Photo from Heavisides Almanac 1909 showing Regent Street, including J.B. Crawford Plumber and Arkinson, Plumber. Also W.Kay Whitesmith. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Photo from Heavisides Almanac 1909 showing Regent Street, including J.B. Crawford Plumber and Arkinson, Plumber. Also W.Kay Whitesmith.
Regent St entries in the following Stockton directories (a few years either side of this picture) show:
1890
-United Methodist Free Church, Regent street, Rev-. Henry Hooks;
(10.30 a. m. & 6 p.m.; wed. 7.30 p.m) erected 1838
-Regent Street (infants), for :176 infants, average attendance, 145 ; Miss Eliza Neale, mistress
-Allan George Francis, painter etc. 5 Regent street
-Atkinson Mary .Ann (Mrs.), plumber &c. 11 Regent street {pictured}
-Clover & Shepherd, fruit merchants, Regent street
-Gibson Joseph, Regent inn, Regent street
-Hansell John James, auctioneer, 6 Regent street
-Kay Jane (Mrs.), & Son, whitesmiths etc. 4 Regent street {pictured}
-Middleton William, Regent hotel, Nelson terrace
-Patterson William, hay & straw dealer, Regent street
-Seymour & Co.Lim.tinplate & sheet metal wrkr. 14 Regent st
1914
-Allan G. F. & Sons Ltd. painters etc., 5 Regent street
-Atkinson Mary Ann (Mrs.), plumber etc., 12 Regent st {pictured}
-Mc.Anany John, Regent Inn, Regent street
-Richmond Thos. pastrycook & confectioner, 4 Regent st
-Tomlinson Charles, fruit merchant, Regent street
-Walton George, Regent hotel, 9 Nelson terrace
-United Methodist (Stockton & Middlesbrough Circuit), Regent street
(10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.; Wed.. 7.30p.m.; seat 500)
Sorry, just realised this picture is 1860’s so well before the directories quoted.
I have now submitted a plan with notes, which can be seen at – ‘Regent Street Plan from 1946 – 1954.’ Although I make no pretence of scale accuracy I am sure that details are correct, with exception of one or two points about which I was not entirely certain. I’ve noted these with question marks, and would be very interested if anyone has any further information.
My parents ran the ELLENA WILLIAMS THEATRICAL STUDIOS in Regent Street from 1946 to 1954. After submitting a heafty photo-file of this with explanations some time ago, I did mean to providing a rough sketch map of the street in that period. Accidentally coming across these interesting comments I shall definitely get around to the latter, as they have has filled in some names which I couldn’t remember. It is a sadness to me that there is no photograph of the street during this period. No doubt my father took some photos of the business and possibly the rest of the street but, as I explained in the file, most of the memorabilia was destroyed. It was only an accident that I could, with the wonders of computers, manage to restore a large batch of ‘throwouts’ which accidentally survived.
Maureen, I have a massive photo it is on cardboard. There will be about 100 women on it and I think taken somewhere near Norton Church as I think the roof of the vestry is in the background. I don’t know what the photo represents but when you mention the ‘Girls Friendly Society’ then may that is it. Thinking again they don’t look like girls, then again people in those days always looked a lot older than their years.
Maureen, one day you will ask me a question I can answer. My Fathers parents went to New Zealand in the 1920’s, I never knew them, my Mothers Parents lived in North Ormesby all their lives and Mother arrived in Norton to work for Mrs Volkers in the High Street as a cook met Dad and married a couple of years later so she did not know Norton, unless it was dancing and being a competition dancer she knew all the dance halls and that was it. i never once heard the “Girls Friendly Society” mentioned. Mother was a member of the “Toc H” which met behind Hawes Store that later became the bank now closed down. Sorry I cannot help this time.
I have a question for you Frank as an elder citizen of Norton. Can you remember the ‘Girls Friendly Society’ of Norton? An American relative of mine says his grandmother was given a plaque from them in 1896. I know this is well before your time but perhaps you may have heard your mother or grandmother mention it!
I remember the Regent Pub very well. My grandmother would spend many happy hours in the little snug room, the door being in Regent St. I remember her taking me in the snug room and buying me a Ginger Beer. I also used to go in there a lot in the 70s as it was just at the bottom of our Street which was Milbank St. I would love to see a photo of it.
Maureen, you bring back memories of my misspent youth. The older lads from Browns, Steve Small, Paul Elgy, Danny Cossavella, Ernie Giles and a few more were very keen dart players, they would go the rounds playing for a pint and rarely lost. They would put me on first well under age knowing I would lose while they marked the board to be next person on to play the winner, then they would up the ante until it got serious money and I would get free beer for losing. We often started in the Big Regent pub in Prince Regent Street then round the corner to the Little Regent Pub in Regent Street, this honed their game and wetted the whistle ready to take on the big lads in the Black Lion, The Cattle Market, The Moor or the Clarendon. Over a few nights they worked the Town and often ended in Sloans for a game of Killer Billiards. Every man playing put five shillings on the table, very serious money when beer was eight pence a pint and then with a ball over each pocket you had to sink the red without touching the ball over the pocket, it took skill and luck and one night with a lot of luck I took the pot and was promptly barred from playing killer again. Many people called it Little Regent Street but it was Regent Street, it was only us calling the Pub the Little Regent, the name must have stuck.
I also remember a Little Regent Street. It could have been the narrow street between Regent Street and Wellington Street. On the 1899 Map Regent Street is clearly marked but Wellington Street finished at the junction with Nelson Terrace/AlbertRoad. The section from Nelson terrace to the High Street was called St Johns road. Between Regent Street and St Johns Road is a street the runs from Nelson Terrace to the High Street and it’s unmarked on the map. It’s that one I think was called Little Regent street.
That sounds like a description of Ropery Street, now a gated dead end, as its just an access road.
You are quite right Maureen. There was a pub at the corner of Nelson Terrace and Little Regent Street. I believe it was The Regent pub. Not very nice beer. I know on a busy week end in the town the pubs were heaving, not this one, you could go in there anytime and find a seat.
My husband, Colin, remembers going to the Woodworking class in about 1945. He also made a stool which his mam had for years. He also remembers Mr Sugden having a bad temper & if you were caught talking instead of working he’d throw a lump of wood at you!!
I’m sure I remember this road being called Little Regent St, could anybody tell me if this was a figment of my imagination!!
As a young man my late father in law, Lawrence Tindale, used to visit Charles Tomlinson’s fruit and vegetable shop in Regent Street. Charles Tomlinson married Lillie Anna Jeffries who was his mother’s sister (his aunt). I have a pocket watch which has an engraving ‘C Tomlinson Regent Street, Stockton on Tees’ and the silver marks show the case was made in 1913. The case shows considerable signs of wear and no doubt would have been used by Charles on a daily basis when working in his business.
I served my time at Arnold and Griffins Plumbers 1945 to 1952 . The firm had originally been RK Atkinsons (shown here on the left) Jack Arnold and Harold Griffin worked for the last Atkinson and the firm was gifted to them by Mrs Atkinson on the proviso she continued to live in the flat above the shop. The workshop was at the back opening on to Ropery St. A new workshop was built about 1937/8 but all RK Atkinsons equipment, benches, moulds etc. remained in use. In its heyday A and G was one of the top firms in the North.
Thank you for the info Peter. I’m trying to find out more about Charles Tomlinson and the family (I dont have any close relatives around now to ask!) Charles must have taken over the business after George. I wonder if you know if they had any shops or lived at any other addresses in the Norton/Stockton area.
Just after WW2 finnished my dad Robert Casey left the mechant navy and married my mam
Norah (nee Tippey) 1946, mam & dad had to move in with dads sisiter, Elizabeth Evans, and her husband Stan, this was 6 Napier St. I can remember the outside toilet, tin bath, and just a very dark and dingy place to live, these homes looking back were horrible. My Aunty Lizzy moved to Ragworth when it was built, my mam and dad moved into a flat in Swainby rd. Looking back the only thing nice about those properties then was the people. I remember running into Snowdons shop trying to spend a farthing I had found and getting a sweet as they must have felt sorry for me. Lots of nice people but not nice times for all.
Charles Tomlinson was born in Stockton in 1869, his younger sister Annie born 1880 was my paternal Grandmother, their father George was a fruit and vegetable merchant and at the time of the 1881 census they lived in Napier Street, Norton
My Great Grandfather was called Charles Tomlinson, he lived in Norton in the early 1900’s and was a fruit merchant. His warehouse was in Regent Street, next to where Marks and Spencers is now. He remarried after his first wife Ellen died, a lady called Lily Anna. I think he had 5 daughters and 1 son from his first marriage. Has anyone got any info on this family?
Hi Steve Walsh, you are correct it was Arnold & Griffin. John Griffin was my best friend. Still in touch with him. He lives in Scarborough now. I think his brother David lives in Darlington. The Griffins lived 5 doors up from me in Londonderry Rd. Mr Griffin was very much involved with the Methodist Church in Newtown. I can remember going with him & John to show films to the local kids in the “Paradise Row” methodist church, that would have been around 1943/4
Steve Walsh, I think Bob Irwin is talking about my uncle ( Dick junior ) he was a council joiner, from Thornaby he is aged 80 or so, I will make enquiries & let you know if he can remember anything. regards
Steve Walsh. I worked at Head Wrightsons, Teesdale works with your Grandfathers brother Richard (Dick) Arnold. This was from 1953 -62. He had a son also called (Dick) who worked for Stockton Council. They were both Joiners
Hi, my grandfather had a plumbing & electrical business down Regent Street it was called Arnold & Griffin (Jack Arnold), I think it ran from the 30″s to the 50″s. Does anyone remember the business? I think there were a number of plumbing related places down Regent Street over the years.
Hello members of the school woodworking shop. I too attended that great place and still have in our home the little stool we made!! Regent St. has many memories for me. My brother worked at the plumbers shop and I was converted and became a Christian in the former Methodist Church behind the pub on Nelson Tce. It became The Apostolic Church of Wales. Delicious memories of the bakery and the teacakes. I think I attended the shop around 1943?? Regards to all. Bill
To Harry Iceton, I too went to the Woodwork classes in Regent Street but later in 1948. I too remember Mr Sugden,but not Mr Hardy. I remember struggling to successfully adjust the setting on the wooden planes. In subsequent times the advent of an adjusting screw was wonderful. In later years I taught Woodwork and often told my pupils of the horrors of trying to set a smoothing plane with a hammer. The cake shop was Barrowcliffes and Mr Sugden allowed some of us to go over and buy a teacake each at break time. Freshly baked they were blissful each after a hard two hours down among the shavings!
I remember going to the schools Woodworking classes in Regent Street at the age of 13 in 1933 the Teachers were Mr Hardy and Mr Sugden, also the building was used for cookery classes for the girls who sent cakes in for the Woodwork Teachers at break time. On the corner of Nelson Terrace and Regent Street was the the School for the Deaf and Dumb people, also in Regent Street was a Plumbers shop and a cake shop with the Regent pub on the oposite corner to the Deaf and Dumb school. I wonder if anyone else remembers those places I certainly enjoyed those Woodworking classes. I made an Oak Umbrella Stand there for my Mother wich was still being used up to 1982
Amongst the buildings in this street was the Regent Street United Methodist Free Church where my grandmother Lilian King was baptised twenty years before this picture appeared in the Heavisides Almanac. Heavisides many publications can prove a great source for people with a Stockton background following their family history.
This is a fascinating picture. Regent Street has almost disappeared in modern times. In more modern times one used to be able to walk down Regent Street, between Littlewoods and Marks and Spencer, straight through to Nelson Terrace. I write for the benefit of ex-Stockton residents: now Regent Street adjacent to the High Street is an access road for M&S deliveries and a usual stopping off point for ordered taxis for shoppers. The surrounding High Street area is pedestrianized. Such a transformation from dwellings and small shops shown in this picture to the present construction which is Stockton”s very large Wellington Square development which has almost engulfed Regent Street completely.