The shop premises of Stewarts Clothiers, later Chelsea Girl, at the corner of Stockton High Street and Ramsgate. Colour photo dated 1985.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The shop premises of Stewarts Clothiers, later Chelsea Girl, at the corner of Stockton High Street and Ramsgate. Colour photo dated 1985.
Picture Stockton Archive 
I am the great grandson of Thomas Dormand Stewart and am looking to track down my third cousin, Christopher Dormand Stewart who played such a big part in the Stewart Park celebrations in 2008 and 2012. At the time, I think he believed he was the only surviving descendant. I shall be presenting the Illuminated Book commemorating the Freedom of the City of Middlesbrough to Thomas Dormant Stewart to the Dorman Museum this summer.
Understanding privacy implications if anyone might be able to help me trace Christopher that would be really helpful as I would like to meet him and give him the chance to be present when I hand the book over. Thank you.
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I remember Stewarts opening a ’boutique’ in early 70s on the top floor for the hip young things
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I worked as a young boy from age 11 to 15 years old, for Mr Mrs William Sharp of New Street, Thornaby, who had a sea food, winkles and eggs sales caravan almost opposite Dormand’s shop, when it rained I used to look over at this shop and upto the roof gable wall, where the painted sign “We shall have rain” was? and smiled, it seemed so comical. And funny at times.
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My Uncle John Bentley was the Manager of Stewarts until it closed
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Norman Kidd I think accidentally makes the connection between Stewart’s ‘The King Tailors’ clothiers shown above and Dormand Stewart’s the ‘We shall have rain” local rainwear clothing retailers.
But in fact the families actually were related, both operating independent even larger stores in Middlesbrough on Linthorpe Rd. The Stewart’s store having a clothing factory, employing many machinists and tailors on it’s upper floors above the actual shop.
I didn’t even know that Dormand Stewarts once had a small branch in Stockton until I saw their shop in the b/ground of this photograph of the 1940’s, just a few doors down from their relatives impressive High St premises shown above.
Mr Dormand Stewart actually purchased the vacant former house and grounds of local 19thC. iron-master Henry Bolckow, aka ‘Marton Hall’ and generously donated them to M’bro as a municipal facility in the early 1930’s, now still known as Stewart’s Park. His grandson, Christopher Dormand Stewart, is now a broker on Wall St, New York.
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I worked in both Chelsea Girl stores around early 1980’s to late 80’s and early 1990’s. The original Chelsea Girl was further down the High street towards Debenhams. It was a 2 storey building but smaller than the Stewarts building. River Island then moved into the Stewarts building.
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Thanks Jane, I was wondering, I can remember C/G being further down and 2 stories.
Can any one recall what the name of the shop further down the other way towards Thornaby, opposite the Odeon or thereabouts, in what is now Castle gate? It had 2 huge plate glass windows.
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I worked in the original Chelsea Girl late 60`s-1980, it was known as The in Scene. Young girls could afford trendy and up to date fashion without having to travel further afield. Lewis separates bought the Levan`s stores, then made them into boutiques. They had branches all over the North, Scotland and London, they now trade as River Island. A hairdresser now trades on the original ground floor site.
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Dormond Stewarts specialised in outdoor and waterproof clothing. Their rubberised riding mac”s were completely waterproof nothing replaced them untill “Gannex” cloth was invented and was more lightweight. Mine served me well in my two wheels days and I covered many miles in absolute comfort.
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I remember getting most of my clothes from Stewarts and a few of my mates would get credit and pay a sum of money each week, I never did. I would get the Ben Sherman shirts and them 70″s satin kipper ties, along with the platform shoes. The shop next door to the left was the old Boots and I think over the years was Keen Jeans, Gratten, Durham Pine. What was before Keen Jeans.
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I remember Chelsea Girl I used to shop there. The shop I remember was next door on the left of stewarts. Chelsea Girl was the fashion of the 60″s I still have a pair of jeans from there with the original label on. Alas I can”t wear them now they wont fit people had to be thin in those days to wear their clothes. I think when the shop closed down Sstewards sold the remnants left from Chelsea Girl.
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Stewart and Co, or Stewart”s Clothiers, occupied this site between 1896 and 1963. There is a plaque on the building with the date 1912, suggesting a rebuilding at that time. Before Stewarts took it over, the building had been occupied by a series of grocers since at least 1834.
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