Photograph taken 1st September 1957 of Stockton High Street, showing the Odeon, Martins Bank and Leslie Browns Toy Shop. The Borough Hall has been demolished and the Post Office was opened in 1960. Blacketts Store is also included in this 1957 photo of the east side of Stockton High Street. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
I worked at Blacketts in 1960 it was on the side of the Royal Oak pub. Also on that side was Doggarts another great store where people met on a night because the shop was well lit.
In 1964 the film 633 Squadron was released and I was in 266 Sqd. ATC at the time and we built a display which was on show in the Odeon Foyer while the film was being shown. We also paraded down Stockton High Street on Remembrance Sunday as part of the Ceremonies.
Does anyone have any photos from those events?
Don’t anyone ever mention the Odeon Cinema, Stockton, to me! At a Saturday morning kids singing contest [to win a bar of Cadbury’s chocolate] the piano player refused to continue playing whilst I was singing ‘THE APRIL SHOWERS’. I was trying to copy Al Jolson and got chucked off the stage for being so bad. The piano player actually told me to **** off, and in doing so ruined forever what theatrical ambitions I may have had. Today we’d sue, then you just got laughed at. PS: Bookings taken for private concerts when I’ve learnt the words ……
Thanks M Spires for the info on Laings cafe,I”ve bought a copy of Stockton Past by Robert Woodhouse on Ebay so am looking forward to reading it! Also would you have any info on my great grandparents residence which was at Langdale Terrace which I believe was on Mill Lane.It became part of Dovecot St in the early 1900″s. On my last visit to Stockton the telephone exchange car-park was where we thought the row of 3 houses were,opposite the now derelict Millfield House.
Just a recap about the cafe in the region of Leslie Brown”s. This was Mrs. King”s Refreshment Rooms. Hope this all helps with your enquiry.
In reply to your question regarding the whereabouts of Laing”s Cafe, this would of been opposite the Shambles, where the Ship Inn Yard is. There are a couple of photos in “Stockton Past” book by Robert Woodhouse, which shows very clearly the Laing”s Cafe, if only from a side view.
Does anybody know where Laings Cafe was as I think it was in the region of Leslie Brown”s toy shop.My ancestors owned it & also a grocers shop in the vicinity of the High St.
POSTER:MR MALCOLM HARDY….On the Odeon in Stockton-On-Tees….are you the same Malcolm Hardy that owned cinemas in Los Angeles many years ago?? I worked for National Screen Service in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago and we supplied theares for a Mr Hardy. I am now writing a book on historic California cinemas. Alan Wilson Jr.
This is a long time ago and I did respond, yes I am the same person, O owned 12 cinemas in los Angeles, I am looking for any of the employees at Odeon Stockton, does anyone know John Spilsberry or Doreen Instone?
Hello Malcolm, just seen the post. I’m Doreen Instones son, I’m sorry to say that Doreen passed away a few days ago, I know she would have loved to have contacted you as she loved her time at the Odeon. Any information or pictures you have of my mams time there would be great at this difficult time. If there is anything you would like to know, don’t hesitate to ask. Sorry I haven’t contacted you in better times. Thanks, Mark
Hello Mark,
I have just seen your message, so sorry to hear about your mum, can you contact me, please. Picture Stockton will give you my email address…..
Hello Malcolm, please get in touch with any info regarding my family the Instones, there was Doreen, who I believe you knew and also her brothers, Lewis and Michael.
Thanks,
Mark.
I knew Lewis and Mick briefly in the 50’s ? I think they lived behind Bousefield Lane around the Cecil St area. My main memory of Lewis was the fact that he wore the thickest lenses on his glasses I had ever seen. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Hello Dave, thanks so much for replying, they lived in Selwyn Street and Buchanan street, Michael lives in Australia and Lewis in Leicester, he wears lenses now. They always speak so fondly of their childhood. If you know anyone who would remember my mam Doreen Instone that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mark.
I knew Lewis and Michael too; they lived in Selwyn Street, next to Ellicott Street where I lived. I believe Mick lives in Australia now. Doreen was a few years older than me but I do vaguely remember her.
Hello Jim, thanks for the reply, my mam (Doreen) recently passed away so any memories of that time would be gratefully appreciated. She often said what a happy childhood she had living round that area. Thanks again.
Mark.
Mick Instone played football at Billingham Synthonia Juniors about 1960, he wore glasses.
Thanks anon. If you remember anything else, please let me know.
Thanks, Mark.
Mrs Goldthorpe did indeed teach at Redbrook School.She may have been deputy head but the head teacher was Mr Brown. Mrs Goldthorpe taught the new intake of 4 – 5 year olds in what we called “the baby class”. I went to Grangefield Grammar school with Heather, her daughter, from 1961 to 1968.
i just found this. Mrs Goldthorpe was my auntie 🙂 I only ever met her once when I was 19 and I met Heather then too (1994) I know the post above was ten years ago but if anyone has any more info on them this would be cool.
Odeon Mr Bernard Goldthorpe and his family bring back many memories of my childhood, not that we called him Bernard, as people like this were demy gods to us mere quislings. Mr goldthorpe as manager of the Odeon did come on to the stage prior to each showing to address the audience, and on many occasion so did Rodney his son, not address the audience but to play tunes on his musical instrument on a Saturday afternoon, the name of the instrument slips my memory at the moment, it may have been a Clarinet. His mother was a teacher at Redbrook School, Roseworth, either Head or Deputy. They lived at that time on Darlington Back Lane, entering the Lane from Durham Road it was the first house on the right opposite The Monkey Tree Shop, the area must be called shop as it has been many moons now since the tree was eventually taken away .Roy.
A great place the Odeon was, The manager was Bernard Goldthorpe and assistant Ken Williams, chief projectionist Stan Close.
Yes the Odeon was built as the REGAL mid 1930s A Dicken & Son had a Tool shop there before the site was cleared for the “REGAL”
You are correct Mark, memory lapse on my part!It was the Regal
A funny story regarding the demolition of the Odeon. My wifes uncle had just been to Stockton & Thornaby Hospital. He had a broken leg and was there to have the plaster changed. He left, catching the bus to the Town. He had to change buses and joined the queue for the Norton number “0”. Whilst in the queue a brick fell from the scaffold and hit him on the head. The next thing with his new plaster on and a bandaged head he was taken by ambulance back to Stockton & Thornaby Hospital.
Peter, If my memory serves me right the original name of “The Odeon” was “The Regal” not “The Regent”.
The origial name of the Odeon, was `The Regent` the name in stonework exposed when the Odeon sign was removed before demolition.
I am sure the manager was a Mr. Goldthorpe as described, both from kids Saturday morning cinema at the Odeon, and from when he was asked to do the honours for “Prize Giving Day” at Grangefield Grammar Boys School in the 60s.
WAS THE MANAGER OF THE ODEON IN QUESTION MR BERNARD GOLDTHORPE HE HAD A MOUSTACHE AND WAS A FREQUENT VISITOR TO THE EVENING GAZETTE OFFICE WHERE I WORKED.FIRSTLY IN BRIDGE ROAD,THEN IN BRUNSWICK STREET.GREAT DAYS INDEED.I REMEMBER THE OLD ODEON HAD A FINE CAFE UPSTAIRS AND QUITE REASONABLE PRICES.
Re the Odeon manager. His name was Bernard Goldthorpe He was a real gentleman as well as a bit of a character.I think he lived at Yarm. I remember him well from the Saturday morning pictures
The Odeon – Malcolm Hardy do you remember the Manager who used to come on stage and welcome everyone prior to each performance? All I remember was that he had a moustache, but seemed quite a character.
The Odeon Stockton was my first job leaving school in 1955 as a re wind boy in the projection room in 1955. My mother worked in the restaurant. I was there when the Odeon closed and was re built and it opened minus the restaurant. What great times we had at this cinema, it was alway busy and I remember Saturday nights alway full. The presentation of South Pacific was one of the hightlights of this cinema. Stckton had other cinemas, the Empre, The Cinema, The Globe, The Plaza and the Hipodrome, When the new Odeon re opened, it just never did any business, and it along with, Odenon”s in Hartlepool, and Darlington closed. The Oden Stockton was a fine Cinema, it had a Compton Organ which was removed when the Cinema was re built.
The picture above is definitely the site of the orginal Odeon. I remember going to it and then seeing it pulled down before the new odeon was built. At the time the new Odeon as a Cinema was fabulous inside and a full sized screen rather than the tiddly little screens you get in the Multiplexes. I remember seeing the film Battle of Britain in it. Wow that was a scary experience for a young kid seeing the pilot getting shot in the eyes at the enormous resolution!
Janice, No you are not confused, the Odeon that you remember (now a hideous nightclub I recall) was on the West side of the High Street. Other comments around Blacketts are also correct as Blacketts was not near the Odeon at all. According to my memory, when my mother was alive she mentioned that in her younger days she worked at the the original Odeon which was sited where the other carbunkle on Stockton high street is (the Hotel)
The Odeon was on the west side Janice. Even Picture Stockton makes mistakes!
Am I really confused? I thought that the Odeon was on the WEST side of the High Street.
Here is another shot of the former Barclays building, as referred to in t176. Mr Trotter must have been a man of wealth to have lived in a house such as this.
The description of this photograph says, “Blacketts Store is also included in this 1957 photo of the east side of Stockton High Street”. Blacketts is not shown on this photograph. In fact it was on the other side of the High Street opposite Dovecot Street.