Error over Stan Laurel’s birthplace leaves Durham tourism deptt red-faced

LONDON - An error involving the birthplace of late comic actor Stan Laurel, of the Laurel and Hardy series, has left the tourism department in Durham red-faced.

Visit County Durham had printed 50,000 leaflets describing the attractions of Bishop Auckland, and it also pointed out that it was Laurel’s birthplace.

But it emerged that the actor was only baptised and educated in the town, and had actually been born in Ulverston, Cumbria.

Craig Wilson from Visit County Durham said the mistake was the result of a “strong urban myth”.

“When we were putting the leaflets together, we knew he was baptised, went to school and grew up in Bishop Auckland where his parents ran the theatre,” the BBC quoted him as saying.

“So unfortunately that was translated into him being born here.

“We will be looking to correct this in the next edition.

“I’ve also put in a call to South Lakeland Tourism to see if there’s anything more we can do to work together and share the limelight of Stan Laurel,” he stated.

Mark Greenhow, manager of the Laurel and Hardy Museum in Ulverston, said for a long time it has been thought that Laurel was born in the north east - either Bishop Auckland or North Shields.

“However, in the early 70s my grandfather who started the museum got hold of a birth certificate which proved that Stan Laurel, who was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson, was born in Ulvesrston,” he said.

“It’s a shame it has made it on to 50,000, but they’ve held their hands up and let us know there’s been a mistake. These things do happen,” he added in reference to the leaflets. (ANI)