Land for buildings was offered for sale in February 1830. This land was divided into what was described as plots or lots of about 700 square yards (20X35yds, 60X105ft,or there abouts) in the West St. area. George Chapman bought a plot on West street and three others elsewhere, a total of four plots. A Plaque, now in the Dorman Museum, erected on what was claimed to be the first house built, says that it was built in April 1830. Can a two story house be built in three months? The first child born in the new Middlesbrough was born in the first house on 22nd August 1830, named John Richardson Chapman and on the 29th August 1831, the house was sold to Robert Morrow.
When buildings were built, they were not given building or house numbers. The plaque was not placed on the building by George Chapman. It was put on the house next to and downhill from the King Billy pub.
There are claims on Facebook by someone that he and other members of his family were born and lived in the first house, which was not the house with the plaque.
Consequently, when the new branch line was opened in December 1830, the new railway town of Middlesbrough was already growing. The first house was built by a joiner Mr George
Chapman on West Street in April 1830 (based on photos of a plaque on the house frontage) and the first child to be born in the new town, John Richardson Chapman, was born there on the 22nd August that year, 1830. George Chapman also bought three other plots in the new town.
The first plots to be sold, a batch of thirty and outlined in red on the map below, were on the west side, just avoiding the farmhouse and the burial ground.
When the map of the [plots is compared to a map of the buildings, it can be seen that in many cases, more than one building was built on each plot.
St. Hilda's Plot Plan.
Really interesting article.
I bought the first plot for a house on the former Ayresome Park football ground but it wasn't the first house to be built nor was I the first resident. So, which house would you put a plaque on at Ayresome Park?
You can clearly see from the photograph the different rooflines, brickwork and windows of the neighbouring houses. Clearly there were different builders along the same terraces, which would have made the streets less uniform. The doorway of the first house is surprisingly substantial. Maybe you would put an extra effort into the outside appearance of the very first house in a town regardless of it being a humble two up two down.