4 Silver Street seems to have a long association with makers of time pieces. In 1855 & 1858 the premises were occupied by James Luke & son, Watch & Clock Makers. In 1890 William Watson, Watch Maker was the proprietor. William Henry Dawson, Watch Maker was at the address from as early as 1914.
All interesting stuff. I’m now in residence at 4 Silver Street, just to the right of ‘Philip Carruthers’ in the photo. My shop is known as ‘Chocs Away!’, a traditional styled sweet shop. Does anyone know anything about the shop through the ages? I’d love to know.
Yes I did have an earlier shop in Dovecote Street which I took over on the death of Stanley Nixon ,who had worked for Winpenny for many years.My partner Doug had not lived in Norton
Did Donald Carruthers have a second or earlier shop at the Mill Lane end of Dovecote St, on the block that housed ‘Jerry Cairo’s’, purveyor of individual Victory V’s and other weird weird concoctions passed off as ‘sweets’?. Or was this shop rather more of a gents outfitters than a proper tailor? It always struck me as a bit incongruous in that part of the town.
Pleased to see Donald Carruthers comments.I bought many Wolseley polo shirts from Donald at the Dovecot Street shop before it moved to Silver Street.It was just past the Dixon St.turn on the way to Mill Lane School.
With reference to the Browns Bridge comments,Hutchinson Street was just round the corner to the right of the houses pictured.A friend of mine, Joe Umpleby lived there.
We both went to Secondary Grammar in Nelson Terrace from 1945-50.I took a short cut over the bridge to Grays Road many times pasing between the Rocks and the Old Mill,over Johno,s field,and Lustrum Beck.
Joe died in Canada 5 years ago.
Norman Wynn lived in Del Stother Ave. not too far from Grays Road.
I left Stockton in 1968 and enjoy this site very much.
Gran.Cooper nr.Bath
Could you tell me Donald if the Doug Cook who was your partner lived in either Whitfield or Grantham Road off Junction Road, Norton as a boy? Why I ask is that as a youngster myself I visited his house with my friend/his cousin Donald Kirby.
I was very interested to see my old shop in Silver Street, and it brought back many happy memories. I retired when the shop closed after the death of my partner Douglas Cook in 1988. Since then after getting tired of being retired I have been involved in running a hotel in Harrogate and Scarborough. I am now living in the Cotswolds and helping to run a gift and interiors shop. Very different from the menswear trade. I remember another colourful retailer Percy Lockwood from his shoe shop opposite.
I worked as a Saturday lad in John Collier”s in the early 80s and even as late as then, they did a made-to-measure service that was pretty well-used by older Stocktonians. Our manager, who did the measuring up, always spoke very highly of Donald Carruthers. It was the last remaining shop of that type in the town.
The picture above shows Donald Carruthers Menswear shop in the centre. This was the final era of the “gentlemans outfitters”,(like Winpennys) where quality items from suits to handkerchiefs could be purchased. Subsequently the “male-boutique” or high-fashion outlets took over the market. In 1967 Fred Veasey from Middlesbrough opened “Brogue” manshop on the opposite side of Silver St, further down . This shop was principally aimed at 18-25yr old “lads” and was Fred”s next venture to his M”bro shop in Bottomley St. The shop was “basic” to say the least. A “box” with a w.c. in the back. As a “poverty stricken” Art student I got a Saturday job there -having been transferred from the M”bro shop. The lack of even a kettle, meant that we had to get the “teas” from The Waverley Cafe on the opposite side of the High St in china jugs, and negotiate the Saturday market crowds with supreme skill carrying the jugs, and a few of their “fairy” cakes, in both hands. The “jugs” had to be returned by 4.30pm, this time thru” the clutter and disarray of the market stalls being dismantled. I can see the back door of the Waverly Cafe even now,with cheerful,robust ladies preparing the food, and lots of huge, fat, cats patrolling outside(and sometimes inside) the door for scraps. “Environmental Health”, Health & Safety Inspectors? Never “eard of “em! (by the way…the cakes were delicious!)
Thanks for that D.I and Martin. I’m going to put up some old photos of Silver Street in the shop sometime soon… -Tracy-
4 Silver Street seems to have a long association with makers of time pieces. In 1855 & 1858 the premises were occupied by James Luke & son, Watch & Clock Makers. In 1890 William Watson, Watch Maker was the proprietor. William Henry Dawson, Watch Maker was at the address from as early as 1914.
The 1936-37 Ward’s directory of Stockton lists 4 Silver Street as the business address of William Henry Dawson, Watchmaker.
In the late 60’s and 70’s 4 Silver Street was Dawsons jewellers, I believed was owned by a Mr. Robson.
All interesting stuff. I’m now in residence at 4 Silver Street, just to the right of ‘Philip Carruthers’ in the photo. My shop is known as ‘Chocs Away!’, a traditional styled sweet shop. Does anyone know anything about the shop through the ages? I’d love to know.
Yes I did have an earlier shop in Dovecote Street which I took over on the death of Stanley Nixon ,who had worked for Winpenny for many years.My partner Doug had not lived in Norton
Did Donald Carruthers have a second or earlier shop at the Mill Lane end of Dovecote St, on the block that housed ‘Jerry Cairo’s’, purveyor of individual Victory V’s and other weird weird concoctions passed off as ‘sweets’?. Or was this shop rather more of a gents outfitters than a proper tailor? It always struck me as a bit incongruous in that part of the town.
Pleased to see Donald Carruthers comments.I bought many Wolseley polo shirts from Donald at the Dovecot Street shop before it moved to Silver Street.It was just past the Dixon St.turn on the way to Mill Lane School.
With reference to the Browns Bridge comments,Hutchinson Street was just round the corner to the right of the houses pictured.A friend of mine, Joe Umpleby lived there.
We both went to Secondary Grammar in Nelson Terrace from 1945-50.I took a short cut over the bridge to Grays Road many times pasing between the Rocks and the Old Mill,over Johno,s field,and Lustrum Beck.
Joe died in Canada 5 years ago.
Norman Wynn lived in Del Stother Ave. not too far from Grays Road.
I left Stockton in 1968 and enjoy this site very much.
Gran.Cooper nr.Bath
Could you tell me Donald if the Doug Cook who was your partner lived in either Whitfield or Grantham Road off Junction Road, Norton as a boy? Why I ask is that as a youngster myself I visited his house with my friend/his cousin Donald Kirby.
I was very interested to see my old shop in Silver Street, and it brought back many happy memories. I retired when the shop closed after the death of my partner Douglas Cook in 1988. Since then after getting tired of being retired I have been involved in running a hotel in Harrogate and Scarborough. I am now living in the Cotswolds and helping to run a gift and interiors shop. Very different from the menswear trade. I remember another colourful retailer Percy Lockwood from his shoe shop opposite.
I worked as a Saturday lad in John Collier”s in the early 80s and even as late as then, they did a made-to-measure service that was pretty well-used by older Stocktonians. Our manager, who did the measuring up, always spoke very highly of Donald Carruthers. It was the last remaining shop of that type in the town.
The picture above shows Donald Carruthers Menswear shop in the centre. This was the final era of the “gentlemans outfitters”,(like Winpennys) where quality items from suits to handkerchiefs could be purchased. Subsequently the “male-boutique” or high-fashion outlets took over the market. In 1967 Fred Veasey from Middlesbrough opened “Brogue” manshop on the opposite side of Silver St, further down . This shop was principally aimed at 18-25yr old “lads” and was Fred”s next venture to his M”bro shop in Bottomley St. The shop was “basic” to say the least. A “box” with a w.c. in the back. As a “poverty stricken” Art student I got a Saturday job there -having been transferred from the M”bro shop. The lack of even a kettle, meant that we had to get the “teas” from The Waverley Cafe on the opposite side of the High St in china jugs, and negotiate the Saturday market crowds with supreme skill carrying the jugs, and a few of their “fairy” cakes, in both hands. The “jugs” had to be returned by 4.30pm, this time thru” the clutter and disarray of the market stalls being dismantled. I can see the back door of the Waverly Cafe even now,with cheerful,robust ladies preparing the food, and lots of huge, fat, cats patrolling outside(and sometimes inside) the door for scraps. “Environmental Health”, Health & Safety Inspectors? Never “eard of “em! (by the way…the cakes were delicious!)
Was there a night club about 1974 in Silver Street?