Middlesbrough boasts a rich, diverse history and heritage that brings together tales of unprecedented industrial development, rapid urban expansion, the cultivation of new cultural institutions and a proud sporting heritage that has helped put the town on the map. As Middlesbrough expanded from a small hamlet of just twenty-five people in 1801 to a town with a population exceeding 90,000 a century later, new landmarks emerged and communities grew to create a distinct industrial ‘boom town’ forged in iron and steel.

In Middlesbrough: The Postcard Collection the author has drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial record of life in the past. Although some of the historical town seen in these views has been lost, many landmarks have remained and will be familiar today. This fascinating collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in Middlesbrough or know it well, as well as those interested in postcards and industrial heritage.

'The largely Edwardian postcards provide a fabulous snapshot of the developing town which had exploded into life during the 19th Century, from a population of just 25 in 1801 to more than 90,000 a century later.' -- The Northern Echo, July 2025

Dr Tosh Warwick is a Heritage Consultant and Historian with Heritage Unlocked and Research Associate in Urban Studies at the University of Sheffield. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Tosh has expertise in urban history and heritage and has appeared as an expert contributor for BBC TV and Radio (Match of the Day 2, Great British Railway Journeys, Who Do You Think You Are? BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Local Radio), ITV and Channel 5. He is author of numerous articles and several books on Teesside’s heritage including Central Middlesbrough Through Time (2013), Memories of Middlesbrough in the 1970s and 1980s (2020) Memories of Mannion: South Bank's Golden Boy (2020), Historic Middlesbrough (2022), and is also co-author of River Tees: From Source to Sea (2016).