Cleveland Literary Society

Not quite a Writers' Group but a Literary Society. Launched in the very early 1980's by Su Reid and others from the Humanities Dept. of Teesside Polytehnic.

 As Rebecca O'Rourke has noted in Written in the Margins (Download the pdf of this research document into Creative Writing and Education in the Tees Valley)

"while based there it attracted students and had a more critical edge." By 1984/5 it had moved to the Leeds University Adult Education Centre, Harrow Rd. Middlesbrough, where it added readings to the critical work, and was chaired by Andy Croft. They met on the second Tuesday of the month, eight meeting were held a year to hear speakers and engage in debate about different aspects of our literary culture."

In the first edition of Outlet Autumn 1986 on the information insert "Alternative Entertainment - Songs,poems by Adrian Mitchell,Caberet,Leeds University Centre,Harrow Rd.,Middlesbrough - Cleveland Literary Society. Tues 2nd Dec 7,30pm"

By 1988/9 it was relaunched by Andy Croft as Poetry Live and was entirely readings based. More on Poetry Live in another post. Poetry Live was followed by Crossing the T's at Sam's Place, Linthorpe Rd Middlesbrough organised by Andy Croft and Gordon Hodgeon in 2006