1 thought on “Wellington Street in Stockton. c1985”
On the corner is the Jubilee Cafe, in the background is Kwik-Save. The whole building was once many moons ago owned by the Co-op. It was the areas state of the art department store at that time having being knocked down in the late 18 00″s and rebuilt to what is on the picture. It reopened in 1896.The mayor officially opened it and was presented with a silver trowel which allegedelly laid the first foundation stone. In the early 90″s a cheap department store leased part of the building “WHAT EVERYONE WANTS”. In the upper part of the building (unused) there was massive “SAFES”. It was an alladins cave. The area manager decided to help himself to antiquies and allsorts, chemist chests and other large peices of furniture. I took some old diaries which were all hand written and were written by the milkman. They detailed incidents which involved stuff to do with the horse and cart and accidents which I remember one being a young boy being killed on Dovecot Street after being trampled by the horse and cart itself. I myself discovered the Silver Trowel, it was on the top shelf of the safe. The safe itself was like a room. It was covered in about an inch of dust and was in a wooden case with a glass front. It was completely sealed and after cleaning the case looked as good as new. The handle of the trowel was made of ivory and the trowel itself was engraved. I can”t remember who the Mayor was at the time but it was presented to him. I don”t know why he never took it with him and it ended up collecting dust! Kicking myself now, being young and daft I flogged the diaries to a dealer in Darlington and as for the trowel I got £50 for it off an antique shop on Skinner Street. Silly me. Regards D.M.Robinson
On the corner is the Jubilee Cafe, in the background is Kwik-Save. The whole building was once many moons ago owned by the Co-op. It was the areas state of the art department store at that time having being knocked down in the late 18 00″s and rebuilt to what is on the picture. It reopened in 1896.The mayor officially opened it and was presented with a silver trowel which allegedelly laid the first foundation stone. In the early 90″s a cheap department store leased part of the building “WHAT EVERYONE WANTS”. In the upper part of the building (unused) there was massive “SAFES”. It was an alladins cave. The area manager decided to help himself to antiquies and allsorts, chemist chests and other large peices of furniture. I took some old diaries which were all hand written and were written by the milkman. They detailed incidents which involved stuff to do with the horse and cart and accidents which I remember one being a young boy being killed on Dovecot Street after being trampled by the horse and cart itself. I myself discovered the Silver Trowel, it was on the top shelf of the safe. The safe itself was like a room. It was covered in about an inch of dust and was in a wooden case with a glass front. It was completely sealed and after cleaning the case looked as good as new. The handle of the trowel was made of ivory and the trowel itself was engraved. I can”t remember who the Mayor was at the time but it was presented to him. I don”t know why he never took it with him and it ended up collecting dust! Kicking myself now, being young and daft I flogged the diaries to a dealer in Darlington and as for the trowel I got £50 for it off an antique shop on Skinner Street. Silly me. Regards D.M.Robinson