Stockton Central Library, No.34, Wellington Street, Stockton (1877-1968. This building was formerly opened as the Masonic Hall in 1869 and used until 1876 when, it being decided the building was too small to meet the needs of the Lodge, it was sold to Stockton Corporation for £3000. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
The war messed our lives up it was our scholarship year, or it was for me. I remember going into school for one hour per week to take down homework and have it marked the next week.
I am pleased to say my Father Joseph Kidd, came through his second world war although he was quite an old man, he served in Middlesbrough HAA at Headquarters until 1939 when after return from camp in Tenby Wales, the Regiment were mobilised and sent to assist the BEF in France.
Dad was too old for service abroad he did his first war in Egypt. I believe Mr Tortoise of ICI was was commanding officer and most of this unit were formed from ICI members who had joined the TA before war was declared. My Fathers expertise was Supply Department ICI, where anything from an elephant to a pin may be required. It was his job to see all these requirements were met on time for this huge works. I still have letters from Mr Zeally inviting him to celebrate the production of Sulphate of Ammonia in the days when the company was called “Synthetic of Ammonia” before ICI was formed.
The roots of this massive empire were from Brunner Mond Chemical Company, a German company who’s Director lived at Ki Ora Norton. I understand it was a very tragic end for this man Mr Trechman, but ICI saved the North East and in particular Teeside.
J.Norman Kidd.
My memories of the Junior Library and the Main/Big Library are similar to those of Bob Harbron and Harry Rhodes. If I could not find something in Arthur Mee”s “Children”s Encyclopedia” – the internet of that time – then it was off to the Library to search further. I recall that there were 2 ladies – sisters- who appeared to be the joint librarians. Anyone else with such a recall?
We must have joined the Stockton Junior Library at about the same time Mr.Harbron, and haunted the same shelves for the latest “Biggles” books. These were my favourites, although they did not engender my love of Aircraft,as that had developed several years before when visiting Thornaby Aerodrome for the Empire Air Displays. I was always mildly surprised by the title “Biggles of 266 Squadron”, as that was the number of the ATC Squadron of which we both became members.I was surprised, and delighted by your reference to the Historical Romances of Conan Doyle, “The White Company” and “Sir Nigel”as I had this lonely feeling that I was the only person who had ever read and been influenced by them. If I spin my chair, I can see an omnibus edition of these books on the top shelf of my bookcase. I have maintained for many years that these books should have been compulsory reading in all English Schools. Here in Hoppers Crossing, Victoria, we have excellent Library facilities, and I was surprised some time ago to find in the Withdrawn from Stock tray a copy of “The North Eastern Railway” by Cecil J.Allen and at a price of fifty cents (20p) I found it irresistable, and that too is now on one of the book shelves.
Public Library At the age of 8 I joined stockton Library at its Junior Dept opposite “The Big Library” in Wellington street. My love of books has stayed ever since with the books from this library by Capt W.E Johns “Biggels” set my great interest in aviation , which still have My history “tutor” which I can still read with pleasure is “The White Company” / “Sir Nigel” (14th C England and France), by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Norton branch Library opened in Blue-Hall rec in the late 1950s, to be closed in 1983, due to mindless vandalism. A new branch was opened in 1986 in Norton High Street in a building which was originally “Broughs-Supermarket” then Hintons. The present library, in Norton has a pemanent display of Artifacts and features 3 “Yorvik-Figures” from The Anglo-Saxon Dig in Norton 1982-1984
My older sister was a member of this library. I used to read the books she borrowed. I could read at age 4 or 5 and I went to join this library and they told me to come back when I was older, I was too young, can you believe it. I did join when I reached the required age for the junior library. You had to be 14 years old to join the adult library. I soon tired of “kids” books and I used to by adult thriller paperbacks from Stockton market for “sixpence” each with my pocket money. However, I was not going to be caught by the library a second time and when I was 12 years old and looking a bit older I got my “revenge” by saying I was 14 years old and they allowed me to join. I read every fiction detective thriller in that library and oddly enough I never came across any of Ian Fleming”s books of James Bond. I wonder if Fleming”s books were censored by whoever selected the books for the library as I read every one that type of book, The Saint, The Baron etc.
On going through the main entrance I recall that the childrens library was immediately on the left, and immediately on the right was the reading room, containing all of the days newspapers. There were no tables or chairs in the reading room, just tall sloping benches on which the paper rested whilst you stood there and read it. And it was very smokey in there.
This building was the original Masonic Hall sold to the Council, When the new one was built to replace it on the other side of Wellington St further down and still in use today .
My mum worked here I remember her taking me with her. I remember reading all the books & sitting in the large reading hall upstairs.