PEOPLE – LOCKE T.W.S. Colonel. JP

COLONEL. T.W.S. LOCKE (J.P.)  1830 – 1924

Colonel Locke was a bachelor, and served in the Crimean War (1854 – 1856) as a surgeon.
Records show that he resided at 2 Nelson Terrace in 1913. It is not known at the date of his arrival in Redcar whether he was still a practicing surgeon, but became a well-known person around the town, especially for his generosity.
He was responsible for fighting for petty sessions in Redcar, and the subsequent building of the Court House in France Street.
He became a magistrate in 1898 until his death in 1924, aged 94 years.
Initially he was responsible for the vision of building Locke Park which lies between Corporation Road/Coatham Road/ Locke Road (Black Bridge) Kirkleatham Lane.
He presented the town with the present Redcar & Cleveland CBC mace, which is still being used today on council matters.
He was a founder member of the Redcar Race Company.
Some say he was reported to have left £5000 for the provision of a park which is now Locke Park.
The council with the £5,000 left to them, purchased 24 acres of land for the park from Newcomen Estates.
Locke Park was opened in 1930, and at the same time the Bowling Club moved from the Cricket Ground to Locke Park.
He is buried in the Christ Church Graveyard, Coatham, Redcar, the spire of which could be seen from all the paths in the park at one time.

 

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dean February 5, 2010 People & Characters