CELEBRATIONS are being planned to mark the anniversary of one of Thornaby's well known buildings.

The Robert Atkinson Youth and Community Centre is 75 on August 30.

It opened in 1929 as the Robert Atkinson Central School. The school closed in the 1970s and later reopened as a youth and community centre.

The school was named after Robert Atkinson who arrived in Thornaby in 1875. After leaving college at the age of 20, he was appointed by the Thornaby Schools Board as master of Westbury Street Boys School in January 1876.

In October 1884, he was appointed headteacher of Queen Street Boys School, which opened the following month.

He was there for 24 years before being invited by North Riding County Council in 1908 to become headteacher of Arthur Head Secondary Boys School until he retired in 1921.

Mr Atkinson, who lived in a house overlooking the River Tees in Thornaby Village, agreed to become a councillor for Thornaby Borough Council during the First World War when municipal elections were suspended.

He was elected mayor during 1922 and 1924, becoming an alderman later that year.

For five years after his retirement he continued to be involved in education as manager of Queen Street School.

To mark the centre's anniversary, a celebration will be held at the centre's annual meeting on Monday.