with many famous ships being built in its shipyards, including the famous HMS Trincomalee. As an industrial powerhouse on the East coast of England, Middlesbrough was heavily bombed during World War II.

Sydney’s famous Harbour Bridge is constructed out of Middlesbrough steel, as are many other bridges throughout the world.

The enigmatic and charismatic Brian Clough grew in Middlesbrough, so did Don Revie, the controversial former England manager. Expert reader of the game and one of the most gifted defenders the country has ever produced, Jonathan Woodgate.

It has given the world Chris Rea, Maximo Park’s Paul Smith, Paul Rodgers from Free and David Coverdale from Whitesnake. More recent stars include Alistair Griffin, Journey South, James Arthur and Amelia Lily

Middlesbrough folk have become known as ‘Smoggies’ or ‘Smog Monsters’ due to the air pollution from the steelworks and chemical industry.

It was the birthplace of Captain James Cook, the famous British explorer who discovered Australia and many Pacific islands.

The name Mydilsburgh is the earliest recorded form of Middlesbrough’s name and dates to Anglo-Saxon times (400–1000 AD), while many of the original villages that became part of the town appear in the Domesday Book of 1086.  

The Transporter Bridge was featured on an episode of “Auf Wiedersehen Pet”. It was dismantled and taken across the Atlantic to be rebuilt at the Grand Canyon.  

It is home to the iconic Transporter Bridge, a symbol of the town’s engineering prowess. This unique structure, built in 1911, is one of the few remaining operational transporter bridges in the world.

The Tees Newport Bridge, also known as the “Newport Lifting Bridge,” is another iconic landmark in Middlesbrough. This stunning vertical lift bridge, constructed during the 1930s, connects the town with the borough of Stockton-on-Tees.

Middlesbrough started as a Benedictine priory on the south bank of the River Tees, its name possibly derived from it being midway between the holy sites of Durham and Whitby. The earliest recorded form of Middlesbrough's name is "Mydilsburgh".