My uncle, Jack Bailey, is the conductor shown in this photograph. He was born in 1905 and worked, ”on the buses” from aged 14, when he started as a tram conductor, until his retirement as a bus inspector, as did his older brother Frank and younger brother Billy.
Supervisors from Woolworths in Stockton. My mum, Eileen Southall (nee Bailey) is the lady on the right. This would have been taken in the early 1950s in the Parish Gardens. The ladies’ very smart uniforms were made by my grandmother Lillie Bailey.
Queen Victoria High School assembly taken in 1967 by Jack T Marriott who had a studio in Stockton.
I think this is the whole school, apart from the two Kindergarten years, probably singing the school hymn ‘Now thank we all our God’ since all the hymnbooks are closed. Form I are at the front through to UVI at the back. The Headmistress, Miss Gosling, is on stage at the extreme right of the photo. Other teachers are under the arches. In the right-most arch, the tall lady in a pale outfit is Mrs Payne (LIIIB) (or just possibly Mrs Heavisides (LIIIC)), and the shorter lady to her right is definitely Miss Langorne, terror of Form II. In the next arch are teachers from the senior school – I think I can see Miss Lavender (English) and Miss Jones (Music) and the first teacher in the third arch may be Mrs Squires (Art).
The hall was also used for indoor games – there are vertical bars along the back wall and two raised climbing ropes above the middle arch. I also remember an impressive contraption that came down from the roof with a parallel bar of adjustable height.
On the Buses Stockton, Harry Kidd Inspector (Blakey) and Emily Brown (Groves) Driver at their Tenth Wedding Anniversary the one they classed as their Silver Wedding due to their age when they married, but eventually made their Silver Wedding Anniversary in later years.
This “Coronation” picture has me puzzled, does anybody have any idea about what could be happening, there are an awful lot of people, all men, standing around a bus, there are far too many to all get aboard.
Also there are no signs of street decoration that normally accompany such events, the only thing I am sure of is the pickup point was in the high street outside the alleyway leading to the Blue Post Hotel. Judging by the way the men are dressed I would say that 1911 is a very likely date for the picture.
This is a follow up to a picture added to Picture Stockton showing the Norton Juniors Team from 1942. The team won a cup and league double with my late father Tom Birtle as captain. This picture is much nearer to the camera and I can only hope someone can recognise some of the other players…
These are the School representative badges for the Newham Grange School won by Marie Brown (Kennedy) in 1949/50. Marie was also an accomplished Athlete representing Stockton Lady Harriers in the !00 yards and Relay races at the Local Athletic Meets such as The Richmond Meet Many. World class athletes competed at the Richmond meet, such as E McDonald Bailey, Fanny Blankers Kohen (5 Olympic Gold Medals), Bob Richards the American Olympic Pole Vaulter, Arthur Wint the World class Jamaican 400 yard runner and many others. These Athletics Meetings allowed the local athletes to compete against the Worlds Best, and gave local people in the North East a chance to see the Worlds best which was usually restricted to the London areas such as Wembley Stadium and the White City Stadium.The Meetings had wonderful atmospheres with Cycling also featured. I suppose that Gateshead is the only place North East people can now see these top athletes in action.
The 50th (Northumbrian) Division included the Infantry Brigades 149th, 150th (4th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 4th and 5th Green Howards and 5th Durham Light Infantry) and 151st. The division was mobilised on 1st September 1939 and in October 1939 was under the command of Major-General Giffard Le Quesne Martel, focused on training in the Cotswolds. Then in January 1940 embarked to France to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). My father (Pte RL Hymer), in the 4th Green Howards fought in France and retreated to Dunkirk. After which was sent to North Africa and in the Battle of Gazala, Rommel surrounded the 150th Brigade Box known as the Cauldron until it was gradually reduced over a stubborn defence and overrun by noon on 1st June 1942. Prisoners were then taken through Italy to German camps and Stalag XVII B [Pottenbrunn, Austria] is where he was taken. His mother, Margaret Hymer (21 Salisbury Street, Thornaby-on-Tees) sent a parcel to him on the 31st December 1944, rather than the Red Cross. Home from the battlefields, the Green Howards honoured with the freedom of Middlesbrough – 1946.
Photographs and details courtesy of Michael Hymer.
A friend and I went to explore the Old Coatham Bridge a few weeks ago. There was obvious signs that someone was rough sleeping down there. I remember riding a bicycle and later motorcycle and car across that bridge many times back in the 1960’s and later.
Photographs and details courtesy of Michael Thompson.
A photograph of some of Robert Atkinson 5th Formers, around 1972/3. Back row left to right, Dave Elliot, Shaun Gallagher, Ian Spence, front row, Kenny Daniels, Stuart Graham, Alan Walton, Dennis Hardy, Nigel Richardson.
This really was the start of the model railway four years ago and inspired by my trip on a train from Stockton to Newcastle in December 1978. The desolate views really were depressing given a cold winters day. This model still requires more detailing in the station area as time permits. I therefore recreated in the model a brighter time in the days of Stockton Station.
HD BOUCH shop name has appeared on a building at 704 Yarm Road, Stockton-on -Tees. The former tattooist shop has had some work done to it revealing this name. Any clues who this person this and what business was conducted here?
Photograph and details courtesy of Peter Southgate.
This ICI Roll Of Honour was reported to have been recently found dumped in Saltburn but fortunately saved from the scrapman or worse and is now being held in safe keeping pending its future. The Salt Union at Port Clarence was taken over by ICI in 1937 and the Clarence Salt Works were closed by ICI in 1952 followed by the Tennants Works in 1956 . The salt or brine fields extended from Port Clarence across to Greatham were the Cerebos Salt Factory was and between the two was the aptly named Saltholme Farm now a thriving nature reserve but once an active ICI farm .
It would be appropriate and fitting if the plaque could be placed alongside the ICI War Memorial in Memorial Park on Station Road in Billingham which was itself moved from its site outside of the former ICI Headquarters in Chilton Avenue in 1996.
Photograph and details courtesy of David Thompson.
