Scandinavian House

It also got to see It’s fair share of scuffles..here it is overseeing a clash between the Boro and Birmingham Firms in the early 80s 😁😁7EC32C18-7436-4DB3-957B-36759EFB7699.jpeg
 
We publicised an event in there a couple of years ago as part of Discover Middlesbrough - Andy McConnell - The Glassman from BBC Antiques Roadshow came up specially to give a talk about the stained glass window which turns out to be extremely rare, manufactured and shipped across from Sweden at great expense. It has been restored and the mural has been saved after under threat of being whitewashed at one point.
There has been a great deal of work done investigating the mural and stained glass window, notably by Middlesbrough born artist Sean Sims. He has put them and the building on the map both on his illustrations of buildings of the town and also by by recognising the national and international importance of the building and artwork.
 
Stolen from Memories of Middlesbrough-

While we can be sure about who created the stained glass windows at Scandinavian House, the mosaic outside has been more difficult to pin down.

Local researcher Sean Sims believes that it's the work of Swedish artist Harry Booström, whose work was of a similar style and who was contracted to create murals in at least one Swedish school.

The similarities between Middlesbrough’s mosaic and Booström's work are apparent in the third and fourth photographs shown here, and we know that the Swedish Church was in the habit of commissioning notable artists to produce work for their overseas missions.

The mural was installed in 1966 - three years after the building's completion - and is recognised as a significant work by the C20 Society. Unfortunately (as we'll see tomorrow), it hasn't always been treated with the respect it deserves...

FA30AA23-F49D-4B21-BB5A-90626E679E60.jpeg.
 
I remember going there on a school visit (I think we were touring different religious places at the time) when I was at Linthorpe. Don't really remember much else other than being given some Swedish cakes with a little Swedish flag in them.
 
BillyGoat95 said:
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-news/centre-holding-past-tradition-3782920

Not sure if that link will post alright but I guess this explains it. My family it was certainly just a case of Scandinavian sailor in port on Teesside marrying a local, plenty of other examples of the same too.

Why so many Scandinavian vessels came to Teesport in the first place I'm not sure, just geography I suppose.
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The Swedish crime writer, Henning Mankell, creator of Wallander, was a sailor who frequented Middlesbrough for his job. In an interview before he died he mentioned how he wanted to be a sailor to visit exotic places, particularly Africa, but ,I paraphrase, "I spent more time in Middlesbrough than anywhere else!"

I wish he wrote a story based in Middlesbrough. A couple of Estonian sailors murdered and a Swedish friend is the main suspect. Wallander comes to Teesside to save his friend and find the real culprits. Probably Russian spies! Bongo would inevitably be included
 
birkbeck_dj said:
The Swedish crime writer, Henning Mankell, creator of Wallander, was a sailor who frequented Middlesbrough for his job. In an interview before he died he mentioned how he wanted to be a sailor to visit exotic places, particularly Africa, but ,I paraphrase, "I spent more time in Middlesbrough than anywhere else!"

I wish he wrote a story based in Middlesbrough. A couple of Estonian sailors murdered and a Swedish friend is the main suspect. Wallander comes to Teesside to save his friend and find the real culprits. Probably Russian spies! Bongo would inevitably be included
Click to expand...


Didn't know this! Great little story. As a huge Wallander fan I love to read stuff like this.
 
Michael_Vronsky said:
Didn't know this! Great little story. As a huge Wallander fan I love to read stuff like this.
Click to expand...

The interview is below

Henning Mankell: the last Wallander

It includes this:

School bored him and at 15 he was a merchant seaman, "a wonderful year of hard work and learning how to live. My university. The only disappointment was that I'd dreamed of sailing to Liberia, Rhode Island, even Rotterdam, but somehow it was always Middlesbrough. Fifteen times.
 
rob_fmttm said:
Swedish folk duo, First Aid Kit, sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg, grandfather was pastor at the Swedish church, Sjomanskyrkan, so their mother was brought up in Middlesbrough in Church Lane, Acklam.
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The connection of Swedish culture with Middlesbrough, with the examples of First Aid Kit and Henning Mankell , is stronger than I once thought!
 
Does this help - a brilliant piece in the Northern Echo about when Andy The Glass Man |McConnell of Antiques Roadshow came north without any costs to give a talk about the stained glass window at the Swedish Church because of its importance. A really good article this by Northern Echo history and deputy editor - Chris Lloyd - sadly the Start Studio has now moved from this base and I believe the space is available again.
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/history/15601486.art-glass-comes-life-one-time-seamens-mission/
 
My parents told me it was the Seaman's Mission for Swedish sailors. I didn't realise it was a church as well. Lots of Swedish ships would have come to Teesside to drop off timber and iron ore, same with Norwegian ships. My family taxi business used to transport sailors from and to Teesport. I remember taking Norwegian currency (my birthday money) into Thomas Cook's to get it converted to Pounds.

Once in Stewart's clothing store (corner of Linthorpe Road/Wilson street) buying some wranglers in 1975/6 and a Norwegian ship's captain was stocking up on denim for his teenage son. He said it was half the price in the UK compared with Norway. So Scandi sailors brought money into the Town.

I would love to see the window.

I also remember going past a Jewish Synagogue on Park Road South on the way to Boro games - Has that gone?
 
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