15 thoughts on “Chapmans Garage on Norton Road. c1983”
I remember my first car after I’d passed the test, in 1964, a Triumph Herald. It suffered from a pinhole in the brake pipes just near Chapmans. So removed the offending piece and they fabricated a new one, using the old one as a pattern, from hydraulic pipe, complete with “bell ends”, in about ten minutes… Marvellous place, marvellous people!
Later to become part of Godwin’s Furniture shop, which can be seen on the right in this picture.
Unfortunately the Godwins shop was badly damaged by fire to the point of being unsafe. Only time will tell how much, if any, of the original buildings will survive.
Ronnie Laverick is my dad and I remember as a young girl going to work at Chapmans garage on a sunday morning. I also used to go to Victoria football ground on a saturday to watch him play.
The Ronnie who you refer to was the Stockton footballer Ronnie Laverick who lived on Primrose Hill, I think it was Alder Road & he had a brother called Maurice(Mot), but Ronnie was a paper boy at Creasers on Durham Road.
I worked at Chapmans garage in early 1966 with a view to being an apprentice mechanic. Unfortunately I was not cut out for it but great memories of the two blacksmiths who worked out the back at their forge the things they made just magic. I remember Ronnie, I think he lived in Londonderry Road and was a great footballer. What an Aladdins cave the place was, you could find anything you needed you just had to search but Eugene certainly knew were to find it.
Chapmans Garage was the place to go for anything you needed, they stocked just about everything you could imagine. In the centre of the shop was a huge counter with what seemed like hundreds of compartments, you could find parts for motor bikes and cars. Unfortunatly we do not have good shops like this anymore it is a great pity.
THE LAD WHO WORKED AT CHAPPIES GARAGE ABOUT 1957 0NWARDS WAS CALLED MAURICE ( MOT ) LAVERICK WE HAD PAPER ROUNDS WORKING FOR POP CREASER ON DURHAM ROAD BEFOR HE STARTED HIS APPRENTERSHIP AT THE GARAGE
Chapman”s a very handy place.I remember one Sunday afternoon – nothing much open in the 1960s – urgently neeeding a water pump for my Mini, or else it was the bus to Hartlepool for work next day. Chapman”s saved the day. Used to also make up brake piping and had a huge selection of nuts, bolts etc. There were the Chapman brothers and another chap who worked for them in the shop for all the time I used the place.
The garage, like one in Bishopton Lane, had petrol pumps with swinging arms delivering petrol to the tanks of vehicles parked at the kerb. It would never be permitted by the H&SE people today!
What a sad day it was when Chapman”s garage closed. As a keen DIY car repairer what an asset it was to be able to go to chapman”s to buy basic components like gasket making materials for a few pence and not have to buy the whole unit costing tens of pounds like today. As an added bonus it was open all weekend as well
I remember my first car after I’d passed the test, in 1964, a Triumph Herald. It suffered from a pinhole in the brake pipes just near Chapmans. So removed the offending piece and they fabricated a new one, using the old one as a pattern, from hydraulic pipe, complete with “bell ends”, in about ten minutes… Marvellous place, marvellous people!
Later to become part of Godwin’s Furniture shop, which can be seen on the right in this picture.
Unfortunately the Godwins shop was badly damaged by fire to the point of being unsafe. Only time will tell how much, if any, of the original buildings will survive.
Ronnie Laverick is my dad and I remember as a young girl going to work at Chapmans garage on a sunday morning. I also used to go to Victoria football ground on a saturday to watch him play.
New ronnie very well worked there 1970s till it cloesed down Alan peacock used to help ronnie on a Sunday doing his govie jobs great times
The Ronnie who you refer to was the Stockton footballer Ronnie Laverick who lived on Primrose Hill, I think it was Alder Road & he had a brother called Maurice(Mot), but Ronnie was a paper boy at Creasers on Durham Road.
I worked at Chapmans garage in early 1966 with a view to being an apprentice mechanic. Unfortunately I was not cut out for it but great memories of the two blacksmiths who worked out the back at their forge the things they made just magic. I remember Ronnie, I think he lived in Londonderry Road and was a great footballer. What an Aladdins cave the place was, you could find anything you needed you just had to search but Eugene certainly knew were to find it.
Does anyone remember Ronnie Franks who worked at Chapmans in the 60s?
Chapmans Garage was the place to go for anything you needed, they stocked just about everything you could imagine. In the centre of the shop was a huge counter with what seemed like hundreds of compartments, you could find parts for motor bikes and cars. Unfortunatly we do not have good shops like this anymore it is a great pity.
My uncle Jack Hargreaves worked for the Chapmans shop in the 60/70s could this be the man you new Anon
It was Ronnie Laverick (my dad) who was the apprentice at Chapmans not Maurice who was his brother.
THE LAD WHO WORKED AT CHAPPIES GARAGE ABOUT 1957 0NWARDS WAS CALLED MAURICE ( MOT ) LAVERICK WE HAD PAPER ROUNDS WORKING FOR POP CREASER ON DURHAM ROAD BEFOR HE STARTED HIS APPRENTERSHIP AT THE GARAGE
Chapman”s a very handy place.I remember one Sunday afternoon – nothing much open in the 1960s – urgently neeeding a water pump for my Mini, or else it was the bus to Hartlepool for work next day. Chapman”s saved the day. Used to also make up brake piping and had a huge selection of nuts, bolts etc. There were the Chapman brothers and another chap who worked for them in the shop for all the time I used the place.
The garage, like one in Bishopton Lane, had petrol pumps with swinging arms delivering petrol to the tanks of vehicles parked at the kerb. It would never be permitted by the H&SE people today!
What a sad day it was when Chapman”s garage closed. As a keen DIY car repairer what an asset it was to be able to go to chapman”s to buy basic components like gasket making materials for a few pence and not have to buy the whole unit costing tens of pounds like today. As an added bonus it was open all weekend as well
My father Neri Watts(Nick) served his time at Chapman Garage he started in 1943.