Desolate buildings of Head Wrightson in Thornaby. The company was started in 1860 by engineer Thomas Wrightson when he joined together with Head Ashby & Company. Head Ashby & Company started business in 1840 as a Thornaby foundry. The university complex is now built on the site. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Does anyone know what happened to Ray or Nancy Ayres who worked there in the late 70s and 80s?
Hi Angelina, Don’t know if this will find it’s way to you as this reply is 5 years too late🤣, but Ray and Nancy retired in 1986 to Slights near Whitby where they lived until their deaths. Nancy died of a heart attack in August 1998 and Ray of cancer in December 2004. They lived very happily in their retirement taking up bowling and joining the local Lions helping raise money for local charities whilst living there. How do I know this, well I knew them as Mum and Dad😊😊😊 I also remember mum talking about you back in the 80’s, can’t remember what she said though😂!!!
Best wishes
Brian
Thank you so much for this reply. I am sorry to hear that I missed her, would have loved to talk to her again. She was a wonderful woman and a good mentor to me in my first ever real job.
You’re welcome, both Alan, my elder brother and I are now retired ourselves, how time flys😂😂😂
We walk past the Collingwood pub right through Head Wrightsons past the Bradford Vaults pub ànd get the 1d Ferry across the river Tees to go to the Plaza Theatre sometimes we would go in the sheds and watch the men working they wouldn’t chase us, even got some very fine sand from them to clean my pigeons out. Real good stuff.
The photo top left is the rear of the Template Loft & Bridgeyard shower block,the building on the left with the roller door is the Light Machine Shop”s(bar shop)The building on the right was a new Machine Shop.The road went round to Crosswaites Foundry & Cork Insulation.
By the location map of these photos it appears that these buildings were on the site of the Ashmores Benson & Pease site. I worked at the Heads, Thornaby site and cannot remember these buildings. Any clues out there?
The bottom two photos are of the foundry in Trafalgar Street, you should remember them Bob when you would pass them to and from the Joiners Shop.
Anon, you say at the bottom end, do you mean down towards the river end of Trafalgar Street? If so all I remember is the Electricians shop above the 2 Generator houses which was an extension at the end of the foudry. Me and Jack Wake made one set of doors and Ben Harle and Charlie Pickering made the other set for the Generator Houses. If the foundry was on the opposite side of the road. This had closed down and transferred to either Stockton Steel or Eaglescliffe. It was in the process of being knocked down and the Heavy Press building would take up most of the ground.