St Johns Church which stood on the Alma Street area of Stockton c1967 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
St Johns Church which stood on the Alma Street area of Stockton c1967
My nana and granddad and family lived in Alma Street in the 1950s, Annie and Edward Reeves. I remember the Davies lived opposite . Any pics of the street or any information will be greatly appreciated. I think my mam was born in Frederick Street, Stockton. The names would have been Lily and Peter Ward. Any info please on that too. Thanking you in anticipation – Chris Foster.
I lived at No 21 Thompson Street next door to the Hope family.
My parents lived in 48 Thompson Street their names where John Robert Stirling and Joan Stirling
Next to the Hopes was Nelly & Roly Hutchinson’s family.
The family who lived next door to the Hope family nearest to the Gasworks were the Buttles – Celia,Norman,Derek and Billy before they moved to Roseworth, then the Murphy family moved in with a daughter called Christine. The two eldest sons of the Hope family were called Billy and Les who both worked at Head Wrightsons bridgeyard, Thornaby.
I lived next door to the Hopes in Thompson Street.
The Hope family mentioned by ANON living in Thompson Street, would that be the Hope family whose daughter Rosalind was in my class at Bailey Street School from 1953 to 1959 when I left to attend Richard Hind?
According to a 1928 trade directory for Stockton-on-Tees the address of ‘The Fairless Engineering Supplies Co. Ltd.’ was Station Works, Allison Street. I delivered proofs and printed material to this company during the early part of my apprenticeship at Edward Appleby’s in the 1950’s.
I remember Roly & Nellie Hutchinson they lived three doors away from the gasworks next to the Hope family. Roly was a good bloke and drank in the Gas Hotel. The Gladstone pub was on the corner of Milton Street and Madge Vickers bakery shop was on the other side of Thompson Street on the corner of Garibaldi Street. I remember one of your sisters getting run over by the back wheel of a empty coal cart just outside your house (fortunately she survived).
I remember Fairless Engineering having frontage onto Bishopton Lane. That would have been in the 1950s realy 1960s. From an earlier comment I can only guess that their rear entrance would have faced Langley Street as Parkin Street ran across Langley Street from Alma Street to Allison Street.
I was born at no 23 Thompson street, my mother was Ellen Hutchinson ‘Nellie’. My Father was Roland Hutchinson. I remember going to St Johns church every sunday and sunday school. I remember the streets around the gas works, my gran Agnes lived in no 47 Langley Street. Was it Fairless engineering, or something like that, at the top of Langley Street? My mother was born in Garibaldi Street in her grandmothers house, her grandmother was Hoyle. I remember the cinders for the fire being bought from the gas works and the man who used to come round with a horse and cart, ‘penny-a-ride’ it was, you payed a penny to sit on the cart and ride around the streets. I remember the Gladston pub at the top of Thomson Street towards Norton Road, and the Turks Head on Norton Road. Norton Road had the Direct shoe shop, a fishmonger, Petes snack bar and others – it was like a little high street with a variety of shops. I have so many happy memeories of the area, my mother always said she wanted to go back to live around the Gasworks.
Yes, Anon from the comments you make I must know you! A great area of the town and a lot of great memories too!!
We are talking from our experience of living in the area Keith,your streets as mentioned previously were called after the events in the Crimean War,the streets round the Gas Works were called after great poets Shakespeare & Byron to name just two.
We always called it Hume Street right up to the station wall,Keith Roberts & Alan Callender who lived in Balaclava Street & No.53 Hume Street respectively talk about Hume Street in the photo of the Clergyman at St Johns Church ref:-T10909.
I’m in possession of maps of Stockton North circa 1937 and Cardigan Street must have been renamed at a later date because the map shows Hume Street running from the Station wall to Norton Road, and is named as such. My grandparents lived in No 61 Hume St which looking at the map from South to North turning left out of Balaclave St where I lived, No.61 Hume Street was the first house on the left after Renee Lloyds shop.
All the streets around St Johns Church were named after events in the Crimean War. Cardigan Street ran east to west from the back of Stockton Station crossing Balaclava Street then Lucan Street Inkerman Street ending at Alma Street. All north south. It continued on as Hume street to Norton Road crossing Langley Street, Airton Street, Farrer Street and Thomas Street. It is well to remember there were several foundries on both sides of what we know as the railway. They sprang up in the 1850’s onwards and the workers needed to be housed. When I was looking into the history of that area it surprised me to find it grew from green fields to a thriving community and back to what we see now in less than one hundred years. The industries of the area came and went in the same time. I was often told as a child nothing is forever, how true that is.
To Anon,
Some of my ancesters lived in Farrer St.(no.13 and a half) and I have a 1899 ordnance map of Stockton North. Cardigan St.is more or less an extension of Hume St. heading towards the station.
On the census type notes on the back it says it starts at Alma St.and house nos. run from 1 to 45.
Hope this is of interest.
As a resident round the gasworks area in the forties & fifties,I’ve never heard of Cardigan Street I remember all the other streets mentioned.
When you came over the Gasworks bridge from Primrose Hill, if you walked to the end of the street & turned right into Alma Street then next right, you were entering the gounds of St Johns Church. As well as Alma Street, other Streets that surrounded the church were Hume, Lucan & Ford Place.
I attended “St Johns” church and was confirmed there in the late 50’s, my godmother was Mrs Bott who also lived next door to us in “Durham street”. If ever there was an Angel on earth it was her. She is referred to on this site and there are photos of her with her ever famous sit up and beg bike which is now in “Preston Park ” museum.
Frank, You are probably correct that your father was Confirmed at St John’s although he attended St Mary’s, Norton. Each year a different Church hosted and this still happens the Confirmation Service for all the Churches in the area, I was confirmed in the Parish Church although I attended St James Hardwick in 1962.
St John the Baptist Church was on land between Alma Street which is still there, Cardigan Street which is now St Johns Close and Ford Street which is long gone. One reason I know is because as a young apprentice at Browns Sheet Iron Works in Prince Regent Street we were given our fourpence dinner money by Arthur Brown and told to get our dinner at the Alma Street British Restaurant which was in the St Johns Sunday school hall from Monday to Friday. For our four pence we got dinner, pudding and a cup of tea all substantial as most of the girls were about our age and filled the plates. I think the men who walked down to the hall with us did pay sixpence for the same meal but out of their own pockets. We got an hour lunch back then so it was an easy walk there and back with plenty of time to chat up the girls. My Father was Confirmed in this church by the Bishop of Jarrow although he was a member of St Mary’s Church at Norton. I do have the confirmation card with this information although Stockton Library Staff did tell me records say he was confirmed at St Mary’s, I can only think the Bishop of Jarrow held confirmation in the one Church for several local churches. The road from Yarm Lane to the new ring road in Stockton follows Prince Regent Street, Nelson Terrace, Johns Street and Allison Street to the Norton road roundabout. St Johns Church was before the Gas works, both now gone, and on the left as you leave town towards the ring road. Hope this helps Sarah.
It was near Stockton station in the area behind the old Queens Hotel. Photo T9803 shows a better view.
I have seen this and other photos of this church on this site and, as I work nearby, am very curious to know exactly where it stood. Can someone please describe what is on exactly the same site now?
Mrs Bott was called Helen, I think.
With reference to Mrs Bott, she can be seen on this web-site under The Angel Of Stockton ref:-t6755. Was her christian name Eileen or Helen?
I recall how sad that I was to learn that St. John”s Church had been demolished. Kathern, I do remember you and your sister Anne. I was a choir boy at St. John”s and we moved to Billingahm just before Anne”s wedding so didn”t get 5 shillings (or was it 10). I believe that Anne helped to run a youth club at the church hall along with a curate whose name I can”t remember,I do remember Father Stephens. It seemed to me that the Church really was an integral part of a community then.
Yes Kathryn I remember them. I used to live in Balaclava Street and I also remember a Mrs Eileen Bott who was alway”s at the services, a staunch church goer and regular hospital visitor. She had a big situp and beg bike with a basket on the handlebars. A remarkable woman.
I remember attending St John”s Church until I got married in 1966. My mam was Irene Brown and my sister Anne married Anthony Maughan. Anthony”s dad was the organist there. Father Waker and Father Stephens were the priests that I remember. Any one else remember these people?