Sydney Harbour Bridge trowel

After years of planning Middlesbrough firm Dorman Long & Co Ltd begin construction of the iconic Sydney Harbour BridgeThe Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is the world's largest steel arched bridge and one of the most iconic man-made structures. Known locally as 'the Coathanger', it was built by Dorman Long & Co using 52,800 tonnes of steel made in Middlesbrough held together by around 6 million iron rivets.

Arthur Dorman, Chairman of Dorman Long, attended the official ceremony of setting the foundation stone on the 26th March 1925 and was presented with this silver plated trowel.

The growth of the town of Middlesbrough from a small hamlet in 1830 was remarkable. Within 40 years the town was the largest producer of iron in Britain with over 2 million tonnes being made in 1870. By the 1920's the firm of Dorman Long had come to dominate the steel industry on Teesside and had branched out into engineering.

In 1904, Sir Arthur Dorman presented the town with a new museum in memory of his son and colleagues who died in the Boer War.

After years of planning Middlesbrough firm Dorman Long & Co Ltd begin construction of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge