An advertising sign for F Hills and Sons of Stockton which has just come into the Museums collections. Does anyone know about the Stormproof windows and is the reference to gas tight a wartime precaution against the possibility poison gas bombs? The sign is made of enamelled steel sheet and measures 63.5 x 47 cms. This form of sign dates back to the Victorian era and was once a very common form of advertising and made in a huge variety of sizes and shapes. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
My auntie was Elsie Horsley who worked in accounts and she gave me a few copies of Hills company newsletters from 1977, 78, 79, 80. There are photos showing the ‘Miss Hills’ contest. I will try to submit them to the website soon.
Hi Bob, I”ve asked my dad and he remembers you. I”ve told him about this site and i”m going to show him it soon. He left in 1992, it was a sad day when Hills closed for good.
Janine. I remember your Dad at Hills. He was an Electrician. Also your uncle Ronnie. He was in the same workshop as me when I started there. I was 1st in Factory 6 before working as QC man. I then worked on the veneer cutter before going into Factory 5 and working on the RF unit. Your Dad will know me. I was the 6″-3″ Joiner. Finished there when the Factory closed down in 1977.
My father Roy worked at Hills for over 30 years, it was Hills where he met my mother. She worked there when first leaving school. My uncle Ronnie also worked at Hills for many years. I can remember going to the yearly xmas party held at the fiesta in the 70″s for all Hills employee”s children, we all received a xmas selection box too. Lots of good memories. Since researching my family history I have also discovered many ancestors also worked at this site when it was Blairs. Lots of memories and history were destroyed when it was demolished.
I was there till the end and when the MD at the meeting to tell us it was the end of the road and the decision was irreversible I could see in a lot of eyes sadness. There were people who had worked there from leaving school and one person in particular went to school with me and started there at 16. He was 58 when leaving. A lot more who met there and eventually married each other. Many couples. There were fathers and sons. But like a lot of places that closed we did not leave as rich people. When I first started there, over 1000 people were employed by Hills. At the finish I think about 126 of us were left. I always thought of it as Hills but in my time there I would say that 6 different firms owned the place. I did miss it at the end but time moves on. It is sad to see the premises as they are today. All the buildings demolished and just barren land waiting for someone to do something to it. What a waste.
To all of you gentlemen who have posted regarding this picture, my mother Edie Renwick worked at Hills from the late “50”s till 1978 when she retired. I vividly remember being taken round the factory at an early age & being fascinated with the veneer dryer. The dried product smelled super & for those who experienced it you will remember the static that was generated. Another memory was the annual Christmas treat in the works canteen followed by a visit to one of the pantomimes playing in Stockton. Harry Rhodes as you noted a firm from a different era, when being taken round, I guess completely unofficially, I remember with great clarity one of the managers. He spoke to my mother regarding my presence, not to chastise, but to encourage. Mum was addressed at all times as Mrs Renwick & while being questioned, as to whether I would be following in her footsteps, I was addressed as Master Renwick. Courtesey from an earlier age – it was wonderful!
The reference to F.Hills & Sons, brought a smile to my face as I remember working in their Sales Office for a short period in “62 whilst I was between Quantity Surveying contracts. There was an Old Family atmosphere about the place, and a feeling that one had just stepped into an instalment of “Are You Being Served” or possibly “Dad”s Army”. Respect, Courtesy and Good Manners were a must, along with some slightly odd (by today”s standards) practices. On being introduced to one”s desk,which was a polished well made item, one was handed a—– Yellow Duster!! The use for this was made clear at the end of the working day when all files and clutter were removed into drawers and the Yellow Duster was applied vigorously to the surface of the desk until it shone to the satisfaction of the Office Manager. The signal that one had been accepted into the team came when the Boss approached and made a presentation of a “Fine Line Pen”.This was akin to receiving the award of an M.B.E. No ceremony as such, just a pen laid on the desk, a nod, a smile,and one had arrived. The toilet Cubicles referred to by Bob Irwin were still being turned out in great numbers during the 6os.and the Salesmen would bandy around the phrase “Flog a Bog a Day”. It seemed to spur them on. There was an introductory period during which the “New Boy” was taken on familiarisation tours of the various departments. This was quite fascinating and covered the manufacture of doors, the popular “Placarol” which was filled with wood shavings,(there”s more to a door than meets the eye), and were turned out by the thousand, to the custom made doors which were works of art. Some of those woodworkers were true artists and I have never seen better made doors than those turned out by F.Hills & Sons. The draw back was that the place ran on the “Loyalty to the Company” principle, and the recompense was very poor, and more in keeping with the 1930s than the 60s. Reluctantly, though with relief I returned to my normal duties, although a whiff of sawdust can bring memories of an interesting interlude.
Quite a coincidence The demolition of the last brick building of F Hills, Norton Road , opposite Tilery Road took place Sept 18th,for housing A 20ft x 6ft painted sign STORMPROOF in Dark-Blue and Yellow leterring, much faded, was visbible on the Norton Road wall, till the end STORMPROOF dates from 1937, an addition on Bob Irwins advert, took up the war-time threat of poison-gas “Gas-Proof”
I worked for Hills from 1973 till it closed for good in 1997. In that time I can only remember when we were on short time components being brought in for us to repair for the window manufacturing dept. at Essex. At Stockton we only specialised in Doors (exterior and interior), Door Frames and Doorsets and Toilet Cubicles. Maybe someone can remember them being made but I don”t think that this happened after the war. It is probably a product from their early days.
Stormproof windows were a double rebated frame and they used Sheradized Hinges and screws. A Dicken & Son often supplied these items to F Hills and Son Among other hardware items and tools. In their time they were the best windows around. This is the first time I can remember seeing that particular advertising enamel sign.