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WELCOME OUTLET MAGAZINE'S LITERARY HISTORY OF

THE CLEVELAND / TEESVALLEY AND NORTH YORKSHIRE AREA.

(Outlet was featured on TV's OPEN SPACE in 1990 - see link below)

See sidebar - New - Uploaded Tweddells' 1872 out of print book Bards and Authors of Cleveland and South Durham as free PDF File download. Brilliant Book on Cleveland's Literary History only otherwaise available in Reference libraries or second hand bookshops.

Also in sidebar - Link to Tweddell's Collected Poems free download book with intro by Trev Teasdel and Paul Tweddell

The Teesvalley has enjoyed a lively and groundbreakingcommunity based writing scene for over 25 years. This is named after OUTLET, the 80's magazine that took the Teesvalley literary underground - overground and set the ball rolling for an unprecedented explosion of writing and literary activity on Teesside and its surrounds. A ball that is still rolling today with the buzz of performance venues like The Writers Cafe and the recent Verb Garden, Hydrogen Jukebox and newer magazines such as Kenaz. There are also literature development projects in schools, the University of Teesside and in the community. Not only that but there have been international and regional exchanges, new imprints and much much more.

Such richness and diversity of literary activity was unthinkable over 27 years ago when I and other literary pioneers in the area tried to get a 'pinch' of funding to run a performance venue or a magazine. Lack of adequate funding is still an issue in the Tees Valley however and struggle goes on.

This site is both the story of the forgotten literary history in the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire since about 600 AD to 1980 in section one of the site and in section two, the story of spirit and determination to forge a strong and dynamic ground-based literary culture int he area, despite, often, the lack of funding and encouragement from the literary establishment and negative viewpoints of the area which view us as a 'Cultural desert'.

The Tees Valley has made its own literary culture, unique and thriving, and now, at last, reaching beyond its borders to interact, influence and be influenced by the wider worlds of international literature.

Outlet wasn't the beginning however. It was merely the catalyst, the spark that lit the tinder, that forged an issue with the literary establishments - "The Fist of Cleveland Writing" that made possible the cultural empowerment from the bottom up rather than from the top down. Nor was this the end - the story continued and continues.

There is a wealth of material to come to this site - so bookmark it and watch it grow; comment your thoughts or additional information; or correct us if you think we got something wrong; or set up a discussion (perhaps we can add a discussion board to this site).

There are two stories on this site; -

SECTION ONE - THE BARDS AND AUTHORS OF CLEVELAND AND TEESVALLEY 500 AD TO 1960

This section gives a more or less chronological account of the diverse (and often hidden) literary history of the area. The idea is to bring together a range of information scattered throughout journals, out of print and long forgotten books and others sources to give a comprehensive picture of long standing literary scene in the area. The purpose of this is not so much to evaluate but provide an important resource for researchers who might (and hopefully will) explore these assertions further. Early pioneers of the areas literary history have provided much food for thought and research - eg George Markham Tweddell suggested in 1877 that Gower the Moral (who was both a poet in his own right and Chaucer's mentor) was born in Stittenham in Yorkshire (speculation suggests other other places - such as Cunningham in Norfolk or in Kent). Stittenham lay in parish of sheriff Hutton in the Archdeaconry of Cleveland. Tweddell goes on to allege the Gowers were resident at Sexhow near Stokesley on account of information received from a trusted source regarding their arms being emblazoned on the shield of the Allens of Blackwell. (More of this to come!). There are assertions of the Romantic poets - Wordsworth, Shelley, Coleridge and Byron visiting Stockton and Norton, courting, walking to from the lakes, and even writing in the area. Some dispute this of course but these are just some of things for intrepid literary detectives to get their teeth into. This site will supply source materials and the story. However for the non literary / historic detective it will serve to demonstrate that the area is not as culturally barren as people think and it will certainly be a good story - enjoy, think and research!

SECTION TWO - THE HISTORY OF THE TEESVALLEY CREATIVE WRITING MOVEMENT 1960 TO PRESENT

IN 1990, through an intiative by Andy Croft, we made an OPEN SPACE tv programme about the work of OUTLET and WRITE AROUND (10mins). The film features Outlet editors Trev Teasdel, Andy Croft and Terry Lawson (narrating) with the other editors contributing to the scripting and features a number of local poets / creative writing students reading and more in the audience. The intro to the video in below and there will be a section on the making of the programme on here soon.

Is based around my personal archives from 1980 to the present from many of my own initiatives and involvements in the Tees Valley Creative Writing Scene along with those of a handful of other local literary activists. It will tell the story of the development of the thriving Creative Writing scene that emerge up here in the north east of the UK, how things developed out of preceding projects and grew. If you are a local creative writer, you find your self on here somewhere (as material is added). It will develop through several main chapters that correspond to the changes in focus and major developments of the Creative Writing Movement (s) - 1980 - 84 / 1985-6 The Watershed period) / 1986- 90 -The Outlet Period / 1990 - 95 / 95 to present.

NOTE - This history first appeared on the Tees on Line site in 2004, later it was hosted by Teesside University Community Media. The site is currently being rebuilt and developed on Glass Orange - our independent domain, so please bookmark the site and bare with us while we re-upload and redevelop this fascinating but little known history of our area.

The hosting is shared with and made possible by the descendants of George Markham Tweddell (for whom many thanks), one of the most fascinating and influential characters in the history of our area. With his work, much of the early literary history of our area just wouldn't be known. Do visit the Tweddell site on this server (you can access it via the Links menu). It will reward a visit.

Outlet was a free grass roots poetry magazine and spring board created by Trev Teasdel, along with his fellow editors -Terry Lawson, Pauline Plummer, Viv Harland, Mel McEvoy in 1986. It was sponsored by Northern Arts and Cleveland County Libraries and Leisure dept and went out free throughout the entire Cleveland County (UK) library system, bookshops and a mailing list.  It ceased in 1990 when its funding ran out and the initial development work was complete. By then mainstream organisations and other initiative had been inspired to take the new widespread interest in Tees valley Creative Writing further. Also in 1990 The work of Outlet and Write Around (which developed out the work) was featured in the BBC 2 Open Space Programme - Breaking the Ice.

Other editors along the way included Margaret Weir, Andy Croft, Richard Briddon., Mark Beevers, Vera Davies, Cath McKenna, Richard McMullen.

Important contributions to it's success were also made along the way bySteve Gillgallon (word processing / treasurer), Bob Beagrie (contributor / columnist), John McGowan (Graphic artist / contributor), Clive Rawson(Resources and support via Community Arts Middlesbrough), Eileen Oliver(typing), Leigh Sylvester(Graphics), Brian Gormley (Graphics), Samantha Forbes (Graphics), Angela Morgan (typing).

Trev Teasdel July 2008.

NOTE - The TIMELINES (See the side bar) will be key to this site and are currently being compiled. They will give an overview of both the extent of ancient bards and authors and literary activity in this area and and over view of the later Cleveland Creative Writing Movement. Eventually as the site develops you will be able to click the names and entries to go to a fuler article on that writer where there is additional material. You will of course be able to access the articles via the navigation sections in the side bar.

CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE TIMELINES - 18th Nov 08

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