Industrialists Top Tees Celebrity Poll
Middlesbrough's Top 20
To mark the 150th anniversary of Middlesbrough Council Teessiders were asked to vote for their top 20 celebrities of all time and 11 pioneering industrialists, explorers and scientists made the list.
Legendary explorer Captain James Cook was named top Teessider of all time in a poll run by the Dorman Museum and Middlesbrough Library. Ten other pioneering figures caught the public's attention and made it onto the list.
In second place was Henry Bolckow, Middlesbrough first mayor and the man who brought iron making to the region. In third place came Sir Arthur Dorman. his company Dorman Long built many of the most famous bridges in the world including the Tyne Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Joint fourth, and the highest ranking female on the list, was Gertrude Bell, an archaeologist and explorer. Then at joint seventh Sister Mary Rachel Jacques who founded early nursing services for iron workers in Middlesbrough.
In joint ninth place are John Vaughan the man who discovered ironstone in the Cleveland Hills, and Joseph Pease who took over as Director of the Stockton and Darlington Railway from his father Edward.
Coming in at 15 we have Thomas Gibson Poole, a watchmaker who founded and gave his name to a tuberculosis hospital in the town, Sir Samuel Sadler who founded the first oil and chemical company on Teesside and Joseph Constantine, a shipping magnate who established the technical college (now part of the University).
Finally in joint 19th place is Sir Hugh Bell, ironmaker, industrialist and father of Gertrude Bell.
Submitted by: Sarah McLusky, 14 November 2003
