26 Aug We love Redcar!

Redcar is an old seaside town with its history stretching back to the 14th century as a busy fishing village. Our older residents at Shoreline will have seen many changes to Redcar over the years.

In 1924 an amusement park opened in Redcar and was leased for 15 years. The site closed in 1938 and was used for building Sandringham and Buckingham Road. The Giant Racer was disassembled and moved to Skegness for a short period until the war broke out, the site later became Butlins in 1945.

In the 1940s many people would spend their time on the sands at Redcar and play on the many rides. These would attract huge crowds from surrounding areas, especially as the war had just ended and money was tight. Some of the attractions were Punch and Judy shows, donkey rides, wooden boat rides, and carousels. Some of these rides stayed at Redcar until the 1970s.

Redcar pier was also very popular and a huge tourist attraction. The pier was completed in 1873 at a cost of £11,000 and was opened by Rear Admiral Chaloner. During its time Redcar Pier housed a popular ballroom and bandstand. It would be used for dance, singers and beauty contests, etc. Unfortunately by the beginning of the 1980s, the pier was demolished due to being hit by boats, fire, and bombing from the war.

One of Redcar’s longstanding attractions is the Zetland Lifeboat Museum. Numerous ships have foundered off the Redcar coastline and many of their wrecks still exist. The Zetland is the world’s oldest surviving lifeboat. It was built by Henry Greathead of South Shields and is housed in a volunteer-lead sea-front museum. The lifeboat was first stationed at Redcar in 1802. The Marquess of Zetland, the world’s oldest surviving lifeboat that saved 500 lives is now preserved in the Redcar lifeboat museum.

There are many other attractions and beautiful places to visit in Redcar and we have chosen just a few of our favorite oldies.