The High Street on market day, before being pedestrianized.1985 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The High Street on market day, before being pedestrianized.1985
WM ‘Bill’ Sharps stall (crabs, winkles and eggs) is the caravan stall on the right, next to him also on the right and out of sight was the two pet stalls, the best being owned by Smithie who in time became the Tool man in Tilery Road, Stockton, the other stalls shown are the tripe stall run by two sisters, who were there for many years, then near the Cross was the toy stall whose owner came from Leeds, you then had a mixed bag of stalls including Coralina Swales who sold wash leathers who stood near the three second hand clothes stalls. The fish people stood 100 yards away just south of the Shambles and opposite The Cinema not the Odeon, one was a man called Thompson who was a fish stall regular but who rarely turned up, he sold West Hartlepool kippers. in the Shambles you had various meat stalls with the best stall being Harry Meynall, whose eggs and plucked chicken displays could not be faulted, In December he offered pheasants, ducks and hares. Turkeys were unknown then so a large goose was popular. Period 1950 – 1960.
I would like to find Coralline Swales. She use to sell wash leathers on Barnsley market and I Colleen use to help her. That’s 40 yrs ago and she as stayed in my heart a very nice lady so if anyone can help me find her I would be very grateful.
Ah yes Sheila, I recall the stockings, as you say it was a bit pot luck if they would be wearable! I didn;t have the gall to ask to inspect them..
I remember the fish wives coming from Staithes the stalls used to be down near to the Odeon Cinema (that was) crabs,crab claws, Winkles you name it they had it,we also used to buy our nylon stockings from the market I think they were about 1/- a pair those were the days,mind you we had to ask to inspect them first in case they had any ladders in them ,any ladies out there remember that?.
Having left Stockton in 1957 I cannot comment accurately about the later location of the fish stalls.
I seem to recall the fish stalls being in the south of the Shambles location on Fridays or even on Thursdays prior even to WW II. Staithes fisherwives came in their traditional garments!
I remember the market looking like this, if I’m not mistaken the last picture is the view of the fish and tripe stalls, there used to be a lady on the fish stalls called Irene, I think, this is how the market should have stayed, but hey thats improvements for you, you get it whether you want it or not.