Cast members of The Billingham Players prior to their production of “Sleeping Beauty” at the Theatre Upstairs on Belasis Avenue, Billingham. The pantomime was to be staged on the 10th of December 1984. Does anybody recognise any of the three ladies, or know if they are still involved with the Billingham Players?
Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.
This photograph shows a wedding party outside 16 Russell Street, Thornaby. Taken around 1906. My great-grandparents Edwin and Isabella CLARKE lived at No. 20 for many years. Edwin worked as a bricklayer in the steel works. He had travelled up north to find work in the 1870s from his home near Great Yarmouth, leaving behind an ancestry steeped in the corn milling business. He met Isabella HULL from St Helen Auckland and they married in 1876. Their first 3 children were born in Craddock Street, Bishop Auckland and their last 3 in Thornaby. In the photo, Edwin is standing in the middle at the back and Isabella is on the right in her fine hat! Their daughter-in-law Lucy is sitting front right with her young son.
When I was given the photo many years ago I was assured it was not a family wedding so I don’t know who the bride and groom are. I was told the lady in the middle on the left ran a local pub and the girls on either side of her were “gaiety girls” but who knows if that’s true! Seems unlikely to me. I wonder whether anyone with links to the area might know who they all are? Edwin died in 1937 and Isabella in 1932. They are buried at Thornaby Cemetery in an unmarked plot, which I visited many years ago while in the area.
Photograph and details courtesy of Diane Johansen.
This is an advert for the opening of Stewarts store at 106 High Street after it had been rebuilt. It is also known as “Tees House”. The advert was placed on 10th May 1912, so 110 years ago! It’s still an impressive building and still proudly bears the name of Stewarts Clothiers. It has had several uses over the years, most recently a “licenced gaming centre”, but has previously been home to various clothing chains. Hopefully it can be given a little TLC and put to good use in the near future!
Image and details courtesy of Jonathan May.
Stockton Corporation had a large fleet of Leyland PD2 buses in the 1950s and 1960s, including XUP 475, a 1958 example. Here are pictures of 1:24 scale models I have made, and also a black and white picture of the actual bus taken by Philip Battersby in 1964 at Low Grange, Billingham.
Middlesbrough Corporation had buses with similar Northern Counties bodies, on Guy Arab chassis – my model shows the Stockton bus in company with Middlesbrough’s GDC 295. The ‘O’ service was a joint operation between Middlesbrough and Stockton Corporations, running between Norton and North Ormesby. The 11 service, Stockton Town Hall to Middlesbrough Exchange, was also jointly run by the two corporations. The black and white shot of Middlesbrough’s GDC 295 was taken by RHG Simpson in the mid-1960s, in Bridge Road, Stockton.
Models and details courtesy of Andy Wood.
Construction of the spiral ramp giving access to the rooftop section of the Castlegate Shopping Centre car park.
Taken in August 1971 by Len Toulson. Courtesy of Neal Toulson.
Neal Toulson: Thornaby Cricket Club 1940’s – Hi attached are two photographs of Thornaby Cricket Club in the 1940’s. The first photograph I believe was taken when they won the league, they won again in 1945, it had a player called Norman Nevison who was something of a legend, he took 100 league wickets in 1945, in one match he took all 10 wickets. I don’t know any of the other players.
The second photograph features Dougie Merryweather on the very back row left. Doug played for a lot of years and his sons and grandsons also played for Thornaby over the years.
Photograph and details courtesy of Neal Toulson.
Here is a great picture of Witham Hall, Eaglescliffe. Not the best picture but does give a good idea of what the house looked like!
Photograph and details courtesy of James Hull.
Who remembers Robinsons? Robinsons department store (front and rear) early to mid 1960’s, as it officially became Debenhams in 1972.
Photographs and details courtesy of Peter Jordison.
Repairing the clutch on my pre unit Bonneville on the Whitby Road in 1970.
Top left clockwise: Dougie Dunn, Pete (Joe) Johnstone, David (Gabbler) Allison, Dennis (Wombat) Walton. All the guys were from Fairfield except me, from Thornaby.
Photograph and details courtesy of Anthony Bonner.
This wonderful photograph shows a group of boys in Grade 7 at Oxbridge Lane Boys School in 1910. Courtesy of Granville Cooper.
Looking towards the Victoria Bridge and the replica HM Bark Endeavour berthed on the River Tees, Stockton c2004. The usage of the river has changed so much over the decades. Here it is looking very leisurely.
Following on from last weekend’s Stockton Cycling event, here is a photograph of a group of the ‘younger’ Stockton Wheelers cyclists, stood on the steps of the Doric column next to the Town Hall, just before setting off on a Sunday club run. It was Stockton Wheelers Diamond Jubilee year of 1976 and I think this was a special Sunday run to celebrate the occasion. One of the riders in the photograph is Paul Curran who went on to win two commonwealth gold medals some years later.
Photograph and details courtesy of John Callender.
A view of W Blackburn and Co. clothiers (1894 – 71), 119 and 120 Stockton High Street.
People from Stockton Rambling Club posing outside the Council Municipal offices on Church Road, Stockton before going to ‘City of Varieties’ c1963.
Photograph and details Chris Firth.
We believe these ladders led down to the jail cells located beneath the Town Hall. Apparently the cells were only five feet tall and offenders were passed into the cells through what was then a hatchway in the pavement outside. Can anyone confirm this?
Picture Stockton Archive 