Co-op meat factory and slaughterhouse on California Street 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Co-op meat factory and slaughterhouse on California Street
My dad Raymond Smith worked in here in the small meats factory and also spent time in the slaughter house he remembers Sid Mallaby he was living in Mill Street West then and a guy with nickname of Major who also worked in the slaughter house. Arthur Simpson was Foreman in the small meets factory any one remember him ?
Yes I remember Arthur he also had a brother Les who worked as a driver at the factory. The other name you mention Major sounds like a nickname but was in fact his first name, Major Wright unusual first name as it was. Syd Mallaby is still going strong.
Hi Tracy, my dad is Sid Mallaby he worked there for I don’t know how many years. It might have been until it closed the slaughter house was I believe was in California Street. My dad just passed away on the 11th September aged 95, the funeral will be 29th September 2023 at 1.30pm Durham Road cemetery. Is your dad okay and what age is he? Regards Linda
I lived in 4 Bute Street, from my birth in 1941 till 1960, which backed on to the ‘Two Steps’ which is how the locals referred to this area. I think it has been mentioned on other pictures of this area that it was not unusual for a beast to escape from the abattoir and run down the back street of Bute Street, taking on their horns the washing hanging in the back street.
Great photo, I used to pass this every morning on the way to school and play here as I lived in Milbank Street.
My great Uncle, Eddie Appleby, worked in the slaughterhouse 50 odd years ago. He is still alive at 96 and remembers it well.
I worked with Eddie Appleby (Ted) at the Ragworth shop No 37 branch. I also visited him years later in Church View.
Linda Moody (Cope)…I think I recall your grandfather, did he have a brother called Arthur?
This has brought back a memory to me of when I was a small child – I remember going with my Mother to a slaughterhouse in the Bishopton Lane/Maxwell’s Corner area, I used to hate the smell, and there were animal skins laid about. But why would members of the public go to a slaughterhouse? Could you buy offal there? We used to eat a lot of it I know, my Nan always seemed to have a pigs or sheeps head boiling on the range to make brawn.
This slaughterhouse & Marks which was in Bishopton Lane & Tennant Street were the two main ones in Stockton,the livestock were delivered to Marks down the alleyway from Norton Road between the Gas showrooms & Norton Road Congregation Church. When the beast were slaughtered the rope went through a ring on the floor & passed round a bracket in a figure eight on the wall outside.
Recently found out that my Grandfather worked here – John Edgar Hooper – we lived not far away at no 2 St Bernard Road and all my brothers and sister went to Mill Lane School.
He certainly did. I recall having a presentation for him when Edgar retired.
I lived in Palmerston Street for a number of years also attended Mill lane School. I remember the stables next door to the slaughter house and the drivers letting the horses free after a hard days work the horses ran up the coconut matting to the top floor themselves to their stalls. I remember Lillie, our milk lady who drove a coop milk float, letting me have a look round once – the smell of the straw and hay, also how warm it was and all the friendly horses just wanting a stroke or a pat. The smell of the slaughter house was a bit rife especially when the pigs were slaughtered. But in those days it was accepted as the norm.
Yes, it is amazing to see a photo of my youth. The smell was so pungent but I am still not a vegy. I remember playing on the few steps up to the little wall in the photo that was in the late 50s. Dixon street was all Co-op buildings, sadly all getting knocked down and also the Brunswick Methodist chapel, so so sad to see it go. Who does it belong to?
Just as I remember it, Issy. Great picture, great times.
This picture belongs to the reference collection of Stockton Borough Council.
I am truly amazed to see this photograph, who owns it? Through those double doors which I crossed hundred of times was the Coop ‘small meats factory’ where all the sausages, Brawn, Hams, Pickled tongues etc were made.
Issy Shepherds recollection of the ‘horrible’ smell is correct, it was worse than horrible to me ,I thought it was vile. You could get whiffs of it along Dixon St depending on wind direction.
The top table in the factory was particularly gruesome as all the heads of slaughtered cattle were piled up to be skinned and the meat removed for inhouse manufacture.
It is surprising that the WHOLE of the the local Coop butchery outlets were supplied from that small incongrous building in California St.
Never expected to see that entrance EVER again… I’m gobsmacked, thank you.
I remember walking past this building on my way to Mill Lane school, I remember the runaway animals going to the slaughter house & the horrible smell too at times, in the warehouse building next door I remember there were a lot of feral cats running wild & an old lady who fed them daily.
the site now is 2 houses and 3 flats no2-6 dixon street and the cellers below still have the old butchery tiles