Durham Road Fish Bar. c1996. Photograph courtesy of Ged Hutchinson. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Durham Road Fish Bar. c1996. Photograph courtesy of Ged Hutchinson.
Please can anyone remember the name of the cafe it was on the corner of Swainby Road but facing Norton Road, it had a juke box inside. I’m desperate to find the name, my partner used to go in there and hes had a stoke now and cannot recall the name.
Charlotte, I lived in Swainby Road at this time, always went in the cafe, I can’t remember a name to go with it but it was run by Italians, my mate Alfie Littlefair would always know who put money in the juke box to play Kelly by Del Shannon, the cafe didn’t last long but was great whilst it did, good memories from that time with great Swainby & Danby Road mates.
All the best.
Derek
ps what was your partners name, I should know him.
Does any one know anything about the bridge on Durham Road or have any old photos or drawings, right next to the fish shop shown? Its called Londonderry Bridge I think? I would like to know what it looked like originally before the modifications. Thanks
I was brought up using this fish shop. Every Friday dinner time my brother would have to rush home from school so he could go take his turn in the long queue, he was late one day and mam was getting annoyed so I said I’d go stood in the queue. When I got to the front and no one could see me over the counter so a kind man held me up so I could pass the note and money over. We never went to Freds as no one in the family liked the thick batter.
I used to use this chippie a lot, on the odd occasion I would pop in with my best mate, Steve ‘Micky’ Rayner and his ‘Aunty Em’ would always give us a bit extra and scraps! Barbara, Is this your Mam?
My mam Emily Jarrett worked for many years at Durham Road chip shop, with Mary and May I also remember Margaret from Hardwick, which makes me think that there were more than one, also Joan Ayre.
I lived with my parents in the ‘Malleable Fishy’ fish and chip shop in the mid to late 1930s. I went to Norton Board Junior School and then Frederick Nattress Senior Boys School. Did anybody go to these schools at around this time?
My family lived at No 8, Dundas Street, in 1945-55, just around the corner from Moore’s Chippie on Durham Road, and I certainly agree with the fact that it was the best Fish & Chips in the area, they used to use only ‘Beef Dripping’ for frying. I was brought up on the ‘Scraps’ Ha!Ha! (should see me now). However, the Moore’s only lived over the Beck/bridge, next door to the ‘Chippie and we were well aquainted, ‘Cissy’, Mary and May. Mother used to clean house for Cissy. What memories!
Plenty of references to the two closest fish n’chip shops to where I lived on Newham Grange Est, the Durham Rd shop for many years was called Lloyds run by Mr& Mrs. Very busy shop even on lunchtimes and expect a long line on Fridays.
As you entered you would ask either of them to prepare your order ‘large Cod please’ and then take up your place at the back of the queue. If you took a large bundle of old Evening Gazette’s (wrapped over the white paper) you were sure to get plenty of ‘scraps’…. what health and safety?
I was in the local scouts (7th Stockton) and after our wed night meeting we would head for Lloyds for fishcake and chips then a walk up Durham Rd and, if we were feeling brave, cut through the cemetery to the black path. Often on dark winter nights we had so scared ourself up about it we ran like the wind till we reached the path, tough scouts were the 7th Stockton! Happy, happy days.
Why would you use the graveyard to cross to the black path when you could have crossed from the recreation ground?
THE REGAL FISH SHOP WAS NEXT DOOR TO THE CARLTON SKATING RING/DANCE HALL. THE QUAILITY OF THE REGAL WAS SECOND TO NONE WONDERFUL
Nice to read about and recall such happy memories such as standing ouside of Snowdens. I still drink sunday lunchtimes in the Malleable anyone wishing to catch up.
You have got to be the same Billy Baker formerly of Greta road, norton, with brothers Eric & Dennis
No Barry, I went to Norton Board while I was in Hallifield Street then went to Stockton Grammar. All the rest went to Tilery Road, including Chris Hill. You might remember Keith Bowes who lived on Norton Road between Swainby Road and Danby Road. He was one of the old gang too. Lynda, the Spar shop was Thomas”s and it was run by Keith at that time. Nav, Al, Chris Hill, Keith Bowes, myself and my sister Cath were the “Paper Boys” for Thomas”s. Morning, evening and Sunday round for ten shillings and sixpence a week. I did 36 morning papers, 72 Gazettes and the Sunday round was split in two as the bag was too heavy to do it in one go. The Malleable took four Gazettes, one for the Blackmores, one for the Tap Room, one for the Smoke Room and one for the lounge. They”d always ask me if I had any “spares”.
FRANK BOWRON – DID YOU ATTEND TILERY SCHOOL,ALL THE NAMES BEING MENTIONED WENT TO TILERY SCHOOL, DAVE YOUNG AND HIS BROTHERS ALAN & WILLUM,FRANKIE CRAGGS AND FITZY I”M NOT SURE IF CHRIS HILL DID. BESIDES ME, TERRY DANKS, RONNIE PATTERSON AND JOHN CALVERT ALSO USED TO MEET UP AT SNOWDENS WHEN WE ALL LIVED IN SWAINBY ROAD, WE ALL ENDED UP USING THE CAFE AT THE END OF SWAINBY ROAD, PLAYING THE JUKE BOX.
Frank Bowron – you”re right – “Nav” (I”d forgotten he was always called that!) did have a Honda 90 – I remember painting the Honda logo on the back of his leather jacket for him. He was working in the Spar shop at the end of Mount Pleasant Road when I met him – I was at school with Pamela Thomas, sister of Keith who I think owned the shop at that time. Dave later went to work at the Steel Works at Cargo Fleet. When we married we bought a bungalow at Eston to be near his work.
Hey-Ho, the old gang are getting together again! First its Fitzy, with Nav, Al and Willum. Now Lynda and Barry turn up… Amazing, this site is. “Bailsie”s Loft” Bagsy”s (Frankie Craggs) shed. Three card brag in Fitzy”s shed. Even Snowden”s doorway. Anywhere out of the rain would do. Fitzy had that old Franny Barnet where the kick start would always fall off, but it was Nav who turned traitor and bought a Japanese “sewing machine” (a Honda 90 if I recall correctly). Les Bennett used to be one of the gang too, before he took up bass guitar – and he”s mentioned a few times elsewhere in the “Bands” comments.
To Peter Chishold – yes I remembered Celia”s name eventually. There was an older boy – Ged I think – and perhaps a younger boy with ginger hair – maybe Colin? I also remember the Devereaux family – Barbara was around my age (57).
TO LYNDA DICKENSON- I MYSELF USED TO KNOCK AROUND WITH DAVID YOUNG AND WE USUALLY MET UP AT SNOWDENS OFF LICENCE, DO YOU REMEMBER CHRIS HILL WHO ALSO HUNG AROUND SNOWDENS ON HIS MOTORBIKE, I DIDN”T KNOW GEORGE & SADIE BLACKMORE UNTIL THEY TOOK OVER THE TURKS HEAD, I REMEMBER COMMING HOME ON LEAVE FROM THE ARMY IN 1967, I WAS IN UNIFORM AND MY FIRST STOP WHEN I GOT OFF THE TRAIN WAS THE TURKS HEAD, GEORGE LET ME GET CHANGED INTO CIVVIES IN PAMS BEDROOM.
To Lynda Dickinson. The girl was probably Celia Bailes. Simon Bailes was a year older than me so he would be 55-ish now. Celia was 1 or 2 years younger than me so is 52-53 now. They used to live in one of the large houses on Norton Road next door to the Devereaux family (the removals people).
Re XL fish shop and Snowdons off licence, Norton Rd. In the early 60″s I often stayed at the Malleable Club with my friend Pam Blackmore. Her parents, George and Sadie, were stewards at the Malleable Club. As a young teenager hanging round the streets I often spent the evening in the doorway of Snowdons along with Dave, Alan and Willum Young (Derwent St) and Terry Fitzgerald with his old Francis Barnet motorbike. We were also friends with a number of the Bailes” children – Simon, Adrian, Julian and a girl whose name I forget. In later years, around 1965/6 we spent a lot of time at the home of Mrs Kane at the end of Ida Street – her two daughters were Kathleen and Sheena I think.
To Jay Baker – Norton Fisheries off the High Street , in Smurthwaite Yard is still very popular after 80 years in the business. Any Fair or Fetes taking place on Norton-Green has queues into the High Street from 11-00 am to 4-00 pm for their delicious plate-size Cod and mouth- watering Chips ( with or without vinegar), although to-day its almost a luxury item, price-wise, compared to the “Fish and two” of yesteryear. Re “Freds Plaice” I can remember “The Regal” nr Norton Avenue , Davidson ,”Kirby”s Corner”, the present “Belle-Vue” and Wells opposite the entrance to Hills all on Norton Road, names change over the years , but “Norton Fisheries” remains, its aroma still tempting taste-buds
I agree with the earlier comment as the police station was on Norton Road in the late 50s to 60s which was a large house nearly opposite Browns the hairdresser and on the same side as tha Bailes family and the removal firm Ken Devereux. This was before the new police station that was opened on South Road maybe some one from the above families could confirm this.
I used to live in Norton & I was wondering if Norton Fisheries is still on the High Street across from the library & also what about “Freds Plaice” on Norton Road?
We lived on Norton Road next door to the chapel on the corner of Victoria Avenue. We never used the XL after once having “a bad bit of fish” as Mam said. We were sent all the way to Bowron Street to fetch the Saturday dinner. The difference between “Fish “n six twice” and “Two fish “n six” had my wife baffled for years (she”s not from round here you know. He-he.) Fish cakes have caused me bother ever since I left Stockton. You”re always offered mashed up fish and potato instead of the real thing. Thats just a disgusting fish patty.
Garth Robson. They were always known as Patties. You had to go somewhere foreign like Darlington for a Fishcake. If you ask for a Pattie outside of Teesside they don”t know what you are talking about.
In actual fact Garth Robson – and though I hate to admit it to a Boro lad – your terminology may well be strictly accurate re: fish cakes and patties. I do know, however, that at Durham Road “bottom chippy” a fish cake was a slice of fish between potato in the 1950s and 60s. I must have ordered hundreds, maybe even thousands, over those years. I suppose it”s like the old regional name arguments over buns and fadgies etc.
I used to go to the Bedes in the 50″ and used to get my dinner every day at the Durham Road fishshop as my mother was the frier there. She was called Mary. She also worked at Regal over the road from the Modern in Norton, Kitchens behind the Duck, andNorton Fisheries to name a few .
Ref Anon”s comments about fish cakes, I can remember having many discussions with Stockton lads when I was working in a drawing office about the correct name for what he calls a fish cake. Being a Boro lad we always called that a fish patty, a fish cake was fish “bits” mixed with mashed potato. There seems to be a difference of opinion North/South of the river!!
I think it was the same Moores who had the fish shop at the bottom of Bath Lane in the late 50″s – beautiful fish and chips!
Brilliant fish-shop in the fifties and sixties. Mrs Moore (Cissie) was the owner and Mary and May did the frying. If you went late at night the fish deliveries might be arriving by van. I think they came from Hull, St. Dunstan”s”s Fish Company? The batter was to die for and the fish cakes were proper fish cakes with a slice of cod between two pieces of potato, not the mush you often get today. If I had all the money I”ve spent in there I”d be living in Monte Carlo! Still, it was worth it.
I find it hard to believe people preferred the chippie near newtown school to Freds in Durham Road. I always thought Freds was the best I”d ever had and I”m 57 now. The batter was superb and the fish top notch.I used to call at 11 o” clock every Saturday morning with my two kids on my way to my mothers in Russell Street, having travelled down from Bishop Auckland. I used to sit the kids on the bar waiting for the fish to cook as he had just opened. Fred used to give the kids sticks of rock if he had been on holiday. The reason we arrived at 11 was if we were any later the queue was out the door and down the street.People travelled from all over for Freds fish and chips. I never saw queues like this anywhere else.
I used to live on the Newham Grange Estate and we backed onto the Black Path. I often caught the bus from town and would get off at the Fish Shop in Durham Road and buy fish and chips and always scraps please – delicious. Then walk home past The Bedes, then Newham Grange School and the Cemetery.
The Police Station for Norton was situated in South Road, Norton until it closed in 1969 when the Durham Police Force for Stockton area became Teesside. Before the South Road Office it was situated in Norton High Street where the Road entrance is to the Car Park for the Somerfield Super Market. A temporary Police Office during the move from Norton High Street to South Road was on Norton Road a few doors up from The Malleable Club.
I remember the fish shop near Snowdens in the early sixties it was known as the XL fish shop and owned by a man I think was called Mr Ward and the chips came in a large bag definitely value for money, In those days you did not hang around the two phone boxes on the next block as you would have the policeman moving you on.The police office was close by not far from Bronco Dixons. I believe the station or police office was a few doors from Devereux family removals and they had old cloth top wagons as did zealands the carriers.
Living in Newham Grange it was often my job to visit the Durham Road Fish shop, by bike. We too prefered it to Freds. I would take “The Black Path” from Bishopton Lane opposite Newham Grange Park, past the cemetry,past “The Bedes”, down to Browns Bridge and cut thro” the back alley up to Durham Road for the family meal . “Fish and Chips four times please and can we have some scraps “!
I was once hitch hiking down south & got a lift off a truck driver who always used the Dovecote Street (?) chippy with the salt & vinegar outside on a shelf. This was his main memory of Stockton.
In answer to Phil as he said the left side of the shop did become a wet fish shop but in the early fifties it was a barbers shop for a man named Bramley who later on moved over the road to what became the joiners shop in later years.
To Bob Harbron & Bob Irwin:- Thanks to both of you for the info I guess my memory wasn”t what it used to be – Regards Mike
Re Fish Shop, Mike It was on the terrace block the south end being Norton-Hill Post-Office , on the corner of Victoria Terrace The alley (North) after the fish-shop (Weltons), known as “Malleable Fishy” was the end wall of Snowdens Grocers, .
To Mike Rewick. The Fish Shop was called the XL and the owner was nicknamed “Greasy Jack”. The Off Licence was Snowdens. The XL is now an Indian takeaway and Snowdens a Betting Shop.
Does anybody remember the chippie on the right hand side of Norton Road, facing towards Stockton. It was just down from the Malleable club, accross from an off licence,name of both forgotten! The fish cakes, two large potato slices with flaked fish in between, battered and fried in lard, 3d each, plus 3 penn”orth of chips. Oh the joy of sinking your teeth into them! Were we lucky or not – NO cod quotas in those days.
We called this Fishy, “down the bank” to distinguish it from fred”s which was “over the road”. My mum used to insist we went there and not Freds! She reckoned they did the finest tail end in Stockton! Next door, the left side as you look at it was a wet fish shop and we went there every friday afternoon for years from the 50″s onwards for a great lump of thick cod fillet for tea. They used to hold the door open with a 56lb weight and (as a 5 year old) would wrestle with this thing week in and week out!
Yes Benny, this is the fish shop just over the road from Newtown School. While both fish shops on Durham Road sold wonderful fish & chips this one was my favourite, especially after Mrs Moore took the shop after Joe Walton and then Kitchings. I was a regular,calling in for a fish and six, after the pubs had called last orders and I wended my way home from the town centre. Quite often, as it was so late, I would be given an extra fish by Mrs Moore before she called it a day and shut up shop. I never said no and would end up going to bed with my stomach full of Newcastle Exhibition beer and Mrs Moore`s excellent night cap. I would sleep like a log though these days I would be up half the night with chronic indigestion.
Fish-Shops, there’s no doubt the finest in the area “Norton Fisheries”, (for over 80 years) in Smuthwaites Yard High Street, followed by the long gone “Regal” opposite The Modern Cinema. When I worked at John Harrison’s The Printers in Norton Road, Tilery Fish Shop, facing Hills used to be crowed with apprentices with orders for dozens of Fish and Chips for local works and Head-Wrightsons “Forge”. The shops speciality was battered chips.
Ged is this the botom Fish shop as we called it near Newtown School. There were always arguments about which Fish Shop served the best fish and chips, and both shops had their supporters.