I remember as a young child my mothers lil red book which was her weekly order book for this Coop
and I also remember being astounded when in there watching the change being sent round the shop from the cashier in the overhead pulley system.
Richard Little’s memory of no 12 branch butcher’s serves him well as the butcher was Mr Cousins (Len). He was well known in the Coop butchery fraternity for refusing to wear glasses and one had to try and keep a straight face as he wrote out customers ‘Divi’ cheques with his nose almost touching the pad.
He was also infamous for trusting none of his staff so he NEVER left the shop from opening to closing and his number two was never entrusted with a set of shop keys.
Half day closing was Monday and many the time I passed the shop with the blinds down at 4PM and Len was still there living the dream. Bless him.
Everytime I think of Paaleschi”s ice cream my mouth waters. They also had a very good mug of oxo/bovril with two cracker biscuits, on a cold day it warmed the cockles of your heart (also burnt your mouth). Everytime I visit Thornaby and see George St those magic words come to mind they are “What If” – what if the five lamps could be back in their rightful place, what if the shops of old George St could be back and the Paleschi”s ice cream bar could be again pride of place. One only hopes those two little words could be true. Tony and I were good friends and we shared some good laughs and good nights out together, I would like to pass on my regards to Tony”s family.
I worked one summer 1973 when a student for Albert P & drove a three speed column change Bedford Van selling great white ice cream from the tub – no soft stuff. He only gave me the job if I agreed to wear my long hair in a pony tail and I needed a job so I did. Shame I never got a photo of me & the van. I had a daily stand in Preston Park, early evening, and Willey flats, though I also covered Stillington, Redmarshall & Carlton at times that summer. My other summer jobs were Wolviston bypass built with rubble from Wrens Vinegar factory, Whalley Welding, Keirs cooling towers ICI & Dormand Museum.
I am the grandaughter of Albert Paleschi Senior. I felt so proud that my grandads memories are still alive in a lot of happy memories for a lot of people including myself – never tasted any other ice cream like Paleschis, he would have been so proud.
I remember Barbara (Jones I believe)from her early years in Norton. In later years I saw a Ladies Hairdressers open up on Norton Road near to what used to be the Modern Laundry. It was named Paleschi and when passing and looking through the window I saw Barbara. I worked with her husband Tony at Head Wrightsons. He was an Electrician and I was a Joiner. We worked on many projects together.
We lived next door to Tony and Barbara Paleschi and there 3 children Dean Anthony and Bernadete in Carlton Drive Thornaby in the early 70s. My children loved it when Tony would park his ice cream truck outside while he took a break. I think Barbara still lives there which one of the Boys are you married to Sara?
When I served my Aprenticeship in the the Apprentice School at Head Wrightsons Thornaby, we had a a young Paleschi in our year, would he be one of your relations Jamie? I also enjoyed their ice cream from the Five lamps shop. Does the Ice cream company still exist today?.
Woah, its amazing to see the amount of people that remember my great grandads ice cream…cool! 😛 Yeah, im too young to remember this place but I know my family would!
I reckon the photo must have been taken after 1953, but before about 1956 – our wooden palisade on the garden wall at No. 19 is still there, though the road layout has been altered to add a bus lay-by. I can remember both being changed. The general grocers had the cashier in a raised cubicle at the back on the left, and money and chits were sent across the room in containers suspended by pulleys on wires, and launched on their journey by pulling down on a spring loaded handle. This was one of the main reasons I loved being sent there on errands. I also liked the girls because they could remember our divi number when I couldn”t! Sugar and butter were measured and weighed as ordered and wrapped into greaseproof paper or put in blue sugar-paper bags respectively. Goods were delivered to the gates behind in the back alley, and we used to hang around for the empty butter barrels – the end pieces made good shields for playing Cowboys & Indians.
I am married to one of Tony Paleschis sons, he is always telling me stories of the ice cream vans and shops.Unfotunately my father in law has passed away but my mother in law still lives in Thornaby,it was great to here your recollections.
Stumbled across this page whilst searching for something else and the name Tony Paleschi cropped up. I was at School (St Michaels) with Tony Paleschi, also in my class was Tulio Greco, and one of the Rea’s but I forget which one. Sorry to hear Tony has died.
The recollection of Paleschi”s ice cream makes my mouth water even to this day. I think that they were based in Thornaby but managed to get around most of the Stockton area. I remember they made their own wonderful crispy cones, the like of which I have tasted nowhere. It is one of my most pleasant memories of my childhood, the sound of the Paleschi`s ice cream cart and the resulting treat.
I lived next door to the Butchers (at No 19) and remember waking up to the sound of Mr Cussins ( I think )the butcher chopping meat on Saturday morning. Note the distinct lack of cars.
Co-op Shops the highest Divi paid was 2/6 (12 1/2p ) in 1952, the lowest just before Stockton Co-op, ceased trading was 6p in the £ (Pound). I still have a jigsaw given during a” Pelaw-Polish” promotion 1935 I often went to the Norton Co-op for 2 ounces of brawn or corned-beef, for dads “bait-box”. Ham was special for Sunday mainly, with a tin of pineapple-chunks and ice-cream with half a dozen wafers, collected in a basin from Paleschi ice-cream hand-cart.
This was our local Co-op but was not my favourite shop as a kid. My mother did a lot of her shopping in Harry Carter`s corner shop, which was just over the road from my home in Londonderry Road. However the lure of the divi meant that her main shopping was done at the Co-op in Bishopton Road which was a considerable distance from our house. If she forgot anything, I was sent to retrieve the situation. The resulting long walk was the cause of my dislike of the Co-op. If my mother was not up to it I was entrusted with the full shop, which required a list as long as your arm as my mother wrote down all the specific requirements, I had to read these out to the shopgirls – I hated it. Although the bulk of my visits were as a child I can still remember our divi number – 20929. The photo shows the Fruit & Vegetable shop to the left. The windows either side of the main enterance were in the Grocery Department and the Butchers Department is far right. My 1953-54 Ration Book, which I still have,shows that my mother was registered at the Newtown Co-op for Meat, Fats, Cheese, Bacon and Sugar. Many of the items on offer were the Co-op`s own brand. I remember Co-op Tea, Jam and Margarine. Does anybody remember the Silver Seal Margarine? It looked like axle grease but I loved it. I don`t know how much the divi was worth but it certainly was a successful lure to most housewives when I was a kid.
Was this your local Co-op? Branch 12, Bishopton Road.
Picture Stockton Archive 
I remember as a young child my mothers lil red book which was her weekly order book for this Coop
and I also remember being astounded when in there watching the change being sent round the shop from the cashier in the overhead pulley system.
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Richard Little’s memory of no 12 branch butcher’s serves him well as the butcher was Mr Cousins (Len). He was well known in the Coop butchery fraternity for refusing to wear glasses and one had to try and keep a straight face as he wrote out customers ‘Divi’ cheques with his nose almost touching the pad.
He was also infamous for trusting none of his staff so he NEVER left the shop from opening to closing and his number two was never entrusted with a set of shop keys.
Half day closing was Monday and many the time I passed the shop with the blinds down at 4PM and Len was still there living the dream. Bless him.
LikeLike
Everytime I think of Paaleschi”s ice cream my mouth waters. They also had a very good mug of oxo/bovril with two cracker biscuits, on a cold day it warmed the cockles of your heart (also burnt your mouth). Everytime I visit Thornaby and see George St those magic words come to mind they are “What If” – what if the five lamps could be back in their rightful place, what if the shops of old George St could be back and the Paleschi”s ice cream bar could be again pride of place. One only hopes those two little words could be true. Tony and I were good friends and we shared some good laughs and good nights out together, I would like to pass on my regards to Tony”s family.
LikeLike
I worked one summer 1973 when a student for Albert P & drove a three speed column change Bedford Van selling great white ice cream from the tub – no soft stuff. He only gave me the job if I agreed to wear my long hair in a pony tail and I needed a job so I did. Shame I never got a photo of me & the van. I had a daily stand in Preston Park, early evening, and Willey flats, though I also covered Stillington, Redmarshall & Carlton at times that summer. My other summer jobs were Wolviston bypass built with rubble from Wrens Vinegar factory, Whalley Welding, Keirs cooling towers ICI & Dormand Museum.
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Paleschi”s ice cream is in the process of being revived. Watch this space…
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I am the grandaughter of Albert Paleschi Senior. I felt so proud that my grandads memories are still alive in a lot of happy memories for a lot of people including myself – never tasted any other ice cream like Paleschis, he would have been so proud.
LikeLike
I remember Barbara (Jones I believe)from her early years in Norton. In later years I saw a Ladies Hairdressers open up on Norton Road near to what used to be the Modern Laundry. It was named Paleschi and when passing and looking through the window I saw Barbara. I worked with her husband Tony at Head Wrightsons. He was an Electrician and I was a Joiner. We worked on many projects together.
LikeLike
We lived next door to Tony and Barbara Paleschi and there 3 children Dean Anthony and Bernadete in Carlton Drive Thornaby in the early 70s. My children loved it when Tony would park his ice cream truck outside while he took a break. I think Barbara still lives there which one of the Boys are you married to Sara?
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Hi Benny. Your right about a Paleschi at HW. It was Tony and he became an Electrician there. He was a member of the Ice Cream Family.
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When I served my Aprenticeship in the the Apprentice School at Head Wrightsons Thornaby, we had a a young Paleschi in our year, would he be one of your relations Jamie? I also enjoyed their ice cream from the Five lamps shop. Does the Ice cream company still exist today?.
LikeLike
Woah, its amazing to see the amount of people that remember my great grandads ice cream…cool! 😛 Yeah, im too young to remember this place but I know my family would!
LikeLike
I reckon the photo must have been taken after 1953, but before about 1956 – our wooden palisade on the garden wall at No. 19 is still there, though the road layout has been altered to add a bus lay-by. I can remember both being changed. The general grocers had the cashier in a raised cubicle at the back on the left, and money and chits were sent across the room in containers suspended by pulleys on wires, and launched on their journey by pulling down on a spring loaded handle. This was one of the main reasons I loved being sent there on errands. I also liked the girls because they could remember our divi number when I couldn”t! Sugar and butter were measured and weighed as ordered and wrapped into greaseproof paper or put in blue sugar-paper bags respectively. Goods were delivered to the gates behind in the back alley, and we used to hang around for the empty butter barrels – the end pieces made good shields for playing Cowboys & Indians.
LikeLike
I am married to one of Tony Paleschis sons, he is always telling me stories of the ice cream vans and shops.Unfotunately my father in law has passed away but my mother in law still lives in Thornaby,it was great to here your recollections.
LikeLike
Stumbled across this page whilst searching for something else and the name Tony Paleschi cropped up. I was at School (St Michaels) with Tony Paleschi, also in my class was Tulio Greco, and one of the Rea’s but I forget which one. Sorry to hear Tony has died.
LikeLike
The recollection of Paleschi”s ice cream makes my mouth water even to this day. I think that they were based in Thornaby but managed to get around most of the Stockton area. I remember they made their own wonderful crispy cones, the like of which I have tasted nowhere. It is one of my most pleasant memories of my childhood, the sound of the Paleschi`s ice cream cart and the resulting treat.
LikeLike
I lived next door to the Butchers (at No 19) and remember waking up to the sound of Mr Cussins ( I think )the butcher chopping meat on Saturday morning. Note the distinct lack of cars.
LikeLike
Co-op Shops the highest Divi paid was 2/6 (12 1/2p ) in 1952, the lowest just before Stockton Co-op, ceased trading was 6p in the £ (Pound). I still have a jigsaw given during a” Pelaw-Polish” promotion 1935 I often went to the Norton Co-op for 2 ounces of brawn or corned-beef, for dads “bait-box”. Ham was special for Sunday mainly, with a tin of pineapple-chunks and ice-cream with half a dozen wafers, collected in a basin from Paleschi ice-cream hand-cart.
LikeLike
This was our local Co-op but was not my favourite shop as a kid. My mother did a lot of her shopping in Harry Carter`s corner shop, which was just over the road from my home in Londonderry Road. However the lure of the divi meant that her main shopping was done at the Co-op in Bishopton Road which was a considerable distance from our house. If she forgot anything, I was sent to retrieve the situation. The resulting long walk was the cause of my dislike of the Co-op. If my mother was not up to it I was entrusted with the full shop, which required a list as long as your arm as my mother wrote down all the specific requirements, I had to read these out to the shopgirls – I hated it. Although the bulk of my visits were as a child I can still remember our divi number – 20929. The photo shows the Fruit & Vegetable shop to the left. The windows either side of the main enterance were in the Grocery Department and the Butchers Department is far right. My 1953-54 Ration Book, which I still have,shows that my mother was registered at the Newtown Co-op for Meat, Fats, Cheese, Bacon and Sugar. Many of the items on offer were the Co-op`s own brand. I remember Co-op Tea, Jam and Margarine. Does anybody remember the Silver Seal Margarine? It looked like axle grease but I loved it. I don`t know how much the divi was worth but it certainly was a successful lure to most housewives when I was a kid.
LikeLike