DORMANSTOWN – Whiley Brigg, Mrs M.H. Caddy

Accreditation Cleveland Standard 20/10/11934

MEMORIES OF WILEY BRIG

Railway Track “Short Cut” to Kirkleatham

            A woman saw Dormanstown grow from a few scattered cottages known Wile Brig, and the “garden city” of today, died in Dormanstown recently. (as briefly reported in last week’s “Standard”) She was Mrs. Mary Hannah Caddy (65) of Dormanstown, who was born at Barnard Castle in 1869, and came to Dormanstown on her marriage in 1891. Her husband from Birmingham worked at Lackenby.

            In 1891, Dormanstown then Wiley Brig, was a very small village indeed. There were only 8 cottages. Mrs. Caddy had a family of 12 – 10 girls and 2 boys.

            A daughter told the Standard representative that her mother was known as “Nurse” when she first came to Dormanstown.

            If any of the cottages or tenants of the neighborhood, farms, were ill Mrs. Caddy generously nursed them back to health. In those days Wiley Brig was an isolated spot. Children had to go to school at Warrenby about two miles away. They walked through the works everyday.

PENNY FOR “SHORT CUT”

The best method the Wiley Bridge fold had of communication with the outside world was by means of a railway branch used for conveying ironstone from Eston down to Redcar Works.

            They paid a penny a year for the right to use this track as a “short cut” to Kirkleatham.

            It was necessary to go to Kirkleatham to church. Mrs. Caddy walked there regularly until she was 60.

            In 1917, the first houses of the ‘garden city’ of Dormanstown were built. Then came the facility for public worship. Dormanstown’s first Anglican minister was Rev. F. M. Windley who now occupies a living at York. He conducted services in the open air. Later these were held in a large barn or in his private sitting room. Afterwards, the Village Hall became a place of worship until the Parish Church was erected about 3 years ago. (1931)

 

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dean March 7, 2010 People & Characters