Darwins’ former home may be listed
8:00am Tuesday 17th January 2012 in Hartlepool News
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THE former home of John and Anne Darwin, the notorious canoe fraudsters, could be listed as a building of special historic interest by a council.
Also likely to be listed by Hartlepool Borough Council are a lamppost and a bus shelter.
However, the authority has stressed that the Darwins’ former home at 3 and 4 The Cliff in Seaton Carew, will not gain special status because of the connection to the couple.
Instead, the authority said the homes were of architectural merit and other properties on The Cliff have also been listed.
Cath Hill, a councillor in Seaton Carew and a borough council cabinet member, said: “I certainly hope it’s nothing to do with John Darwin. I certainly would not be supporting the idea if it were.
“But I don’t think it can be.
I was in a neighbouring property and it was really exquisite, with the most amazing views. I think it must be because of the architecture.”
John Darwin made headlines around the world after canoeing out to sea and faking his own death in 2002 in a £680,000 life assurance swindle.
He resurfaced in London in 2007 and was eventually jailed for the fraud, as was his estranged wife, Anne.
Hartlepool Mayor Stuart Drummond will make the final decision and confirmed the Darwins’ link would not be a reason why the home would be listed.
And he defended the idea of listing a bus shelter in the village of Elwick and lamppost in Middlegate, The Headland Hartlepool.
He said: “As in all these things, it comes down to a matter of taste. If people want to nominate bus stops and lampposts, far be it from me to stop them.”
A council spokesman said all the sites, including the bus shelter, did have historical value. The properties from 1 to 5, The Cliff, were designed in 1876 by Thomas Walker, a prominent local
architect.
The bus shelter was erected to commemorate the coronation of King George VI in 1937 and the lamppost dates back to 1903.
The borough of Hartlepool already has 200 nationally listed buildings.
The local list, a response to a Government idea to improve civic pride, will not be registered nationally or have special planning rights, but will be promoted by the council.
A total of 256 nominations were received for the local list, which has been reduced to 188.
Mr Drummond will consider the final list on Friday.
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