Ironopolis: Celebration of Middlesbrough's Architecture - Talk Today at 1pm

[fmttmadmin]

Really looking forward to Dr Michael Johnson celebrating Middlesbrough's rich architectural heritage today at 1pm in one of the buildings featured in his new book Ironopolis - FREE!
That might surprise many that Dr Michael Johnson should be talking about Middlesbrough and architecture still standing - but come along today and hear him tell us why we should celebrate our surviving architecture and not just commiserate on past losses.
Part of Discover Middlesbrough - cultural festival starting today and running until the end of October - talks, walks, open days a chance to reconnect, explore and rediscover Middlesbrough.
Here is a taster video.
VIDEO

 

[fmttmadmin]

Today's talk venue in Ironopolis book.

 

[fmttmadmin]

This talk was really good and well attended. Dr Michael Johnson is not from Middlesbrough at all so that really adds kudos to him celebrating our buildings.
Weirdly enough I was walking through St Hilda's after the talk and a lady was photographing some of the buildings with blue plaques in Queens Square - thanks to my new knowledge from the talk I was able to explain to her that two of the figures carved on the relief above the Boho building that was built as National Provincial Bank represented a miner and an iron worker. The two industries to which Middlesbrough and the bank owed all their early growth. Middlesbrough was built as a coal export town for the Durham coalfield and later it became an iron and then steel town.
The lady in question was obviously filling time between trains and had loved looking at the Transporter, the first Town Hall but also Mbro College and all the new building going up. She said she was going away with the impression that Middlesbrough was once again rebuilding very fast and changing with now industry.