Huntcliffe Cottages

A Memory of Saltburn-By-The-Sea.

On this photograph there is a little 'bump' on the horizon just below Warsett.  That 'bump'  is 3 railway cottages and my Dad lived in No. l with his parents and brother and sister around 1912 - 13ish when he was school age.  He went to Brotton School where he met my mum.  My grandad had the Signal Box at Huntcliff and then Carlin How and they then moved to Skinningrove.  I was about 4 years old when Dad, Mum and I moved back to Huntcliff into No. 3. I loved my time up there.  Our nearest neighbours were at Brough Cottage and the 3 farms round about were owned by Ventress, Williamson and Stephenson families. We had some rough winters when it was difficult to get to Brotton and to school and chapel but we had some wonderful summers too, when I got to spend hours outdoors, playing at the farm or in the fields. I used to catch newts, and frogspawn by the bottleful from pools in the 'Holey field'. My mum had to sneak it back into the pools when the opportunity arose!  We walked up and down the path to Brotton at all times and all weathers to visit my grandparents and never ever thought of it not being safe to do so, in the dark. There was a badgers' sett in one field near us and of course lots of rabbits. I remember the Burnet Moths - black with red spots - clinging  five or six at a time from knapweed flowers. Recently I walked round the cliffs to Skinnigrove and there is a pile of rubble where the old houses used to be. Johnsons cottage, which was near the old fan house, has gone over the cliff. I have been away from Huntcliff now for a long time but I consider it as 'where I come from'. It was a lovely childhood. Couldn't have been better!