The Trevelyan Hotel at nos. 70-78 Church Road, Stockton. c1944 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The Trevelyan Hotel at nos. 70-78 Church Road, Stockton. c1944
This is perhaps one of the most interesting photographs I’ve seen on Picture Stockton, simply because it raises so many questions. This terrace of elegant individual georgian townhouses, once known as ‘Paradise Row’ must have been erected by some fairly wealthy members of Stockton ‘society’ just prior to the town ‘morphing’ from an important agricultural and livestock trading town and port, into a busy industrial and manufacturing centre after the arrival of the railways in the late 1820’s. They were built, overlooking an open grassed-space, or square and must have enjoyed views from the upper-floors straight across the river and open country, toward the Cleveland Hills and even the coastline. By the time of this photograph, they were well over 100 years old and even prior to WWI would have certainly become too large for even middle-class family occupation and the necessary domestic-staff. Judging by the glazed-canopy structure and roof-mounted sign to the Trevelyan Hotel, this property had already been converted to multiple occupation by the late Victorian period. However, it is difficult to conceive why the 1st property shown in the ‘Row’ (later the drill-hall) has a large, annexe on two levels (with basement) and a shopfront to one-side of the property’s main entrance. Was this once originally a Georgian ‘assembly’ rooms, or gathering place? This photograph possibly indicates what the High Street looked like, prior to the arrival of large-scale retail activity as the town expanded in the mid-late 19th century, when what would be regarded as ‘old fashioned’ georgian (and earlier) facades were rapidly substituted by an array of many and varied aspirational Victorian styles. I wonder if the Pic Stockton team has any access to records of the original owners, or when these houses were built?
The buildings to the left were the old Drill Hall standing at the Corner of Bath lane opposite the Half Moon Pub.
It housed HQ and B Companies 5thBn The Durham Light Infantry up to about 1938 when it was converted to a Searchlight Battalion. Post war it housed a REME unit which I think was 151 Light Aid detachment.
The Trvelyan Hotel became the Young Womens Christian Association hostel and is now known as Gloucester House. The two buildings on the extreme left of the picture have been demolished and the site is now used as a car park.