Middlesbrough and Wedge: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox tool
{{this|the town in North East England|Middlesbrough (disambiguation)}}
| name = wedge
{{infobox UK place
| image = Wedge-1.jpg
|country = England
| caption =Woodsplitting wedge
|official_name = Middlesbrough
| other_name =
|static_image = [[Image:TransporterBridgeMbro.jpg|240px|Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge]]
| classification = [[Hand tool]]
|static_image_caption = <small>The [[Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge]]</small>
| types =
|latitude = 54.5740
| used_with =[[Sledgehammer]]
|longitude = -1.2334
| related = [[Chisel]]<br>[[Splitting maul]]<br>[[Axe]]
|population = 142,691 ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]])<ref>2001 ONS Urban sub-area</ref>
}}{{otheruses2|Wedge}}
|unitary_england = [[Middlesbrough (borough)|Middlesbrough]]
|lieutenancy_england = [[North Yorkshire]]
|region = North East England
|constituency_westminster = [[Middlesbrough (UK Parliament constituency)|Middlesbrough]]
|constituency_westminster1 = [[Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (UK Parliament constituency)|Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland]]
|post_town = MIDDLESBROUGH
|postcode_district = TS1 - TS9
|postcode_area = TS
|dial_code = 01642
|os_grid_reference = NZ495201
|london_distance = {{convert|253.7|mi|km|abbr=on}}
}}


A '''wedge''' is a [[triangle|triangular]] shaped tool, a compound and portable [[inclined plane]], and one of the six classical [[simple machine]]s. It can be used to separate two objects, or portions of objects, lift an object, or hold an object in place. It operates by converting a [[force]] applied to the wide end into forces perpendicular to the inclined surfaces. The [[mechanical advantage]] of a wedge depends on the ratio of its length to its thickness. Where a short wedge with a wide angle does the job faster, it requires more force than a long wedge with a smaller angle.
'''Middlesbrough''' ({{Audio|en-uk-Middlesbrough.ogg|pronunciation}}; [[Help:Pronunciation|IPA]] {{IPA|['mɪdəlzbɹə]}} ([[received pronunciation]])) is a [[town]] in the [[Tees Valley]] sub-region of the [[North East England|North East]] of [[England]]. It is the largest and most populous settlement within the [[Middlesbrough (borough)|borough of Middlesbrough]], which encompasses the town and several outlying villages which have become suburbs.


==History==
[[Historic counties of England|Historically]] part of the [[North Riding of Yorkshire]], in 1968 the town became the centre of the [[county borough]] of [[Teesside]], which was absorbed by the non-metropolitan county of [[Cleveland, England|Cleveland]] in 1974. In 1996 Cleveland was abolished, and the Middlesbrough borough became a [[unitary authority]], within the [[ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] of [[North Yorkshire]].
The origin of the wedge is unknown, because it has been in use for over 9000 years. In [[Ancient Egypt]] [[quarry]]s, [[bronze]] wedges were used to break away blocks of rock used for construction. [[Wood]] wedges, that swelled after being wet, were also used. Some [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] tribes used [[antler]] wedges as a means of splitting and working wood to make [[canoes]], houses, and other wood objects.


==Examples for separating and lifting==
Middlesbrough is different from the other districts on Teesside, as the borough is almost entirely urbanised, thus making it the largest town in terms of area and population, but the smallest district. However, the areas of [[Eston]], [[Grangetown, North Yorkshire|Grangetown]], [[Normanby, Middlesbrough|Normanby]], [[Ormesby]], and [[South Bank, Middlesbrough|South Bank]] in the neighbouring borough of [[Redcar and Cleveland]], are also part of the Middlesbrough [[agglomeration]].
Examples include [[axe]]s, [[splitting maul]]s, and splitting wedges. Wedges can also be used to lift heavy objects, or finely adjust the height of objects, essentially separating them from the surface they rest on. These may also be referred to as [[shim (engineering)|shim]]s. [[Knife|Knives]], [[scissors]], [[chisel]]s, and even [[Tooth|teeth]] can sometimes be used as wedges, however, they are more fundamentally [[cutting]] implements.


==Examples for holding fast==
Middlesbrough is situated on the south bank of the [[River Tees]], a few miles from the edge of the [[North York Moors National Park]].
[[Image:4th July 032.jpg|thumb|100px|An insect nest is wedged in between two stones to hold it in place.]]
Wedges can also be used to hold objects in place, such as [[Internal combustion engine|engine]] parts ([[poppet valve]]s), [[bicycle]] parts ([[Stem (bicycle part)|stem]]s and [[Eccentric (mechanism)|eccentric]] [[bottom bracket]]s), and [[door]]s.


A [[door stop (furniture)|door stop]] (door wedge) is a wedge, and its main function is to generate friction between the bottom of the door and the ground.
[[Teesport]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pdports.co.uk/|title=PD Ports plc|accessdate=2006-05-11}}</ref> the UK's second largest port, lies {{convert|3|mi|km}} to the east, and [[Durham Tees Valley Airport]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teessideairport.com/devel/location/index.shtml|title=Location of Durham Tees Valley Airport|accessdate=2006-05-11}}{{dl|date=October 2008}}</ref> lies {{convert|8|mi|km}} to the west, near [[Darlington]]. North east of Middlesbrough, the Tees [[Estuary]] with its colony of breeding [[pinniped|seals]] has extensive sandy beaches in both directions. Some 7,000 [[Atlantic salmon|salmon]] and 13,000 [[Brown trout|sea trout]] migrated upstream through the estuary in 2000.


A fork or [[nail (engineering)|nails]] can also be considered a type of wedge. While a nail will slice into wood when hammered, a [[Bolted joint|bolt]] will not be pushed in. This is because a nail is a wedge and a bolt is not. A nail is tapered to a point at its end, then gets thicker farther up towards the head of the nail.
== History ==
{{Unreferencedsection|date=June 2006}}
===Toponymy===
Although the town is often thought of as a relatively recent settlement without much history, the name Middlesbrough can be traced back a long way. ''Mydilsburgh'' is the earliest recorded form of the name. The element '-burgh', from the Old English ''burh'' (meaning 'fort') denotes an ancient fort or settlement of pre-[[Anglo-Saxons|Anglian]] origin (this being the term on which [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough Football Club]]'s ardently chanted nickname,'' 'The [[Boro]]''', plays). The spelling ''brough'' sets Middlesbrough apart from other British towns, which typically use the spelling ''[[borough]]''.


== Mechanical advantage ==
It is solely by retrospective conjecture that the first element of the name, ''Mydil'', has come to be identified as a development of the Old English ''middel'' (subsequently morphing into ''middle'' and supposedly a tribute to the settlement's position between the great Christian centres of [[Durham]] and [[Whitby]]). The burgh, though, may have included a monastic cell and was probably situated on the elevated land where the [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] church of [[Hilda of Whitby|St Hilda]]'s (demolished in 1969) was later built.
[[Image:Wedge-diagram.svg|thumb|100px|The downwards force on the wedge produces a horizontal force in the object]]
The mechanical advantage of a wedge is the length of the sloping side of the wedge divided by the width of the thick end of the wedge. Therefore the formula for a wedge is:


<math>MA={S \over T}</math>
=== Early history===


In other words, divide the length of the wedge by its width at the thickest edge.
In 686 a monastic cell was consecrated by [[Cuthbert of Lindisfarne|St. Cuthbert]] at the request of [[Hilda of Whitby|St. Hilda]] Abbess of [[Whitby]] and in 1119 [[Robert Bruce, 1st Lord of Cleveland and Annandale|Robert Bruce]] granted and confirmed the church of St. Hilda of Middleburg to [[Whitby]]. Up until its closure on the [[dissolution of the monasteries]] by [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] in 1537,<ref>{{cite book|last = Moorsom| first = Norman| authorlink = Norman Moorsom| title = Middlesbrough as it was| publisher = Hendon Publishing Co. Ltd.| date= 1983}}</ref> the church was maintained by 12 [[Benedictine]] monks, many of whom became vicars or rectors of various places in Cleveland. The importance of the early church at “Middleburg”, later known as Middlesbrough Priory, is indicated by the fact that in 1452 it possessed four altars.


The more acute the angle of the wedge, the more mechanical advantage it will have.
After the [[Anglo-Saxons|Angles]] the area became home to [[Viking]] settlers and it is argued by some that 'old' [[Cleveland, England|Cleveland]] has the highest density of [[Scandinavia]]n parish names in Britain. Names of [[Viking]] origin (with the suffix ''by'') are abundant in the area - for example, [[Thornaby]], [[Ormesby]], Stainsby, [[Lackenby]], [[Maltby, North Yorkshire|Maltby]] and [[Tollesby]] were once separate villages that belonged to Vikings called Thormad, Orm, Steinn, Hlakkande, Malti and Toll, but now form suburbs of Middlesbrough. [[Lazenby]] was the village belonging to a Leysingr - a freeman; [[Normanby, Middlesbrough|Normanby]], a Norseman's village and [[Danby, North Yorkshire|Danby]] (in neighbouring [[North Yorkshire]]), a Dane's village. The name Mydilsburgh is the earliest recorded form of Middlesbrough's name and dates to [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglian]] times (400&nbsp;to&nbsp;1000&nbsp;AD), while many of the aforementioned villages appear in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086.


Despite this, one reason that many splitting wedges have a wide angle is that an elastic material, such as wood, will bind a narrow wedge more readily than a wide wedge. This is why splitting mauls have a much larger angle than an axe.
Other links persist in the area, often through school and/or road names, to now-outgrown or abandoned local settlements, such as the [[medieval]] settlement of Stainsby, [[deserted medieval village|deserted]] by 1757, which amounts to little more today than a series of grassy mounds near the [[A19 road]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teesarchaeology.com/projects/stainsby/index.html|title=Stainsby Medieval Village|publisher=Tees Archaeology|accessdate=2007-12-20}}</ref> In 1952 Stainsby Secondary Modern School, now renamed [[Acklam Grange Secondary School]], was named for this village.

===Post-industrial history===

[[Image:Old town.JPG|right|thumb|Old Town Hall]]In 1801 Middlesbrough was a [[hamlet (place)|hamlet]] with a population of just 25 people living in four farmhouses. During the latter half of the 19th century, however, it experienced a growth unparalleled in England. Development began with the purchase of the farm in 1829 by a group of [[Quaker]] businessmen, headed by [[Joseph Pease (railway pioneer)|Joseph Pease]] the [[Darlington]] industrialist, who saw the possibilities of Middlesbrough becoming a port for transportation of north-east coal. Four initial streets, leading into the Market Square, were duly laid out. This cause was facilitated by an 1830 extension of the [[Stockton and Darlington Railway]] to the site, which all but erased the logistical obstacles to ongoing development of the town. Before this, the shipment of coal had been problematic owing to the shallow waters around [[Stockton-on-Tees]]. The opening of the Clarence Railway, in 1833, which shared some of the Stockton and Darlington Railway's track, also provided the stimulus for the growth of [[Port Clarence]] on the opposite side of the river to Middlesbrough.

When [[William Gladstone|William Ewart Gladstone]] visited the town, he stood under the roof of the original (1846) Town Hall and promptly (and famously) dubbed it 'an infant [[Hercules]]' in 'England's enterprise'.

At the very moment when early fortunes showed signs of giving way to decline, another great leap forward took place, with the discovery of ironstone in the Eston Hills in 1850. In 1841, [[Henry Bolckow]] (pronounced Belko), who had come to England in 1827, formed a partnership with [[John Vaughan (Middlesbrough)|John Vaughan]] originally of [[Worcester]], and started an iron-foundry and rolling mill at Vulcan Street in the town. It was Vaughan who realised the economic potential of local ironstone deposits. Pig-iron production rose tenfold between 1851 and 1856. On 21 January 1853, Middlesbrough received its Royal Charter of Incorporation, giving the town the right to have a mayor, aldermen and councillors. Bolckow became mayor in 1853 and Middlesbrough's first [[Member of Parliament]] (MP). The first ten mayors of Middlesbrough were:

1853: Henry William Ferdinand Bolckow
1854: Isaac Wilson
1855: John Vaughan
1856: Henry Thompson
1858: John Richardson
1859: William Fallows
1860: George Bottomley
1861: James Harris
1862: Thomas Brentnall
1863: Edgar Gilkes

On 15 August, 1867, a Reform Bill was passed, making Middlesbrough a new parliamentary borough, Bolckow was unanimously elected member for Middlesbrough the following year.

The rapid growth of the town saw the prophetic words (probably spoken by Pease), '[[Yarm]] was, [[Stockton-on-Tees|Stockton]] is, Middlesbrough will be' come true. Indeed, the motto chosen by the first body of town councillors was in fact'' 'Erimus'''; Latin for 'We shall be'. (See also the [[Karl Pearson|Pearson]] family grave at [[Crambe, North Yorkshire|Crambe]], which uses the motto "''ERIMUS''".)

The population of Middlesbrough, as county borough, peaked at almost 165,000 in the late 1960s but has been in decline since the early 1980s. From 2001 to 2004, the recorded population jumped significantly, from 134,000 to 142,000, then to 147,000 in 2005, with 2006 estimates stating approximately 190,000, suggesting the population is increasing rather than decreasing as estimated by Tees Valley Partnership.

The Bell brothers opened their great ironworks on the banks of the [[River Tees|Tees]] in 1853. Steel production began at [[Port Clarence]] in 1889 and an amalgamation with [[Dorman Long]] followed. After rock salt was discovered under the site in 1874, the salt-extraction industry on Teesside was founded. By now Bell Brothers had become a vast concern employing some 6,000 people. [[Isaac Lowthian Bell]]'s own eminence in the field of applied science, where he published many weighty papers, and as an entrepreneur whose knowledge of blast furnaces was unrivalled, led to universal recognition. He was the first president of the [[Iron and Steel Institute]], and the first recipient of the [[Bessemer Gold Medal]] in 1874. Bell was Lord Mayor of [[Newcastle upon Tyne |Newcastle]] in 1854&ndash;1855, and again in 1862&ndash;1863. He served as MP for [[Hartlepool]] in 1875&ndash;1880.

[[Image:Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge.jpg|left|thumb|Transporter Bridge, built in 1911]]
For many years in the 19th century [[Teesside]] set the world price for iron and steel. The steel components of the [[Sydney Harbour Bridge]] (1932) were engineered and fabricated by [[Dorman Long]] of Middlesbrough. Fittingly, the words ''MADE IN MIDDLESBROUGH'' are stamped on the Bridge. "The golden rivet" was hammered in by Kenneth Johnson Esq, Mechanical Engineer, whose son Christopher was later a pioneer in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry. The company was also responsible for the earlier [[Tyne Bridge|New Tyne Bridge]] across the river at [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne|Newcastle]].

Via a 1907 [[Act of Parliament]] the [[Dorman Long|Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company]] also built the great [[Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge|Transporter Bridge]] (1911) which spans the Tees itself between Middlesbrough and [[Port Clarence]]. At {{convert|850|ft|m}} long and {{convert|225|ft|m}} high, is one of the largest of its type in the world, and one of only two left in working order in Britain (the other being in [[Newport]]). The bridge remains in daily use and it is worth noting, that contrary to what is suggested by the plot of popular [[BBC]] drama/comedy ''[[Auf Wiedersehen, Pet]]'', the bridge was ''not'' at any point dismantled and removed to [[Arizona]]. It is, indeed, a Grade II* [[listed building]]. Another landmark, the [[Tees Newport Bridge]] opened further along the Tees in 1934.

The great steelworks, chemical plants, shipbuilding and offshore fabrication yards that followed the original Middlesbrough ironworks, have in the recent past contributed to Britain's prosperity in no small measure and still do to this day.

Middlesbrough had the distinction of being the first major British town and industrial target to be bombed during the [[World War II|Second World War]] when the [[Luftwaffe]] visited the town on the [[25 May]] [[1940]]. Most notably in 1942 a lone [[Dornier 217]] picked its way through the [[barrage balloon]]s and dropped a stick of bombs onto the [[Middlesbrough railway station|railway station]]. It is a local tale that one or two fish and chip shops also came a cropper to the raids.

It is also alleged that Middlesbrough was the second target on the [[Soviet Union]]'s list of UK nuclear targets during the [[Cold War]], due to the mix of heavy industrialisation, a nuclear power plant, a major port, and a skilled workforce.

===Green Howards===
{{main|The Green Howards}}
[[The Green Howards]] was a [[British Army]] infantry regiment very strongly associated with Middlesbrough and the area south of the River Tees. Originally formed at Dunster Castle, Somerset in 1688 to serve King William of Orange, later [[William III of England|King William III]], this famous regiment became affiliated to the North Riding of Yorkshire in 1782. As Middlesbrough grew, its population of men came to be a group most targeted by the recruiters. The Green Howards were part of the [[King's Division]]. On 6 June 2006, this famous regiment was merged into the new [[Yorkshire Regiment]] and are now known as 2 Yorks - The 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards). There is also a [[Territorial Army]] (TA) company at Stockton Road in Middlesbrough, part of 4 Yorks which is wholly reserve.

One of the most well-known soldiers of this historic regiment was WO2 (Company Sergeant Major) [[Stanley Hollis]]. He was the only soldier in all of the British and empire armies to win a [[Victoria Cross]] (VC) in the [[D-Day]] Landings at Normandy, France in June 1944. Other well-known Green Howards have included the TV magician [[Paul Daniels]], [[Middlesbrough Football Club]]'s [[Wilf Mannion]], [[General Sir Richard Dannatt]] (who was appointed [[Chief of the General Staff]] of the [[British Army]] in August 1996), former England rugby player [[Tim Rodber]], and Yorkshire and England Cricketer [[Hedley Verity]], killed in action in 1943.

==Governance==

Middlesbrough was incorporated as a [[municipal borough]] in 1853. It extended its boundaries in 1866 and 1887, and became a [[county borough]] under the [[Local Government Act 1888]]. A [[Middlesbrough Rural District]] was formed in 1894, covering a rural area to the south of the town. It was abolished in 1932, partly going to the county borough; but mostly going to the [[Stokesley Rural District]].<ref>Youngs, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Volume 2</ref>

Middlesbrough gained a "twin" in 1890 when the town of [[Middlesborough, Kentucky]] was incorporated in the [[United States]]; it was named after its English namesake due to the discovery of ironstone deposits in the region.

Middlesbrough is twinned with [[Oberhausen]] in [[Germany]], [[Masvingo]] in [[Zimbabwe]] and [[Dunkerque]] ('Dunkirk' in English) in [[France]]. This last association resulted from the [[Dunkirk]] evacuation of the [[British Expeditionary Force]] during [[World War II]], in which one quarter of the ships involved were from [[Teesport]]. The seaside town of [[Redcar]] (which borders Middlesbrough) was used to replicate the Dunkirk evacuation in the 2007 film ''[[Atonement (film)|Atonement]]''.

The district in England and Wales with the lowest healthy life expectancy, according to the Office for National Statistics study, is Middlehaven, the dockside area of Middlesbrough.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6985692.stm|title=Regional health gap 'is 30 years'|accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref>

==Geography ==
The following is a table of the different districts and suburbs in the Middlesbrough area.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| [[Acklam]]
| [[Beechwood, Middlesbrough|Beechwood]]
| [[Berwick Hills]]
| [[Brambles Farm]]
| [[Brookfield, Middlesbrough|Brookfield]]
|-
| [[Coulby Newham]]
| [[Easterside]]
| [[Eston]]
| [[Grove Hill, Middlesbrough|Grove Hill]]
| [[Grangetown, North Yorkshire|Grangetown]]
|-
| [[Hemlington]]
| [[Lazenby]]
| [[Linthorpe]]
| [[Marton, Middlesbrough|Marton-in-Cleveland]]
| [[Marton Grove]]
|-
| [[Netherfields]]
| [[Normanby, Middlesbrough|Normanby]]
| [[North Ormesby]]
| [[Nunthorpe]]
| [[Ormesby]]
|-
| [[Pallister]]
| [[Park End, Middlesbrough|Park End]]
| [[Priestfields]]
| [[Saltersgill]]
| [[South Bank, Middlesbrough|South Bank]]
|-
| [[St. Hilda's, Middlesbrough|St. Hilda's]]
| [[Stainton, Middlesbrough|Stainton-in-Cleveland]]
| [[Thorntree]]
| [[Teesville]]
| [[Tollesby]]
|-
| [[Town East]]
| [[Town Farm]]
| [[Town West]]
| [[West Lane]]
| [[Whinney Banks]]
|}

Middlesbrough's contemporary townscape is largely workaday, it being no longer a heavy industrial town, though there are areas around which still support chemical, fertiliser and iron and steel production.

== Landmarks ==
[[Image:Middlesbrough panorama.jpg|thumb|800px|center|Panoramic view of Middlesbrough]]
[[Image:AcklamHall Grounds1.jpg|right|thumb|Acklam Hall]]
Located in the suburb and former [[village]] of Acklam and by some distance Middlesbrough's oldest domestic building is [[Acklam Hall]] of c.1680&ndash3. Built by Sir [[William Hustler (draper)|William Hustler]], it is also Middlesbrough's sole [[Grade I]] listed building. The [[English Restoration|Restoration]] [[mansion]], accessible through an avenue of trees off Acklam Road, has seen progressive updates through the centuries, such that it makes for a captivating document of varying trends in [[English architecture]].

Built on extensive grounds by the Pennyman family now under the jurisdiction of the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]], [[Ormesby Hall]], a [[Palladian]] mansion actually technically located within the neighbouring borough of [[Redcar and Cleveland]], but within one of the town's seven conservation areas, was largely built around 1740, although an older wing dating from around 1599, still exists.

Not to be ignored either are a clutch of interesting churches, for example at Acklam, Marton and Stainton (c.12th century), or the modern [[Middlesbrough Cathedral|St. Mary's]] [[Roman Catholic]] [[Cathedral]] at [[Coulby Newham]], replacing in the 1980s the previous structure on Sussex Street that was left gutted at the mercy of arsonists in 2000.

But a modest tally of pre-1900 buildings remain in the town centre, however; the priory, farmhouse and any other elements of the town's pre-industrial landscape (such as the [[English Restoration|Restoration]] Newport House and its associated Hustler Granary, which submitted to demolition in the 1930s by virtue of its vicinity to the then-recently opened [[Tees Newport Bridge]], and the locally famous "White Cottages" on St. Barnabas Road in [[Linthorpe]]) have long since been banished to history.<ref>{{cite book|last = Chohan| first = Araf| authorlink = Araf K. Chohan| title = Britain in Old Photographs: Middlesbrough| publisher = Sutton Publishing Limited| date= 1996}}</ref> Indeed, incorporation of the town itself did not occur until 1853. Even so, the urban centre remains home to a variety of architecture ranging from the [[Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art]], opened in January 2007 to replace a number of former outlying galleries; and [[Centre North East]], formerly Corporation House, which remains the tallest building in the North East of England, having initially opened in 1971. Many believe that there is a beauty to be found in the surrounding landscape of industry along the [[River Tees]] from [[Billingham]] to Wilton. The terraced [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] streets surrounding the town centre are characterful elements of Middlesbrough's social and historical identity, and the vast streets surrounding Parliament Road and Abingdon Road a reminder of the area's wealth and rapid growth during industrialisation.

[[Image:Middtownhall41.JPG|left|thumb|Middlesbrough Town Hall]] The town hall, designed by [[George Gordon Hoskins]] and built between 1883 and 1887 is a Grade II Listed Building, and a very imposing structure. Of comparable grandeur alongside these municipal buildings is the erstwhile Empire Palace of Varieties of 1897, the finest surviving theatre edifice designed by [[Ernest Runtz]] in the UK. The first artist to star there in its guise as a [[music hall]] was [[Lillie Langtry]]. Later it became an early nightclub (1950s), then a bingo-hall and is now once again a night club in the form of 'The Empire'. It has recently, as of 2005, had the missing ornate glass and steel over-canopy to the front entrance fully restored. Further afield in Linthorpe, can be found the Little Theatre (now Middlesbrough Theatre), which was opened by Sir [[John Gielgud]] in 1957 and was one of the first new theatres built in England after [[World War II|the Second World War]]. [[Image:2006CentralLibraryof1912.JPG|right|thumb|Middlesbrough Central (Public) Library]]

The town can also boast this country’s only public sculpture by the celebrated modern American artist [[Claes Oldenburg]], the "Bottle O' Notes" of 1993, which relates to [[James Cook|Captain James Cook]]. Based alongside it today in the town's Central Gardens is the [[Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art]] (MIMA), the successor to previous [[art gallery|art galleries]] on Linthorpe Road and Gilkes Street. Refurbished in 2006 is the [[Carnegie library]] dating from 1912. The [[Dorman Long]] office on Zetland Road, constructed between 1881 and 1891, is the only commercial building ever designed by [[Philip Webb]], the great architect who worked for Sir Isaac Lowthian Bell.

The town centre has been undergoing a modernising makeover in recent years, including the addition in 2004 of 'Spectra-txt,' a {{convert|10|m|ft|sing=on}} high interactive tower of metal and fibre-optics inspired by ''[[Blade Runner]]'' (whose own industrial scenery was inspired by that of Teesside, by virtue in part of the experiences of its director, the [[South Shields]]-born [[Ridley Scott]], a former [[West Hartlepool College of Art|art college]] student up the coast in nearby industrialised [[West Hartlepool]]). 'Spectra-txt' allows a member of the public to send an [[Short message service|SMS]] (text) message via a [[mobile phone]] to change the colours of the lights. Texting various codes, such as 'Chromapop' produce a display of changing colour lights.

==Transport==

[[Image:Middlesbrough Bus Shelter 1.JPG|right|thumb|190px|A Travel Information Display at a Middlesbrough Bus Shelter]]
Middlesbrough is served well by [[public transport]]. The [[Arriva North East]], [[Stagecoach Group|Stagecoach on Teesside]], Leven Valley, [[Alrite Travel]] and [[Go North East]] [[bus line]]s provide local transport mainly in Middlesbrough and to Durham Tees Valley Airport, [[Sunderland]], [[Stockton-on-Tees]], [[Darlington]] and [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne]]. [[National Express]] and [[Megabus (United Kingdom)|Megabus]] operate long distance coach travel. Middlesbrough has recently benefited from an upgrade in bus services; with digital displays having being fitted at selected bus shelters in the town and many bus shelters being renovated.

Until the 1970s Middlesbrough bus services consisted of the blue buses of Middlesbrough Corporation Transport, or the red buses of the United Bus Company, with an occasional green bus from Stockton Corporation Transport. The merger to form Teesside resulted in a unified Teesside Corporation Transport, with Stockton's green merging with Middlesbrough's blue to give a turquoise-liveried fleet, a colour which was not universally popular. The United Bus Company, which had operated fewer services than the other two, but tended to cover longer distances, began operating under the [[National Bus Company (UK)|National Bus Company]] brand at about the same time.

Train services are operated by [[Northern Rail]] and [[Transpennine Express]], the latter of which provides direct rail services to cities such as York and Manchester; departing from [[Middlesbrough railway station|Middlesbrough station]].

== Economy ==

There is a large and comprehensive shopping district made up of several separate [[shopping centre]]s, which include 'The Mall Middlesbrough' renamed in 2005 from 'Cleveland Shopping Centre,' which has undergone a major refurbishment. 'Dundas Street Shopping' renamed in 2005 from 'Dundas Shopping Arcade', 'Hill Street Shopping Centre' and 'Captain Cook Square'. Linthorpe Road is home to several independent and national fashion shops. One of these, Psyche, regularly claims accolades over the likes of the [[Selfridges]], [[Harvey Nichols]] and [[Liberty (department store)|Liberty]] stores in [[London]]. A recent four-part BBC documentary was made about the store, which highlighted how seriously Teessiders take fashion.

===Culture and leisure===
[[Image:Dorman Museum.jpg|right|thumb|Dorman Museum]]
Long-awaited flagship art gallery project, the [[Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art]] opened its doors in January 2007. It currently holds the second largest collection of [[Pablo Picasso|Picasso]]s in the United Kingdom. It also holds works of art by [[Andy Warhol]], [[Henri Matisse]] and [[Damien Hirst]] among others. Its considerable arts and crafts collections span from 1900 to the present day. Surrounding it is the town's overhauled Victoria Square and Central Gardens, in tandem producing "the largest civic space in Europe".<ref>
{{cite web
|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7046579.stm
|title = 'I was made in Middlesbrough'
|publisher = BBC
|date = [[16 October]] [[2007]]
|accessdate = 2008-10-10
|last = Harley
|first = Shaun
}}
</ref>

Middlesbrough has two major recreational park spaces in [[Albert Park, Middlesbrough|Albert Park]] and [[Stewart Park Middlesbrough|Stewart Park]], [[Marton, Middlesbrough|Marton]]. The former, originally hailed as 'The People's Park' was donated to the town by Bolckow in 1866. It was formally opened by [[Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn|Prince Arthur]], youngest son of the monarch, on [[11 August]] [[1868]] and comprises a 30&nbsp;hectare (70&nbsp;acre) site accessible from Linthorpe Road. The park underwent a considerable period of restoration from 2001 to 2004, during which a number of the Park's most well-known landmarks, including a [[fountain]], bandstand and [[sundial]] saw either restoration or revival. Alongside these two parks are two of the town's premier cultural attractions, the century-old [[Dorman Memorial Museum]] and the [[Captain Cook Birthplace Museum]] respectively. In close vicinity to the latter can be found a granite urn marking the supposed spot of the famous explorer's birthplace.

[[Newham Grange Leisure farm]] in Coulby Newham, one of the most southerly districts of the town, has operated continuously in this spot since the 17th century, becoming a [[leisure farm]] with the first residential development of the suburb in the 1970s. Now a burgeoning tourist attraction, the chance to view its various cattle, pigs, sheep and other perennial farm animals is complimented by exhibitions of the farming history of the area.

Back in the 'Old Town' or St Hilda's, is the Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre, opened in 2000 and offering its own exhibitions charting the high-octane past of the heart of the surrounding industrial powerhouse, as well as that of the singular structure it commemorates.

=== Education ===

[[Image:UniversityTeesConstantine2.JPG|left|thumb|University of Teesside]]

Middlesbrough became a [[university]] [[university town|town]] in 1992, after a concerted campaign for a distinct '[[University of Teesside]]' which had run since the 1960s. Prior to its establishment, extramural classes had been provided by the [[University of Leeds]] [[Adult Education|Adult Education Centre]] on Harrow Road, from 1958 to 2001.<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Chase
| first = Malcolm
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Leeds in Linthorpe
| journal = Cleveland History, Bulletin of the Cleveland and Teesside Local History Society
| volume =
| issue = 92
| pages = 5
| publisher =
| location =
| date = Spring 2007
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = }}</ref> The University of Teesside has more than 20,000 students. It dates back to 1930 as Constantine Technical College (although teaching formalities had began in the then-new building as early as September 1929). Current departments of the University include Teesside Business School as well as the Schools of Arts and Media, Computing, Health and Social Care, Science & Technology and Social Sciences & Law. The University is internationally recognised as a leading institute for [[computer animation]] and [[games design]] and along with [[Arc, Stockton|Arc]] [[arts centre]] at [[Stockton-on-Tees]], [[Cineworld]] [[Movie theater|cinema]] in Middlesbrough, and the [[Riverside Stadium]], hosts the annual [[Animex|Animex International Festival of Animation]].

The University is not alone in providing [[further education|further]] and [[higher education]] in the town. There are also a number of modern schools, colleges and sixth forms, the largest of which is [[Middlesbrough College]] with 16,000 students, which once covered the four campuses of Acklam, Kirby, Longlands and Marton, including the one-time Acklam Hall until July 2008. From September 2008 Middlehaven is now the new home of further education in the town. Others include [[St. David's School (Middlesbrough)|St. David's School]] in Acklam, Newlands School F.C.J. in Saltersgill and Macmillan Academy on Stockton Road, which was recently declared the best [[state school]] in England.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macmillan-academy.org.uk/news_item.php?id=38|title=Macmillan Academy is the best state school in the land|publisher=Macmillan Academy|accessdate=2006-02-08}}</ref> Two of three campuses of [[Cleveland College of Art and Design]] are also based in Middlesbrough, with its primary site on Green Lane having been officially opened in 1960. It remains one of only four Further Education sector specialist art and design colleges in the United Kingdom (the others being at [[Herefordshire College of Art and Design|Herefordshire]], [[Leeds College of Art and Design|Leeds]] and [[Plymouth College of Art and Design|Plymouth]]), and the only such college remaining in the North-East.

The £17&nbsp;million Unity City Academy which replaced the Langbaurgh and Keldholme schools in east Middlesbrough was one of the first schools to open as part of the government's £5&nbsp;billion [[Academy (English school)|City Academy]] programme for failing comprehensives. In 2005 an unusually large proportion of pupils gained no GCSEs and only 14% of pupils gained 5&nbsp;A*&ndash;C grades, compared with a national average of 51%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4824620.stm|title=Academy fails another inspection|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2006-05-14}}</ref>
However in 2006 the school has had a new management in place and achieved pass rates of 33%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/tees/content/articles/2006/08/24/gcse_darlington_feature.shtml|title=Academy nearly doubles pass rates|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2007-01-03}}</ref>

=== Religion ===
[[Image:Teesnewportbridge.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Tees Newport Bridge]]]]
Middlesbrough is a [[deanery]] of the [[Archdeaconry of Cleveland]], a subdivision of the [[Church of England]] [[Diocese of York]] in the [[Province of York]]. It stretches west from [[Thirsk]], north to Middlesbrough, east to [[Whitby]] and south to [[Pickering, North Yorkshire|Pickering]].

Middlesbrough is the seat of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough]], which was created on [[20 December]] [[1878]] from the [[Diocese of Beverley]]. Middlesbrough is home to the Mother-Church of the diocese; St. Mary's Cathedral which is located in the suburb of Coulby Newham. The Seventh Bishop of Midddlesbrough, Bishop Terence Drainey was ordained on Friday [[25 January]] [[2008]], following the previous Bishop's resignation.

=== Nightlife ===

During university term time, Middlesbrough is busy throughout the week with student nights taking place throughout the bars and clubs. During the holidays, the town is especially busy from Thursday to Sunday.
One of the most popular venue is The Empire in the centre of town. Several famous bands and DJs have played at this venue, from the likes of Roger Sanchez, Eric Prydz to DJ Disciple. The Crown, Basement, Blue, Cornerhouse, [[Walkabout (pub chain)|Walkabout]], Aruba, Onyx, Barracuda and the Arena, now re-opened with a seven o'clock license are also popular. A [[Cineworld]] [[Movie theater|cinema]] is located at Middlesbrough Leisure Park, as well as a [[Showcase Cinemas|Showcase Cinema]] in the Middlesbrough part of [[Teesside Park]].

The [[The Rolling Stones|Rolling Stones]], iconic and internationally famous rock-band, played their first gig outside of London on [[13 July]] [[1963]] at The Outlook, Corporation Road, Middlesbrough. The present Teesside Combined Law Courts now stand on the site of these premises which were built as a small department store featuring fashion, hair-styling and record sales. The small 'club' was actually a coffee and snack-bar (unlicensed) in the basement. Manchester band, [[The Hollies]] appeared the same night.

=== Crime ===

Middlesbrough uses combined installations of [[Closed-circuit television|CCTV]] cameras and loudspeakers to reprimand their citizens when they're committing infringements (throwing cigarette butts on the ground, littering etc.) in public. Middlesbrough was the first place in the UK to install [[Closed-circuit television|CCTV]] with loudspeakers which inspired other towns to use this idea. The crime rate in Middlesbrough is nearly twice the UK average and was 4th highest in England in 2007 despite seeing year on year reductions according to the [http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk/tool/Default.asp?region=10&force=13&cdrp=291&l1=0&l2=0&l3=0&sub=0&v=36 Home Office Crime Statistics]{{dl|date=October 2008}}.

=== Politics ===

Middlesbrough and the surrounding area has two Members of Parliament (MPs): [[Ashok Kumar (British politician)|Ashok Kumar]] and Sir [[Stuart Bell]]. Middlesbrough has been a traditionally safe [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] seat, largely due to its industrial, [[working class]] history. The first Conservative MP for Middlesbrough was Sir [[Samuel Alexander Sadler]], elected in 1900. The [[Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (UK Parliament constituency)|Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland]] seat is also Labour but incorporates surrounding towns including [[Guisborough]] and [[Saltburn]] and is a more marginal seat and a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] target (having held the [[Langbaurgh (UK Parliament constituency)|Langbaurgh]] predecessor seat until 1997).

Middlesbrough was selected to have a [[Mayors in the United Kingdom|directly elected]] [[mayor]] as head of the council. The current mayor is [[Ray Mallon]] (independent), a former senior, and somewhat controversial, figure in the local police force. Mallon was re-elected for a second term in office in the May 2007 local and mayoral elections.

== Future developments ==
[[Image:2006MiddlesbroughInstituteofModernArtof2006 2.JPG|right|thumb|[[Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art]]]]
As part of its £1.5&nbsp;billion investment programme, Tees Valley Regeneration has started work on reclaiming Middlesbrough Docklands with the £500&nbsp;million Middlehaven scheme to bring new business and homes to a {{convert|250|acre|km2|lk=on}} area.<ref>
{{cite web
|url = http://www.riverside-one.com/
|title = Apartments in Middlesbrough
|publisher = riverside-one
|accessdate = 2008-10-10
}}
</ref> The first phase around the former docklands has already begun and is visible from the [[Riverside Stadium]]. The master plan drawn up by [[Will Alsop]] in 2004, includes proposals for the relocation of [[Middlesbrough College]], the building of a virtual reality centre by the [[University of Teesside]] (part of the [http://www.thedigitalcity.org/html/frames.html DigitalCity] development), in addition to numerous offices, hotels, bars, restaurants and leisure attractions. [http://www.teesvalleyregeneration.co.uk/ Tees Valley Regeneration] now has a shortlist of five developers seeking to build at [http://www.riverside-one.com Middlehaven], the list includes some of the most prestigious and groundbreaking names in development and regeneration, and a decision on the chosen developer is due to be made in the next few months.{{when|date=October 2008}}

The [http://www.smi-teesvalley.co.uk/ Stockton-Middlesbrough Initiative] is a 20 year vision for regenerating the urban core of the [[Tees Valley]], the main focus being the area of {{convert|7500|acre|km2}} along the banks of the [[River Tees]] between the two centres of [[Stockton-on-Tees|Stockton]] and Middlesbrough. The master plan has been drawn up by environmental design specialists [http://www.gillespies.co.uk/ Gillespies], the eventual aim being to create a distinctive high-quality city of over 360,000 citizens at the heart of the Tees Valley, by connecting both Middlesbrough and [[Stockton-on-Tees|Stockton]] along the [[River Tees|Tees]] corridor. The project will include not only the existing developments at [http://www.bioregional-quintain.com/middlehaven.html Middlehaven] and [http://www.teesvalleyregeneration.co.uk/regeneration-projects/north-shore North Shore] [[Stockton-on-Tees|Stockton]], but many others over a 15&ndash;20 year period.
[[Image:site of odean middlesbrough.jpg|left|thumb|The former Odeon cinema in Middlesbrough, during demolition]]
Private local developers have recently announced plans to build a {{convert|360|ft|m|sing=on}} tower on the site of the old [[Odeon Cinemas|Odeon Cinema]] (more recently a nightclub) which collapsed in July 2006. The site is in central Middlesbrough at the eastern end of Newport Road and was proposed to be the tallest building in the North East, surpassing the existing record already held by Middlesbrough's own [[Centre North East]] building &mdash; although the plan was later, as of 2007, downscaled. The new development will be the first of such skyscrapers proposed in Middlesbrough with two more visioned for Middlehaven. The second one on the Middlehaven site is the most unlikely but still being considered and could see either an American or Dubai based company to build a skyscraper 750&ndash;900&nbsp;feet (230&ndash;275&nbsp;m) in height, showing Middlesbrough is progressing into the future and is a growing centre for commerce and development. The idea for such [[skyscraper]]s is the result of limited land area in Middlesbrough. Instead of building outwards and subsequently having to apply for boundary extension, it makes sense to build up. It sees Middlesbrough a participant in the "skyscraper boom" currently hitting the [[United Kingdom]].

Middlesbrough, along with other towns and cities in the UK, will be granted a licence to build a new large casino. [[Manchester]] won the bid to host the [[Regional casino|'Super Casino']].<ref>BBC News, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6312707.stm Manchester Wins Super-Casino Race], 30 January 2007</ref>

== Sport ==

[[Image:With gates.jpg|thumb|Riverside Stadium 2006]]
The [[English Premier League|Premiership]] [[association football|football]] team, [[Middlesbrough F.C.]], owned by local haulage entrepreneur [[Steve Gibson (businessman)|Steve Gibson]], is based at the [[Riverside Stadium]] by the [[River Tees]]. The club was a founder member of the FA Premier League in [[FA Premier League 1992-93|1992]], and moved from its previous home at [[Ayresome Park]] in 1995. Having endured 128 years without a major trophy, Middlesbrough finally won the [[Carling Cup]] under then-manager [[Steve McClaren]], on [[29 February]] [[2004]], beating [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] 2&ndash;1 in the final at the [[Millennium Stadium]] in [[Cardiff]].<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/3507795.stm |title = Boro lift Carling Cup |publisher = BBC Sport |date = 2004-02-29 |accessdate= 2008-01-02}}</ref> This also qualified them for another club first: competitive European football, with the first of two consecutive [[UEFA Cup]] campaigns. Another league club, [[Middlesbrough Ironopolis F.C.]], was briefly based in the town during the 1890s, but folded within a few years.

During the [[FA Premier League 2005-06|2005–2006]] season, Middlesbrough was the only north eastern team involved in European competition, having qualified for the [[UEFA Cup 2005-06|UEFA Cup]] through a club-record seventh-placed finish in the [[FA Premier League 2004-05|2004-2005]] FA Premier League. Having beaten [[FC Basel]] and [[FC Steaua Bucureşti|Steaua Bucureşti]] 4&ndsah;3 in previous rounds (coming back from three goals down on both occasions), Middlesbrough FC arrived at its first [[2006 UEFA Cup Final|UEFA Cup final]]. They lost 4&ndash;0 to [[Sevilla FC]] at the [[Philips Stadion]] on [[10 May]] [[2006]], although three of Sevilla's four goals were scored in the last fourteen minutes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/uefacup/history/season=2005/intro.html|title=Sevilla end 58-year wait|publisher=uefa.com|accessdate=2008-01-02}}</ref> The efforts of McClaren, however, were recognised in his appointment as [[Sven-Göran Eriksson]]'s successor at the helm of the [[England national football team|England national team]] after that summer's [[2006 FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] (although the role would prove to be short-lived).<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4969592.stm |title = McClaren named as England manager |publisher = BBC Sport |date = 2006-05-04 |accessdate= 2008-01-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7100393.stm |title = McClaren sacked as England coach |publisher = BBC Sport |date = 2007-11-22 |accessdate= 2008-01-02}}</ref> He was replaced as Middlesbrough manager by long-serving defender [[Gareth Southgate]], in an appointment that was controversial owing to Southgate's initial lack of the coaching qualifications required by English Premier League rules. The appointment was unsuccessfully opposed by various [[the Football Association|Football Association]] officials.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/5052126.stm |title = Southgate appointed as Boro boss |publisher = BBC Sport |date = 2006-06-07 |accessdate= 2008-01-02}}</ref>

Speedway racing was staged at Cleveland Park Stadium from the pioneer days of 1928 until the 1990s. The [[post-war]] team, known as The Bears, and for a time, The Teessiders, and the Teesside Tigers operated at all levels. The immediate post war Bears team, which operated between 1945 and 1948, was reputed to be a victim of its own success. The track operated for amateur speedway in the 1950s before re-opening in the Provincial League of 1961. The track closed for a spell later in the 1960s but returned in as members of the Second Division as The Teessiders. Speedway returned to the Middlesbrough area in 2006 and the team is known as the [[Redcar Bears]].

Middlesbrough is also represented nationally in [[Futsal]]. [[Middlesbrough Futsal Club]] play in the [[FA Futsal League]] North, the national championship and their home games are played in Thornaby at Thornaby Pavilion. [[Stewart Downing]], England and Middlesbrough winger, is president of Middlesbrough Futsal Club.

== Television and filmography ==

Middlesbrough has featured in many television programmes, including ''[[The Fast Show]]'', ''[[Steel River Blues]]'', ''[[Spender]]'', ''[[Play for Today]]'' (''The Black Stuff''; latterly the drama ''[[Boys from the Blackstuff]]'') and ''[[Auf Wiedersehen, Pet]]''.

[[Tyne Tees Television]] used to broadcast its news for the South regions from its studios located at the base of Corporation House (now Walkabout bar), before moving to its new premises in [[Billingham]].

On [[17 December]] [[2007]], at about 1&nbsp;p.m. local time, the American television network [[NBC]] broadcast live from the Transporter Bridge, where presenter [[Ann Curry]] performed a [[bungee jump]] above the river, as part of a fundraising effort for charities such as [[Save the Children]] and [[United Way of America|United Way]]. Despite advance publicity in the ''Evening Gazette''<ref>[http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2007/12/15/us-tv-presenter-plans-transporter-bridge-bungee-jump-84229-20251414/ "US Presenter plans bungee jump"] in the ''Evening Gazette''.</ref> and the [[BBC]], the occasion did not attract many spectators other than the members of the [http://www.ukbungee.co.uk/ UK Bungee Club] supervising the jump, and the recovery party in a river boat. Despite recent adverse publicity for the town, including a poll conducted by a [[Channel 4]] television programme, ''[[Location, Location, Location]]'', making use of criterion questioned by mayor Ray Mallon<ref>[http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2007/11/01/mallon-wants-apology-from-channel-4-84229-20044178/ "Mallon wants apology from Channel 4"] in the ''Evening Gazette''.</ref>, which listed Middlesbrough as the country's supposed 'worst place to live' in 2007,<ref>{{cite news |title=Middlesbrough Is Worst Place To Live |work= Sky News |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1288351,00.html |publisher=BSkyB |date=[[2007-10-15]] |accessdate=2007-10-20}}{{dl|date=October 2008}}</ref> no local politicians attempted to capitalize on the occasion.

In May 2008 Middlesbrough was chosen as one of the sites in the [[BBC]]’s Public Space Broadcasting Project. Like other towns participating in the project, Middlesbrough was offered a large {{convert|27|m2|ft2|lk=on|abbr=on}} television screen by the [[BBC]] and the [[London]] Organising Committee of the Olympic Games. The screen was installed on the [[11 July]] [[2008]] and is located at the western end of Centre Square.

== Notable residents ==

The world famous explorer, navigator, and map maker Captain [[James Cook]] was born in Marton, which is now a suburb in the south-east of Middlesbrough.
[[Image:captainjamescookportrait.jpg|thumb|James Cook, portrait by [[Nathaniel Dance-Holland|Nathaniel Dance]], c. 1775, [[National Maritime Museum]], [[Greenwich]]]]

Other famous people from the town include:

*Sports
** Rugby union players [[Rory Underwood]] and [[Alan Old]]
** Footballers [[Don Revie]], [[Wilf Mannion]], [[Darren Williams]], [[Chris Kamara]] and [[Brian Clough]], as well as current [[England national football team|England]] players, [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]]'s [[Stewart Downing]] and [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]'s [[Jonathan Woodgate]]
** [[Middlesbrough FC]] Chairman [[Steve Gibson (businessman)|Steve Gibson]]
** Cricketers [[Liam Plunkett]] and [[Chris Old]]
** Olympic swimmer [[Jack Hatfield]] and [[Commonwealth Games]] swimmer [[Alyson Jones]]
** British [[long jump]] record holding athlete [[Chris Tomlinson]]
** Former [[Premier League|Premiership]] referee [[Jeff Winter]]
*The Arts
**Comedians [[Dave Morris (comedian)|Dave Morris]], [[Bob Mortimer]], [[Roy Chubby Brown]] and [[Kevin Connelly]]
**Musicians [[Cyril Smith (pianist)|Cyril Smith]], [[Chris Rea]], [[Paul Rodgers]] [[David Coverdale]], [[Micky Moody]], [[Alistair Griffin]] and [[Vin Garbutt]]
**Actors [[Wendy Richard]], [[Thelma Barlow]], [[Christopher Quinten]], [[Elizabeth Carling]], [[Jerry Desmonde]] and [[Jamie Parker]]
**Writers [[Ann Jellicoe]] - playwright and theatre director
**Authors [[Ernest William Hornung]] and [[Richard Milward]]
**Visual artists [[Mackenzie Thorpe]], [[Robert Nixon (artist)|Robert Nixon]] and [[William Tillyer]]
*Other Entertainers:
**Magician [[Paul Daniels]]
**TV Presenter [[Kirsten O'Brien]]
**''[[The X Factor (UK)|X Factor]]'' third place contestants [[Journey South]]

Other eminent sons and daughters of Middlesbrough and its environs include [[Martin Narey]], chief executive of Barnardo's, [[Ernest William Hornung|E. W. Hornung]], the creator of the gentleman-crook Raffles (who was fluent in three Yorkshire dialects, and [[Naomi Jacob]] novelist. [[Florence Easton]], the Wagnerian soprano at the New York Met and [[Cyril Smith (pianist)|Cyril Smith]], the concert pianist, were also natives. The famous M.P. [[Ellen Wilkinson]] wrote a novel ''Clash'' (1929) which paints a very positive picture of ‘Shireport’ (Middlesbrough). [[Florence Olliffe Bell]]'s classic study ''At The Works'' (1907) gives a striking picture of the area at the [[turn-of-the-century]]. She also edited the letters of her stepdaughter. [[Gertrude Bell]] which have been continuously in print since 1927. [[Pat Barker]]'s debut novel ''Union Street'' was set on the thoroughfare of the same name in the town, its central theme of [[prostitution]] still associated with the area around it to this day.

[[Ford Madox Ford]] was billeted in [[Eston]] during the [[Great War]] (1914&ndash;18) and his great novel sequence ''Parade's End'' is partly set in Busby Hall, [[Carlton, Hambleton|Carlton-in-Cleveland]].

[[Adrian Warburton|Adrian 'Six Medals' Warburton]], air photographer, was played by [[Alec Guinness]] in'' '[[Malta Story]]'''.

==Image gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Middsbottle37.JPG|The Bottle of Notes sculpture by<br />[[Claes Oldenburg]]
Image:Middscourt38.JPG|Teesside Crown Court, Middlesbrough
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: Image:Bolckow statue2.JPG|H.W.F.Bolckow -->
Image:Benedict Carpenter Middlesbrough sculpture.jpg|40,000 Years of Modern Art, at Middlehaven by<br />[[Benedict Carpenter]]
Image:mimabro.jpg|The [[Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art|mima]] circa 2007

</gallery>

==Twin Towns==
Middlesbrough is twinned with the following cities
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Dunkirk]], [[France]], since [[April 12]], [[1976]]
*{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Oberhausen]], [[Germany]], since 1974
*{{flagicon|Zimbabwe}} [[Masvingo]], [[Zimbabwe]], since 1990

*formerly twinned with [[Pyongyang]] in 1966.


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Axe]]
* [[Middlesbrough Music Live]]
* [[A66 road]]
* [[Inclined Plane]]
* [[Screw]]
* [[Middlesbrough Football Club]]
* [[Splitting maul]]
*[[Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art|mima]]

== References ==


== External links ==
{{reflist}}
*[http://em-ntserver.unl.edu/Negahban/em223/note16/note16.htm (Mechanics of) wedges and screws]


{{Commonscat|Wedges}}
==External links==
*{{wikitravel}}
* [http://www.archive.org/details/atworksstudyofma00belluoft "At the works, a study of a manufacturing town (Middlesbrough, Yorkshire)" by Florence Bell, 1907]
* [http://www.archive.org/details/pioneersofclevel00jeaniala "Pioneers of the Cleveland iron trade" by J. S. Jeans 1875]
*[http://www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/ Official Middlesbrough Council Website]
*[http://www.visitmiddlesbrough.com/ Visitmiddlesbrough - the official visitor and leisure guide for Middlesbrough.]
*[http://www.thisismiddlesbrough.com/ This is Middlesbrough - Community Guide]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/tees/ BBC Tees - the latest local news, sport, entertainment, features, faith, travel and weather.]
*[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/AreaProfileFrames.asp?aid=175803&hid=14&tid=13 Statistics] about Middlesbrough from the [[Office for National Statistics]]{{dl|date=October 2008}} [[United Kingdom Census 2001|Census 2001]]
* [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/NRY/Eston/Eston90.html Genuki - History of Eston parish & District] Descriptions from Bulmer's History and Directory of North Yorkshire (1890), retrieved 8 February 2006
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2007/jan/28/art.communities "How Boro will lose its "crap town" image" - Stephen Bayley, ''the Observer'']
*[http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2190086.ece "Introducing mima - Middlesbrough's Moma" - Ian Herbert, ''the Independent'']{{dl|date=October 2008}}
*[http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/arts_entertainment/art/painting+a+pretty+picture/187775 "Mima - painting a pretty picture" - Channel 4 News]


{{North Yorkshire}}
{{Simple machines}}


[[Category:Middlesbrough| ]]
[[Category:Mechanics]]
[[Category:Locations in the Tees Valley]]
[[Category:Tools]]
[[Category:Middlesbrough]]
[[Category:Simple machines]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the North Sea]]
[[Category:Ports and harbours of Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Towns in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:University towns]]
[[Category:Areas within Middlesbrough]]
[[Category:Articles including recorded pronunciations (UK English)]]


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Revision as of 23:53, 10 October 2008

wedge
Woodsplitting wedge
ClassificationHand tool
Used withSledgehammer
RelatedChisel
Splitting maul
Axe

Template:Otheruses2

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool, a compound and portable inclined plane, and one of the six classical simple machines. It can be used to separate two objects, or portions of objects, lift an object, or hold an object in place. It operates by converting a force applied to the wide end into forces perpendicular to the inclined surfaces. The mechanical advantage of a wedge depends on the ratio of its length to its thickness. Where a short wedge with a wide angle does the job faster, it requires more force than a long wedge with a smaller angle.

History

The origin of the wedge is unknown, because it has been in use for over 9000 years. In Ancient Egypt quarrys, bronze wedges were used to break away blocks of rock used for construction. Wood wedges, that swelled after being wet, were also used. Some Native American tribes used antler wedges as a means of splitting and working wood to make canoes, houses, and other wood objects.

Examples for separating and lifting

Examples include axes, splitting mauls, and splitting wedges. Wedges can also be used to lift heavy objects, or finely adjust the height of objects, essentially separating them from the surface they rest on. These may also be referred to as shims. Knives, scissors, chisels, and even teeth can sometimes be used as wedges, however, they are more fundamentally cutting implements.

Examples for holding fast

An insect nest is wedged in between two stones to hold it in place.

Wedges can also be used to hold objects in place, such as engine parts (poppet valves), bicycle parts (stems and eccentric bottom brackets), and doors.

A door stop (door wedge) is a wedge, and its main function is to generate friction between the bottom of the door and the ground.

A fork or nails can also be considered a type of wedge. While a nail will slice into wood when hammered, a bolt will not be pushed in. This is because a nail is a wedge and a bolt is not. A nail is tapered to a point at its end, then gets thicker farther up towards the head of the nail.

Mechanical advantage

The downwards force on the wedge produces a horizontal force in the object

The mechanical advantage of a wedge is the length of the sloping side of the wedge divided by the width of the thick end of the wedge. Therefore the formula for a wedge is:

In other words, divide the length of the wedge by its width at the thickest edge.

The more acute the angle of the wedge, the more mechanical advantage it will have.

Despite this, one reason that many splitting wedges have a wide angle is that an elastic material, such as wood, will bind a narrow wedge more readily than a wide wedge. This is why splitting mauls have a much larger angle than an axe.

See also

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wedges.
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