Second chance to own a vintage Hartlepool tourism poster and boost war memorial statue appeal

Town businessman Stephen Close auctioned off a framed original 1906 Healthful Hartlepool poster in April towards a project to raise £25,000 for a new Boer War statue in the town’s Ward Jackson Park.

It was won by former Hartlepool Mail employee Steve Dawson, who now lives in Hertfordshire, after he bid £800.

Stephen, treasurer for the statue project, had it for five years after acquiring it from the family of the late Doug Ferriday, a well-known photographer in Stockton Road and former councillor and mayor of Hartlepool.

Following reports by the Mail of the auction, he was contacted by local businessman Owen Corrigan who has generously donated another of the original posters for the statue appeal.

It will also be auctioned off to raise even more money.

Stephen said: “Owen rang me and offered the framed poster as his contribution to the fund.

"He had owned it for over 40 years and reluctantly decided to part with it. I took it to a specialist in Stockton and had it cleaned and reframed in a traditional style.

"The new frame was expensive but it looks absolutely stunning. I’m confident we will achieve something like we did last time.”

The posters, measuring just over 3ft by 2ft, were produced in the early 1900s to promote the health benefits of Hartlepool’s sea air and beaches to visitors.

April’s auction, together with a number of other public donations boosted the statue fund to over £14,000, leaving £11,000 to raise in the next 10 months when it is due to be fabricated by renowned North-East artist Ray Lonsdale.

It will replace one that was paid for by the people of Hartlepool in 1906 but was sadly stolen in 1968 and has never been replaced.

Stephen added: “We also now accept Hartlepool memorabilia that we auction on our Facebook local history site History of Hartlepool in Images.”

Bids for the Healthful Hartlepool poster must be in by 9pm on Saturday, May 29 by emailing: [email protected]

Stephen will deliver it to the winning bidder anywhere on Teesside free along with a bottle of Prosecco and box of chocolates.

Donations to the fund can also be made 160 York Road or online at w ww.gofundme.com/the-replacement-boer-war-statue.

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